Verse 27
In her reply the woman said, "for even," not "but even" (Gr. kai gar). This is an important distinction because she did not challenge what Jesus had said. She acknowledged the truthfulness of what He said and then appealed to Him on the basis of its implications. Her words reveal great faith and spiritual wisdom. She did not ask for help because her case made her an exception or because she believed she had a right to Jesus’ help. She did not argue about God’s justice in seeking the Jews first. She simply threw herself on Jesus’ mercy without pleading any merit.
". . . she is confident that even if she is not entitled to sit down as a guest at the Messiah’s table, Gentile ’dog’ that she is, yet at least she may be allowed to receive a crumb of the uncovenanted mercies of God." [Note: Tasker, p. 152.]
She used the diminutive form of "dogs" (Gr. kynaria) probably because small house dogs are even more dependent than large street dogs. She also used the diminutive form of "crumbs" (Gr. psichion) that expressed her unworthiness to receive a large blessing.
"The metaphor which Christ had used as a reason for rejecting her petition she turns into a reason for granting it." [Note: Plummer, p. 217.]
She bowed to God’s will regarding Jewish priority, but she also believed that God would extend His grace to believing Gentiles (cf. Romans 9-11).
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