Q&A Home > J > Jews and Gentiles In the Holy Gospel of St. Mark 7:27 and Holy Gospel of St. Matthew 15, Our Lord is talking to the Syro phoenician woman. Why is our Lord talking,as if the "bread" is limited? Isn't there enough bread for both the "children" and the "dogs"? Our Lord came first to the Jews, God's people, as He said, "Let the children be filled first." When He sent His apostles for the ministry, He told them "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (Mt 10:5,6). The Syro Phoenician woman was not from God's chosen people, His children. However, our Lord Jesus Christ wanted to test her faith by saying to her "Let the children first be filled" i.e. let the Jews, who are in a particular manner God's chosen people, whenever possible, be the first in having all the miracles wrought for them; before those miracles be given to those who are not of God's family, and do not have the knowledge of nor interest in Him (thus considered inferior; dogs in comparison). By saying, let the children first be filled, He shows that there was mercy in reserve for the Gentiles, not far off.
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