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15:22
The woman who asks Jesus for healing for her daughter is a Canaanite. She is a non- Jew, and Jesus at rst refuses her, saying his mission is only to the house of Israel. His words are harsh: “it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to little dogs” (15:26)—“dog,” like “pig,”
was sometimes a pejorative used to describe Gentiles, non-Jewish people. But the woman’s quick response expresses such determination and such faith that Jesus grants what she wishes.
The pattern of the Gospel is
a gradual opening up of the good news, starting from the Jewish people and reaching to the whole world.
15:31
Jesus heals many people,
and the crowds recognize the ful llment of the prophecy of Isaiah: “Here is your God. he is coming to save you. / Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, / the ears of the deaf unsealed, / then the lame
will leap like a deer / and the tongue of the dumb sing for joy” (Isaiah 35:4-6).
This painting by Tintoretto, The Multiplication of
the Loaves and Fishes, shows Jesus handing out
the bread and giving the crowd more
than enough to eat.
41
* [15:32–39] Most probably this story is a doublet of that of the feeding of the ve thousand (Mt 14:13–21). It di ers from it notably only in that Jesus takes the initiative, not the disciples (Mt 15:32), and in the numbers: the crowd has been with Jesus three days (Mt 15:32), seven loaves are multiplied (Mt 15:36), seven baskets of fragments remain after the feeding (Mt 15:37), and four thousand men are fed (Mt 15:38).
* [15:36] Gave thanks: see Mt 14:19, “said the blessing.”There is no di erence in meaning. The thanksgiving was a blessing of God for his bene ts.
l. [15:30] Is 35:5–6.
m. [15:32–39] Mk 8:1–10. n. [15:37] 16:10.
MATTHEW 
to her in reply, “O woman, great is your faith!* Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
The Healing of Many People. 29Moving on from there Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, went up on the mountain, and sat down there. 30l Great crowds came to him, having with them the lame, the blind, the deformed, the mute, and many others. They placed them at his feet, and he cured them. 31The crowds were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the deformed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind able to see, and they glorified the God of Israel.
The Feeding of the Four Thousand.* 32m Jesus summoned his disciples and said, “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, for they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, for fear they may collapse on the way.” 33The disciples said to him, “Where could we ever get enough bread in this deserted place to satisfy such a crowd?” 34Jesus said to them, “How many loaves do you have?” “Seven,” they replied, “and a few fish.” 35He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. 36Then he took the seven loaves and the fish, gave thanks,* broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, who in turn gave them to the crowds. 37n They all ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over—seven baskets full. 38Those who ate were four thousand men, not counting women and children. 39And when he had dismissed the crowds, he got into the boat and came to the district of Magadan.