A Canaanite Woman's Faith (Matt 15:21-28)

In the usual interpretation of Matt 15:21-28, Jesus is said to test the Canaanite woman. In doing so, readers often explain away the difficult sayings of Jesus and protect Jesus from blame. The only thing they see is the woman's submissive faith. But the idea of testing is invalid because earlier, in 10:5, he told his disciples not to go among the Gentiles. Namely, his mission does not include the Gentiles. So when Jesus meets the Canaanite woman, he is not interested in her.  

Interestingly, the Matthean Jesus is markedly different from the Lukan Jesus, who preaches God's preferential option for the Gentiles (see Luke 4:16-30).  

The Matthean Jesus reflects Matthew's community that struggles to open the doors for the Gentiles. However, at the end of the story of a Canaanite woman, Jesus finally acknowledges her faith, which needs explaining.  

When it comes to the Canaanite woman's faith, her faith is more than submissive faith. She has faith that God would bless her and her daughter through Jesus, the Son of David. Jesus ignores her, initially. Disciples ask him to send her away. He calls her dog and rejects her request for her daughter because his mission is for Jews. But she is persistent; her faith says she also deserves God's blessing. 

Her faith is not about enduring derogatory sayings of Jesus but about her relentless hope that God would bless her daughter. Because of her faith as such, Jesus changes his mind. In the end, explicitly or implicitly, seriously or humorously, she challenges Jesus's narrow-minded mission. Does he experience transformation after encountering this Canaanite woman?

Eventually, the risen Lord commissions the male disciples to all nations (Matt 28:16-20). Here, women disciples do not appear. That is Matthew's limitation.