With reference to Matt 15:22 -28 and Matt 10:5-7, was Jesus racist?

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Tom  Jackson Profile
Tom Jackson answered

Neither

You may (or maybe not) know that the Jewish people were expecting a "Messiah."

("Messiah"---:the promised deliverer of the Jewish nation prophesied in the Hebrew Bible.)

It's pretty obvious that Jesus was confirming that he was in fact the "Messiah" that the Jews were expecting.

The whole point of Matthew's gospel is to show that Jesus is the Messiah who has come according to the Old Testament scriptures.

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Perry Nuttal
Perry Nuttal commented
But Jesus came for the lost sheep of Israel, not the gentiles or the Samaritans.
Tom  Jackson
Tom Jackson commented
Which is exactly the point that these passages are making.

After He fulfilled His mission to the Jews, the "results" of His sacrifice, death, and resurrection were then "applied" to all men:

Matthew 28:19-20---19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Perry Nuttal
Perry Nuttal commented
Thank you
Darik Majoren Profile
Darik Majoren answered

Since we really don't know Who wrote the book of Matthew . . It remains suspect of legitimacy, therefore one cannot imply that Jesus was Racist, Bigoted or really anything.

Some information regarding the authorship of Matthew - Authorship

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Darik Majoren
Darik Majoren commented
Well, it could very well be Loki, if one were to follow Norsemen mythology . . whom is the God of Lies in your Mythology Thomas?

And, YES, most biblical scholars do NOT know who wrote many of the Biblical canons. This is a fact.
Tom  Jackson
Tom Jackson commented
Well, NO, Dark Majinn.

Your saying so hardly makes it true---a fact that you have (perhaps inadvertently) taken great pains to establish.
Darik Majoren
Darik Majoren commented
The author of many books of the Bible is unknown . . . all there is "guessing" based off of when it was written, what language it was translated from . . . there is no "WHO" especially regarding Matthew. He did not sign it . . .
Establishing that Matthew "DIDN'T" write it, is on par with asking someone to prove Jesus didn't exist.
Saying that it is not KNOWN is as accurate as one can get regarding this canon . . .
You are saying it is absolutely known while I am saying it is not. Some scholars like to address it as "It is more likely", but the majority tend to favor truth . . . and truth is it is unknown.
Didge Doo Profile
Didge Doo answered

Not more so than anybody else of his time. Your first reference (about the Canaanite woman) was during his trip to Tyre and Sidon which are located in or near modern Syria. He might have been a bit more circumspect with his choice of language but, give the guy a break, nobody was politically correct back then. 

Your other reference was not so much racist as exclusive. It's just another instance of the "my god is better than your god" syndrome. You have to remember that the god of the Bible, Elohim, was pretty small beer. He was the tribal god of the Israelites and didn't get much muscle till he piggy-backed on the Roman empire.

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Perry Nuttal
Perry Nuttal commented
El (Elyon) was pretty big in the Canaanite patheon though, he was the head honcho and Chemosh synonymous with Yahweh was probably Shamash, hence the Menorah candle has Shamash (sun god) as a servant light to the other 6 or now 8, now they've discovered other planets.
SuperFly Original Profile

How do you know he was unless you studied the part yourself? Don't belive what anyone just tells you. Its spreading false information if you don't actually know.

Cookie Hill Profile
Cookie Hill answered

No he was not. What Jesus said apparently served to test the woman.  Her words reflected great faith, and therefore her daughter was healed.

AnnNettie Paradise Profile

No, for he had just mentioned his special commission from God to care for ‘the lost sheep of Israel.’ Moreover, by likening non-Jews to “little dogs,” not wild dogs, Jesus softened the comparison. Of course, what he said tested the woman. Humbly, though determined to overcome this objection, she tactfully replied: “Yes, Lord; but really the little dogs do eat of the crumbs falling from the table of their masters.” Impressed with the woman’s faith, Jesus healed her daughter immediately. (Matthew 15:22-28)

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, he confined his preaching of the good news to the Jews and proselytes, saying: “I was not sent forth to any but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matthew 15:24) When sending out the 12 apostles, he commanded them: “Do not go off into the road of the nations, and do not enter into a Samaritan city; but, instead, go continually to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Mt 10:5, 6) On one occasion he preached to a woman of the Samaritans, who were related to the Israelites, but this was not because he had gone into the city to preach. However, the response of the woman and others was so favorable that Jesus stayed with them for two days. (John 4:7-42)

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, he gave his disciples the command: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19, 20) He also told them that their preaching would reach to “the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) But for about three and a half years afterward the holy spirit led the disciples to confine their preaching to Jews and Samaritans. Then Peter was sent by God to bring the good news to the household of the Roman army officer Cornelius. (Acts chaps 10, 11; 15:7) From that time on, the good news was declared to the greatest possible extent over the widest area.


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