Matthew 15

In Matthew 15 we encounter cranky Jesus.

In verse 14, in regards to the Pharisees Jesus said "Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."

In verse 16 Jesus said to his disciples "Are you still so dull?" Another translation has Jesus saying "Are you willfully being stupid?"

In verse 24 Jesus tells a Canaanite woman that he was sent only for the "lost sheep of Israel" and then in verse 26 calls her a dog. She replies "Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table."

And cranky Jesus disappears. He is replaced with nice Jesus, who grants her request.

Jesus said he came for the lost sheep of Israel, but they are the ones who argue and bicker with him. They are the ones that he calls blind. Then there are the disciples... the ones that Jesus calls stupid. These are the lost sheep.

The problem with the lost sheep is that they don't believe they are lost. It's hard to believe in a savior when one doesn't need saving. They are blinded by their own pride and self-righteousness.

Pride and self-righteousness makes Jesus cranky.

But the Canaanite woman has no pride, she is not self-righteous. When Jesus calls her a dog she accepts it... She does everything but bark... And Jesus praises her faith.

Am I blind? Am I stupid? Do I make Jesus cranky? Yes, yes and yes.

Maybe I need to learn to bark.