Jesus' conversation with the Syrophoenician woman remains one of the most engaging accounts of the Lord's encounter with pagans in the course of His public ministry, allowing us a glimpse of ancient Jew-Pagan relationship and the capacity of the pagans to surprise Jesus with the authenticity and depth of their faith. Jesus' seeming reluctance to heal the woman's daughter must be seen in the context of Him wishing to remain anonymous, as Scripture informs us, for reasons that we are not privy to. The fact is that Jesus could simply have ignored the woman and walked away. Yet, His response reveals a willingness to engage her at a level that treated her as an equal, the way Jesus might speak to a man. Using a metaphorical language that might throw others off, the woman shows her astuteness and gives Jesus a comeback that is equally as tongue-in-cheek as the remark itself.

Far from a retort, the woman shows her humility and place in society. She knows that she is not equal in rank with the Jews, but begs only for scraps of grace that, in her faith, is sufficient to heal her daughter. This is what impresses the Lord, Who promptly heals her daughter. Here, the power of Jesus to heal is matched only by the power of love a mother has for her daughter.