Collection: Christ and Women of Canaan

ARTIST: Museum Religious Art Classics

ARTWORK NARRATIVE:

Artist: Rocco Marconi – c. 1520

In summary, the story is of a Canaanite woman. She is a Gentile; which is to say that she is not Jewish, and therefore, she is an outsider. She came to Jesus because her daughter is “grievously vexed with a devil” (Mathew 15:22). She asked Jesus to heal her daughter, but Jesus ignored her. She remained and pestered His disciples to the point that they asked Jesus to send her away (Matthew 15:23). She again begged Jesus for help, but He responded by saying that His purpose is to give bread to the children of the house of Israel (thus, the bread– his blessing is not for her, as she is a Gentile). She replies that even the crumbs of Jesus’ bread would be enough to heal her daughter. In this, it is evident that although she is not a Jew, she yet does not worship Baal. It is a testimony that she recognized Jesus as Lord of the House of Israel. Jesus accepts this testimony and faith of the woman, and instantly her daughter is healed.