JoyJuice

Or more specifically was or could the Canaanite woman from Matthew Matthew 15:22-28, been a Samaritan?

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. 23 But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. 24 But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 25 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. 26 But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to dogs. 27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

andrewcriddle

The narrative occurs while Jesus is in the region of Tyre and Sidon and the woman comes from that area.

This is well North of Samaritan territory.

(In Mark's account which is probably the source for Matthew (Mark 7:24-30) the woman is described (verse 26) as 'a Greek a Syrophoenician by birth.')

Andrew Criddle

judge

Isn't that a contradiction though?

how is one both greek and Syrophonecian?

Toto

"Greek" was used at that time to refer to a Greek speaking non-Jewish subject of the Empire, sometimes to gentiles in general.

Nationalities are pretty much a modern invention.

JoyJuice

Excuse me ignorance but how relevent is Canaan in the era of Jesus to call her a Canaanite?

andrewcriddle

Canaanite here possibly just means the same as Phoenician.

Andrew Criddle