The Two Characteristics of a Dog God Cannot Stand | Bishop Mar Mari

In St Matthew chapter 15, we are reminded to humble yourself before Him and recognize our true place in the eyes of God. When Jesus encounters the Canaanite woman in Matthew 15, the story makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Jesus initially ignores her, and then compares her to a dog. But Bishop Mar Mari breaks this passage down to show exactly what Jesus was doing, and why this woman had one of the purest examples of faith in the entire Bible. Around the 15-minute mark, the bishop explains the analogy of the dog. He points out that there are two specific characteristics of a "dog" (in the spiritual sense) that the Lord cannot stand: being ungrateful and returning to your own vomit (going back to the same sin over and over). But the Canaanite woman didn't take offense. She accepted her position, showed extreme humility, and begged for the "crumbs." The sermon also dives into the reality of the cross. The cross wasn't built for perfect, religious people; it was built specifically for sinners. The bishop wraps up the message with a powerful reminder that Christianity is not a religion or a set of moral rules. It is a belief in the actual, physical person of Jesus Christ. Video Timestamps =================================================== 00:00 The story of the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:21) 07:02 Why the cross is specifically for sinners (Psalm 22) 15:58 The two characteristics of a dog that God cannot stand 25:44 God came to show the Israelites who the true children were 32:09 What pure faith actually looks like 38:00 Why Christianity is a belief in a Person, not a religion Subscribe for weekly faith reflections, and let us know your thoughts on these themes in the comments below. #BishopMarMari #MarMariEmmanuel #Matthew15 #ChristianSermon #OrthodoxChristianity #SpiritualWarfare #BibleStudy #ChristianTheology