Of course, you theologians know more about it than I do, but I really like my explanation better! 

That's why we have so many different interpretations, I suppose.  If I don't like yours, I can just

 make up my own.  

Sep 5, 2012 -- 2:38AM, SeraphimR wrote:

Sep 5, 2012 -- 12:46AM, MsTopaz wrote:

Sep 4, 2012 -- 11:15PM, Dutch777 wrote:

Yes, I am aware that "dog" is one of several anti-Gentile slurs used in the Jewish Community.  Rabbi Meier Kahane called Arabs "dogs".  I'm also aware that Jesus used the term toward the SyroPhoenician woman.  Big deal.

Besides, it's my job to stir the $#!+. 

Dutch, your signature says, "The Socratic Standard:  Follow the evidence;____ if it doesn't make sense, it's bull$#!+."

It doesn't make sense that Jesus would be racist. Therefore, it must be...

Certainly it makes sense.  The Jews are the Chosen People and Jesus was sent to them, was one of them.

Instead of trying to fit Christ to the Politically Correct Procrustean Bed of American Liberalism, try to imagine how a Greek in Corinth or Antioch would have heard the story.  This hypothetical Greek didn't know about racism, after all.  Racism is a post Darwinian concept.

Before Darwin, people heartly hated people from other lands, and even different cities in their own country. Jews despised Gentiles, Greeks hated barbarians, The Chinese and Japanese regarded Westerners as barbarians. Ethnic hatred is as old as mankind and I am sure that will long endure long after this country passes away into ancient history.

I should note that love of all mankind  is derived from the Biblical injunctions to love one's neighbor as oneself. Otherwise, there is really nothing else to say it is wrong to hate a person or a people. Outside of biblical religion and especially among ancient pagans, hate and bigotry was not only accepted but many cases expected by their societies. Many cultures lived by the feud.