Cynic, Bread for Dogs?

“In the end we shall have had enough of cynicism and skepticism and humbug and we shall want to live more musically”

[vincent Van Gogh]


“What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
[Oscar Wilde]

CYN-IC

–noun
1.
a person who believes that only selfishness motivates human actions and who disbelieves in or minimizes selfless acts or disinterested points of view.
2.
( initial capital letter ) one of a sect of Greek philosophers, 4th century b.c., who advocated the doctrines that virtue is the only good, that the essence of virtue is self-control, and that surrender to any external influence is beneath human dignity.
3.
a person who shows or expresses a bitterly or sneeringly cynical attitude.
–adjective
4.
cynical.
5.
( initial capital letter ) Also, Cynical. of or pertaining to the Cynics or their doctrines.
6.
Medicine/Medical Now Rare . resembling the actions of a snarling dog.


Origin:
1540–50; < Latin Cynicus < Greek Kynikós Cynic, literally, doglike, currish, equivalent to kyn- (stem of kýōn ) dog + -ikos - ic

Does a dog have a Buddha nature?

Did Jesus deal metaphorically with Dogs?

Matthew 15:21-28

"Jesus went away from there, and withdrew into the district of Tyre and Sidon. And a Canaanite woman from that region came out and began to cry out, saying, 'Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is cruelly demon-possessed.' But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came and implored Him, saying, 'Send her away, because she keeps shouting at us.' But He answered and said, 'I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, 'Lord, help me!' And He answered and said, 'It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.' But she said, 'Yes, Lord; but even the dogs feed on the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.' Then Jesus said to her, 'O woman, your faith is great; it shall be done for you as you wish.' And her daughter was healed at once." (Matthew 15:21-28; cf. Mark 7:24-30).

Jesus withdrew from the region of Galilee and went into the region of Tyre and Sidon. It was His first visit to a Gentile nation. Tyre and Sidon were located just to the north of Galilee.

The Problem
There, a Canaanite woman sought help for her demon-possessed daughter.

 

She indicated that the effects were particularly cruel, but did not elaborate.

 

But it was recognized as something different than a physical illness.

 

When the cause was physical, the Lord would say so.

 

It is not true that they were just superstitious and thought every sickness was caused by evil spirits. But some were.

Jesus' disciples asked Him to send her away. They did not care much for Gentiles.

 

Jesus explained to her that He was sent only to "the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

 

This refers to His personal ministry on earth, that He had been sent to preach unto Israel. 

 

The prophet Ezekiel had spoken of this: "Therefore, I will deliver My flock, and they will no longer be a prey; and I will judge between one sheep and another. Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd." (Ezekiel 34:22-23).