Matthew 15:23But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, "Send her away; for she cries after us."
The setting
Tyre region, ~29 AD. Jesus walks in silence while a foreign woman follows, crying out. His disciples are embarrassed...
The emotion here: recording uncomfortable tension while understanding Jesus' larger purpose
The original word
apokrinomai (ἀπεκρίθη) — to answer back, but here used with 'not a word' showing deliberate silence
Why it matters
Rabbis typically didn't speak to women in public, especially Gentile women, making this culturally explosive
Read with care
What most readers miss in Matthew 15:23
Jesus' silence wasn't rejection — He was testing her faith while walking toward Gentile territory
Common misconceptionMost people think Jesus was being cruel by ignoring her, but silence was a rabbinic teaching method to draw out and display authentic faith.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Matthew 15:23
Bible Genome reading
Matthew 15:23 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Matthew 15:23 comes from the book of Matthew, written during the gospel period. These words are attributed to Matthew. The dominant emotion in this verse is lonely, with a comfort power of 10% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include silence, rejection. Notable phrases: answered her not a word; send her away.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same lonely
“At the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" which is, being interpreted, "My God, my God, why h…”
— Mark 15:34
“Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house."”
— Mark 6:4
“About the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lima sabachthani?" That is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me…”
— Matthew 27:46
“Yahweh God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."”
— Genesis 2:18
“I am a brother to jackals, and a companion to ostriches.”
— Job 30:29
Your reflection
What does Matthew 15:23 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
Speak your heart →Get 3 verses for "lonely"
Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.