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Podcast Introduction Our reading today is Matthew 14-16, and I’m calling the episode “The Long Detour."  Thoughts on Matthew 15 When the chapter begins, Jesus is in Gennesaret, by the Sea of Galilee.  But in verse 21 Jesus travels to the area around Tyre and Sidon, about 50 miles away. And the area is in the opposite direction of Jerusalem. For reference, Galilee is roughly due north of Jerusalem, about 75 miles away. As the crow flies, Tyre is about 105 miles from Jerusalem.  Remember, Jesus walked everywhere. He didn't own any animals. So it probably took him two to three days, depending on his speed, to walk from Gennesaret to the area around Tyre and Sidon.  Why am I telling you this? Because when Jesus went there, this was not on the way to any of the places he usually frequented. He was there on a mission. He had an appointment to keep with a Canaanite woman. A Gentile. There was a lot of hatred between the Jews and the Canaanites. Yet this woman cries out to Jesus, "Have mercy on me,