What Are The Crumbs?

[AEON]

Matthew 15 - 21Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."
23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."
24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
25The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
26He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."
28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

 

[boosterjuice]

Great insight.

Good first post!

 

[Jamila]

EXCELLENT BIBLICAL REFERENCE regarding the "Crumbs from Your Table" that Bono sings about.

There are so many references in the new testament of how the poorest and the lowliest in the world WILL BE ELEVATED to a high position in Heaven through their Faith during their suffering.

Undoubtedly the B-man would have used a reference such as this to remind the developed world that the poor not only are dearly beloved of God, but probably also the B-man is venting some of his RIGHTEOUS RAGE and informing us that the poor of our world are entltled to more than crumbs from our tables in this life also.

In all, a great insight, AEON - thanks for posting it.

And BONO - thanks for writing this magnificent song/psalm.

 

[starsgoblue]

Yes in a way. Bono once spoke of how he went to an affluent American church to look for help with the AIDS crisis in Africa and he said it was like trying to get blood from a stone. These were people who professed to be so spiritual and yet they looked inwardly on themselves. There are many who take the appearance of having love and compassion...yet they aren't willing to be inconvienced to show it.

Bono's line, 'you demand for yourself what you deny to others' rings true. My gosh, what would you do if you or a loved one was dying from something that could be treated with medication and that medication existed...yet you couldn't get it because you were born in the wrong geographical part of the world? That's never settled well with me. People are literally dying for 'crumbs', be it medicine or clean water or the simple right to live....and some can't be bothered to treat these people as dignified human beings.

 

[Yahweh]

The crumbs are the pennies that the first world throws at the problem called Africa, instead of doing something real about it.

 

[AEON]

You are correct starsgoblue. Many Christians have not opened their hearts to Africa as Christ would have. But we must be careful not to confuse Christians with Christ.

As Bono points out in most of his lyrics, there is a battle between the flesh and the spirit. And the battle will not be won Until the End of the World...(greek word here for world is AEON)

 

[starsgoblue]

I don't think I nessacarily confused Christians with Christ. BUT I do see a huge problem with people that are overlyconcerned with the religiousity of their faith and not acting as Christ's hands and heart in the world.

This isn't just a battle for Christians though. The situation in Africa is an EMERGENCY. It's not about religion at all...it's about doing the right thing. If you saw someone dying on the side of the road you'd help them and not pass by. We're watching 6500 people a day dissapearing from lack of resources that the rest of the world has access to and we're sitting on our hands. The situation in Africa is complicated and it does have many different aspects...but the point is that it is winnable. We need to be moved beyond our moral conviction and be spurred into action. It's not just an issue of Christians not doing enough---nobody's doing enough.

 

[jacobus]

CRUMBS = DOLLARS $$$, EUROS €€€, POUNDS...
eat the rich!

 

[quadcaster]

Matthew 15 - 21Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."
23Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."
24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
25The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.
26He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."
27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."
28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

we were studying that bible passage in study of religion the other day at school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Axver]

Re: Re: What Are The Crumbs?

we were studying that bible passage in study of religion the other day at school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SOR = Best. Subject. EVER.

(I'll be playing Zooropa [the song] and some other U2 for my teacher in my SOR so-called assessment tomorrow. Should be great fun.)

 

[blueyedpoet]

oh i tried posting this in fym cause i'm interested in what you guys think. If Bono is using this scripture, metaphorically speaking who are the children? Who are the dogs? Who is the Canaanite woman of great faith?

 

[pwmartin]

I'm actually going to disagree with the first post. I also do not think we are suppposed to allegorize the crumbs in the song.

I think the Scriptural reference Bono is actually referring to is the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, recorded in Luke 16:19-31 (I'll not type it out. You can read it for yourselves).

This parable depicts the great disparity between the rich and the poor on earth and how deplorable it is to God's eyes. It is essentially a warning to the rich that the meaning of Moses and the prophets is to have compassion on the poor.

I don't know the lyrics to "Crumbs from your table," but immediately after hearing the title I thought of the rich man and Lazarus: "And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table." Some translations use the word "crumbs."

 

[80sU2isBest]

I think one thing that is inherent in the song is the idea of "looking after only your own"

In those days, the Jews felt that all others were "unclean". Outsiders were often socially ostracized. It was a religious elitism. I think the message behind Matthew 15-28 was that Christ cares for all men and heals anyone who asks to be healed (at least spiritually speaking).

I think that "Crumbs..." is Bono turning it back on the Body of Christ. Paul said that pure religion is to care for the widows and the elderly and the hungry. I think Bono is reminding the church of that.

This song hits me more as Steve Taylor-ish than Bono-ish. If you know Steve Taylor, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Steve Taylor was a Christian rocker form teh 80s and early 90s who said exactly what needed to be said, paying no mind to who it offended, especially the Body of Christ.

Here are some of his lyrics which focus partially on the same subject of "Crumbs", but in a different way:

Guilty By Association

So you need a new car? let your fingers take a walk
through the business guide for the "born again" flock
you'll be keeping all your money in the kingdom now
and you'll only drink milk from a Christian cow
don't you go casting your bread to keep the heathen well-fed
line Christian pockets instead--avoid temptation

guilty by association

Turn the radio on to a down-home drawl
hear a brylcream prophet with a message for y'all
"I have found a new utensil in the devil's toolbox
and the heads are gonna roll if Jesus rocks
it's a worldly design! God's music should be divine!
try buying records like mine--avoid temptation"

guilty by association

So you say it's of the devil and we've got no choice
because you heard a revelation from the "still small voice?"
if the Bible doesn't back it then it seems quite clear
perhaps it was the devil who whispered in your ear

It's a Telethon Tuesday for "The Gospel Club"
"send your money in now or they're gonna pull the plug!"
just remember this fact when they plead and beg
When The Chicken Squawks Loudest Gonna Lay A Big Egg
you could be smelling a crook
you should be checking The Book
but you'd rather listen thank look--the implication

guilty by association

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

Does anyone know if there's a real Sister Ann? I tried Googling it but of course all I got were U2 lyrics..

It's driving me a bit crazy

 

[Dreadsox]

Yes....and my brain cannot recall who she is....grrr

 

[BostonAnne]

She's credited in the album thank you list under the DATA section.

 

[Jamila]

Sister Anne is a nun working with AIDS patients and/or in a home for AIDS orphaned children who Bono met in Africa (I think in Ethiopia) during his trip to Africa in May 2002.

He was so impressed with her determination to help the people she works with and by her selflessness, that I think he said he wanted to find a way to honor her. (hence Crumbs)

Where you live should not decide whether you live or whether you die....AMEN, BONO!

 

[BostonAnne]

Sr. Ann Carr.

 

[Jamila]

Yea, actually I think Sr. Ann may be working in Malawi where Bono has visited, especially in January 2002.

I think it's cute that Bono listed her in the liner notes for HTDAAB as part of the DATA crew.

GRACE FINDS BEAUTY IN EVERYTHING....

 

[DustoftheStars]

hi all. amazing forums u have here, i'm really loving reading it all, altho it's taking me some time.
i had another take on the song, altho it's a little more political than religious, so i don't know if it should go here or in a separate thread.....
i was thinking when i first heard the song that it was about america. we deny others what we want for ourselves. sure, we want other countries to be democratic, but still follow our rules. "u were pretty as a picture....then your face caught up with your psychology...with a mouth full of teeth, u ate all your friends....." (that one line just rang out "gulf war, part 2" to me).

so anyways, just wondering if anyone else saw any of that in this song?

 

[sulawesigirl4]

Welcome, dustofthestars! I have to say that I had a similar reaction to those lines. I have the impression that it is referring either to the West as a whole, the Church, or maybe the States specifically. But the lines you quote certainly did remind me of the war and the run-up to it.

 

[DustoftheStars]

ok...the west in general- i didn't think of that, but i suppose it's true. that line "....u ate all your friends"- makes me kind of think how many people think we lured countries into a coalition, only to be attacked. i'm not being pro- or anti- war here, i'm just thinking about the lyrics and possibilities.
thanks for the welcome, too, btw, it's going to take me ages to catch up!

 

[For Honor]

Wow, this is a great thread.

I love things with layered meanings and depth and different levels

......psst(that's why I like U2 so much!)

I don't really know what to say, other than I hope people keep posting and making threads like this. I will when I get the chance.

good job, everyone

 

[sulawesigirl4]

Here is one person's interpretation which I found interesting. You can read the rest of his review here.

Crumbs from Your Table" should be sung, or at least read, to every church in the world. It's from the "Big, Soaring, Angst-Heavy Anthem" file, like "Acrobat" or "Kite," and this time Bono's laying down the law for the people of God, asking them to give up their brutal legalism ("With a mouthful of teeth, you ate all your friends....") because they're alienating themselves from the people they're supposed to serve. I couldn't help but think of how many powerful talents have been driven from the church because they were either exploited or condemned. I think of Bob Dylan and Sam Phillips. But ultimately, it's Africa that's on Bono's mind. He wants "to believe," and clearly he already believes in God, so here he must want to believe in the power of the church. But he's waiting for evidence that we ourselves will follow Christ's example and give some of the riches he has given to us. "I'm waiting on the crumbs from your table."

A masterful, necessary, and brutally honest song.

 

[DustoftheStars]

great read sulaweisigirl thanks for the link