Behold, a Canaanite woman came out from those borders, and cried, saying, “Have mercy on me, Lord, you son of David! My daughter is severely possessed by a demon!”
But he answered her not a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away; for she cries after us.”
But he answered, “I wasn’t sent to anyone but the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But she came and worshiped him, saying, “Lord, help me.”
But he answered, “It is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
But she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Be it done to you even as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that hour.
Jesus departed from there, and came near to the sea of Galilee; and he went up into the mountain, and sat there.
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv22, 23, 24, 29 Of the flock of the Canaanites, which dwelled in…
Of the flock of the Canaanites, which dwelled in Phoenicia.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv22–29 22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out…
22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Ver. 22. And cried unto him] One copy hath it, "And cried behind him," {a} which implies either that Christ had turned his back upon her, seeing her now coming towards him; or else that she was abashed to come into his presence, as being of an accursed kindred, devoted to destruction.
Read full note →
Have mercy upon me, O Lord] She acknowledged her own sin in her daughter’s sufferings. So did that other good woman, 1Ki 17:18. Her son was dead, her sin was called to remembrance. And so must we see ourselves beaten on our sick children’s backs, as David did, 2Sa 12:16, and be humbled, labouring to mend by education what we have marred by propagation.
Thou Son of David] Thou that wast thyself born of a woman, pity a woman; thou that hast the bowels of a man in thee, hide not thine eyes from thine own flesh.
My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil] The devil doth his worst to her, therefore help. Misery makes men eloquent, beyond truth many times: but surely this woman’s case was very doleful. It was her daughter, dear to her as her own soul, -Filia, quasi φιλη. The Greeks call children φιλτατα, the Latins cara. {b} And those at Rome that prayed and sacrificed whole days that their children might be superstites, long lived, these were first called superstitious persons. Quod nomen patuit postea latius, saith Cicero (De Nat. Deor.). The word afterwards came to be of larger signification. This (perhaps only) daughter was vexed and "grievously vexed," and that "of a devil;" who ever busy enough to do mischief, yet then chiefly bestirred him to set up his kingdom, when Christ came to pull it down: and as he once strove with Michael about a dead man’s body, but it was that he might thereby set up himself in living men’s souls; so he still seeks to possess himself of our bodies, that thereby he may the better wind and work himself into our hearts.
{a} Mar 7:24, εκραξεν οπισω αυτου, a tergo eius.
{b} Lambin. in Menech. Plauti, Act. i. scen. 1. Domi domitus fui usque cum charis meis.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 Mark saith, A certain woman, whose young daughter had…
Mark saith, A certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: the woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread and cast it unto the dogs, Mat 7:25-27. Though the woman appears to have been a pagan, yet living so near Galilee, she had doubtless heard of Christ, both what he had done in casting out devils, and also that he was looked upon as the Son of David, and usually called by that name by those who went to him for any cures; she therefore gives him that title. Others think her to have been more specially enlightened, and to have called him the Son of David, not as a usual compellation given him, but as believing him to have been the true Messias promised to the Jews: nor is that impossible, for though the gospel at this time had not shined out upon any considerable number of the heathen, yet God in all times had his number amongst them; and this woman living so near to the Jews, and so near to Galilee, where our Saviour hitherto had most conversed and preached, it is not improbable that she might have received the grace as well as the sound of the gospel, so God might have kindled in her heart a true faith in the Messias. Our Saviour’s commendation of her faith in the following discourse maketh this very probable. Matthew saith that
he answered her not a word. Mark saith that he said to her, Let the children first be filled, & c. To the observing reader this will appear no contradiction. For by Mark it should appear, that she first came to our Saviour into the house, into which he went that he might be private, and there fell at his feet. Here Christ answered her not a word, took no notice of her at all. But it appeareth by Matthew that Christ soon left the home, and she followed after him upon the way. The disciples said, Send her away; for she crieth after us. Then it was that our Saviour said to her,
Read full note →
Let the children first be filled; his disciples first interposing, saying,
Send her away; for she crieth after us. How many of the papists think that this text patronizes their invocation of saints departed I cannot tell, for these disciples were alive, and we do not read that she spake to any of them to intercede for her. It is certain they did move Christ on her behalf.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
William Burkitt 1703 · Public Domain On vv23–29 Strange! That a miserable supplicant should cry and sue,…
Strange! That a miserable supplicant should cry and sue, whilst the God of mercy is speechless. What! is the fountain of mercy dried up? O Saviour! we have oft found cause to wonder at thy words, but never till now at thy silence.
Learn hence, that Christ doth sometimes delay to return an answer to a well qualified prayer. Sometimes his people do not pray earnestly enough; sometimes they pray too earnestly, for some outward and temporal mercy; sometimes the mercy they pray for is not good for them, or it may be it is not yet good for them. Let us not then judge of God’s hearing prayer by his present answer.
William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Henry 1710 · Public Domain On v29 Here is, I. A general account of Christ's cures,…
Here is, I. A general account of Christ's cures, his curing by wholesale. The tokens of Christ's power and goodness are neither scarce nor scanty; for there is in him an overflowing fulness. Now observe,
1. The place where these cures were wrought; it was near the sea of Galilee, a part of the country Christ was much conversant with. We read not of any thing he did in the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, but the casting of the devil out of the woman of Canaan's daughter, as if he took that journey on purpose, with that in prospect. Let not ministers grudge their pains to do good, though but to few. He that knows the worth of souls, would go a great way to help to save one from death and Satan's power.
Read full note →
But Jesus departed thence. Having let fall that crumb under table, he here returns to make a full feast for the children. We may do that occasionally for one, which we may not make a constant practice of. Christ steps into the coast of Tyre and Sidon, but he sits down by the sea of Galilee (Mat 15:29), sits down not on a stately throne, or tribunal of judgment, but on a mountain: so mean and homely were his most solemn appearances in the days of his flesh! He sat down on a mountain, that all might see him, and have free access to him; for he is an open Saviour. He sat down there, as one tired with his journey, and willing to have a little rest; or rather, as one waiting to be gracious. He sat, expecting patients, as Abraham at his tent-door, ready to entertain strangers. He settled himself to this good work.
2. The multitudes and maladies that were healed by him (Mat 15:30); Great multitudes came to him; that the scripture might be fulfilled, Unto him shall the gathering of the people be, Gen 49:10. If Christ's ministers could cure bodily diseases as Christ did, there would be more flocking to them than there is; we are soon sensible of bodily pain and sickness, but few are concerned about their souls and their spiritual diseases.
Now, (1.) Such was the goodness of Christ, that he admitted all sorts of people; the poor as well as the rich are welcome to Christ, and with him there is room enough for all comers. He never complained of crowds or throngs of seekers, or looked with contempt upon the vulgar, the herd, as they are called; for the souls of peasants are as precious with him as the souls of princes.
(2.) Such was the power of Christ, that he healed all sorts of diseases; those that came to him, brought their sick relations and friends along with them, and cast them down at Jesus' feet, Mat 15:30. We read not of any thing they said to him, but they laid them down before him as objects of pity, to be looked upon by him. Their calamities spake more for them than the tongue of the most eloquent orator could. David showed before God his trouble, that was enough, he then left it with him, Psa 142:2. Whatever our case is, the only way to find ease and relief, is, to lay it at Christ's feet, to spread it before him, and refer it to his cognizance, and then submit it to him, and refer it to his disposal. Those that would have spiritual healing from Christ, must lay themselves at his feet, to be ruled and ordered as he pleaseth.
Here were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, brought to Christ. See what work sin has made! It has turned the world into a hospital: what various diseases are human bodies subject to! See what work the Saviour makes! He conquers those hosts of enemies to mankind. Here were such diseases as a flame of fancy could contribute neither to the cause of nor to the cure of; as lying not in the humours, but in the members of the body; and yet these were subject to the commands of Christ. He sent his word, and healed them. Note, All diseases are at the command of Christ, to go and come as he bids them. This is an instance of Christ's power, which may comfort us in all our weaknesses; and of his pity, which may comfort us in all our miseries.
3. The influence that this had upon the people, Mat 15:31.
(1.) They wondered, and well they might. Christ's works should be our wonder. It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous, Psa 118:23. The spiritual cures that Christ works are wonderful. When blind souls are made to see by faith, the dumb to speak in prayer, the lame to walk in holy obedience, it is to be wondered at. Sing unto the Lord a new song, for thus he has done marvellous things.
(2.) They glorified the God of Israel, whom the Pharisees, when they saw these things, blasphemed. Miracles, which are the matter of our wonder, must be the matter of our praise; and mercies, which are the matter of our rejoicing, must be the matter of our thanksgiving. Those that were healed, glorified God; if he heal our diseases, all that is within us must bless his holy name; and if we have been graciously preserved from blindness, and lameness, and dumbness, we have as much reason to bless God as if we had been cured of them; nay, and the standers-by glorified God. Note, God must be acknowledged with praise and thankfulness in the mercies of others as in our own. They glorified him as the God of Israel, his church's God, a God in covenant with his people, who hath sent the Messiah promised; and this is he. See Luk 1:68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. This was done by the power of the God of Israel, and no other could do it.
II. Here is a particular account of his feeding four thousand men with seven loaves, and a few little fishes, as he had lately fed five thousand with five loaves. The guests indeed were now not quite so many as then, and the provision a little more; which does not intimate that Christ's arm was shortened, but that he wrought his miracles as the occasion required, and not for ostentation, and therefore he suited them to the occasion: both then and now he took as many as were to be fed, and made use of all that was at hand to feed them with. When once the utmost powers of nature are exceeded, we must say, This is the finger of God; and it is neither here nor there how far they are outdone; so that this is no less a miracle than the former.
Here is, 1. Christ's pity (Mat 15:32); I have compassion on the multitude. He tells his disciples this, both to try and to excite their compassion. When he was about to work this miracle, he called them to him, and made them acquainted with his purpose, and discoursed with them about it; not because he needed their advice, but because he would give an instance of his condescending love to them. He called them not servants, for the servant knows not what his Lord doeth, but treated them as his friends and counsellors. Shall I hide from Abraham the thing that I do? Gen 18:17. In what he said to them, Observe,
(1.) The case of the multitude; They continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat. This is an instance of their zeal, and the strength of their affection to Christ and his word, that they not only left their callings, to attend upon him on week-days, but underwent a deal of hardship, to continue with him; they wanted their natural rest, and, for aught that appeared, lay like soldiers in the field; they wanted necessary food, and had scarcely enough to keep life and soul together. In those hotter countries they could better bear long fasting than we can in these colder climates: but though it could not but be grievous to the body, and might endanger their health, yet the zeal of God's house thus ate them up, and they esteemed the words of Christ more than their necessary food. We think three hours too much to attend upon public ordinances; but these people staid together three days, and yet snuffed not at it, nor said, Behold, what a weariness is it! Observe, With what tenderness Christ spoke of it; I have compassion on them. It had become them to have compassion on him, who took so much pains with them for three days together, and was so indefatigable in teaching and healing; so much virtue had gone out of him, and yet for aught that appears he was fasting too: but he prevented them with his compassion. Note, Our Lord Jesus keeps an account how long his followers continue their attendance on him, and takes notice of the difficulty they sustain in it (Rev 2:2); I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience: and it shall in no wise lose its reward.
Now the exigence the people were reduced to serves to magnify. [1.] The mercy of their supply: he fed them when they were hungry; and then food was doubly welcome. He treated them as he did Israel of old; he suffered them to hunger, and then fed them (Deu 8:3); for that is sweet to the hungry soul, which the full soul loathes. [2.] The miracle of their supply: having been so long fasting, their appetites were the more craving. If two hungry meals make the third a glutton, what would three hungry days do? And yet they did all eat and were filled. Note, There are mercy and grace enough with Christ, to give the most earnest and enlarged desire an abundant satisfaction; Open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. He replenisheth even the hungry soul.
(2.) The care of our master concerning them; I will not send them away fasting, lest they should faint by the way; which would be a discredit to Christ and his family, and a discouragement both to them and to others. Note, It is the unhappiness of our present state, that when our souls are in some measure elevated and enlarged, our bodies cannot keep pace with them in good duties. The weakness of the flesh is a great grievance to the willingness of the spirit. It will not be so in heaven, where the body shall be made spiritual, where they rest not, day and night, from praising God, and yet faint not; where they hunger no more, nor thirst any more, Rev 7:16.
Here is, 2. Christ's power. His pity of their wants sets his power on work for their supply. Now observe,
(1.) How his power was distrusted by his disciples (Mat 15:23); whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness? A proper question, one would think, like that of Moses (Num 11:22). Shall the flocks and the herds be slain to suffice them? But it was here an improper question, considering not only the general assurance the disciples had of the power of Christ, but the particular experience they lately had of a seasonable and sufficient provision by miracle in a like case; they had been not only the witnesses, but the ministers, of the former miracle; the multiplied bread went through their hands; so that it was an instance of great weakness for them to ask, Whence shall we have bread? Could they be at a loss, while they had their Master with them? Note, Forgetting former experiences leaves us under present doubts.
Christ knew how slender the provision was, but he would know it from them (Mat 15:34); How many loaves have ye? Before he would work, he would have it seen how little he had to work on, that his power might shine the brighter. What they had, they had for themselves, and it was little enough for their own family; but Christ would have them bestow it all upon the multitude, and trust Providence for more. Note, it becomes Christ's disciples to be generous, their Master was so: what we have, we should be free of, as there is occasion; given to hospitality; not like Nabal (Sa1 25:11), but like Elisha, Kg2 4:42. Niggardliness today, out of thoughtfulness for tomorrow, is a complication of corrupt affection that ought to be mortified. If we be prudently kind and charitable with what we have, we may piously hope that God will send more. Jehovah-jireh, The Lord will provide. The disciples asked, Whence should we have bread? Christ asked, How many loaves have ye? Note, When we cannot have what we would, we must make the best of what we have, and do good with it as far as it will go; we must not think so much of our wants as of our havings. Christ herein went according to the rule he gave to Martha, not to be troubled about many things, nor cumbered about much serving. Nature is content with little, grace with less, but lust with nothing.
(2.) How his power was discovered to the multitude, in the plentiful provision he made for them; the manner of which is much the same as before, Mat 14:18, etc. Observe here,
[1.] The provision that was at hand; seven loaves, and a few fishes: the fish not proportionable to the bread, for bread is the staff of life. It is probable that the fish was such as they had themselves taken; for they were fishers, and were now near the sea. Note, It is comfortable to eat the labour of our hands (Psa 128:2), and to enjoy that which is any way the product of our own industry, Pro 12:27. And what we have got by God's blessing on our labour we should be free of; for therefore we must labour, that we may have to give, Eph 4:28.
[2.] The putting of the people in a posture to receive it (Mat 15:35); He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. They saw but very little provision, yet they must sit down, in faith that they should have a meal's meat out of it. They who would have spiritual food from Christ, must sit down at his feet, to hear his word, and expect it to come in an unseen way.
[3.] The distributing of the provision among them. He first gave thanks - eucharistēsas. The word used in the former miracle was eulogēse - he blessed. It comes all to one; giving thanks to God is a proper way of craving a blessing from God. And when we come to ask and receive further mercy, we ought to give thanks for the mercies we have received. He then broke the loaves (for it was in the breaking that the bread multiplied) and gave to his disciples, and they to the multitude. Though the disciples had distrusted Christ's power, yet he made use of them now as before; he is not provoked, as he might be, by the weakness and infirmities of his ministers, to lay them aside; but still he gives to them, and they to his people, of the word of life.
[4.] The plenty there was among them (Mat 15:37). They did all eat, and were filled. Note, Those whom Christ feeds, he fills. While we labour for the world, we labour for that which satisfieth not (Isa 55:2); but those that duly wait on Christ shall be abundantly satisfied with the goodness of his house, Psa 65:4. Christ thus fed people once and again, to intimate that though he was called Jesus of Nazareth, yet he was of Bethlehem, the house of bread; or rather, that he was himself the Bread of Life.
To show that they had all enough, there was a great deal left - seven baskets full of broken meat; not so much as there was before, because they did not gather after so many eaters, but enough to show that with Christ there is bread enough, and to spare; supplies of grace for more than seek it, and for those that seek more.
[5.] The account taken of the guests; not that they might pay their share (here was no reckoning to be discharged, they were fed gratis), but that they might be witnesses to the power and goodness of Christ, and that this might be some resemblance of that universal providence that gives food to all flesh, Psa 136:25. Here were four thousand men fed; but what were they to that great family which is provided for by the divine care every day? God is a great Housekeeper, on whom the eyes of all the creatures wait, and he giveth them their food in due season, Psa 104:27; Psa 145:15.
[6.] The dismission of the multitude, and Christ's departure to another place (Mat 15:39). He sent away the people. Though he had fed them twice, they must not expect miracles to be their daily bread. Let them now go home to their callings, and to their own tables. And he himself departed by ship to another place; for, being the Light of the world, he must be still in motion, and go about to do good.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv22–29 And behold a woman of Canaan,.... That is, of…
And behold a woman of Canaan,.... That is, of Phoenicia, which was called Canaan; so Shaul, the son of a Canaanitish woman, is, by the Septuagint in Exo 6:15 called the son of a Phoenician; and the kings of Canaan are, by the same interpreters in Jos 5:1 called kings of Phoenicia: hence this woman is by Mark said to be a Greek, that is, a Gentile, as the Jews used to call all of another nation, and a Syrophenician, being a native of Phoenicia, called Syrophenician; because it bordered upon Syria, and had been formerly a part of it, by conquest: so Cadmus, who is reported to have first brought letters from Phoenicia to Greece, is called (i) a Syrophenician merchant.
Came out of the same coasts; being an inhabitant, it is very likely, either of Tyre or Sidon: this shows that Christ did not go into these places, but only to the borders of them, since she is said to come out of them to him; who, having heard of him, and the miraculous cures wrought by him, and being informed that he was near, at such a place, as the Persic version says, "suddenly came forth out of a corner"; and the Ethiopic reads it, "out of the mountains thereof"; and made to the house where he was privately retired, and would have hid himself, as Mark suggests,
Read full note →
and cried unto him; with a loud voice, with much vehemency, being in great distress,
saying, have mercy on me; meaning, by curing her daughter, with whose case she was so much affected, that she made it, as it were, her own:
O Lord, thou son of David. The first of these characters expresses her faith in his power, dominion, and government, that all persons and things, and so all diseases were at his command, and control; and that being Lord of all, he could remove them at his pleasure: the other shows her knowledge and belief of him, as the Messiah, that being a name by which he was usually known by the Jews; See Gill on Mat 1:1 and which she, though a Gentile, might come at the knowledge of, either through being a proselyte to the Jewish religion, or through a general report which might reach, especially the neighbouring nations, that the Jews expected a wonderful deliverer to arise among them, under this character of the son of David; and from what she had heard of him, she concluded he must be the person.
My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil, which had took possession of her, and most grievously afflicted her: and her request to him was, that he would cast him out of her: believing he had power so to do, without seeing or touching her, only by a word speaking: her faith was like that of the centurion's.
(i) Lucian. Dialog. Deor. Coneil. sect. 2,
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv22, 23, 24, 25, 28, 29 A woman of Canaan - Canaan was also called…
A woman of Canaan - Canaan was also called Syrophenicia, as lying between Syria properly so called, and Phenicia, by the sea side. Cried to him - From afar, Thou Son of David - So she had some knowledge of the promised Messiah.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv22–29 Verse 22. A woman of Canaan] Matthew gives her…
Verse 22. A woman of Canaan] Matthew gives her this name because of the people from whom she sprung-the descendants of Canaan, Jdg 1:31-32; but Mark calls her a Syrophenician, because of the country where she dwelt. The Canaanites and Phoenicians have been often confounded. This is frequently the case in the Septuagint. Compare Ge 46:10, with Ex 6:15, where the same person is called a Phoenician in the one place, and a Canaanite in the other. See also the same version in Ex 16:35; Jos 5:12.
The state of this woman is a proper emblem of the state of a sinner, deeply conscious of the misery of his soul.
Read full note →
Have mercy an me, c.] How proper is this prayer for a penitent! There are many excellencies contained in it
1. It is short;
2. humble;
3. full of faith;
4. fervent;
5. modest;
6. respectful;
7. rational;
8. relying only on the mercy of God;
9. persevering.
Can one who sees himself a slave of the devil, beg with too much earnestness to be delivered from his thraldom?
Son of David] An essential character of the true Messiah.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On v29 Mat 15:29-31. Jesus came unto the sea of Galilee…
Mat 15:29-31. Jesus came unto the sea of Galilee — The Jews gave the name of seas to all large lakes. This was one hundred furlongs long, and forty broad. It was called also the sea of Tiberias. It lay on the borders of Galilee, and the city of Tiberias stood on its western shore. It was likewise styled the lake of Gennesaret; perhaps a corruption of Cinnereth, the name by which it was anciently called. See notes on Num 34:11, and Mat 4:15-16. And went up into a mountain and sat down — Not only to rest himself, but also, and especially, to teach the people, who resorted to him in great multitudes; having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, &c. — The dumb were probably deaf also, and the maimed, such as had lost one or more limbs, as the word κυλλους
properly signifies. It is true, it is sometimes applied to those who were only disabled in those parts; we may “reasonably suppose, however, that among the many maimed who were brought on such occasions, there were, at least, some whose limbs had been cut off; and I thinks,” says Dr. Doddridge, “hardly any of the miracles of our Lord were more illustrious and amazing than the recovery of such.” And many others — Who had different complaints; and cast them down at Jesus’s feet — Entreating his compassion, which was so moved at the sight of so many people in distress, that he graciously healed them all. On these miracles, Dr. Macknight remarks as follows: “On the dumb, who are commonly deaf also, he not only conferred the faculty of hearing and pronouncing articulate sounds, but conveyed into their minds at once the whole language of their country, making them perfectly acquainted with all the words in it, their significations, and their uses, so as to comprehend the whole distinctly in their memories, and, at the same time, he gave them the habit of speaking it both fluently and copiously. This was a kind of miracle vastly astonishing. The change that was produced in the bodies of the men was but the least part of it; what passed in their minds was the principal thing, being an effect so extensive that nothing inferior to infinite power could produce it. With respect to the maimed, that is, persons who had lost their legs and arms, Jesus gave them new members in their stead. But when he thus created such parts of their bodies as were wanting, without having any thing at all, as a subject, to work upon, the spectators could not have been more surprised had they seen him make a whole human body out of the dust of the earth.” Accordingly, on the sight of these miracles, it is here said, They wondered and glorified the God of Israel. See also Mat 9:33; and Mat 12:22-23; Mar 7:37.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v29 Sea of Galilee - That is, the Lake of…
Sea of Galilee - That is, the Lake of Gennesaret. For an account of the principal diseases mentioned here, see the notes at Mat 4:24.
Maimed - Those to whom a hand or foot was wanting. See Mat 18:8. To cure them - that is, to restore a hand or foot - was a direct act of creative power. It is no wonder, therefore, that the people wondered.
Read full note →
And they glorified the God of Israel - To glorify here means to praise; to acknowledge his power and goodness. The God of Israel was the God that the Israelites or Jews worshipped.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv22, 23, 26, 28 It is probable that woman first cried out before…
It is probable that woman first cried out before the door, and assembled a crowd, and then went into the house. Have mercy on me. The great faith of the Chanaanæan woman is justly extolled. She believed him to be God, whom she calls her Lord, and him a man, whom she styles the Son of David. She lays no stress upon her own merits, but supplicates for the mercy of God; neither does she say, have mercy on my daughter, but have mercy on me. ... To move him to compassion, she lays all her grief and sorrow before him in thee afflicting words: my daughter is grievously afflicted by a devil. (Glossa.)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures 1864 · Public Domain On v29 3. The Second Miraculous Feeding. Mat_15:29-38
3. The Second Miraculous Feeding. Mat_15:29-38
29And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the Sea of Galilee.; and [he] went up into a mountain, and sat down there. 30And great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed,13 and many others, and 31cast them down at Jesus’ [his] feet;14 and he healed them: Insomuch [so] that the multitude [multitudes, τοὺς ὂχλους] wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak [speaking, λαλοῦντας], the maimed to be whole [whole], the lame to walk [walking], and the blind to see [seeing]: and they glorified the God of Israel. 32Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. 33And his disciples say unto him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude? 34And Jesus saith unto 35them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes. And he commanded the multitude [multitudes, ὄχλοις] to sit [lie] down on the ground. 36And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 37And they did all eat [all ate], and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat [of the fragments] that was [were] left seven baskets full. 38And they that did eat [ate] were four thousand men, besides women and children.
Read full note →
EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL
Mat_15:29. From thence,—further on; μεταβἀς. See above.
And sat down there.—He must needs return to His people. Accordingly, after having passed round the sources of Jordan, He again arrived at the eastern shore of the sea, and sat down there, or settled on the mountain,—i.e., continued His solitary communing in prayer. But He could not remain unknown.
Mat_15:30.—The text here introduces a new description of sufferers, the κυλλοί, or maimed in hands or feet. Perhaps the term may allude to cretins.—The people cast them down at His feet,—indicating, according to Bengel and Meyer, their haste; according to Fritzsche and de Wette, implicit confidence; and according to Baumgarten-Crusius, the helplessness of the persons who were afflicted. But may it not at the same time indicate both the rudeness of these mountaineers, and their confidence, boldness, and their rapid movements in order to bring to the feet of Jesus all who were diseased? Among these cures Mark specially instances that of a deaf and dumb person (Mark 7:32).
Mat_15:31. They glorified the God of Israel.—These remote mountaineers knew little of the Messianic character of Jesus. Probably they had adopted many heathen notions, and were wont to compare other gods with the God of Israel. Hence they now glorified the God of Israel, in consequence of the miracles of Him whom they acknowledged as His prophet.
Mat_15:32-38. But Jesus called His disciples to Him.—The case was much more urgent than on the former occasion. The multitude had followed Him from the mountains, and not, as formerly, gathered in preparation for the festival of Easter. For three days they had continued with Him, partly forgetful of the wants of nature. Such scanty provision as they had brought with them was consumed. There was no possibility of either going into neighboring towns, or quickly returning across the lake. They could only retire to their mountain homes through the passes by which they had followed Him. They might therefore readily faint by the way. Similarly, the case was one of much greater difficulty than formerly. The multitudes here collected were more ignorant of the extent of Christ’s power. On the other hand, the supply of the disciples was somewhat larger—seven loaves and a few fishes; whilst the multitude was smaller, at least by a thousand men. These circumstances will explain why the disciples in their discouragement designated their fishes as ἰχθύδια, and why Christ here commanded (ἐκέλευσε) the multitude to sit down.
From the similarity of this narrative to that of the first feeding of the people, and from the evident perplexity of the disciples, Schleiermacher and others have erroneously inferred that Matthew had here a second time reported one and the same fact. Krabbe, Hoffmann, Ebrard, and others controvert this view. Meyer thinks that the two events were different; but that the narratives had, in the course of tradition, become more like each other than the facts themselves. But the difference between them appears even in the terms for the baskets (σπυρίδες, baskets for provisions) in which the fragments were gathered, and in the circumstance that there were seven of them. Meyer: “The seven baskets correspond to the number of the loaves; the twelve baskets to that of the Apostles.” If it be asked why less was left over when the provision had been originally greater, and the number of guests smaller, we might, perhaps, in reply, point to the difference in the baskets. But if the twelve baskets implied that the Lord would make abundant provision for all the Apostles if they surrendered everything for Him, the seven baskets may indicate both that He would richly reward their sacrifices (seven baskets for seven loaves), and that their requirements were diminishing since their pilgrimage was nearing its end.
DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL
As above in the account of the first feeding of the multitude, Mat_14:14-21.
HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL
They cast those who were afflicted at Jesus’ feet.—Cast all your care upon Him.—How the gracious help of the Lord should incite us to compassion.—Christ and His cures: 1. The variety of sufferings (the maimed also); 2. the rude attendants; 3. the Saviour always ready to help.—The repetition of the miraculous feeding of the multitude reminding us of the words of the Lord, “The poor ye have always with you.”—Comparison between the two occasions on which the multitudes were fed: 1. The second occasion was seemingly less distinguished than the first (seven loaves, five loaves; five thousand, four thousand; twelve baskets, seven baskets). 2. In reality, it was greater. (On the first occasion the people knew Him well, while on the second they were ignorant mountaineers from the utmost boundaries of the land; on the first occasion the crowd was preparing to go up to the feast, while on the second it was gathered from the mountains; on the first occasion the miracle took place at the close of the first day, but on the second after they had continued for three days with Jesus.) Similarly, the results were different. (On the first occasion they would have made Him their king, while on the second they glorified the God of Israel.)—What lessons the Lord here imparts for Christian households. He teaches them: 1. Confidence in His own superabundant riches; 2. carefulness in the use of the blessings which He bestows on them.—Provision is always made for the women and children along with the men.—The circumstance that the women and children are not specially mentioned, implying a promise for their provision.
Starke: See how obtuse our reason is when we continue to harbor doubts and unbelief, although we have so many evidences of the power and goodness of our God, Num_11:18-23.—Osiander: When God bestows His blessing, that which seemeth little becometh much.—Cramer: Nature is satisfied with plain fare (bread and fishes).—To eat and be satisfied are always combined when God spreads the table for His children.—Carefulness turns everything to account.—Quesnel: The more liberally we employ the gifts of God in a manner pleasing to Him, the more abundantly shall we receive of them, Gal_6:9.—Luther: Let us frequently think of the great multitude of peoples who daily sit down at God’s table, and are satisfied. This will help us to glorify the love and power of our God.—Quesnel: Let heads of houses rely upon the divine provision, however numerous their families, Psa_37:25.
Lisco:—Erroneously: “This event occurred near Magdala, a city by the Lake of Galilee.”—Gerlach: Magdala, a city by the Lake of Galilee, not far from Gadara.—This mistake seems to have originated with Lightfoot and Wetstein.
Heubner:—The less the people thought about eating and drinking, the more did Christ care for their wants.—“Many children, many prayers.”—Christ the spiritual Head of the house.—The Christian parent after the example of Christ.
Footnotes:
[13] Mat_15:30.—The order in the enumeration of the sick varies in the critical authorities. The one followed in the text is supported by E., G.. R., etc., Lachmann.
[14] Mat_15:30.—[For the text. rec.: πόδας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, all the critical editions read πόδας αὐτοῦ, His feet. So also Lange in his version.—P. S.]
Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv23–25 THE WOMAN OF CANAAN AND HER DAUGHTER. (Mat 15:21-28)
THE WOMAN OF CANAAN AND HER DAUGHTER. (Mat 15:21-28)
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us--(Also see on Mar 7:26.)
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv22–29 22. A woman of Canaan — She was a…
22. A woman of Canaan — She was a Gentile, but she had heard of and seems to have believed in the Jewish Messiah. She is called by Mark a Greek, that is, a heathen by religion, and also a Syrophenician by birth. Phenicia was the Greek name of that strip of country inhabited by the ancient Canaanites, lying between the Lebanon range and the Mediterranean. That part of it which was included in the Roman province of Syria was called Syrophenicia. Coasts — Territories. Thou Son of David — She calls him by his Jewish name and pedigree. She does this to gain his attention and good-will. At the same time it shows that she had become acquainted with Jewish ideas and probably believed in them. Daughter… devil — Horrible misfortune! disease and insanity are terrible; but what must be the mother’s feelings to find her child struggling under a demon’s grasp? No wonder that when she hears that a man possessing divine power to relieve approaches, she comes to him and with all the energy of desperate prayer pursues him with her outcries.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29 22. a woman of Canaan] Called in Mark “a…
22. a woman of Canaan] Called in Mark “a Greek, a Syrophœnician by nation.” The two expressions are identical, for the land of Canaan, literally, the low lands or netherlands, at first applicable to the whole of Palestine, was confined in later times to the maritime plain of Phœnicia. In Jos_5:12 “the land of Canaan” appears in the LXX. version as the “land of the Phœnicians.” The important point is that this woman was a foreigner and a heathen—a descendant of the worshippers of Baal. She may have heard and seen Jesus in earlier days. Cp. Mar_3:8, “they about Tyre and Sidon … came unto him.”
out of the same coasts] Literally, those coasts. Jesus did not himself pass beyond the borders of Galilee, but this instance of mercy extended to a Gentile points to the wide diffusion of the Gospel beyond the Jewish race.
Read full note →
Have mercy on me] Identifying herself with her daughter. Cp. the prayer of the father of the lunatic child: “Have compassion on us and help us,” Mar_9:22.
Son of David] A title that proves the expectation that the Messiah should spring from the house of David. It is the particular Messianic prophecy which would be most likely to reach foreign countries.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv22–29 (22) A woman of Canaan.—The terms Canaanite and Canaan,…
(22) A woman of Canaan.—The terms Canaanite and Canaan, which in the earlier books of the Old Testament were often applied in a wider sense to all the original inhabitants of what was afterwards the land of Israel (Gen_10:18; Gen_12:6; Jdg_1:10), were used more specifically of Phœnicia and its inhabitants (Exo_3:8; Exo_3:17; Ezr_9:1, and elsewhere), and are employed here with that meaning. St. Mark describes her more definitely as “a Greek” (i.e., a heathen, the name “Greek” having gained a wider connotation, much as “Frank” has done in recent times), a “Syro-Phœnician by nation.”
Came out of the same coasts.—Better, of those regions, coming forth (i.e., from some house or village), cried . . .
Read full note →
O Lord, thou son of David.—The words show that the fame of the Prophet of Nazareth had travelled beyond the limits of Galilee, and that He was known to the people of the Tyre and Sidon district by the most popular of the Messianic names. This was natural enough, even if we think only of popular rumours as the channel through which the fame had reached her. Luk_6:17, however, suggests a more direct source of knowledge. Among the multitude that listened to the Sermon on the Plain, and brought those that were “vexed with unclean spirits,” had been people “from the sea-coast of Tyre and Sidon.” The mother of the demoniac daughter may well have cherished for months the hope that one day the great Deliverer would come within her reach. And now, beyond all expectation, He had come across the boundary of Israel, and she saw Him in her own country. St. Mark adds, significantly, that “He would have no man know” of His presence, but He “could not be hid” (Mar_7:24). The scene, as described by St. Mark, was in the house into which He had retired in order to avoid notice.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv22–29 Behold. The word marks the sudden and unexpected character…
Behold. The word marks the sudden and unexpected character of the incident. A woman of Canaan. She belonged to the accursed race of Canaan, the ancient inhabitants of the land, doomed, indeed, to destruction, but never thoroughly extirpated. St. Mark calls her "a Greek," i.e. a Gentile, and "a Syro-Phoenician," which explains her proper nationality. Out of the same coasts. Some join these words with "a woman;" but came out would still imply that she left her own territory to meet Christ. Have mercy on me. She speaks as though she herself were the one that needed healing, identifying herself with her diseased daughter, as though the horrible incubus lay upon her own spirit and could not be relieved without the cure of the suffering girl. O Lord, thou Son of David. Living among a mixed population of Jews and Gentiles, she had heard this title applied to Jesus; she knew something of the hopes of the Hebrew nation, that they were expecting a Messiah, son of the great King David, who should preach to the poor and heal the sick, as she heard that Jesus had done. We know that the reputation of Jesus had spread into these parts, and that persons from this country had come to him to be healed. (Mar_3:8 Luk_6:17) There is no reason to suppose that the woman was a proselyte; but evidently she was of a humble and religious spirit, open to conviction, and of an enlightened understanding, which needed only grace and instruction to ripen into faith. At present she saw in Christ only a merciful Wonder-worker an error which he often combated, and which now by his conduct he corrected. My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. She must have learned from her Hebrew neighbours to attribute her child"s malady to demoniacal influence, as such an idea would not have naturally occurred to a heathen Greek. The power of the devil was shown more openly in heathen localities. We do not read of many bad cases of possession in strictly Jewish districts. It is in Gentile or semi-Gentile regions that the worst instances occur; and while the pagan inhabitants attributed the mysterious maladies to natural causes, the truer insight of believers assigned them, and often most justly, to spiritual agencies. In the present case, the possession must have been unconnected with any ethical relations. It was not that the child, by any act of her own, had put herself into the demon"s power. We must regard it, like the sufferings of innocent infants, as a providential arrangement which God for wise purposes allows.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
John A. Broadus 1886 · Public Domain On v29 Mat 15:29 to Mat 16:4.
Mat 15:29 to Mat 16:4.
Jesus Feeds The Four Thousand, Southeast Of The Lake, And Returns To Galilee
Read full note →
This is found also in Mar 7:31 to Mar 8:13. And Jesus departed from thence. We have no means of knowing how long he stayed in the country of Tyre; certainly not very long, for all the journeys of Matthew 15-18 occupied less than six months. (See on "Mat 15:1", and see on "Mat 19:1".) Mark (Mar 7:31) says, in the correct text, that, ’he went out from the borders of Tyre, and came through Sidon unto the Sea of Galilee, through the midst of the borders of Decapolis.’ This shows that in leaving the territory of Tyre he went northwards through the territory of Sidon, or through the city itself, the expression being in this case ambiguous. We have no information concerning the rest of his sojourn in Phoenicia. Next, he must have passed eastward across the Jordan, and then southward, until, going through the district of the Ten Cities, Decapolis (see on "Mat 4:25"), he came to the shores of the lake, somewhere-on its southeastern border. (For description of the Lake of Galilee, see on "Mat 4:18".) This region also was out of Herod’s jurisdiction, like those to which he had previously withdrawn. (Mat 13:13, Mat 15:21) The desire to keep out of Herod’s territory at that time may have caused him to take the circuit just described, instead of going direct from Tyre through Galilee and crossing the lake. He appears not to have stopped in the neighbourhood of Cesarea Philippi, probably through desire to revisit the environs of the lake; but soon the malignant attack of the Pharisees and Sadducees will make him go away again. (Mat 16:4) He was now in the vicinity of Gadara (one of the Ten Cities), the same region in which he had healed the two demoniacs, and suffered the legion of evil spirits to destroy the swine. (Mat 8:28 ff.) This time his ministry produces a greater impression, perhaps through the testimony of the restored demoniac. (Luk 8:39) Persons from Decapolis had followed him long before. (Mat 4:25) And went up into a (the) mountain, the mountain range running along east of the lake. (Compare Joh 6:3) The mountain of Mat 5:1 was on the western side of the lake. The more northern part of this easterly range was the place of feeding the Five Thousand (see on "Mat 14:13"), and now a similar miracle is wrought on its more southern part. And sat down there, the usual posture of a teacher. (See on "Mat 5:1".)
Mat 15:30 f. Here, seated on a point in the mountain range, probably in view of the lake, he wrought many miracles of healing, and again fed the multitudes. In this case a large proportion of those present must have been Gentiles, as the Ten Cities were more a Gentile than a Jewish district. He must have spent at least several days in this region, since it required some time for his presence to become generally known, and the Four Thousand had been ’three days’ (Mat 15:32) in close attendance on his ministry. Great multitudes, literally, many crowds, as in so many other passages. We have here another general account of numerous miracles. (Compare Mat 4:23, Mat 8:16, Mat 9:35, Mat 12:15 f.) One of those wrought at this time and place was tile healing of a deaf and dumb man, described by Mark alone. (Mar 7:32-37) The order of the words lame, blind, etc., (Mat 15:30) varies greatly in different documents, having doubtless been affected by Mat 15:31; but this is a matter of no consequence. The word rendered maimed signifies crooked, bent, contracted; it is sometimes applied to cases of mutilation, the loss of some part of the body, (Mat 18:8) which is the meaning of our word maimed, but is not often so used, and probably the best English word here would be ’crippled.’ Malchus’ ear (Mat 25:31) is the only recorded instance of our Lord’s miraculously restoring a missing part of the body. And many others. The kinds of diseases were so numerous that they could not all be named. Matthew appears to have selected those associated with predictions of Messiah. (See on "Mat 11:5".)
Cast them down at his feet, implies not carelessness, but hurry and bustle amid the crowd of applicants. ’His feet’ was easily changed by copyists into ’the feet of Jesus.’ (Compare on Mat 14:14)[1] The dumb to speak; speaking, etc., is the literal translation. (So Wyc.) And they glorified the God of Israel. In Mat 9:8 it is simply ’and they glorified God.’ But it was natural to mention that these heathen people glorified ’the God of Israel.’
[1] The multitude’ (Mat 15:31) is changed in most documents into ’the multitudes,’ evidently because the participle rendered ’when they saw’ is plural (following a singular "noun of multitude"), and because ’great multitudes’ have been mentioned in Mat 15:30. This manifestly altered reading is given by B, which also omits ’for’ in Mat 15:27 and ’now’ in Mat 15:32—three unquestionable errors in close connection. In like manner the correct reading is, ’the multitude’ in Mat 15:35, but ’the multitudes’ in Mat 15:36, and much confusion arose in the copies.
Mat 15:32-38. Compare on the similar feeding of the Five Thousand, Mat 14:15-21. I have compassion, as in Mat 9:36. Three days. They had no doubt brought some food with them, which was now exhausted. They showed great zeal to see and hear and be healed, remaining so long in the thinly inhabited region, sleeping on the ground two nights in the open air, living on the food brought with them, and slow to leave when it was gone. And I will not (or am not willing to) send them away fasting. (’I would not,’ Rev. Ver., is hardly an improvement upon ’I will not’; it removes a possible ambiguity, but seems to suggest a condition.) Some of them were from a distance. (Mar 8:3) His (the) disciples, (Mat 15:33) ’his’ being easily added from Mat 9:32. So much bread, literally, so many loaves, for the Greek is plural. In the wilderness, or a desert place, a wild country with few inhabitants, see on "Mat 14:13" and see on "Mat 3:1". Only a region containing large towns could at short notice furnish food for such a multitude, and this wild country was a good many miles from the nearest cities of Decapolis. A few little fishes. The diminutive form emphasizes the fact that the supply was meagre; in Mat 15:36 it is the common word for ’fishes.’ Here again the people are commanded to recline on the ground, and probably in companies and rows as before, (Mar 6:39 f.) though nothing is here laid of it. Seven baskets full In this case the number of baskets corresponds to the number of loaves; in the previous case (Mat 14:20) to the number of apostles. Euthym.: "Showing that it is easy for him to do as he wishes." In Mar 8:19 f. our Lord seems to treat it as a matter of importance that such a quantity of broken pieces remained in each case. Beside women and children, mentioned by Matt. only, as before in Mat 14:21.
This miracle is recorded both by Matthew and Mark, and the former miraculous feeding by all four of the Evangelists. And shortly after, (Mat 16:9) we find it recorded both by Matt. and Mark that our Lord referred to the two miracles as separately teaching the same lesson. This conclusively shows that strikingly similar events did occur in our Lord’s history, a thing to be remembered with reference to the two visits to Nazareth, the two instances of cleansing the temple, the two women who anointed Jesus, the parable of the pounds and that of the talents, etc, where it happens that the two events or discourses are recorded only by different Evangelists; and some expositors jump to the conclusion that they are nothing but varying and conflicting accounts of the same matter. If the feeding of five thousand with five loaves had been recorded only by one Gospel, and that of four thousand with seven loaves only by one or two others, it would have been most confidently asserted that these were the same miracle. Let us neither be nervous harmonizers, nor eager to assume that harmonizing is impossible. It is worth observing how natural in these two miracles are the points of agreement, and how striking are some of the differences. It was natural that the situation should in both cases be the wild country, where sufficient food could not be obtained from ordinary Sources; that the kind of food multiplied should be that which was common on the shores of the lake; that Jesus should ’bless’ or ’give thanks’ before breaking the bread, according to custom, and should distribute the food by the help of the disciples, a matter of obvious convenience and propriety. On the other hand, the precise locality in the wild country is different in the two cases; there is now, in the parched summer, no mention of reclining on the grass, as Matthew, Mark, and John, all mention in the former case, when it was spring; the supply of food is here greater than before, while the number of persons is smaller; the people here have remained three days; in the other case only one day. There is also a slight, but quite remarkable difference as to the word rendered ’basket.’ This is in all four Gospels in the first miracle, and (or sphuris) in both Gospels here; and in the subsequent mention of these miracles (Mat 16:9 f.; Mar 6:19 f.) it is again in both Gospels with reference to the first, and spurious with reference to the second miracle. We do not know the precise difference between the two words, but the careful observance of the distinction throughout, strikingly shows how entirely distinct the two miracles were. Origen and Chrys. suppose that the spurious was somewhat large, and this seems confirmed by its use in lowering Paul from the wall of Damascus, (Act 9:25) while the appears to have been a small provision basket, such as a Jew on a journey commonly carried with him (see on "Mat 14:20"). The disciples may have now had these large baskets because they had been making a long journey.
The strange thing about this second miracle is the fact that the apostles do not recur (Mat 15:33) to the former miraculous feeding, which took place but a short time before. Many critics have thought this utterly inexplicable, and on this ground have denied the reality of the second miracle, though explicitly and repeatedly affirmed. But let us remember. Our Lord had sternly rebuked the crowd who shared in the previous feeding for following him the next day with the hope of being fed again, (Joh 6:2) and had been much displeased at the popular determination produced by that miracle to make him a king. Nay, he had hurried tile disciples themselves unwillingly away, partly, it is probable, because they sympathized with this popular design. (See on "Mat 14:22".) In this state of things the disciples might naturally doubt whether lie would repeat a miracle which had been formerly attended by such undesirable results, and might at any rate feel great delicacy about suggesting the idea that he should do so. (Compare Mar 9:32, "were afraid to ask him.") But as soon as he intimates such an intention, by asking how many loaves they have, they express no surprise nor doubt, but go on to carry out the details.
And he sent away the multitudes, see on "Mat 14:22"f. And took ship, literally, entered into the boat, see on "Mat 4:21". The boat which they were accustomed to use may have been brought from Capernaum, while they were staying here on the S. E. side. Into the coasts of Magdala, or orders of Magadan.[1] This is unquestionably the correct reading, which was early changed to Magdala, a familiar name, easily connecting itself with Mary Magdalene. The position of Magadan is unknown, as is that of Dalmaimtha. (Mar 8:10) They appear to have been on the western side of the lake, being reached by boat frets the other side, and especially because from them the party crossed to the northeastern side. (Mat 16:5 Mar 8:13)
[1] Magadan is read by à B, D, Old Syriac, and Jerus. Syriac, Old Latin (majority of copies), and Vulgate, and by Jerome and Augustine. The reason for changing to Magdala is obvious, white we can imagine no reason for a change in the opposite direction to an unknown name. So Herod. II. 159 (compare Rawlinson,"Great Empires," III. 48 n.) changes Megiddo into Magdolon, a natural Greek form of Magdala. As meaning ’tower,’ this word would very readily become the name of a town (Exo 14:2 Jos 15:37, Jos 19:38) compare Magdala, the present capital of Abyssinia. There is now a place called Mejdel (containing a few huts), on tile western shore of the Lake of Gal., which was probably the home of Mary. The Hebrew Migdol, Aram. Magdala, Arab. Megdel (g, soft), are exactly characteristic forms for the three languages. Magdalan, found in O., Memph., etc., seems to have been an intermediate "Alexandrian" alteration of Magadan, and Magdala the "Syrian" alteration. In Mark (Mar 8:10) Dahnanutha is ill a good many documents changed to Magadan, and in a few to Magdala. Caspari would identity Magadan and Dalmanutha with a Wady and town far down the Jordan valley. But in both Gospels the party came by boat to those places, and presently go from them by boat "to the other side" (northeastern side); how can these expressions suit places some twelve to twenty miles south of the lake? Canon Cook argues ("Bib. Comm.," followed by Edersheim.) that Dalmanutha was not in Gal., because the Phar. came forth (Mar 8:11) to seek a sign, viz., out of their district (Gal.) into another district. But it more naturally means, out of their town or dist. to meet him as he approached, compare Mat 25:1; Mat 26:55 Luk 8:35; Luk 15:28 Joh 18:4. Nothing is known about the statement of Eusebius and Jerome ("0nom.", with express reference to this passage) that "there is now the district of Magedane near Gerasa."
Jesus Feeds The Four Thousand, Southeast Of The Lake, And Returns To Galilee, Continued
Mat 16:1. That which follows occurred at Magadan, somewhere on the western side of the lake. The Pharisees also, with the Sadducees. Here, as in Mat 3:7, there is but one article (literally, the Pharisees and Sadducees), presenting the Sadducees as accompanying the Pharisees, and perhaps as of less importance; so also in Mat 16:6, Mat 16:11 f. The Sadducees appear only three times in the Gospel history; (1) witnessing the baptism of John, Mat 8:7, (2) tempting Jesus here, (3) tempting him, not at the same time with the Pharisees, but separately, in Mat 22:23. (Mar 12:18 Luk 20:27) They are also spoken of by Jesus in Mat 16:6, Mat 16:11 f., and are mentioned nowhere else in the Gospels. Only a few weeks before, and not more than a few miles away, Jesus had severely censured the Pharisees as hypocrites and violators of God’s word (Mat 15:6-7) and had spoken of them as blind guides of the people, unworthy of notice. Yet the dissembled hostility here indicated was not first awakened by that censure, for they had already accused him of being in league with Beelzebub. (Mat 12:24) Some critics think it incredible that Sadducees should have come with Pharisees. But they were temporarily united by common hostility to Jesus. Compare Herod and Pilate, Luk 23:12, and Psa 2:2. Tempting (American Revisers would render ’trying him’), testing him (compare on Mat 4:1, Mat 4:7), with the hope that he will not stand the test, will not be able to show the sign; compare Mat 19:3, Mat 22:18, Mat 22:35. The Scribes and Pharisees had asked a sign from him in Mat 12:38, and were refused. Now the Pharisees and Sadducees make a similar demand specifically for a ’sign from heaven’ (so also Mar 8:11), and get (Mat 16:4) exactly the same refusal as before. (Mat 12:39) They might be thinking of such signs as when Moses gave bread from heaven, (Psa 78:23 ff.; Joh 6:30 f.) Joshua made the sun and moon stand still, Samuel brought thunder and rain in time of harvest, Elijah repeatedly called down fire from heaven, and at Isaiah’ s word the shadow went back on the dial; compare Joe 2:30 ff. Origen conjectures that they regarded signs on earth as wrought in Beelzebul. (Mat 12:24) Probably some Jews really expected celestial signs of Messiah’s approach; but the present request was made from bad motives. Jesus promised "great signs from heaven" in connection with his second coming, (Mat 24:29 f.; Luk 21:11, Luk 21:25; compare Rev 15:1) and predicted that the false Christs would show great signs. (Mat 24:24)
Mat 16:2 f. This passage (except the opening words, He answered and said unto them), is quite certainly not a part of Matt. It is wanting in a number of the earliest documents (MSS., versions and Fathers);[1] no reason can be imagined for its omission, and it may readily have come from Luk 12:54-56, where the closing and principal expression is substantially the same, and the difference consists simply in using other signs of the weather. As the passage is retained by Rev. Ver., we mention that Wet. cites from Greek and Roman writers, these and various other signs of the weather; and that these signs hold good in England and in our country, being expressed by the saying, "Red sky at night is the shepherd’s delight; Red sky in the morning is the shepherd’s warning," which probably came to us from England. The signs of the times (seasons) would be the various indications then observable that the Messianic epoch was at hand, indications in the civil and religious condition of Israel, the fulfilment of Messianic prophecies, and the miracles wrought by Jesus and his followers. The other terms of the passage as inserted in Matt. call for no explanation. Even of the documents containing the passage, several of the best omit hypocrites, (Mat 16:3) evidently drawn from Luk 12:56.
[1] Wanting in à B, V, X, Γ, and a dozen cursives, in Old Syriac, Memph. (a codex), and Armenian. Origen, the great critic, in his commentary on Matt., begins the reply of Jesus with our Mat 16:4, making no allusion to any such passage as that in question. Jerome says,"This is not found in the majority of copies." Nobody, orthodox or heretic, could have had any objection to the passage, We cannot well suppose it omitted by assimilation to Mark (Meyer), for the copyists usually assimilated by inserting. Morison fancies it omitted by some copyist who did not find these signs of weather holding good in his locality; but this essentially improbable notion will not account for its absence in so many documents from different parts of the world. There is no difficulty in supposing it to have come from Luke (where all documents have the corresponding passage), when we observe that the main statement is the same, and only the particular signs of the weather have been altered by the memory of the student who first placed it on the margin of Matt., whence it would creep into the text. It is therefore quite unnecessary to suppose (Heft) a separate saying of Jesus preserved by tradition.
Mat 16:4. This repeats his former reply to a similar demand, Mat 12:38-40, and so on probably a later occasion, Luk 11:29 f. Some critics cannot believe that Jesus would several times repeat the same thing; but see Int. to Matthew 5. Of the prophet Jonas, or, Jonah. To Jonah was easily added ’the prophet’ (common Greek text) from Mat 12:39. Mark (Mar 8:12) records only the general refusal to give a sign, without mentioning the exception, the sign of Jonah, and states that in replying he "sighed deeply in his spirit." Jesus is beginning to find it hard to endure such perverse and malignant opposition. (compare Mat 17:17) Left them and departed. (compare Mat 21:17) Bengel: "Just severity." One of our Lord’ s reasons for previously withdrawing from Galilee had been the hostility of the Pharisees (see on "Mat 15:21"). So now again he withdraws to the neighbourhood of Cesarea Philippi, the region farthest removed from Jerusalem and its hypocritical and malignant parties. (Mat 15:1) It is not likely that he remained at Magadan longer than a day or two.
Homiletical And Practical
Mat 15:29-31. New fields and new labours; compare Act 10:38.
Mat 15:32. Ryle: "It is a curious and striking fact that of all the feelings expressed by our Lord upon earth, there is none so often mentioned as compassion. His joy, his sorrow, his thankfulness, his anger, his wonder, his zeal, are all occasionally recorded. But none of these feelings are so frequently mentioned as compassion." Henry: "Our Lord Jesus keeps an account how long his followers continue their attendance on him, and takes notice of the difficulty they sustain in it." (Rev 2:2)
Mat 15:33. Henry: "Forgetting former experience leaves us under present doubts."Mat 16:1. Origen: "Often now also we see persons who hold the most discordant opinions in philosophy or other matters, seeming to harmonize that they may mock at and war against Jesus Christ in his disciples."
Mat 16:1, Mat 16:4. Signs. (1) Even our Lord’s early signs convinced Nicodemus and his friends. (Joh 3:2) (2) The many signs of the next two years did not satisfy malignant opposers (Mat 16:1), and were even ascribed by them to Beelzebul. (Mat 12:24) (3) Captious demands for special signs he always refused. (Mat 16:4; compare Luk 4:23) (4) Even the sign of Jonah (Mat 16:4), when it came in his resurrection, while a conclusive proof, was rejected by many. (Mat 28:15 Act 25:19) (5) Even years afterwards the Jews demanded fresh signs, but the ’called’ found Christ crucified the power of God. (1Co 1:22 ff.)
John A. Broadus, Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew (American Baptist Publication Society, 1886) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v28 Mat_15:21; Mat_15:28
Mat_15:21; Mat_15:28
Then Jesus went thence and departed Into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
Read full note →
The woman of Canaan
I. What made the faith of this woman so remarkable?
1. She had much against her in her original circumstances. In the eye of a Jew she belonged to the most hated of all the Gentile races. There was a frontier line of dislike to cross, far wider than any distance between Tyre and Palestine. Yet it did not keep her from finding her way to the great Teacher of the Jewish nation.
2. She got little countenance from Christs disciples. Annoyed at her importunity, and desiring to be freed from the trouble of her presence, they desired Christ to send her away. She could not but feel they would gladly be rid of her, in the way some cast an alms to a persistent beggar. Weaker faith would have felt the chill, and would have desisted. But it is not from them that she seeks an answer. She will take her dismissal from none but Christ Himself.
3. The womans faith reaches its greatest trial in the conduct of Christ. The disciples, cold as they are, seem merciful compared with their Master. As she cries, and pours her heart into her prayer, He moves away with silent neglect. That dreadful silence is harder to bear than the sorest word that can be spoken. Still she cried after Him, and at last He spoke. But His words, were they not even harder than His silence? For He did not speak to her, but only of her, and that in such a slighting manner as almost to quench all hope. Still she persists, and at length-as Christ all along intended she should-gains her hearts desire.
II. What helped her faith to hold on and triumph? We do not speak of the first cause of all, which was Christs eye watching her steps, and His hand bearing her up, but of the mediate causes by which her faith was upheld.
1. She had a deep home and heart sorrow, spurring her on to make every exertion. In other means had failed, but something told her there was hope here, and to this she clung. The greater the feeling of the trouble, the more surely will it carry you into the presence of the only Saviour.
2. She had learned to take a very humble view of herself. As humility goes deep down, faith rises up high and strong, for humility furnishes the roots by which faith holds on.
3. Her faith was so strong, because it had hold of another Christ, greater and more merciful than her eyes saw. She looked beyond appearances, and fixed her gaze on things unseen and eternal. It is this which keeps men right, amid adverse surroundings. Thick thunderclouds of Atheism and Pessimism sometimes hang lowering over the earth, and threaten to quench all the higher hope; but God has given to the spirit a power by which it can pass up through them and sing like the lark in the sunshine and the blue sky. It is the work of the Lord Jesus Christ to educate and strengthen it by drawing it, often through much tribulation, to Himself. (J. Ker, D. D.)
Victorious wrestling in prayer
Of all the expressions of Christian life, prayer is the foremost, h precedes and accompanies every other. It is the breathing of the soul, the palpitation of the heart of the new inward man.
I.
(1) Prayer is a necessity. A Christian cannot live without inward intercourse with his God and Saviour. Love cannot exist without unbosoming itself.
(2) It is also a spiritual power. It not only reacts upon ourselves and our temper, it also acts from us outwardly on the course of things; for it both eases our heart, and overcomes Gods.
II. The sense of our want urges us to pray. Knowledge of our sinfulness drives us to God. As the drowning man attaches himself to the saving hand, and does not let go his hold, so the soul attaches itself to the hand of Jesus, and refuses to be shaken off. Then the wrestling prayer for salvation begins, for it is begotten of the feeling of the souls misery.
III. What helps us to overcome in the struggle is the perseverance of humble faith. Jesus is the conqueror; but Jesus we seize by faith, and with Him is victory.
1. We must seek Jesus. No rest till we come to Him. No other can help us, or rid us of our sin.
2. We must not let Jesus go. If He goes away, follow Him; if He seems to be stern, become more urgent; if He hides His face, cry the louder; if He will not listen, assail His heart. Every No of Jesus is an Aye in disguise. It is true we deserve none of the things we pray for; but He has enough and to spare for all; and after the children are filled, He can afford to cast the crumbs to the dogs. If we have but the crumbs from His rich table, we shall be satisfied. Even if we are the last in His kingdom, it is sufficient, so that we only have some share of His grace. If it is only one look of His eye; only one glance from Him. If we are not allowed to rest on His breast with John, we shall be satisfied if only with Thomas we are permitted to behold the print of the nails. And when we have become quite exhausted in wrestling with Him, and all our strength is broken; when, so to speak, the hollow of our thigh is out of joint; when we can only cling to Him and declare we will not let Him go except He bless us; even then we shall overcome, and He will declare Himself to be vanquished.
IV. What do we win in the victory? The blessing of Jesus Christ-Be it unto thee, even as thou wilt. What a wonderful word. To whom does it apply? To him who first has sacrificed his self-will, and has learnt to say, from the bottom of his heart, Lord, not as I will, but as Thou wilt. Then Gods will and mans are become one. Just before, almost powerless: now, almost almighty. He who thus wins Gods heart, wins everything. A child of God is lord over all things, (C. E. Luthardt.)
The woman of Canaan
This story is the simplest of dramas, having two persons and a chorus.
I. The first person is the heathen woman, and here we note:
(1) Her trouble;
(2) Her faith, which is neither a superstitious credulity, nor a hesitating experiment;
(3) Her reward.
II. The other person is the Lord Jesus. Looking on Him as the model of human duty, and the expression of the Divine nature, we find in this story things amazing and perplexing. What are we to learn from them?
1. The perplexities in the life of Christ are like the perplexities in the government of God.
2. This incident exhibits Christ gazing inexorable, for a time, on human suffering.
3. His apparent unkindness is only apparent.
4. His blessing is already given, while yet the supplicant is unaware of it. (Leonard W. Bacon)
I. That it is highly gratifying to meet with devout persons where we expect not to find them. She was a heathen, not a Jew.
II. That afflictions, both personal and domestic, are powerful incentives to prayer.
III. That in our exercises of devotion we ought to pray for others as; well as for ourselves.
IV. That sincere supplicants may meet with great discouragements in prayer. Delays are not denials. We are apt to value highly that which costs us effort
V. That sincere supplicants are always persevering.
VI. That the prayer of faith must ultimately prevail. (R. Newton.)
Significant silence
The Saviours silence was not the result of intellectual poverty. Was not that of one taken with mere self-considerations. Was not caused by indifference.
I. The Saviours silence indicates thoughtfulness.
II. Denotes loving estimates.
III. Manifests the greatness of self-control. Effective speech is power over ones fellows, but silence is power over ones own self.
IV. And yet the Saviours silence may have been sympathetic.
V. Was preparative. What power in a judicious pause. Delay may enhance the preciousness of the gift. (W. Burrows, B. A.)
The Woman of Canaan
I. What we can find in this woman to commend.
1. Strong and wise parental love.
2. Her earnestness.
3. Deep humility.
II. What our Lord himself actually commended in her-Great is thy faith. This virtue singled out because all others flow from it.
III. The gracious treatment she received from our Lord.
1. Christ delayed His answer to her petition.
2. He gave her strength to persevere in prayer for it, and made that prayer more humble and earnest.
3. He put on her signal honour.
4. He at last gave her all that she desired.
5. There is often more love towards us in the heart of Christ than we can see in His dealings with us.
6. The prayer of faith is always crowned with success. (C. Bradley.)
I. Who this woman was. She was not an Israelite. The cause of her sorrow was not her own. Her prayer.
II. Her Saviour.
1. His silence when we should not have expected it.
2. He seems to plead that His commission had been exclusively to Israel.
3. He appears to add insult to cruelty.
4. He suffers Himself to be conquered by faith.
II. What does this say to you?
1. You may go to Christ for yourselves.
2. You may go to Christ for your relatives.
3. Jesus can and will do helpless sinners good. (T. Mortimer.)
Gods delays in answering prayer
1. To try our faith.
2. To foster humility.
3. To intensify desire after the blessings we request.
4. To enhance the joy of success when the answer is vouchsafed.
5. Blessed are they that wait for Him. (C. M. Merry.)
The elements of prevailing prayer
I. Sincerity.
II. Humility.
III. Importunity.
IV. Faith. Conclude with a few practical remarks. (J. B. Jeher, D. D.)
Faith triumphing over difficulties
Faith overcomes-
I. Obstacles in our personal circumstances.
II. The concealments of Jesus.
III. The silence of Jesus.
IV. The refusals of Jesus.
V. The reproaches of Jesus. (Anon.)
The woman of Canaan
This is an instance of a wrestling faith; faith wrestling with grievous temptations, but at length obtaining help from God. We ought to consider this
(1) because Christ pronounced it to be great faith;
(2) it instructs us that the life and exercise of faith is not easy, but will meet with great discouragements;
(3) because of the success attending it.
I. The quality of the woman.
II. She was a believer.
III. The greatness and strength of her faith; seen in her trials and temptations; and in her victory over them, by her importunity, humility, and resolved confidence.
The womans temptations are four.
I. Christs silence. Though a sore temptation, this should not yet weaken our faith; for Gods delay is for His own glory and our good: to enlarge our desires, and put greater fervency into them.
II. The small assistance she had from the disciples.
III. Christs seeming to exclude her from His commission.
IV. Christs answer implying a contempt of her, or at least a strong reason against her.
The womans victory over her temptations.
I. By her importunity.
II. Her humility.
III. Her resolved confidence. All which are the fruits of great faith. (T. Manton.)
The woman of Canaan
I. The trials and difficulties this supplicants faith met with.
1. Christ is wholly silent.
2. Christ intimates that He had nothing to do with her.
3. Christ seems to answer with reproach and contempt.
II. How the was discovered in its trials, and worked through all.
1. Though Christ was silent she did not drop, but continued her suit.
2. She passes over the doubt she could not answer, and instead of disputing, adores Him, and prays to Him still.
3. She humbly let pass the (seeming) indignity, and turned that which seemed to make most against her into an argument for her obtaining the mercy she came to Him to beg for.
III. The happy issue of this, how gloriously it was rewarded.
1. Her faith was owned, commended, and admired by the Author of it.
2. The reward of her faith was ample. (Daniel Wilcox.)
Christ and the woman
In judging our Lords treatment of this woman-
1. Observe that Christ, while He was upon earth, said nothing and did nothing of Himself.
2. Our Lord, who knew the hearts of men, both saw and esteemed the good disposition of this petitioner, but for a time concealed His kind intentions, being willing to exercise her faith and submission, her patience and perseverance.
The womans faith was great-
1. With relation to her religion, and to her country.
2. In comparison with the unbelieving Jews.
3. Considered in itself.
4. Because it stood so severe a trial. (J. Jortin.)
T/he Canaanites faith
The position of this woman and the conduct of our Saviour to her.
1. She believed in Jesus before the scene related in this gospel; we distinguish in her conversion that strength of soul which is sure to triumph over all obstacles; all that follows is explained by such a commencement. She was a heathen, and only received Gods Word indirectly, through the prejudices of the Jews. The feeble ray which reached her proved sufficient to guide her feet.
2. The conduct of our Lord corresponds with His manner of acting towards the heathen generally, and with His especial designs of mercy towards her. Our Lord did not so treat this woman merely because she was a heathen; but to make His mercy more conspicuous. While He proves He strengthens her. From the heroes of faith He draws back to exercise their courage.
3. See how this woman wrestles with our Lord. Jesus sought retirement. She anticipated His coming. She was alone in seeking Him. She had to force herself into His presence. But Christ could not escape from the faith of this woman. He allows us to conquer Him. She triumphs over the preventives which our Lord opposed to her. Once in the presence of Jesus she in satisfied. His silence. To try her patience. Only for a time. His speech seems cruel. The Word of God does seem sometimes against the child of God. In the love of Christ she finds refuge against His silence and words; His love is only hidden for a moment under harshness. She could not be defeated because she would not doubt. She triumphs. (Adolphe Monod.)
A word to parents
I. On this occasion Christ had left his own country and people. Perhaps to avoid the hatred of the scribes and Pharisees; or to abate His popularity. We find Him coasting to Tyre and Sidon. Her need was her plea.
II. The leading principles of her faith
1. In this prayer she recognizes the unity of the Deity, Lord.
2. What a beautiful trait in her character when she prays, Have mercy on me; but we know the chief object of her prayer was her daughter. She identifies herself with her daughters misery.
3. She asks for mercy and help (verse 25).
4. Regard Jesus as God able to save or destroy. (F. F. McGlynn, M. A.)
I. The character of the individual.
1. A Greek.
2. A believer in Christ.
II. The cause of her coming.
III. The impediments she met with.
1. A long delay.
2. A mortifying rebuke.
3. An apparent refusal.
4. A silent denial.
Then her conduct:
1. An humble request.
2. A persevering prayer.
3. An humble confession.
4. An affecting reply.
IV. The blessings at last received.
1. The principle our Lord commends is her faith; from faith all other graces spring.
2. He granted her request.
Improvement:
1. The use we should make of affliction.
2. The efficacy of prayer. (The Pulpit.)
The triumph of faith
I. Faiths approach
1. She came to the right person.
2. In a right spirit.
3. With a right plea
II. Faiths trial.
1. Christ tried her faith by perfect silence.
2. By seeming indifference.
3. By apparent reproach.
III. Faiths appeal.
1. She was a devout suppliant.
2. An earnest suppliant.
3. An ingenious suppliant.
IV. Faiths triumph
1. Christ commends her faith.
2. He grants her request.
3. He healed her daughter. (J. T. Woodhouse.)
The second Sunday in Lent
I. The discouragements which she overcame. These were great, numerous, and increased as she proceeded.
1. The first was the seeming unwillingness of the Saviour to have his retirement disturbed by any one, in any way (Mar_7:24).
2. Her case was itself a very unpromising one. She was a Gentile.
3. The coldness in our Lords behaviour, which seemed to disdain the least attention to her-He answered her not a word.
4. The conduct of the disciples introduced a still further dissuasion, well calculated to dampen her hope of success.
5. To this was added the still further disheartening answer of the Master, I am not sent, etc.
6. Childrens bread was not to be given to the dogs. This was the current spirit of the religion of the times.
II. The means of her victory.
1. She felt her need, and the true character of her affliction.
2. She credited what she had heard of Christ.
3. And believing as she did, she improved her opportunity. Jesus was in the neighbourhood.
4. She confessed her unworthiness.
5. She had a true and powerful faith.
6. And as the result of her faith, she was invincible in her prayers.
III. The lessons which this case teaches.
1. It impressively reminds us of the sorrowful condition of human life.
2. This gospel assures us where our help is.
3. It indicates how to avail ourselves of our great mercies.
4. Precious encouragement does it bring to us. (J. A. Seiss, D. D.)
A woman of Canaan
The movements of mankind are best studied in the lives of individuals.
I. The woman herself. All we know of her origin and feeling is contained in the three terms that are applied to her-Canaanite, Syro-Phoenician a Greek. The first two imply her race. She belonged to that race that the Hebrews called Canaanites-that is, Lowlanders, for the great Phoenician people had settled themselves in the fertile valleys, and on the maritime plains of Palestine, and there in their walled cities had developed in the highest degree an ancient civilization. To this Phoenician stock she belonged. It was divided into two parts-the African and the Syrian stock. She belonged to the Syrian, to the people who inhabited the narrow strip of land between Lebanon and the sea. The last term Greek, has of course nothing to do with race, nor does it say anything of her language; but religion. St. Paul divides men into Jew and Greek; the word means heathen. She was one of those that worship Baal and Astarte.
II. In her case observe the workings of sorrow. That from the outset there began to operate compensating results which took away some of the bitterness.
1. This sorrow worked out in a greater love Have mercy on me; my daughter is vexed. As if she and her daughter were one. It was a mitigation, and in some degree a compensation, that with her sorrow grew such love.
2. The love and the sorrow together co-operated to produce something higher still. They enlarged the heart, purified her feeling, lifted the thought to immortality; Astarte could no longer fill her heart. She wanted a deity that could be a God of love, not of passion; who would create purity, not crush it. This I gather from the fact that she calls Christ Son of David. She began to think trustfully of Israels God. Such were the workings of sorrow in her heart.
III. AN illustration of the great drawings between the Saviour and the soul that needs him. There is something mysterious here. It is not by accident that great mercy and misery meet. What is the secret of that journey to Tyre and Sidon. I suppose the Saviour felt some magnetic need pulling upon His heart, claiming the help of His pity and power. She was fifty miles away; the road was mountainous; in all the journey there and back He cures no other affliction and preaches no sermon; His sole purpose was to minister to this single sufferer. The prophetic soul knows when its Lord is nigh.
IV. The serene result that is reached. She learned the power of prayer. The disciples were changed; educated for their missionary work; they see how rich a thing a human heart is. She came asking a mercy for herself, and went away carrying it to others. (R. Glover.)
The woman of Canaan
I. The great faith of this woman is to be traced in her humble confession.
1. She confesses her misery when imploring the mercy of Christ.
2. She confesses her weakness when imploring the help of Christ.
3. She confesses her unworthiness by admitting the mission of Christ.
II. The great faith of this woman is to be traced in her fervent prayer.
1. Mark her recognition of the character of Christ.
2. Her confidence in the power of Christ,
3. Her earnestness in seeking the aid of Christ.
III. The great faith of this woman is to be discovered in her determined perseverance.
1. Her faith overcame the difficulty of obtaining u personal interview with Christ.
2. It overcame the singularly apparent coldness of Christ.
3. It overcame the limitation of the usual ministrations of Christ. (J. Wonnacott.)
The disciples sending away the Canaanite woman
Amongst the causes which keep souls at a distance from Jesus, we must count the attitude of the disciples of Jesus as one of the most powerful. To the Master we must go; not to the disciples. Let us first dispel all misunderstandings. When I declare that we must look to the Master, not to the disciples, I do not forget that the apostles were enlightened by special revelations and were called to found the Church. I do not oppose their teaching to that of the Master; there is no contradiction between them. But when we leave the apostolic age the situation changes. The Church is placed before Christ. But now let us descend to the sphere of the individual conscience. To lead to Jesus! What a privilege and glory. Fidelity of testimony is necessary to this mission. Some are brought to Christ by words, some by indirect influences, others by a love that nothing wearies. But it is possible to put souls away from Jesus Christ. Between them and Christ there have been our sins, pride, etc.
1. Let us remove the hypocrites; to make of their duplicity an arm against the gospel is an unworthy proceeding. You see their inconsistencies; are you sure you do not exaggerate them? Have you weighed all that Christian faith produces of excellent works? Granting that your complaints are well founded: in what way can they justify your unbelief? They could only do so if you had the fairness to seek their cause in the gospel itself. But van contrast the two. Is it not rather the fidelity that offends you, rather than the faults of Christians?
2. A word to you who believe:
1. Judge yourself as you are seeking what is lacking in others. Saved by grace, shall we not exercise mercy?
2. Let us learn to see in our brethren along with the evil that distresses us, the Rood that we have misunderstood until now.
3. Raise your look to the Master, there van will find peace and certainty. (E. Bersier, D. D.)
The woman of Canaan
I. this poor womans unremitting obstinacy, it may so call it, in prayers. See the power of persevering prayer. They may seem for a while unanswered; they may not seem to work any alteration in our secret hearts.
II. The power of intercession. It is our duty to pray for others.
III. That this poor womans reiterated prayers are by our Lord called faith. Great is the faith that prays without ceasing. The sphere of common duty is the sphere also of secret spiritual growth.
IV. Regard again this poor woman thus singled out in all the heathen world to receive the only cure, as a type of the Church of God. The Church, like her, has many sons and daughters grievously vexed with the evil spirit. They are brought to Christ in prayer. (G. Moberly, D. C. L.)
Great faith
How singularly and beautifully appreciative Jesus always was of anything, that was good. His words show accuracy of observation and calculation.
I. There are many striking features in the character of this woman. Her motherly care, energy, humility, pleading; but Christ selected only one. Faith the root of all, Some think we make too much of faith, and place it out of its proper proportion.
II. The elements which went to make the great faith. Sorrow seems to have been, if not the cradle, yet the school of her faith. She comes and makes her petition as faith always ought, leaving details with God. The test to which she was put was exceedingly severe. (J. Vaughan, M,A.)
Help from he, heaven
Lord, help me. This prayer is suitable-
I. For those who are seeking salvation.
II. For a soul under spiritual darkness.
III. For the believer amidst worldly perplexities.
IV. For the Christian labourer.
V. For the dying saint. (A. O.)
The faith of the Syro-Phoenician woman
I. The extraordinary character of her faith.
1. It was based on the most limited knowledge.
2. It conquered natural prejudice in herself, and the fear of its influence in others.
II. Why Christ so severely tested it.
1. His first object was to expose and rebuke the intense bigotry of the Jews around Him.
2. He wished to draw out and exhibit the full strength of her faith.
Lessons:
1. Christs mercy and mission extend to all, however vile and outcast they may be.
2. The true way to derive good from Him is by faith, rather than by knowledge or acts of worship.
3. An encouragement to the utmost tenacity and desperation of faith.
4. An illustration of the way in which appearances may deceive us. God may seem to repulse us, but never does so actually. (Congregational Pulpit.)
This woman of Caanan teaches us to pray
(1) With great humility in that she acknowledges herself to be a dog;
(2) with faith, in that she calls Christ the Son of David, i.e., the Messiah;
(3) with modesty, because she sets before Christ the right of dogs and her own misery; yet does not draw from thence the conclusion that Christ should heal her daughter, but leaves that to Him;
(4) with prudence, in that she takes hold of Christ by His own words, and gently turns His reasoning against Himself, into an argument for obtaining her desire;
(5) with reverence, with religion and devotion, because she made her application on her knees;
(6)with resignation, in that she did not say, Heal my daughter, but Help me, in the manner that shall seem to Thee best;
(7) with confidence, because, although a Gentile, she had a firm hope that she would be heard by Christ:
(8) with ardour;
(9) with charity, in that she made intercession for her daughter, as if she were anxious for herself, saying, Help me;
(10) with constancy and perseverance, in that she persisted when she was twice repulsed, and became yet more earnest in prayer. (Lapide.)
A double miracle
1. Of Faith.
2. Of Healing. Thrice did Christ commend great faith, and in each case outside the fold of Israel. In this case the wonder is not that the woman had great faith, but that she had faith at all. Her faith was great because-
I.
(1) it would stand trial.
(2) It was a wrestling faith. She heard the repulse, yet is neither daunted nor disheartened. She will not take His No. She will even resist His arguments.
(3) It was victorious. Just now Jesus seemed to deny the smallest boon; now He opens His treasures, and bids her help herself.
II. Learn from this that when God delays a boon, He does not necessarily deny it. (J. H. Burn, B. D.)
Under this story there is the touch of nature which binds us all together. Let us learn from it-
1. Perseverance. Few things can be reached by a single stride. All success is the outcome of previous patience; the finest pictures result from multitudinous touches of the brush. Let us keep our faces to the light, and the persevering desire shall at length be gratified.
2. Faith. This is a far larger thing than can be clothed in any form, and the most tenacious profession does not imply that we have that vivid apprehension of the living God which makes us really trust in and rest on Him. Have you faith as well as a creed? Are you daily trusting in the living God amidst all your wants, and sorrows, and sins?
3. Toleration. We are often inclined to look with insular exclusiveness or half-disdainful curiosity on such non-Christians as we come in contact with. Let us remember that Christ took the childrens bread and cast it to dogs. With such an example before us, we dare not disclaim any as too degraded to share with us the one flock and one shepherd. (Harry Jones, M. A.)
Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat, etc.
The womans remark is admirable and delightful. It is full indeed of true theology and real philosophy. She apprehended clearly
(1) that it was right that our Lords personal ministry should be devoted to the Jews;
(2) that He bore a benignant relation to the Gentiles-that He was not a sectarian Saviour;
(3) that it would not in the least interfere with His ministry in relation to the Jews, to put forth by the way His blessed energy in behalf of such suppliant Gentiles as herself. She was not asking Him to forsake Palestine, or the Jews. (J. Morison, D. D.)
A womans master-stroke
Was not this a master-stroke? She snares Christ in His own words. (Luther.)
An incident like this
Dean Plumptre gives the following story from the Talmud. There was a famine in the land, and stores of corn were placed under the care of Rabbi Jehudah the Holy, to be distributed only to those who were skilled in the knowledge of the law. And, behold, a man came, Jonathan, the son of Amram, and clamorously asked for his portion. The Rabbi asked him whether he knew the condition, and had fulfilled it, and then the suppliant changed his tone and said, Nay, but feed me as a dog is fed, who eats of the crumbs of the feast, and the Rabbi hearkened to his words, and gave him of the corn.
Asking for crumbs
Laurence Justinian first Patriarch of Venice, resembled this woman in the prayer he offered when at the point of death. I dare not ask for a seat among the happy spirits who behold the Holy Trinity. Nevertheless, Thy creature asks for some portion of the crumbs of Thy most holy table. It shall be more than enough for me, O, how much mere than enough! If Thou wilt not refuse some little place to this Thy poor servant beneath the feet of the least of Thine elect.
The, coasts of Tyre and Sidon
This narrative records a visit of Jesus to a region which lay beyond the borders of the Jewish land. It did not lie at any great distance; it was within a days ride of Capernaum, and it could be seen from hill-tops just behind Nazareth; yet it was an alien country, and that notable strip of the Mediterranean shore on which Tyre and Sidon were situated had never belonged to the Jewish people. The coast of Tyre and Sidon was fringed by an almost continuous line of buildings; quays, warehouses, and private residences dotted the whole shore-line, and it was therefore no retired spot, but one which swarmed with a large and busy population, with ships sailing on the face of the waters, and the fishermen plying their trade within sight of the shore. The scene was very unlike those which were most associated with our Lords presence. He was here surrounded by abundant tokens of vigorous maritime and naval life. Instead of shepherds, sowers, cornfields, scribes, and Pharisees, there were warehouses, docks, ship-building yards, and sailors, amongst which He moved when He departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. (Harry Jones, M. A.)
Spread of truth to foreign lands
Captain Cook found in the South Seas some uninhabited islands, waving with the fruits and flowers peculiar to Europe. No human hand had planted the seeds in that soil. How, then, were they there? A boy in one of our valleys is amusing himself with seeds. A few of them fall from his hand into the tiny stream at his cottage door: they are carried down to the river, which floats them out to sea. They are drifted about for thousands of miles, and at last cast upon the shore of a South Sea island. A bird picks them up, and flies to its nest; but, scared by a hawk, lets them drop. They are covered with the leaves of the forest till spring calls them forth. By and by the wind shakes out the ripe seed, and carries it abroad. Again it falls into the kindly bosom of the earth, and again spring draws it forth. Thus, we may suppose, the deserted island is soon clothed with an European harvest. And thus the seed of Gods Word is often scattered, we cannot tell how. (J. Wells.)
Grievously vexed with a devil
(demoniacal possession):-It is agreed on by all sober interpreters of Scripture that, at this period of the world, God permitted evil spirits to take possession of, and to afflict, individuals to an extent that He did not before and has not since permitted;
(1) to show to all the power and malignity of Satan; and
(2) to exhibit the compassionate kindness of the Saviour, and His power to relieve those thus oppressed Often may we, in a spiritual sense, see such a thing nowadays-a believing, godly parent, having an unbelieving, ungodly child, whose heart is held and governed by a wicked spirit. Often, when there is life in the parents soul, there is death in the childs; light in the parents understanding, but darkness and ignorance in the childs; love in the parents heart, but hatred and enmity in the childs. What a painful and afflicting sight to a parents eyes. And the case may be often reversed! (Bishop Gregg.)
Silence
Silence is not refusal. The reasons for Christs silence at this time were:
1. In order that by exercising her faith He might strengthen and deepen it.
2. That He might manifest it to others, and so give her as an example to those who stood by, as well as to future generations.
3. That He might not offer an additional stumbling-block to the Jews, to whom the calling-in of the Gentiles was an abomination. (W. Denton.)
Not because He was unwilling to speak, but because there are occasions on which silence is more eloquent and stirring to the thought than speech. Not infrequently silence is golden, while speech is silvern; and this was one such occasion. (J. Morison, D. D.)
The lost sheep of the house of Israel
It was necessary that there should be some limits to our Lords personal ministry; and it was wise that these limits should be fixed at the circumference of the circle of Israel. To have spread out His ministry farther, during the brief period of His terrestrial career, would simply have been to have thinned out and weakened His influence. What might have been gained extensively would have been lost intensively. It was of primary moment that He should make sure of a foothold, on which He might plant His moral machinery for moving the world. That foothold He did secure in the house of Israel, the household of Israel, the family of Israel; for the whole nation was but a developed family circle. (J. Morison, D. D.)
Moral persistence
To sink under the burden argueth weakness, but it is strength of faith to wrestle through it. We read of Pherecides, a Grecian, in a naval fight between his nation and Xerxes, that he held a boat in which the Persians were fighting, first with his right arm; when that was cut off, with his left; when that was cut off, with his teeth; and would not let go his holdfast but with his life. (T. Manton.)
The use of delay
Some old writer thus quaintly explains the case. Christs love is wise. There is an art in His strange delays, which make us love-sick. We cheapen what is easily got, and under-rate anything that is at our elbow; but delays heighten and raise the market value of Christs blessings. He wishes to make our faith stronger, and His trials are for the triumph of our faith. He did as we do when we hold toys dangling before our children, that we may make them desire and enjoy them more. He acts as we do with musicians at the door; for when they please us, we do not give them their penny at once, that we may hear their music longer. (J. Wells.)
The kindness of refusals
Monica, the mother of Augustine, prayed that her godless boy might not go to Rome, for she feared that Rome would be his ruin. God did not grant that request, because He had something better in store for her. Augustine went to Rome, and was converted there. (J. Wells.)
Stern truths
This was the most cutting of all-telling her in plain terms that she had no more right to get what she asked, than the dogs have to get the childrens bread; and also intimating very plainly that she was no better than a dog. Still she was not discouraged: even this did not put her off. If she had not possessed great faith, how would she have acted? Just as many at the present day do when they hear a plain sermon (as they call it); when they hear in plain words what the Bible says of human nature; they dont like that; they cant be so very bad as all that; they dont approve of what that preacher says at all, and so they go to some other place where they will hear more palatable language about the kindness of man-his good nature, generosity, noblemindedness, and so forth; but they who are of the truth will not listen to this, for they know it to be a lie, and the children of the truth can take no pleasure in a lie. People think it is very bad to hear themselves called great sinners; they think very strangely of a man if he tells them they are poor, wretched, miserable, blind, and naked; but, I suppose, if they heard the term dog applied to them as Christ applied it to this woman here, they would be up in arms at once, openly scout at so unwarrantable an affront, and take good care never to go near that preacher again. So did not this woman; she had faith-strong faith; she acknowledges the aptness of the illustration, and humbly accepts Christs estimate of her as the right one. (Bishop Gregg.)
The dogs
There was some reason lying at the base of the designation. The heathens around were, in the mass, exceedingly unclean and ferocious: barking too, incessantly, at the true God and true godliness. But our Lord, in this case, refers not to the wild, fierce, filthy dogs, belonging to nobody, that prowl about Oriental cities; but to little pet dogs, in which children are interested, and with which they play. Most probably there might be one or more of them, within sight, in the company of some children. (J. Morison, D. D.)
Great thoughts of Christ
The Syro-Phoenician woman gained comfort in her misery by thinking great thoughts of Christ. The Master had talked about the childrens bread. Now, argued she, since Thou art the Master of the table of grace, I know that Thou art a generous housekeeper, and there is sure to be abundance of bread on Thy table. There will be such an abundance for the children that there will be crumbs to throw on the floor for the dogs, and the children will fare none the worse because the dogs are fed. She thought Him one who kept so good a table that all she needed would only be a crumb in comparison. Yet remember what she wanted was to have the devil cast out of her daughter. It was a very great thing to her, but she had such a high esteem of Christ, that she said, It is nothing for him, it is but a crumb for Christ to give. This is the royal road to comfort. Great thoughts of your sin alone will drive you to despair; but great thoughts of Christ will pilot you into the haven of peace. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Perseverance of faith
An unbelieving heart may have some flash of spirit and resolution, but it wants free mettle, and will be sure to jade in a long journey. Faith will throw in the net of prayer again and again, as long as God commands and the promise encourageth. The greyhound hunts by sight, and when he cannot see his game he gives over running; but the true hound by scent, he hunts over hedge and ditch; though he sees not the hare, he pursues all the day long. Thus an unbelieving heart may be drawn out upon some visible probabilities and sensible hopes of a coming mercy to pray and exercise a little faith, but when these are out of sight, his heart fails him; but faith keeps the scent of the promise, and gives not over the chase. (Salter.)
Faith gives prevalency to prayer.
In the several precedents of praying saints upon Scripture record you may see how the spirit of prayer ebbed and flowed, fell and rose, as their faith was up and dawn … This made the woman of Canaan so invincibly importunate; let Christ frown and chide, deny and rebuke her, she yet makes her approaches nearer and nearer, gathering arguments from His very denials, as if a soldier should shoot his enemys bullets back upon him again; and Christ tells us what kept up her spirit undaunted-O woman, great is thy faith. (Gurnall.)
Childrens bread given to dogs
1. When her case was come to such a point, she heard of the Lord Jesus; and what she heard she acted upon. They told her that He was a great Healer of the sick, and able to cast out devils. She was not content with that information, but she set to work at once to try its value.
2. This woman was most desperately resolved. She had made up her mind, I believe, that she would never go back to the place from whence she came till she had received the blessing.
3. I may not leave this picture without observing that this woman triumphantly endured a trial very common among seeking souls. Here is a woman who conquered Christ; let us go by her rule and we will conquer Christ too by His own grace.
I. In the first place, observe that she admits the accusation brought against her. Jesus called her a dog, and she meekly said, Truth. Lord. Never play into the devils hands by excusing sinners in their sins. The woman in this case, if it had been a sound way of getting comfort, would have argued, .No, Lord, I am not a dog; I may not be all I ought to be, but I am not a dog at any rate; I am a human being. Thou speakest too sharply; good Master, do not be unjust. Instead of that she admits the whole. This showed that she was in a right state of mind, since she admitted in its blackest, heaviest meaning whatever the Saviour might choose to say against her. By night, the glow-worm is bright like a star, and rotten touchwood glistens like molten gold; by the light of day the glow-worm is a miserable insect, and the rotten wood is decay, and nothing more. So with us; until the light comes into us we count ourselves good, but when heavens light shines our heart is discovered to be rottenness, corruption, and decay. Do not whisper in the mourners ear that it is not so, and do not delude yourself into the belief that it is not so.
II. But notice, in the second place, see adheres to Christ notwithstanding. Did you notice the force of what she said? Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from-where? From their Masters table.
III. Furthermore, the womans great master weapon, the needle gun which she used in her battle, was this, she had learned the art of getting comfort out of her miseries. Jesus called her a dog. Yes, said she, but then dogs get the crumbs. She could see a silver lining to the black cloud. If I deserved anything there would be the less room for mercy, for something would be due to me as a matter of justice, but as I am a sheer mass of undeservingness, there is room for the Lord to reveal the aboundings of His grace. There is no room for a man to be generous amongst yonder splendid mansions in Belgravia. Suppose a man had thousands of pounds in his pocket, and desired to give it away in charity, he would be terribly hampered amid princely palaces. If he were to knock at the doors of those great houses, and say he wanted an opportunity of being charitable, powdered footmen would slam the door in his face, and tell him to be gone with his impudence. But come along with me; let us wander down the mews, all among the dunghills, and get away into back alleys, where crowds of ragged children are playing amid filth and squalor, where all the people are miserably poor, and where cholera is festering. Now, sir, down with your money-bags; here is plenty of room for your charity; now you may put both your hands into your pocket, and not fear that anybody will refuse you. You may spend your money right and left now with ease and satisfaction. When the God of mercy comes down to distribute mercy, He cannot give it to those who do not want it; but you need forgiveness, for you are full of sin, and you are just the person likely to receive it. Ah! saith one, I am so sick at heart; I cannot believe, I cannot pray. If I saw the doctors brougham driving along at a great rate through the streets, I should be sure that he was not coming to my house, for I do not require him; but if I had to guess where he was going, I should conclude that he was hastening to some sick or dying person. The Lord Jesus is the Physician of souls. Do try now, thus to find hope in the very hopelessness of thy condition, in whatever aspect that hopelessness may come to thee. The Bible says that thou art dead in sin, conclude then that there is space for Jesus to come, since He is the Resurrection and the Life. Your ruin is your argument for mercy; your poverty is your plea for heavenly alms; and your need is your motive for heavenly goodness. Go as you are, and let your miseries plead for you.
IV. Let me, in the fourth place, notice the way in which the woman gained comfort. She thought great thoughts of Christ. It was a very great thing to her-but she had a high esteem of Christ. She said, It is nothing to Him-it is but a crumb for Christ to give.
V. And so you see, in the last place, she won the victory. She had, first of all, overcome herself. She had conquered in another fight before she wrestled with the Saviour-and that with her own soul. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
The little dogs
I. The mouth of faith can never be closed.
1. It cannot be closed on account of the closed ear and mouth of Christ.
2. Not by the conduct of the disciples.
3. Not by exclusive doctrine which appeared to confine the blessing to a favoured few.
4. Not by a sense of admitted unworthiness.
5. -Not by the darkest and most depressing influences.
II. Faith never disputes with the Lord.
1. Faith assents to all the Lord says-Truth, Lord.
2. It worships.
3. She did not suggest that any alteration should be made for her.
III. Faith argues.
1. She argued from her hopeful position-I am a dog, but Thou hast come all the way to Sidon,-I am under Thy table.
2. Her next plea was her encouraging relationship-Masters table.
3. She pleads her association with the children.
4. She pleads the abundance of the provision
5. She looked at things from Christs point of view.
IV. Faith wins her suit.
1. Her faith won a commendation for itself.
2. She gained her desire.
This woman is a lesson to all who imagine themselves outside the pale of salvation; an example to all whose efforts after salvation have been apparently repulsed; a lesson to every intercessor. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Our Lord had a very quick eye for spying faith
If the jewel was lying in the mire His eye caught its glitter, if there was a choice ear of wheat among the thorns He failed not to perceive it. Faith has a strong attraction for the Lord Jesus; at the sight of it the king is held in the galleries and cries thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck. The Lord Jesus was charmed with the fair jewel of this womans faith, and watching it and delighting in it He resolved to turn it round and set it in other lights, that the various facets of this priceless diamond might each one flash its brilliance and delight His soul. Therefore He tried her faith by His silence, and by His discouraging replies that He might see its strength; but He was all the while delighting in it, and secretly sustaining it, and when He had sufficiently tried it, He brought it forth as gold, and set His own royal mark upon it in these memorable words, O woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt. (C. H. Spurgeon)
The elements of prevailing prayer
1. Sincerity.
2. Humility.
3. Importunity.
4. Faith. (J. B. Jeter, D. D.)
The greatness of a womans faith
1. It was exercised by a woman.
2. It was a mothers faith.
3. It had an aim.
4. It disregarded apparent partiality.
5. It was not discouraged by apparent delay.
6. It was devoid of selfishness.
7. It gathered strength from its exercise.
8. It won. (B. J. Hoadley)
.
The trial and triumph of faith
Thee parts of the miracle are-
I. The place where it was wrought.
II. The parties on whom.
III. The impulsive cause.
IV. The miracle itself, wrought by the womans faith: in which we have-
1. Christs heightening of her faith.
2. The granting of her desire.
3. The measure of Christs bounty-As thou wilt.
4. The healing of her daughter. (S. Rutherford.)
She crieth after us.
1. Christs love is liberal, but yet it must be sued.
2. Christs love is wise. He holdeth us knocking till our desire be love-sick for Him.
3. His love must not only lead the heart, but also draw. Violence in love is most taking.
Christ looking beyond His temporary limits
Christ doth but draw aside a lap of the curtain of separation, and look through to one believing heathen: the King openeth one little window, and holdeth out His face, in one glimpse, to the woman of Canaan. (S. Rutherford.)
Grace working on unpromising material
Christ, then, can make and frame a fair heaven out of an ugly hell and out of the knottiest timber He can make vessels of mercy, for service in the high palace of glory. (S. Rutherford.)
Prayer strengthened by adversity
Also, the prayers of the saints in prosperity are but summer prayers, slow, lazy, and alas! too formal. In trouble, they rain out prayers, or cast them out in co-natural violence, as a fountain doth cast out waters. (S. Rutherford.)
Determination in prayer
Grace, grace now is the only oil to our wheels. Christ hath taken the castle, both in-works and out-works, when He hath taken the will, the proudest enemy that Christ hath out of hell. (S. Rutherford.)
A right knowledge of satanic torments will lead to Christ for relief
It were good we knew our own misery: the man resolveth a prisoner has a sweet life, who loveth his own chains, because made of gold, and hateth them not because chains; and falleth to paint the walls of his dungeon, and to put up hangings in his prison, and will but over-gild with gold his iron fetters. Oh! are we not in love with our own dungeon of sin? And do we not bear a kind love to our father, the devil? We bring in provision for the flesh, and nourish the old man, as old as since Adam first sinned. Alas . we never saw our father in the face: we love the devil, as the devil fallen in sin; but we see him not as a devil, but only under the embroideries of golden and silken temptations; we sow to the flesh; we bring in our crop to the devil, but we know not our landlord; and because sense and flesh are nearer to us than God, we desire more the liberties of state, free commerce, and peace with the king, than Christs liberties, the power and purity of the gospel, that we may negotiate with Heaven and have peace with God. (S. Rutherford.)
Good to be near Christ
The other thing observable is that it is good to be near the place where Christ is. It was an advantage, that the woman dwelt upon the borders of the land where Christ was. It is good for the poor to be a neigh-hour beside the rich; and for the thirsty to take up house, and dwell at the fountain; and for the sick to border with the physician. Oh I love the ground that Christ walketh on. To be born in Sion is an honour, Because there the Lord dwelleth (Psa_87:6.) It is a blessing to hear and see Christ (Mat_13:16). Christ knoweth them well whom He chooseth: grace is a rare piece of the choice and the flower of the love of heaven: there be many common stones; not many pearls, not many diamonds and sapphires. (S. Rutherford.)
Christ hears prayer even if He does not answer
It is said, He answered her not a word: but it is not said, He beard not one word: these two differ much. Christ often heareth when He doth not answer; His not answering is an answer, and speaks thus, Pray on, go on, and cry; for the Lord holdeth His door fast bolted, not to keep out, but that you may knock and knock. Prayer is to God, worship; to us, often, it is but a servant upon mere necessity sent on a business. The father will cause his child say over again, what he once heard him say, because he delighteth to hear him speak. (S. Rutherford.)
Faith strengthened by importunate prayer
Wrestling addeth strength to arms and body; praying, and praying again, strengtheneth faith; customary running lengtheneth the breath. (S. Rutherford.)
Tears have a tongue
(Psa_6:8):-Tears have a tongue, and grammar, and language, that our Father knoweth. Babes have no prayers for the breast, but, weeping; the mother can read hunger in weeping. (S. Rutherford.)
Prayer deeper than words
(2Pe_3:10):-Love and longing for Christ have eagles wings; and love flieth, when words do but creep as a snail.
Fervour in prayer
Though God hear prayer, only as prayer offered in Christ, not because rely fervent; yet fervour is a heavenly ingredient in prayer. An arrow drawn with full strength hath a speedier issue; therefore, the prayers of the saints are expressed by crying in Scripture (Psa_22:2). (S. Rutherford)
Utilizing rich spiritual influences
It shall be useful then for the saints, when the Spirit cometh in his stirrings and impetuous acts, to co-operate with him, and to answer his wind-blowing. It is good to hoist up sail, and make out, when a fair wind and a strong tide calleth. Sometimes grace maketh the heart as a hot iron: it is good then to smite with the hammer. When your spirit is docile, and there cometh a gale of Christs sweet west wind, and rusheth in with a warmness of heart, in a praying disposition to retire to a corner, and pour out the soul before the Lord: as we are to take Christ at His word, so are we to take Christs Spirit at His work. (S. Rutherford.)
My daughter
Children.
1. So to hold, as we are willingly to let go; love them as creatures only: often the child is the mothers daughter, and the mothers god.
2. We are to strive to have them freed from under the power of the devil, as this woman doth; for they come into the world fuel for hell. Parents make more account, all their life, to make gold, rather than grace, their childrens patrimony and legacy.
3. Look at them as May flowers; as born to come and appear for a space in the element of death: so they sport, laugh, run, eat, drink, and glisten like comets in the air, or flying meteors in the sphere of the clouds, and often go down to the grave before their parents.
4. Beware of selfishness, for children are ourself, and their sins white and innocent sins to us. Eli honoured his sons more than God, and God put a mark of wrath on his house. (S. Rutherford.)
The mutual attractions between Jesus and the soul
These drawings, brethren, of Jesus and the souls of men so mutual, so strong, how wonderful are they . Men are drawn to Him not because preachers beguile them, not because one generation misleads another, they are drawn by laws of gravitation; and Keplers laws hold good of souls as well as they do of planets. Christ simply attracts in the proportion to His mass, and it is His massive being, His wealth of help, His power of pity, His infinite wisdom, His store of tenderness, that has in all ages, and will in all ages, attract the hearts of men. And the hearts of men attract Him. (R. Glover.)
All things possible to faith
As we will, so faith obtains the good. It can be done! says faith. It shall be done! says the will. And it is done I The whole history of the world, in all its divisions, may be quoted in proof of this axiom. Space can be travelled by steam, says faith. Man has a will that it should be so. Space says, Be it unto thee as thou wilt: and it is done. The Atlantic Ocean can be crossed in seven days, says faith. The will of man says, It shall be so; and it is so. Thought can be conveyed as quickly a thousand miles as one. It is willed to be so, and it is done. The Alps can be tunnelled for a railway, says faith. I will it to be done says the engineer; and the Alps say, Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. Thus all things apparently impossible to reason become palpable facts to faith in its persistent exercises. (J. Bate.)
Christ cannot be hid
1. In His cause and truth.
2. Believers cannot hide a good or bad condition in the soul.
3. The joy of Christs presence cannot be hid.
4. Grace in a sincere professor, and Christ, cannot be hid. (S. Rutherford.)
Hearing of Him. What had she heard?
I. That Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel and could and was willing to heal
1. Hearing of Christ drew her to Him.
2. It is good to border with Christ, and to be near hand to Him.
II. None can come to Christ except they hear a good report of Him.
III. Many open their ears to Christ, but they hear not; they want a spiritual faculty of observing.
IV. Many put Christ in an ear without a bottom, as leaking and running out vessels. (S. Rutherford.)
Her prayer
1. The manner of it-She cried.
2. The party to whom she prayeth-O Lord, Thou Son of David.
3. The petition-Have mercy upon me.
4. The reason-For my daughter, etc. (S. Rutherford.)
The woman of Canaan
1. The naturalness of faith (trust).
2. The connection of faith and works. She believed (trusted) to have help from Christ, and this led her to use the means. So faith in everything must move to works to realize its end.
3. The wisdom of using an opportunity. Jesus went into the coast of Tyre and Sidon. The woman knew of it, and she used the opportunity for the good of her daughter.
4. The force of sympathy. As a mother, she felt for her daughter. Hence her action. If we feel for others-sinners, heathens, afflicted ones, etc.,-we are moved to help them, or seek help for them, according to our feelings.
5. The dignity of humiliation. How grand this woman appears as she says, Truth, Lord, etc.
6. The power of persistence in a good cause and with a good object. The woman would have no denial.
7. The nature of fervent, powerful prayer. She came to Him and worshipped Him, and said, Lord, help me.
8. The victory of faith-O woman, etc. It was no grief, but a joy, to Christ to yield the victory to this womans faith. (J. Bate.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
B. W. Johnson 1891 · Public Domain On vv22–29 22. Behold, a woman of Canaan. The name Canaan…
22. Behold, a woman of Canaan. The name Canaan was the oldest bestowed upon the country, and all the heathen inhabitants were often called Canaanites, whether of the same stock or not. Mark says (7:26) that the woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician; i. e., a Gentile, and a Syro-Phoenician, because she lived in the district of Syria called Phoenicia. Have mercy on me. She has a boon to ask for her daughter, or rather indeed for herself, for so entirely had she made her daughter's misery her own. My daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. More correctly, “a demon.” See note on Matt. 8:28. O Lord, thou son of David. It is remarkable that two of the brightest examples of faith seen in the ministry of Christ were exhibited by Gentiles, that of the centurion (Matt. 8:8, 9), and of this woman. The fact that the latter addresses Jesus as “the son of David,” shows that she knew of the prophecies concerning the Christ and that he would be the son of David.
B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary 1892 · Public Domain On v29 MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Mat_15:29-31
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Mat_15:29-31
Jesus still from home.—We gather, from Mar_7:31, that the scene of this story lay on that side of the sea of Galilee (Mat_15:29) where the cities of “Decapolis” were situated; and, therefore, in a country which was hardly, if at all, within the proper borders of Israel. Here as before, therefore, and most probably, also, for the same reasons as before, we find the Saviour away from His home. If He was not to cut short His ministry before His “time was come” (Joh_7:6) He must still keep away from those neighbourhoods where His enemies would expect Him. Anywhere, now, except where He had usually been. The precise locality now specified, also, has its importance. On the one hand, it seems to lend greater significance to the miracles wrought; on the other hand, it seems to account for the great effect they produced.
Read full note →
I. The miracles wrought.—For they were wrought in a neighbourhood from which, in the first place, He had been previously banished. Somewhere near here it was, in this semi-Gentile region of “Decapolis” that those keepers of swine who had lost their property through the cure of the demoniacs that had so long been a terror to the whole country-side, had prevailed upon all their neighbours, when they “saw Jesus,” to entreat Him to leave them. All they ask is that they may see Him no more (Mat_8:34). It was for this same neighbourhood, also, notwithstanding this, that the blessed Saviour, in going away, had shown so much love, by carefully arranging that, even so, they should not be without some witness about Him. Doing this, also, by the adoption of a method which was unusual indeed on His part; the method, viz., of sending the man out of whom He had cast the legion of devils (notwithstanding his earnest desire to be allowed to go away with Him), back again to his old neighbours and friends for the express purpose of “telling” them himself what God had done for him (Luk_8:38-39, contrast Mat_9:30-31, etc.). It would seem, therefore, that this grace of the Saviour had had its due effect on these men; and that this is the reason why we now find them as anxious to see Jesus as before they were not; and why we now read of such “great multitudes” in these parts coming unto Him; and “having with them the lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others;” and then finally “casting them down at His feet,” as though exhausted by the efforts they had made in bringing them there, and feeling also that in doing that they had done the very best in their power. It was a marvellous change, if so, on their part. And it was responded to, apparently, by an equally marvellous manifestation of power on the part of the Saviour. “He healed them” (Mat_15:30)—He healed them all—whosoever they were. He gladly welcomed their change of mind, however tardy and late. He forgets the ingratitude of the past in the need of the present. And almost seems, in a word, to have done more abundantly now because of the fact that He could do nothing before.
II. The effect produced.—The effect, on the one hand, of even prodigious surprise. To the people on the other side of the lake, the dwellers in Capernaum and its environs, miracles such as these had by this time become almost ordinary occurrences. They beheld them, therefore, if not quite without wonder, at any rate without note. To the people of this side of the lake who had previously driven the Saviour away, they come now with the vividness of a flash. “See what it is of which we have been depriving ourselves all this long time” (see Mat_15:31). Also the language of St. Mark in reference, apparently, to one especially complicated case of affliction and of equally complete deliverance from it, marking this particular time (Mar_7:31-37). The effect, on the other, of very fervent and singularly discriminate praise. They “glorified God”—so it is said—as well they might, for these things. They saw what was meant by such miraculous doings, especially when accompanied, as these were, by such equally miraculous love. It was God’s power, and nothing less, that lay behind all. Also, in these things, they saw that, which to these half-heathenised dwellers in Decapolis would probably come home with much power, if not, indeed, with a pang. After all “salvation was of the Jews.” It is not only to God therefore—but to “the God of Israel” that they offer their praise (end of Mat_15:31). A happy ending indeed to what had seemed at first so exceedingly unpromising a beginning (see again Mat_8:34).
Let the backslider, from all this, learn to return. What is gained—what is not lost—by sending Jesus away? Who, again, can be more ready than He is to return? Or can possibly bring back with Him such an abundance of gifts?
Let the doubter, from all this, learn to believe. Why we believe is not because of His miracles only, though there are none like them elsewhere; nor yet of His character only, though there is nothing elsewhere like it; but because of His miracles and His mercy combined. Nothing but Deity could—nothing but Deity would—have done as He did!
HOMILIES ON THE VERSES
Mat_15:29-30. Christ’s grace.—
1. When Christ hath done His work in one place, He followeth His work in another place.
2. Many may come to Christ at once, without impeding one another; it is not so among men, where one must wait till another be despatched.
3. Christ standeth not how many and how desperate the cures there be that are presented unto Him. He healed them all, blind, dumb, lame, etc.
4. It is sufficient to lay our miseries before Christ; our miseries will speak for us, and He will answer us by helping us. They did but cast down the miserable at His feet, and He healed them.—David Dickson.
Mat_15:30. At the feet of Jesus.—
1. These “lame, blind, maimed, and many others” cast down at Jesus’ feet, and lying there, remind us that Jesus is the well-defined centre of an undefined circumference. “Many others” indicate a vast number; we are glad not to know exactly how many. “At the feet of Jesus” is the place for helpless misery—yours and mine, and “many others’.”
2. Jesus came to be the ingatherer of all misery.—That which man most of all avoids, He most of all sought.
3. He healed them all.—His only alternative was to go away, or to send the people away unhealed.
4. “We cannot plead in prayer as some,” is often urged as an excuse. In answer to this we read of “multitudes” simply lying “at His feet”—and “He healed them all.” To lie at the feet of Jesus is itself prayer.—P. B. Power, M.A.
The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.
William B. Godbey 1900 · Public Domain On v29 Mat 15:29-31; Mar 7:31-37. “And again having gone out…
DEAF & DUMB HEALED
Mat 15:29-31; Mar 7:31-37. “And again having gone out from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, He came to the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of the coasts of Decapolis;” this word is from deka, “ten,” and polis, “city.” There is no city by the name of Decapolis, as the word literally means “ten cities,” and is the name of a region southeast of the Galilean Sea, in which there were ten prominent cities. I saw it in my recent visit. When our Savior left His retirement up in Phoenicia, He journeyed southward, leaving the Sea of Galilee on His left, preaching along through Galilee, and entering Decapolis. “They bring Him a dummy, stammering a little, and entreat Him that He may put His hand on him. And taking him from the crowd into privacy, He put His fingers into his ears, and spitting, touched his tongue, and looking up to heaven, groaned, and says to him, Ephphatha, which is, Be thou opened. And immediately his ears were opened, and the bridle of his tongue was loosed, and he continued to speak correctly. And He commanded them that they must tell no one; but the more He charged them, the more abundantly they proclaimed it abroad. And they are astonished exceedingly, saying, Truly, He hath done all things well; He both maketh the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak.” Matthew: “Many multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, the blind, the dumb, the maimed, and many others, and threw them down at the feet of Jesus, and He healed them, so that the multitudes were astonished, seeing the dumb speaking, the maimed whole, the lame walking round, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.” When the news of His presence flies on the wings of the wind to the ten prominent cities representing that great east country, known in history as Perea, constituting a part of King Herod’s dominion, the multitudes come pouring from every point of the compass, bringing with them the lame, that their feet and limbs might be restored; the maimed — i.e., the people whose hands and arms were crippled, so they could not use them; the deaf, the dumb, the blind. O what sensations sweep the multitude, like cyclones, as they see the clubfooted, withered-limbed, reel-footed, broken-legged, all running foot-races, leaping, and jumping, their old crutches all stacked up in a pile, as I saw in Brother Simpson’s Berachah Home in New York; the people who hadn’t been able to use their hands and arms in a score of years, piling rocks, climbing trees, and performing a diversity of gymnastic, dumb-bell exercises, demonstrating to the multitude the perfect restoration of their hands and arms; the dumb singing the good old songs of Zion, shouting the praises of God, and testifying like apostles; and the deaf so delighted with the musical voices ringing in their ears on all sides! In vain does Jesus charge them not to publish His mighty works, lest they arouse the multitude to come and crown Him King, as they were about to do but a month ago, when he fed the hungry multitudes in Galilee. The news is too good to keep. These hundreds and thousands of beneficiaries are bound to tell His wonderful benefactions, miraculously healing them, to the unutterable surprise of all their friends, who now rejoice with them, making many homes vocal with the praises of Israel’s God, who has sent among them a Mighty Prophet, having power over all physical ailments and spiritual derangements, everywhere healing diseases and ejecting demons.
Read full note →
This Hebrew word ephphatha, which means “be thou opened,” has a beautiful application throughout the gracious economy. You will never hear the Word of the Lord to spiritual edification unless Jesus touches the ear of your soul and says, Ephphatha. It is equally true that you will never see the deep things of God, and the Bible, and the beauty of holiness in His kingdom, unless He touch your spiritual eye, and say, Ephphatha.
William B. Godbey, Commentary on the New Testament (1896–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
J. W. McGarvey 1914 · Public Domain On vv22, 29 J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [LXVII. Healing a…
J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [LXVII. Healing a Phoenician].
LXVII. HEALING A PHOENICIAN WOMAN'S DAUGHTER. (Region of Tyre and Sidon.) aMATT. XV. 22-28; bMARK VII. 24-30.
Read full note →
bAnd he entered into a house, and would have no man know it [Jesus sought concealment for the purposes noted in the last section. He also, no doubt, desired an opportunity to impact private instruction to the twelve]; and he could not be hid. [The fame of Jesus had spread far and wide, and he and his disciples were too well known to escape the notice of any who had seen them or heard them described.] 25 But { a22 And behold, bstraightway aa Canaanitish woman bwhose little daughter [the word for daughter is a diminutive, such as often used to indicate affection] had [399] an unclean spirit, having heard of him [having formerly heard of his power and having recently heard of his arrival in her neighborhood], acame out from those borders [this does not mean, as some construe it, that she crossed over into Galilee from Phoenicia; it means that she came out of the very region where Jesus then was], and cried, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David [Sympathy so identified her with her daughter that she asked mercy for herself. The title "son of David" shows that the Jewish hopes had spread to surrounding nations and that some, like this woman and the one at Jacob's well, expected to share in the Messianic blessing]; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon. 23 But he answered her not a word. [God's unanswering silence is a severe test of our faith.] b26 Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by race. [The Macedonian conquest had diffused Greek civilization throughout western Asia till the word Greek among the Jews had become synonymous with Gentile. The term Canaanite was narrower and indicated an inhabitant of Canaan--that is, a non-Jewish inhabitant of Palestine. The term Syrophoenician was narrower still. It meant a Syrian in Phoenicia, and distinguished the Phoenicians from the other Syrians. Phoenicia was a narrow strip near the northeast corner of the Mediterranean Sea. It was some twenty-eight miles long with an average width of about one mile. Canaan means lowland; Phoenicia means palmland. The Canaanites founded Sidon ( Gen_10:19), and the Phoenicians were their descendants.] And she besought him that he would cast forth the demon out of her daughter. aAnd his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. [The woman by her loud entreaties was drawing to Jesus the very attention which he sought to avoid. The disciples therefore counseled him to grant her request for his own sake--not for mercy or compassion, but merely to be rid of her.] 24 But he answered [answered the disciples, not the woman] and said, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. [Jesus had not forborne [400] answering her prayers through lack of feeling, but from principle. It was part of the divine plan that his personal ministry should be confined to the Jewish people. Divine wisdom approved of this course as best, not only for the Jews, but for the Gentiles as well. Variations from this plan were to be few and were to be granted only as rewards to those of exceptional faith.] 25 But she came band fell down at his feet. aand worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. [The narrative indicates that Jesus had left the house and was moving on, and that the woman obtruded herself upon his notice by falling in front of him and obstructing his way.] 26 And he answered and said, bunto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet [suitable, becoming] to take the children's bread and to cast it to the dogs. [By the use of the word "first" Jesus suggested that there would come a time of mercy for the Gentiles. He uses the diminutive for the word dog, thus indicating a tame pet, and suggesting rather the dependence and subordinate position than the uncleanness of the dog. By so doing he gave the woman an argumentative handle which she was not slow to grasp.] 28 But she answered and saith { asaid, bunto him, Yea, Lord; afor even the dogs bunder the table eat of the children's crumbs. awhich fall from their masters' table. [Jesus had suggested that domestic order by which dogs are required to wait until the meal is over before they receive their portion; but with a wit made keen by her necessity, she replies by alluding to the well-known fact that dogs under the table are permitted to eat the crumbs even while the meal is in progress; intimating thereby her hope to receive and before all the needs of Israel had first been satisfied. By using the word dogs Jesus did not mean to convey the impression that he shared the Jewish prejudices against Gentiles; a construction which would be contrary to Luk_4:25, Luk_4:26, Mat_8:10-12.] 28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: bFor this saying go thy way; abe it done unto thee even as thou wilt. bthe demon is [401] gone out of thy daughter. [Thus by its ending this little incident illustrates the doctrine that men should pray and not faint ( Luk_18:1-8). The woman's experience has been often repeated by other parents who have prayed for children which, if not demon-possessed, was certainly swayed by diabolical influences. The woman's faith is shown in many ways: 1. She persisted when he was silent. 2. She reasoned when he spoke. 3. She regarded this miracle, though a priceless gift to her, as a mere crumb from the table of his abundant powers. It is noteworthy that the two most notable for faith--this woman and the centurion--were both Gentiles.] aAnd her daughter was healed from that hour. b30 And she went away unto her house, and found the child laid upon the bed, and the demon gone out. [The posture of the daughter indicated the physical exhaustion which would naturally succeed the intense nervous strain of demoniacal possession--especially the last paroxysms produced by the departing demon.]
[FFG 399-402]
J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On vv24, 28 lost sheep For Another Point of View: See Topic…
lost sheep For Another Point of View: See Topic 301191 (Greek - ἀπόλλυμι). (See Scofield "Joh 3:16")
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On vv22, 23, 25, 28, 29 The woman of Canaan:
The woman of Canaan:
v. 22. And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.
Read full note →
Matthew calls her a woman of Canaan because she was an inhabitant of the ancient country of Canaan or a descendant of the former tribes of Canaan, Gen 10:15. Mark calls her a Syrophoenician, (Mar 7:1-37:, after the name of the country where she lived. This woman had heard of Jesus; for His fame had spread far beyond the boundaries of Galilee, especially along the caravan roads. She was acquainted also with the sacred books of the Jews, or at least with their hope of the Messiah. Under the Spirit’s guidance she formed the right conclusion, as shown in her address to the Lord. She calls Him both Lord, acknowledging Him to be the Lord from on high, and Son of David, which was the name of the Messiah. Her petition was a prayer of faith also because she cried for mercy, deeply conscious of the misery of her soul, and of the fact that whatever help she might expect would be her share only out of merciful sympathy on the part of Jesus. Note also: In one of the most terrible afflictions that may fall to the lot of a mother, she turns to the Lord alone; a shining example!
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv24, 27, 29 I was not sent to anyone
I was not sent to anyone
This can be stated in active form. AT: "God did not send me to anyone" (See: Active or Passive)
Read full note →
to the lost sheep of the house of Israel
This is a metaphor comparing the entire nation of Israel to sheep who have gone away from their shepherd. See how you translated this in Matthew 10:6. (See: Metaphor)
she came
"the Canaanite woman came"
bowed down before him
This shows that the woman humbled herself before Jesus. (See: Symbolic Action)
It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs
Jesus responds to the woman with a proverb. The basic meaning is that it is not right to take what is supposed to belong to Jews and give it to non-Jews. (See: Proverbs)
the children's bread
Here "bread" refers to food in general. AT: "the children's food" (See: Synecdoche)
the little dogs
The Jews considered dogs to be unclean animals. Here they are used as an image for non-Jews.
translationWords
Jesus
send
ewe
house
Israel
bow
bread
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv22, 23, 26, 29 15:22 Gentile woman: Literally Canaanite woman. Matthew uses this…
15:22 Gentile woman: Literally Canaanite woman. Matthew uses this archaic Old Testament expression to describe the woman as a pagan. • Lord, Son of David: The woman apparently perceived that Jesus was the Messiah (see 1:1; 9:27; 17:15; 20:30).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.