Col 311); cf. the Oriental use of the word ' Frank' as equivalent to ' West European.'
* In the reiffn of Hadrian, Syria was subdivided into (1) Syria proper, (2) Syro-Phnonicia, (3) Syria-Palestinia (Lucian, de Con. Deor. 4). The political division, then officially made, probably followed an already existing popular nomenclature, so that a Syrophcenician may mean snnpiv a Syrian resident in Phoenicia proper (Ilastinafs' DB iv. 652). There is no distinct authority for the possible interpretation, half -Syrian, half -Phnenician'; although .Juv. (viii. 159) is regarded by some as such, and there is an analogy in the use of Libyphtvnix to denote a mongrel person (Livy, xxi. 22).
t Mt l.'j2-'- 24, where Christ's reply indicates that He understood the disciples to mean, 'Send her away with her entreaty granted.'
strength of the Syrophcenician's faith, and He de- sired to perfect it (Ja P) through such trials as, to His discerning insight, she appeared able to bear. He sought to deepen within her that hunulity Avhich is the condition of exaltation, and to render yet warmer that motherly love which had opened her eyes to love Divine. Doubtless, had her faith been less strong, her humility less deep, her love less self-forgetful. He would have dealt more ten- derly with her, .so as not to ' break the bruised reed ' ; but these qualities being already well de- veloped, He braced her character with the cold yet wholesome wind of seeming discouragement.
3. The ivoman!s triumph and reward. — Over Christ's silent apathy, as it appeared (Mt 15"), she triumphs with renewed supplication ; over His seemingly narrow refusal of ministry to an alien she triumphs with lowly worship of Him as Son of David, — such worship as was withiield by His oAvn countrymen, as a Avhole ; His outwardly harsh de- scription of her as a heathen dog, to whom it was not meet to give the children's bread, .she overcomes with tlie apt rejoinder that the little dogs (^wdpta) under the table eat of the children's crumbs.* Her victory is signal. Her faith, like that of the cen- turion in Mt 8, is attested as great (Mt 15^^), and the more than willing surrender of Christ is graci- ously ascribed by Him to herself. ' For this saying go thy Avay' (Mk 7-^). The reward is complete and immediate : ' Be it unto thee even as thou Avilt ' ; ' her daughter was made whole from that very hour' (Mt 15^8).
4. The main lessons of this incident are obvious. (1) What the Christian preacher or teacher is tempted to regard as the least promising soil — individuals or communities outside the Church's pale — is sometimes that from which the richest harvest is reaped. (2) Wiiat men most fear in their life's experience — suffering, adversity, trouble — often serves as a straight path to God, often reveals itself as a husk of evil enclosing and con- cealing a kernel of spiritual blessing. While sorrow does not always sanctify, but sometimes breeds moroseness or scejjticism, still it is Divinely fitted to move us to go to Him who can sympathize and relieve. (3) Warm love toAvards those near and dear to us, although sometimes leading the heart aAvay from the Creator to idolatry of the creature, is intended and fitted to open the eyes of the soul to the Fatherly mercy of God, to the brotherly sympathy and saving grace of Christ. Love Avithin us discerns, believes in, realizes love outside of us in God, in Christ, and in felloAv-men. (4) What men dislike most in a request is among the things that please God best — importunity. This lesson taught us by the record of the miracle is also impres.sed on us by tAvo of Christ's parables — those of the Midnight Guest (Lk IP) and of the Importunate WidoAv (18^). It is the same lesson that Avas inculcated long before by the suggestive story of Jacob's Avrestling, Avhen the patriarch cried, ' I AA'ill not let thee go, except thou bless me ' (Gn 3226).
Literature. — Trench, Miracles, pp. 359-369 ; Edersheim, Life and Times, ii. 37-43 ; E. P. Gould, ' St. Mark ' in ICC pp. 133- 137 ; A. B. Bruce, ' Synoptic Gospels ' in EGT p. 390 f. ; Chad- wick, 'Gospel of St. Mark' in Expositor's Bible, pp. 195-200; Luckock, Footprints of the Son of Man, pp. 156-161 ; Sam. Rutherford, Trial and Trivmph of Faith (Twenty-seven sermons on the Syrophcenician Woman); Ker, Serm. ii. 200; Lynch, Serm. for my Curates, 317 ; Bruce, Kinqdom of God, 103, (iali- lean Gosp. 154 ; ExpT iv. [1892] 80, xii. [1901] 319 ; Dale in Ezpositor,y.v. [1897] 3Gb. HeNRY CoWAN.
* Christ Himself had suggested this response by His use of the diminutive xuvxpioit, which was applicable not to the roam- ing dogs of a city, but to the pet dogs of i home.
694 TABERNACLES, FEAST OF
TABOR, MOUNT
T
TABERNACLES, FEAST OF. — The Feast of Tabernacles is mentioned in Jn T^- ^'' . It was the third and the most important of the Jewish festivals, requiring the presence of all males at Jerusalem. It began on the 15th of the seventh month, the month Tishri, and in the time of Christ continued for eight days.
In early times it was called the Feast of Ingathering (Ex 23i*> 3422)^ a name that testifies to its agricultural origin and char- acter. In the time of the Judges it appears as a Canaanitish festival at Shechem (Jg 92"), and as an Israelitish festival at Shiloh (2119, 1 S 1). It was the occasion that Solomon chose on which to dedicate his Temple (1 K 82). The date given in this chapter, viz. the seventh month, does not correspond with the date of the completion of the Temple as given in 1 K 638, and may be a later insertion giving the date of the Feast as fixed later. From the original character of the Festival, it is obvious that no precise date could be fixed at first. The early legisla- tion in Exodus requires its observance, but does not give its date or duration.