The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 298

Ver. 24.-0ur Lord now pe.eeee out of which in St. Mark precedes the words, it ia Galilee into a heathen oountry, Syro- not meet to take the ohildren's bread and oast phcenioio., into the borders of Tyre and it to the dogs, Dogs abound in Palestine and Bidon, that he might begin to impart hie the sunounding districts, but they are not mirD,Cles and hie doctrine, which the scribes cared for. They go about in packs, with no and Phnrieees had rejected, to the Gentiles. particular masters and no particular homes. There ie not suffloient authority for omitting They seem to be chiefly nseful as scavengers. " Bidon" from the text. Both these cities Nevertheless, the dog of the East is amenable "9'ere renowned for their extensive commerce to kindness shown him by man, and there, and for their wee.Ith. It is probe.hie that as in Englanrl, children and young doiis the true reading in ver. 31, which will be soon become friendly. It is of (1<wclp1a) noticed presently, may have led to the "little dogs" that our Lord here speaks. omission by some authorities of " Bidon" Our Lord here speaks after the ma[loer of here. But there is really no inconsistency the Jews, who ea.lied the Gentiles dog8, as in retaining the words " and Bidon" here ; distinguished from tliemsel ves, th" children and accepting the reading" through Sidon " of the kingdom. Let the children first be fill ed. there. Tyre, which was the capital of Suffer me first to heal all the Jews who Pl.a!nicia, lay to the south, bordering on need my help. Our Lord makes at first as Judea ; Si don to the north : and multitudes though he would refuse her request; and yet :docked to Christ from these parts. He it is not an absolute denial. There might entered into e. house, and would ha.ve no man be hope for her when the children were know it : and he oould not be hid, He would filled. Thus Christ oftentimes deals with have no mo.n know it, partly for the sake of holy aouls, namely, by humbling and morti- quiet, and partly lest he should rouse the fying them when they desire anything at Jews more bitterly age.inst him, and give his hands, in order that with yet greater them occasion to cavil that he was not the importunity and humility they may seek and Messiah promised to the Jews, because, obtain it. St. Chrysostom says, " Whether having left them, he had turned to the we obtain that which we seek for, or Gentiles. St. Mark (iii. 8) has e.lrearly in- • whether we obtain it not, let us ever perse- formed us that his fame had spread to those nre in prayer. And let ns give thanks, not about Tyre and Bidon. only if we obtain, but even if we fail to Vera. 25-27.-The construction of this obtain. For when God denies us anything, verse is Hebre.istio (see Aota xv. 17). In- it is no less e. favour than if he had granted stead of u1<06a-an -yltp, the approved reading it; for we know not as he does wha.t is most is a.AA.' ,b8vs 1&1<06uaua : But straightwe.y e. expedient for us." woman. whose young daughter (Bll')'cirp,011)- Ver, 28.-In this verse there is a ~light litere.lly, little daughur; St. l\le.rk is fond change of reRding, causing a change of of diminutives-had an u.nolean spirit. All rendering; namely, thus : Yea, Lord: even- ages were liable t.> this incursion of unclean Hal instead of 1<ul ')'a:p-the dogs-ra: 1<v11clp1a.. spirits. The woman seems to have come the little dogs-u.nder the table eat of the from a distance. She was e. Greek-tl.ie.t is, a ohildren's oru.mbs. Observe the antithesis: Gentile-a Byro-phmnioian by re.oe, e.s dis- "the children" (the little daughter) sitting ~nguished from the Libyan Phcenicie.ns, of at the table ; the "little dogs " under the Carthage. She was a descendant from those table. It is e.s though she said, " Give me, seven nations of Cane.an which had been most gracious Lord, only a crumb (a small driven out by God's command. They were mercy compared with thy greater merciea), called in their own language" Ce.ne.e.nites," the healing of my little daughter, which And she besought him (-/Jpcl,ru); litero.lly,asked may fall as it were obiter from thee upon him. St. Matthew (xv. 22) says that "she us Cano.e.nites and Gentiles, and be grate- cried (/Hpa{ryaa-,11), Have mercy on me, 0 fully picked up as one of thy lesser bene- Lord, thou Son of David." Aristotle says fits." Cornelius a Li1.pide enlarges beauti- that "parents love their children more than fully upon this : " Feed me, then, as a little their children love them ; because love dog. To me, e. poor Gentile, let a crumb descends, and because pa.rents desire that of thy grace and mercy be vouchsafed; but their children should survive them, that let the full board, the plentiful bread of they may live on in their children, e.s it grace and righteousness, be reserved for the were, after death ; that they become, so to Jewish children. I oe.nnot leave the table speak, immortal through their children, and of my Lord, whose little dog I am. No; if possess that eternity, which they cannot have you spurn me away with yonr foot, or with in themselves, in their children and their a blow, I will go a.way; but I will come back children's children." St. Matthew (n. 23) again, like a little dog, through another tells us that at first " he answered her not door. I will not be driven awuy by blows. e. word," and he doos not record the remark- I will not let thee go until thou h,ist given able saying, Let the ohildnn first be filled, me what I ask of thee.' For this Cunnaniw !96 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK, [011:. vn. 1-37.