The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 299

oonstrains Christ, arguing her case from his Tyre, and oame through Bidon unto the ■ea own words. prudently, modestly, foroibly, and of Galilee, through the midst of the borden with e. humble fe.ith which perceives that he of Deoapolia. St. Matthew (xv. 29) simply is not unwilling to be overc'Ome by p~tition ea.ye that be "dep1uted thence, and came and by reason. Indeed, ehe entangles him nigh unto the sea of Galilee." But from in the meshes of his own words. So great the more full statement of St. Mark we leorn is the plenteousness of his table, tha.t it that he mitde a circuit, going first north- shall abund~ntly suffice for her if she may wards through Phronioia, with Galilee on but partake of the ornmbs whioh fa.11 from his right, as far as Sidon; and thence pro- the table of his children." bably over the spurs of Lib11nus to DamM- Ver. 29.-St. Matthew says here (xv. 28), cus, mentioned by Pliny as one of the cities "0 woman, great is thy faith: be it done of the Deoapolis. This would bring him nnto thee even e.s thou wilt. And her probably through Cmsarea Philippi to the daughter was healed from tha.t hour." If eastern coast of the Sea of Galilee. Here, we suppose St. Mark's words to come in according to St. Matthew, he remained for after St. Metthew's words "be it done unto a time in the mountainous district above the thee even as thon wilt," the two narratives plain; choosing this poeition apparently for Bl"e perfectly consistent. Our Lord could the sake of quiet and retirement, e.s also no longer restrain himself, or resist these that, being conspicuous to all from the wonderful appeals of faith. Overcome by mountain, be might,there await the multi- the skilful reasoning and importunity of the tude coming to him, whether for instruction Canaanite, he gives her that which she or for healing. asks, e.nd more. He heals her daughter, Ver. 32.-They bring unto him one that and he sets a crown of gold upon her hee.d. wu deaf, and had an impediment in his It is here obvious to remark that this child speeoh ( 1<01,Pov 1<a.l µ.o-yi>..d.ll.ov). The radical vexed by the unclean spirit represents the sense of 1<01,P&s (from 1<01M"01) is "blunt" or &0ul tempted by Sa.tan and polluted by sin. " dull; " and so it is used to represent both In such a condition we must distrust our own deafness e.nd dumbness. But in St. Mark strength, and rely ouly on Christ, and call it means deafness as distinguished from upon him with humility and repentance; dumbness (see oh. ix. 25). This patieut, acknowledging ourselves to be but as dogs however, we.s not ~os absolutely, but in his sight; that is, miserable sinners; µ.uy,ll.o.Aos, i.e. he spoke with difficulty. yet not such as that we should despair of Long-oontinued deafness is apt to produce pardon, but rather that we should hope for imperfect utterance. the mercy of Christ the greater we feel our Ver. 33.-And he took him aside from the misery io be. For it is worthy of a great multitude privately. This was done, no Saviour to cleanse and save great sinner11. donbt, to fix the attention of the afflicted Again., this Gentile daughter represents the man upon himself, and upon the fact that Church of the Gentiles, which, shut out he was about to act upon his ears e.nd his from salvation by the justice of God, enters tongue. And he put (l.Ba.ll.•)-literally, ease the kingdom of heaven through the door of or thruBt-his fin.gen into hie ears. The mercy. Here we.s a great con version indeed ; action was very significant. n was as for now the Jews through their unbelief though he said. "I am about to open a change places wiLh the Gentiles, and, like pe.see.ge for bearing through these ee.rs." them, ce..n only be admitted through the And he spat, and tonohed hie tongue; that same gate of Divine mercy. is, he touched hie tongue with saliva from Ver. 30.-There is an inversion in the his own sacred lips, These symbolical order of the clauses in this verse, according actions must have bad a gree.t meaning for to the best authorities. The words should the afHicted man. They were a tableau run thus : And ahe went away unto her flivant, an acted metaphor, teaching him honee, and fo=d the child ('ro ..-a.,3lov) laid what he might expect from the mercy of upon the bed, and the devil gone out. She Christ. The analogy of the miracle recorded found her little daughter set free from the in St. John (ix. 6) should be noticed here. possession, but exhausted by the convulsions It is an interesting circumstance (noticed in which he caused in departing from her; the 'Speaker's Commentary') that, in the weary with the violence of the struggle, but Latin Church, the officiating priest touches restful and composed. So the sinful soul, the nostrils and ears of those who are to be set free from sin by the absolution of Christ, baptized, with saliva from his own month. rests upon the couch of a conscience paci- We may be assured that, in the case before fied by the blood of Christ, and at peace us, these signs need by our Lord were with God. intended to awaken the afflicted me.n'a Ver. 31.-According t.o the moat approved faith, and t.o stir up In him the lively expec- authorities thia verse should be read thus: tation of a blessing. Alld a.ea.in he went out from the borden of Vers. 34, 85.-Alld looking up to heaven. <Jn. vn. 1-37.) TIIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST MARK. 297