The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 305

even in at.range regions his fame anticipates him, The many who took adv11ntaae of his power to heal are forgotten in the special case which now presented itself. 1.'his may have' been the spiritual result of many unsatisfactory cases in which the cure only affected the body ; the rumour of them awoke at least one heart to a new sense of spiritual power. Speaking about Jesns and his work in this place or that, to one soul or another, may be a blessing in untbought-of quarters. Jesus "could not be hid" for other reasons; his disciples were with him, and, more than all, he C11rried about in himself a revelation of love and pity that spoke to every heart. Spiritual influence is a mysterious thing, and yet there are some conditions of its exercise which are only too plainly declared. Matthew has a fuller account, but our evangelist gives us the chief details. The Saviour was touching the great world outside of Judaism, the scene of his greater ministry in the future through the Holy Spirit. The incident is remarkable as suggesting this universal relation of him who as yet was but a Jewish Rabbi. It tells us the nature of the limitation which hemmed in his work, and how that limita- tion was to be removed, when he" should open the door of faith to the Gentiles." L AT THE DOOR OF MERCY. (Vers. 25, 26.) 1. The. motive. It was not for herself, but her child, whose:distress she sought to relieve. The nature of this "unclean spirit." Moral parallels. A mother's instinct: how near the human affections and family obligations bring us to the gospel I The instinct is a natural one, but tending to the spiritual. She was in the school of sorrow, noble and unselfish sorrow, which searches the heart and awakens the latent forces of the spiritual nature. How many have been brought by such sentiments and experiences to the cross I 2. The attrac- tion. She had heard of him and his merciful works. We all stand in need of mercy, and are insensibly affected as we hear of its exercise upon others. Make known the Saviour, and proclaim his saving grace I The most unlooked-for will come. "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." But now she saw and heard himself. Her great yearning, grieving heart read the lineaments of his countenance, and the character they expressed. "He will not tum me away." Christ, by his spiritual presence in the Word, ever touches human hearts thus, awaking by what he is the deepest longings and most instinctive trust. IL THE DOOR A.TAIi. (Ver. 27.) 1. It sounds like a rebuff. What claims has she upon him? But: 2. Is re,ally a trial of her faith. It sounds logically.conclusive, yet is it intended to call forth the inmost spiritual nature. Delays and adverse experiences in prayer should not all at once be accepted as final Prayer is not a mere asking; it is a discipline. Remember Abraham's importunity. 3. Encouragement is given even unde:r the appe,arana of refusal. Matthew tells us of a silence that preceded this; for Christ to speak was itself an omen not to be despised. "First" is a word that hints at postponement, not ultimate rejection. And the picture he sketches is not to be taken literally, but is for the spiritual imagination. A.s the reasoner, in making an induction, introduces an element into his reasoning that is not in the facts in themselves, so the petitioner at Heaven's throne must learn to interpret his experiences, and to sift the rejections that he may discover the elements of hope. Here the petitioner answers the objection by completing the picture in which it is couched. True, it would be wrong to cast the children's "loaf" to the dogs; but that is not the only conceivable way in which the dogs may be fed. Her Greek experience comes to her assistance. Whilst the Jews hated dogs as "unclean," and could not tolerate them in their houses, the Greeks bad a peculiar affection for them, and tamed and trained them to feed from the hand. In many a Greek home the dog had its place beside the table or beneath it. A.nd the "crumbs" found their way there in various ways, either by intention or accident. The term she uses is a diminutive of endearment. The twenty-eighth verse is full of diminutives-" little dogs," "little children's," and "little crumbs "-which are full of subtle, tender appeal. This is her argument, then. It is a self-humiliating one, for she is willing to take the dogs' place. She is not a Jewess-a "child;" she is only a Gentile, and her daughter is "a little dog." And here is the children's loaf-tha Bread of life-at the very edge of the table. May not some "little crumbs" fall over T To such humility, such faith, there can be no refusal; and there was never inemded to be one. This is how we must all come to Heaven's door-vile, misero.ble sinners, with no claim save upov. the mercy of God I lll. TRB DOOR OPENED, (Vert• 29, 30.) 1. It is opened to faith. "For this cm. vn. 1-37.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 303