The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 325

petition which she prefers, are calculated to surprise and even astonish us, We mus\ presuppose some knowledge of the Saviour, from whatever source it came. She had obtained in some way, and to some extent, knowledge of Jesus-how or whence we have not sufficient information to enable us to say, The terms of her address, when we consider her heathen antecedents and 1iurroundings, are truly wonderful. "O Lord thou Son of David "-these are marvellous words to come from heathen lips; "hav~ mercy on me!," are words easily read between the lines of her misery, and easily accounted for by the sympathetic chord which her daughter's atlliction had touched i11 her heart. The former words are not so readily accounted for. "0 Lord," she said, and thus she acknowledged his power and his providence. Sha confesses her faith in his power as almighty, and in his providence as universal; she owns a providence which extends to, and is employed about, all the affairs of the world and men and a power that regulates and controls all events. Nor are we sure that this term a~ it was uttered by the lips of this woman, did not embrace more than matters of 'mundane interest. But whether or not it comprehended authority over things in heaven as well as things on earth--celestial as well as terrestrial concerns-one thing is certain, that the expression immediately following clearly embraced Messianic hopes and prospects. "Son of David" is a name or title of Messiah in Old Testament Scripture. Ha was to be the Son of David according to the flesh, as well as "the Son of God with power;" David's Son as well as David's Lord, according to the Saviour's own words. She thus acknowledged him as Lord, and so possessed of unlimited power over g,ll beings, human, angelic, and demoniac; over all agencies of every order ; and over all ailments, whether diseases proper or diabolic possession. She acknowledged him also as the Christ of God, whose very mission was to impart prophetic instruction, to make priestly satisfaction, and to exercise kingly authority in, over, and on behalf of his people. There was thus a whole creed, at least in germ, contained in the words of this woman's address to the Saviour. How had she attained such knowledge? Had the Spirit of God enlightened her? Had the Saviour been made known to her, as afterwaro.s to Saul, by direct and special revelation ? We believe that there was the agency of the !Spirit in making application, but that there had been human instrumentality in conveying instruction. We read in the third chapter of this Gospel, at the eighth verse, that, in addition to the great multitude that followed Jesus from Galilee, Judrea, ,Jerusalem, Idumiea, and beyond Jordan, also "they a.bout Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him." Was it not most likely that from some of these, on their return home, this woman had heard something about the Saviour-who he was, what he was, as well as about the great things he was doing? The Spirit's agency was needed to make application to her heart of the fragmentary truths she may have gleaned in the wa.y indicated. Here, again, the sinner's case is similar. He hears about Christ, he reads about him, be is taught many facts in relation to his life, death, resurrection, ascension, saving power, and second coming to judgment; but yet "no man can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." We need the instruction, it is true, but we require also the illumination of the Spirit. That we may derive real benefit from Scripture truth, and spiritual profit from the facts of Christ's history, the Spirit must "guide us into all truth," even the "'truth as it is in Jesus." V. HER EARNEST PLEADING. In her earnestness she makes her daughter's case her own ; she regards the affliction of so near a relative as personal ; in her daughter's afilic- tion she was afflicted. "Have mercy on me I" she said-on me, who feel myself so identified with my danghter, who suffer in her suffering, who am distressed in her distress, whose life is bound up in her life. Again, " Have mercy on me I"-a wretched woman, a sorely tried and almost broken-hearted mother. Then she repeats the petition with a slight variation, saying, "Lord, help me l" How_ to~ching tbi_s repeated request I how pathetic I How eloquent as well as earneBt I It 1s, indeed, this earnest- ness that forms the chief element of its eloquence, VI. 'l'BE TBIAL OF HER FAITH, She had been sorely afflicted, a.nd now her faith is 110rely tried. In the Gospel of St. Matthew the recital is fuller, and these trials stand out more conspicuously. The first trial of her faith is our Lord's silence, "He answered her not a word." What can this strange silence mean? le it indifference or neglect? la it want of sympathy with her own distress and her daughter's affliction? en. vn. 1-37.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING 1'0 ST. MARK. 323