The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 98

enh·eatC'd Christ to exorcise the evil influ- Lost sheep, There is a tenderness in this ence ; she <lid not urge him to go to her expression natural from the mouth of the hon•e, an<l by hie graoions presence work good Shepherd. He he.d used it when he " cure. Simply she tells her affliction, sent forth the twelve on their npostolioo.l and Jets the woeful te.le plead for itself. journey (eh. x. 6); the melaphor is found But there was no response. The Merciful in the Old Testament (see Jer. 1. 6, eto.). is obdnrate; the Physician withholds his It is appropriate here, where he is em- aid; in the face of misery, to the voice of phasizing his attitude towards the chosen entreat,. the Lord is silent. It is the people, and teaching the Ce.ne.e.nitish woman di.Bcipliii'e of love; he acts as though he the relative position of Jew and Gentile. be&rs not, the,t he may bring forth per- Ver. 25.-Ce.me she e.nd worshipped him. se,erance ,rnd faith. Send her e,way. There Meantime, e.e we learn from St. Mark, Jesus is some donbt concerning the feC'ling of the he.d left the street and entered into a house. apostles in thus addressing Christ. Did The woman, nothing daunted by her rebuff they -,;ieh him to grant her virtual petition and the disregard with which her appeal or not? On the one hand, it is urged that was received, followed him per•istently, and, they were thoroughly annoyed e.t her im- growing bolder in her importunity, fell as a portunity. They had sought for quiet e,nd suppliant at his feet. While he still seemed privacy, and now this woman was bringing to repulse her, she was learning fresh faith a orowd around them, and oooa.sioning the e.nd hope. Lord, help me. She does not very notoriety which they wished to a.void. now call him" Son of David." She begins Their Jewish prejndioes, too, were aroused to feel that she has little ole.im upon him by this appeal from e. Canaanite; they e.s the Jewish Messiah; she appeals rather could not endure the idea that favour should to bis mercy and hie power. Still, she be extended to this Gentile of e.n abhorred identifies herself, e.e e.t first, with her race ; hence they desire Christ to dismiss daughter; the only boon she wants for her- her at once, give her e. decided rejection. self is her child's relief. "For she indeed On the other he.nd, the a.newer of Christ to (my daughter) is insensible of her disease, their request lee.de to another explanation, but it is I thu.t suffer her innumerable woes; e.s if he understood them to be asking him my disease is with consciousness, my mad- to grant her prayer. And this is undoubtedly ness with perception of itself" (St. what they did want, though they did not Ohrysostom, • Hom. Iii. in B. Matt.'). presume to prescribe the manner or to beg Ver. 26.-:But he answered and said. At for a miracle. They range themselves on length Jesus spoke direotly to her; but his the woman's side, not from any genuine words were rough in sound, still .enforcing compassion, but from mere selfishness. The the previous repulse. It is not meet ; ov1< ground of their appeal is, Bhe crieth after ltTT1 1<~d.,: flOfl est bonum (Vulgate). us. The appeal he,d been first me.de in the Another reading of lees authority is ov1< open street, e,nd the Oane.e.nite had followed lt•cr•r,.,, "it is not lawful." The question is them, as they moved, continuing her piteous rather of fairness a.nd expediency than of cry, and thus attracting attention to them lawfulness. To take the ohildren's bread. e.nd defeating their hope of retirement e.nd " The children" are the chosen people, " the rest. So they, for their own peace and children of the kingdom" (eh. viii. 12), ~omfort, ask Christ to grant the prayer of who held this high position by election, this obstinate suppliant: "Give her what however individuals might forfeit it by an she wants, and he.ve done with her." unworthy use of privileges, " Bread " is Ver. 24.-1 a.m (=) not sent but unto meant to signify the graces and favours the lost sheep of the hoUBe of Israel Doubt- bestowed by God in Christ. To cast it. An less the woman had Ustened to the apostles' humiliating term ; not to give it, as you intercession, and thought her cause won; would to your children, but to throw it away bnt the repulse is only repeated ; this e.e valueless, fit only for animals. Doge Gentile is beyond the sphere of his mission; (1<u11aplo,s). A contemptuous diminutive, he cannot help her without departing from rendered by Wickliffe, "whelpies," or, e.s the rnle whioh he he,d set himself, Jesus we might say, '' ours." Thie was the term says nothing here about the rejection of the applied by the Jews to the' Gentiles, even J ewe e.nd the fnture inge.thering of the e.s Turks nowadays talk of "doge of Chris- Gentiles; he states mere! y that hie persone.1 tians," and aa in later times, by a curious mission while he we.s on earth we.11 confined inversion, the Jewa themselves were to the Hebrew nation. He was, es St. Paul generally ae.lut.ed with the opprobrious name calls him (Rom. xv. 8), " a Minister of the of "dogs." Some have seen e. term of en- circumcision." Later, he would 118Ild others dearment In the diminutive "little dogs," e.s to evangelize those who were now aliens though Ohrlst desired to soften the harsh- from the ohoaen commonwealth ; at present ne11 of the expre11lon b7 referring, not to he ha, eome unto hi.a own po81e88iollll. the prowling, unowned e.nlme.11 that e.ot  oH, xv 1-39.] '!'HE GOSPEI, ACOORDlNG TO ST. MATTHEW. 101