The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 2 — Section 106

vexed with a devil. The mother's heart was full of sorrow for her child. She knew not what t.o do_; probably_she bad_ tried such modes of healing a.a were in vogue among her heathen ne1ghbours-mcantat1ons, strange forms of exorcism. All Wl\8 in vain. But she had heard of Christ; his fame had long ago gone throughout all Syria (eh. iv. 24). Now the great Healer had come into her neighbourhood; she took the opportunity at once; she left her daughter at home ; she came out, and sought the Lord. 3. Her interr!iew with Christ. (1) She found him. She told him of her distress. She had heard something, even in that heathen land, of the Messiah, the Son of David, who was to_sit on Da!id's ~hrone; she o_wned the Lord Jesus to be the long-expected King; she cned after him with a loud shrill cry to have mercy on her and to heal her child. Her heart was full of anguish; her mother's love made her daughter's grief her own. •• Have mercy on me," she cried. That cry had never before fallen in vain on the ears of the compassionate Redeemer. But now he was strangely silent. He had entered into a house, St. Mark tells us, and would have no man know it. The woman had followed him there. He sat still as if absorbed in meditation too sacred to be interrupted. It was unlike his usual custom. This long silence was distressing to the suppliant, perplexing to the disciples; they could not understand the reason of it. Often the Lord 11eems silent now when we come to him in earnest prayer; there is no voice, no answer. But we must pray on; he is surely listening, for he heareth prayer. There &re reasons, unknown to us, for his silence ; reasons full of thoughtful love and holy wisdom. He will answer in his own good time. (2) The disciples. They interceded for her. " Let her go," they said; as Simeon had said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart" (the Greek word is the same). They knew that the Lord was not wont to refuse the petitions of those who stood in need of his help; they wi~hed him to grant her prayer at once. But their request was partly selfish, like the action of the unjust judge in the parable. The woman was crying after them; she was inter- rupting their intercourse with the Lord; she was drawing the attention of the multitude upon them-the very thing which at that time they wished to avoid. How often people give alms now from similar reasons, to escape trouble and importunity, not out of real charity! (3) The Lord's answer. He did not at once act according to the wish of the disciples. Their intercession was not single-hearted; it arose from mingled motives; it did not prevail II I am not sent," he said, "but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" The Lord's personal mission was to the Jews; he was" a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers" (Rom. xv. 8). He was bom in the ancient covenant; he was formally admitted into it by the rite of circumcision. He lived as a Jew; he preached to the Jews. But he himself had prophesied tbat many should come from the east and from the west, and should sit down with .Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of God. He bad other sheep not of that fold ; and here was one--one that had been lost-now coming to the good Shepherd, while many, alas I from his own special fold were wandering, and would wander further and further in the wilderness. Trouble brought her to him ; trouble is a blessed thing when it brings us to the Lord. He seemed not to notice her; not even when the disciples drew his attention to her cries. It was, we may be sure, out of thoughtful mercy, for her sake and for theirs; for the more confirmation of her faith, and perhaps to prove to the apostles that sbe was, though a Canaanite, spiritually a child of .Abraham; her faith brought her into the family of the father of the faithful, "They which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." (4) The woman's perseverance. She came nearer, and worshipped him. He had not as yet answered her a word; she had Leard nothing from his lips, except, perhaps, the discouraging_ reply which he ad.dressed to his discifJles; but still she persevered. She threw herself at his feet in the intensity of her longing desire, saying, 11 Lord, help me." This time the Lord answered her; but, it seemed, with a cold and stem refusal. "It is not meet to take the children'a bread, and to cast it to dogs." He had never before so repelled a 1uppliant; he had never before used words apparently so harsh, so contemptuous. But ■till the Gentile woman persevered in her entreaty. She accepts the truth of the Lord's words. It was riaht she owned, that the children should first be filled; it would not be meet to cast their°br;ad to the dogs; and the Gentiles, she admits, were as dogs compared with the chosen people. But she understands the word, in its milder application, of the little dogs (..-a 1e11,,&pua) which play with the children and lie under the table, not of the oR, xv. 1-39.) THE GOSPEL ACOORDING TO ST. MATTHEW, 109