Jesus praised the woman of faith

JESUS PRAISED THE WOMAN OF FAITH
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Matthew 15:28 28
Then Jesus saidto her, "Woman, you
have great faith! Your request is granted." And her
daughter was healed at that moment.
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
The Praise Of Faith
Matthew 15:28
R. Tuck There were severaloccasions onwhich our Lord speciallypraised
faith; we may note what were the peculiar features of the faith which received
these unusual commendations. Olshausensays, "Overcome as it were by the
humble faith of the heathen woman, the Saviour himself confesses, 'Greatis
thy faith,' and straightwayfaith receivedwhat it asked. This little narrative
lays open the magic that lies in a humbly believing heart more directly and
deeply than all explanations or descriptions could do. In this mode of Christ's
giving an answerto prayer we are to trace only another form of his love.
Where faith is weak, he anticipates and comes to meet it; where faith is
strong, he holds himself far off in order that it may in itself be carried to
perfection."
I. OUR LORD'S NOTICING THE SIGNS OF FAITH WITHOUT SPECIAL
PRAISE. A specimencase is the actof the four friends who carriedthe
helpless paralytic on to the roof to ensure his getting into the presence of
Jesus. It is said of them, "Jesus seeing their faith." On another occasionit is
said of Peter, looking on the lame man, "perceiving that he had faith to be
healed." The apostles follow the Masterin looking for and recognizing faith.
And this we fully understand when we regardfaith as the necessarystate of
spiritual recipiency for Divine help and blessing.

II. OUR LORD'S NOTICING THE SIGNS OF FAITH WITH SPECIAL
PRAISE. Two illustrative casesmay be given. And it is remarkable that they
both concernaliens, and not Israelites. This probably accounts forour Lord's
feeling surprise, and giving it expression. The first is the Roman centurion,
who soughtChrist's healing for a servant. Everybody then, even those who
believed in Christ's power, thought it essentialthat Christ should touch the
sufferer. The centurion had faith to believe that Jesus could actthrough a
simple commanding word. So of him Jesus said, "Verily I sayunto you, I have
not found so greatfaith, no, not in Israel." The other case is that associated
with our text. The Canaanite womanshowedher strong faith by her
persistencyin overcoming obstacles;and of her Jesus said, "O woman, great
is thy faith." In conclusion, the reasons forpraising such faith may be given.
1. Full trust honours God.
2. Active and persistentfaith reveals a state of heart that fits for receiving
Divine healing and salvation. - R.T.
Biblical Illustrator
Then Jesus wentthence and departed Into the coasts ofTyre and Sidon.
Matthew 15:21, 28
The woman of Canaan
J. Ker, D. D.I. WHAT MADE THE FAITH OF THIS WOMAN SO
REMARKABLE?
1. She had much againsther in her original circumstances.In the eye of a Jew
she belongedto the most hated of all the Gentile races. There was a frontier
line of dislike to cross, farwider than any distance betweenTyre and
Palestine. Yet it did not keepher from finding her way to the greatTeacherof
the Jewishnation.
2. She got little countenance from Christ's disciples. Annoyed at her
importunity, and desiring to be freed from the trouble of her presence, they

desired Christ to send her away. She could not but feel they would gladly be
rid of her, in the way some castan alms to a persistent beggar. Weakerfaith
would have felt the chill, and would have desisted. But it is not from them that
she seeksananswer. She will take her dismissalfrom none but Christ Himself.
3. The woman's faith reaches its greatesttrial in the conductof Christ. The
disciples, cold as they are, seemmerciful compared with their Master. As she
cries, and pours her heart into her prayer, He moves awaywith silent neglect.
That dreadful silence is harder to bear than the sorestword that canbe
spoken. Still she cried after Him, and at lastHe spoke. But His words, were
they not evenharder than His silence? ForHe did not speak to her, but only
of her, and that in such a slighting manner as almostto quench all hope. Still
she persists, and at length — as Christ all along intended she should — gains
her heart's desire.
II. WHAT HELPED HER FAITH TO HOLD ON AND TRIUMPH? We do
not speak ofthe first cause ofall, which was Christ's eye watching her steps,
and His hand bearing her up, but of the mediate causesby which her faith
was upheld.
1. She had a deep home and heart sorrow, spurring her on to make every
exertion. In other means had failed, but something told her there was hope
here, and to this she clung. The greaterthe feeling of the trouble, the more
surely will it carry you into the presence ofthe only Saviour.
2. She had learned to take a very humble view of herself. As humility goes
deep down, faith rises up high and strong, for humility furnishes the roots by
which faith holds on.
3. Her faith was so strong, because it had hold of another Christ, greaterand
more merciful than her eyes saw. She lookedbeyond appearances, andfixed
her gaze on things unseen and eternal. It is this which keeps men right, amid
adverse surroundings. Thick thunderclouds of Atheism and Pessimism
sometimes hang lowering over the earth, and threaten to quench all the higher
hope; but God has given to the spirit a powerby which it can pass up through
them and sing like the lark in the sunshine and the blue sky. It is the work of
the Lord Jesus Christto educate and strengthen it by drawing it, often
through much tribulation, to Himself.
(J. Ker, D. D.)
Victorious wrestling in prayer

C. E. Luthardt.Of all the expressions of Christian life, prayer is the foremost,
h precedes and accompanies everyother. It is the breathing of the soul, the
palpitation of the heart of the new inward man.
I. (1) Prayer is a NECESSITY. A Christian cannotlive without inward
intercourse with his God and Saviour. Love cannotexist without unbosoming
itself.(2)It is also a spiritual power. It not only reacts upon ourselves and our
temper, it also acts from us outwardly on the course of things; for it both cases
our heart, and overcomes God's.
II. THE SENSE OF OUR WANT URGES US TO PRAY. Knowledge of our
sinfulness drives us to God. As the drowning man attaches himself to the
saving hand, and does not let go his hold, so the soul attaches itselfto the hand
of Jesus, and refuses to be shakenoff. Then the wrestling prayer for salvation
begins, for it is begottenof the feeling of the soul's misery.
III. WHAT HELPS US TO OVERCOME IN THE STRUGGLE IS THE
PERSEVERANCE OF HUMBLE FAITH. Jesus is the conqueror; but Jesus
we seize by faith, and with Him is victory.
1. We must seek Jesus. No resttill we come to Him. No other can help us, or
rid us of our sin.
2. We must not let Jesus go. If He goes away, follow Him; if He seems to be
stern, become more urgent; if He hides His face, cry the louder; if He will not
listen, assailHis heart. Every No of Jesus is an Aye in disguise. It is true we
deserve none of the things we pray for; but He has enough and to spare for
all; and after the children are filled, He can afford to castthe crumbs to the
dogs. If we have but the crumbs from His rich table, we shall be satisfied.
Even if we are the lastin His kingdom, it is sufficient, so that we only have
some share of His grace. If it is only one look of His eye; only one glance from
Him. If we are not allowedto reston His breast with John, we shall be
satisfiedif only with Thomas we are permitted to behold the print of the nails.
And when we have become quite exhaustedin wrestling with Him, and all our
strength is broken; when, so to speak, the hollow of our thigh is out of joint;
when we canonly cling to Him and declare we will not let Him go except He
bless us; even then we shall overcome, and He will declare Himself to be
vanquished.
IV. WHAT DO WE WIN IN THE VICTORY? The blessing of Jesus Christ —
"Be it unto thee, even as thou wilt." What a wonderful word. To whom does it
apply? To him who first has sacrificedhis self-will, and has learnt to say, from
the bottom of his heart, "Lord, not as I will, but as Thou wilt." Then God's
will and man's are become one. Just before, almostpowerless:now, almost

almighty. He who thus wins God's heart, wins everything. A child of God is
lord over all things,
(C. E. Luthardt.)
The woman of Canaan
Leonard W. Bacon, R. Newton.This storyis the simplest of dramas, having
two persons and a chorus.
I. THE FIRST PERSONIS THE HEATHEN WOMAN, AND HERE WE
NOTE:
(1)Her trouble;
(2)Her faith, which is neither a superstitious credulity, nor a hesitating
experiment;
(3)Her reward.
II. THE OTHER PERSON IS THE LORD JESUS. Looking onHim as the
model of human duty, and the expressionof the Divine nature, we find in this
story things amazing and perplexing. What are we to learn from them?
1. The perplexities in the life of Christ are like the perplexities in the
government of God.
2. This incident exhibits Christ gazing inexorable, for a time, on human
suffering.
3. His apparent unkindness is only apparent.
4. His blessing is already given, while yet the supplicant is unaware of it.
(Leonard W. Bacon)
I. THAT IT IS HIGHLY GRATIFYING TO MEET WITH DEVOUT
PERSONSWHERE WE EXPECT NOT TO FIND THEM. She was a
heathen, not a Jew.
II. THAT AFFLICTIONS, BOTHPERSONALAND DOMESTIC, ARE
POWERFULINCENTIVES TO PRAYER.
III. THAT IN OUR EXERCISES OF DEVOTION WE OUGHT TO PRAY
FOR OTHERS AS; WELL AS FOR OURSELVES.
IV. THAT SINCERE SUPPLICANTSMAY MEET WITH GREAT
DISCOURAGEMENTSIN PRAYER. Delays are not denials. We are apt to
value highly that which costs us effort
V. THAT SINCERE SUPPLICANTS ARE ALWAYS PERSEVERING.
VI. THAT THE PRAYER OF FAITH MUST ULTIMATELY PREVAIL.

(R. Newton.)
Significant silence
W. Burrows, B. A.The Saviour's silence was not the result of intellectual
poverty. Was not that of one takenwith mere self-considerations.Was not
causedby indifference.
I. The Saviour's silence indicates thoughtfulness.
II. Denotes loving estimates.
III. Manifests the greatness ofself-control. Effective speechis power over
one's fellows, but silence is powerover one's own self.
IV. And yet the Saviour's silence may have been sympathetic.
V. Was preparative. What powerin a judicious pause. Delaymay enhance the
preciousness ofthe gift.
(W. Burrows, B. A.)
The Woman of Canaan
C. Bradley., T. Mortimer.I. WHAT WE CAN FIND IN THIS WOMAN TO
COMMEND.
1. Strong and wise parental love.
2. Her earnestness.
3. Deephumility.
II. WHAT OUR LORD HIMSELF ACTUALLY COMMENDEDIN HER —
"Greatis thy faith." This virtue singled out because allothers flow from it.
III. THE GRACIOUS TREATMENT SHE RECEIVED FROM OUR LORD.
1. Christ delayed His answerto her petition.
2. He gave her strength to persevere in prayer for it, and made that prayer
more humble and earnest.
3. He put on her signalhonour.
4. He at last gave her all that she desired.
5. There is often more love towards us in the heart of Christ than we cansee
in His dealings with us.
6. The prayer of faith is always crownedwith success.
(C. Bradley.)
I. WHO THIS WOMAN was. She was not an Israelite. The cause of her
sorrow was not her own. Her prayer.

II. HER SAVIOUR.
1. His silence when we should not have expectedit.
2. He seems to plead that His commission had been exclusively to Israel.
3. He appears to add insult to cruelty.
4. He suffers Himself to be conquered by faith.
II. WHAT DOES THIS SAY TO YOU?
1. YOU may go to Christ for yourselves.
2. You may go to Christ for your relatives.
3. Jesus canand will do helpless sinners good.
(T. Mortimer.)
God's delays in answering prayer
C. M. Merry.1. To try our faith.
2. To fosterhumility.
3. To intensify desire after the blessings we request.
4. To enhance the joy of success whenthe answeris vouchsafed.
5. Blessedare they that wait for Him.
(C. M. Merry.)
The elements of prevailing prayer
J. B. Jeher, D. D.I.Sincerity.
II.Humility.
III.Importunity.
IV.Faith. Conclude with a few practical remarks.
(J. B. Jeher, D. D.)
Faith triumphing over difficulties
Anon.Faith overcomes —
I.Obstacles in our personalcircumstances.
II.The concealments ofJesus.
III.The silence of Jesus.
IV.The refusals of Jesus.
V.The reproaches ofJesus.

(Anon.)
The woman of Canaan
T. Manton.This is an instance of a wrestling faith; faith wrestling with
grievous temptations, but at length obtaining help from God. We ought to
considerthis(1) because Christpronounced it to be greatfaith;(2) it instructs
us that the life and exercise offaith is not easy, but will meet with great
discouragements;(3)because ofthe successattending it.
I. The quality of the woman.
II. She was a believer.
III. The greatness andstrength of her faith; seenin her trials and
temptations; and in her victory over them, by her importunity, humility, and
resolvedconfidence.The woman's temptations are four.
I. Christ's silence. Thougha sore temptation, this should not yet weakenour
faith; for God's delay is for His own glory and our good:to enlarge our
desires, and put greaterfervency into them.
II. The small assistance she had from the disciples.
III. Christ's seeming to exclude her from His commission.
IV. Christ's answerimplying a contempt of her, or at leasta strong reason
againsther.The woman's victory over her temptations.
I.By her importunity.
II.Her humility.
III.Her resolvedconfidence. All which are the fruits of greatfaith.
(T. Manton.)
The woman of Canaan
Daniel Wilcox.I. THE TRIALS AND DIFFICULTIES this supplicant's faith
met with.
1. Christ is wholly silent.
2. Christ intimates that He had nothing to do with her.
3. Christ seems to answerwith reproach and contempt.
II. How THE WAS DISCOVERED IN ITS TRIALS, AND WORKED
THROUGH ALL.
1. Though Christ was silent she did not drop, but continued her suit.

2. She passes overthe doubt she could not answer, and instead of disputing,
adores Him, and prays to Him still.
3. She humbly let pass the (seeming) indignity, and turned that which seemed
to make most againsther into an argument for her obtaining the mercy she
came to Him to beg for.
III. THE HAPPY ISSUE OF THIS, HOW GLORIOUSLY IT WAS
REWARDED.
1. Her faith was owned, commended, and admired by the Author of it.
2. The reward of her faith was ample.
(Daniel Wilcox.)
Christ and the woman
J. Jortin.In judging our Lord's treatment of this woman —
1. Observe that Christ, while He was upon earth, said nothing and did nothing
of Himself.
2. Our Lord, who knew the hearts of men, both saw and esteemedthe good
disposition of this petitioner, but for a time concealedHis kind intentions,
being willing to exercise her faith and submission, her patience and
perseverance.The woman's faithwas great —
1. With relation to her religion, and to her country.
2. In comparisonwith the unbelieving Jews.
3. Consideredin itself.
4. Becauseit stoodso severe a trial.
(J. Jortin.)
T/he Canaanite's faith
Adolphe Monod.The position of this womanand the conduct of our Saviour to
her.
1. She believed in Jesus before the scene relatedin this gospel;we distinguish
in her conversionthat strength of soul which is sure to triumph over all
obstacles;all that follows is explained by such a commencement. She was a
heathen, and only receivedGod's Word indirectly, through the prejudices of
the Jews. The feeble ray which reachedher proved sufficient to guide her feet.
2. The conduct of our Lord corresponds with His manner of acting towards
the heathen generally, and with His especialdesigns ofmercy towards her.
Our Lord did not so treat this woman merely because she was a heathen; but

to make His mercy more conspicuous. While He proves He strengthens her.
From the heroes of faith He draws back to exercise their courage.
3. See how this woman wrestles with our Lord. Jesus soughtretirement. She
anticipated His coming. She was alone in seeking Him. She had to force
herself into His presence. But Christ could not escape from the faith of this
woman. He allows us to conquer Him. She triumphs over the preventives
which our Lord opposedto her. Once in the presence ofJesus she in satisfied.
His silence. To try her patience. Only for a time. His speechseems cruel. The
Word of God does seemsometimes againstthe child of God. In the love of
Christ she finds refuge againstHis silence and words; His love is only hidden
for a moment under harshness. She could not be defeatedbecause she would
not doubt. She triumphs.
(Adolphe Monod.)
A word to parents
F. F. McGlynn, M. A., The Pulpit.I. On this occasionCHRIST HAD LEFT
HIS OWN COUNTRYAND PEOPLE. Perhaps to avoid the hatred of the
scribes and Pharisees;or to abate His popularity. We find Him coasting to
Tyre and Sidon. Her need was her plea.
II. THE LEADING PRINCIPLES OF HER FAITH
1. In this prayer she recognizes the unity of the Deity, "Lord."
2. What a beautiful trait in her characterwhen she prays, "Have mercy on
me;" but we know the chief objectof her prayer was her daughter. She
identifies herself with her daughter's misery.
3. She asks for mercy and help (ver. 25).
4. RegardJesus as Godable to save or destroy.
(F. F. McGlynn, M. A.)
I. THE CHARACTER OF THE INDIVIDUAL.
1. A Greek.
2. A believer in Christ.
II. THE CAUSE OF HER COMING.
III. THE IMPEDIMENTSSHE MET WITH.
1. A long delay.
2. A mortifying rebuke.
3. An apparent refusal.

4. A silent denial.Then her conduct:
1. An humble request.
2. A persevering prayer.
3. An humble confession.
4. An affecting reply.
IV. THE BLESSINGS AT LAST RECEIVED.
1. The principle our Lord commends is her faith; from faith all other graces
spring.
2. He granted her request.Improvement:
1. The use we should make of affliction.
2. The efficacyof prayer.
(The Pulpit.)
The triumph of faith
J. T. Woodhouse.I. FAITH'S APPROACH
1. She came to the right person.
2. In a right spirit.
3. With a right plea
II. FAITH'S TRIAL.
1. Christ tried her faith by perfect silence.
2. By seeming indifference.
3. By apparent reproach.
III. FAITH'S APPEAL.
1. She was a devout suppliant.
2. An earnestsuppliant.
3. An ingenious suppliant.
IV. FAITH'S TRIUMPH
1. Christ commends her faith.
2. He grants her request.
3. He healed her daughter.
(J. T. Woodhouse.)
The secondSunday in Lent

J. A. Seiss, D. D.I. THE DISCOURAGEMENTSWHICH SHE OVERCAME.
These were great, numerous, and increasedas she proceeded.
1. The first was the seeming unwillingness of the Saviour to have his
retirement disturbed by any one, in any way(Mark 7:24).
2. Her case was itselfa very unpromising one. She was a Gentile.
3. The coldness in our Lord's behaviour, which seemedto disdain the least
attention to her — "He answeredher not a word."
4. The conduct of the disciples introduced a still further dissuasion, well
calculatedto dampen her hope of success.
5. To this was added the still further disheartening answerof the Master, "I
am not sent," etc.
6. Children's bread was not to be given to the dogs. This was the current spirit
of the religion of the times.
II. THE MEANS OF HER VICTORY.
1. She felt her need, and the true characterofher affliction.
2. She credited what she had heard of Christ.
3. And believing as she did, she improved her opportunity. Jesus was in the
neighbourhood.
4. She confessedherunworthiness.
5. She had a true and powerful faith.
6. And as the result of her faith, she was invincible in her prayers.
III. THE LESSONS WHICH THIS CASE TEACHES.
1. It impressively reminds us of the sorrowful condition of human life.
2. This gospelassuresus where our help is.
3. It indicates how to avail ourselves of our great mercies.
4. Precious encouragementdoes it bring to us.
(J. A. Seiss, D. D.)
A woman of Canaan
R. Glover.The movements of mankind are best studied in the lives of
individuals.
I. THE WOMAN HERSELF. All we know of her origin and feeling is
containedin the three terms that are applied to her — Canaanite, Syro-
Phoenician. a Greek. The first two imply her race. She belonged to that race

that the Hebrews calledCanaanites — that is, Lowlanders, for the great
Phoenicianpeople had settled themselves in the fertile valleys, and on the
maritime plains of Palestine, and there in their walled cities had developedin
the highestdegree an ancient civilization. To this Phoenicianstock she
belonged. It was divided into two parts — the African and the Syrian stock.
She belongedto the Syrian, to the people who inhabited the narrow strip of
land betweenLebanon and the sea. The lastterm "Greek," has ofcourse
nothing to do with race, nor does it sayanything of her language;but religion.
St. Paul divides men into Jew and Greek;the word means heathen. She was
one of those that worship Baaland Astarte.
II. IN HER CASE OBSERVE THE WORKINGS OF SORROW. Thatfrom
the outsetthere began to operate compensating results which took awaysome
of the bitterness.
1. This sorrow workedout in a greaterlove "Have mercy on me; my daughter
is vexed." As if she and her daughter were one. It was a mitigation, and in
some degree a compensation, that with her sorrow grew such love.
2. The love and the sorrow togetherco-operatedto produce something higher
still. They enlargedthe heart, purified her feeling, lifted the thought to
immortality; Astarte could no longerfill her heart. She wanted a deity that
could be a God of love, not of passion;who would create purity, not crush it.
This I gatherfrom the fact that she calls Christ " Son of David." She beganto
think trustfully of Israel's God. Such were the workings ofsorrow in her
heart.
III. AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE GREAT DRAWINGS BETWEENTHE
SAVIOUR AND THE SOUL THAT NEEDS HIM. There is something
mysterious here. It is not by accidentthat greatmercy and misery meet. What
is the secretofthat journey to Tyre and Sidon. I suppose the Saviourfelt some
magnetic need pulling upon His heart, claiming the help of His pity and
power. She was fifty miles away;the road was mountainous; in all the journey
there and back He cures no other affliction and preaches no sermon; His sole
purpose was to minister to this single sufferer. The prophetic soul knows when
its Lord is nigh.
IV. THE SERENE RESULT THAT IS REACHED. She learned the powerof
prayer. The disciples were changed; educatedfor their missionary work; they
see how rich a thing a human heart is. She came asking a mercy for herself,
and went awaycarrying it to others.
(R. Glover.)
The woman of Canaan

J. Wonnacott.I. THE GREAT FAITH OF THIS WOMAN IS TO BE
TRACED IN HER HUMBLE CONFESSION.
1. She confesseshermisery when imploring the mercy of Christ.
2. She confessesherweaknesswhenimploring the help of Christ.
3. She confessesherunworthiness by admitting the mission of Christ.
II. THE GREAT FAITH OF THIS WOMAN IS TO BE TRACED IN HER
FERVENT PRAYER.
1. Mark her recognitionof the characterof Christ.
2. Her confidence in the powerof Christ,
3. Her earnestness in seeking the aid of Christ.
III. THE GREAT FAITH OF THIS WOMAN IS TO BE DISCOVERED IN
HER DETERMINED PERSEVERANCE.
1. Her faith overcame the difficulty of obtaining u personal interview with
Christ.
2. It overcame the singularly apparent coldness ofChrist.
3. It overcame the limitation of the usual ministrations of Christ.
(J. Wonnacott.)
The disciples sending awaythe Canaanite woman
E. Bersier, D. D.Amongstthe causes whichkeepsouls at a distance from
Jesus, we must count the attitude of the disciples of Jesus as one of the most
powerful. To the Masterwe must go; not to the disciples. Let us first dispel all
misunderstandings. When I declare that we must look to the Master, not to
the disciples, I do not forget that the apostles were enlightenedby special
revelations and were calledto found the Church. I do not oppose their
teaching to that of the Master;there is no contradictionbetweenthem. But
when we leave the apostolic age the situation changes. The Church is placed
before Christ. But now let us descendto the sphere of the individual
conscience. To leadto Jesus!What a privilege and glory. Fidelity of testimony
is necessaryto this mission. Some are brought to Christ by words, some by
indirect influences, others by a love that nothing wearies.But it is possible to
put souls awayfrom Jesus Christ. Betweenthem and Christ there have been
our sins, pride, etc.
1. Let us remove the hypocrites; to make of their duplicity an arm againstthe
gospelis an unworthy proceeding. You see their inconsistencies;are you sure
you do not exaggerate them? Have you weighedall that Christian faith

produces of excellentworks? Granting that your complaints are well founded:
in what way can they justify your unbelief? They could only do so if you had
the fairness to seek their cause in the gospelitself. But van contrastthe two. Is
it not rather the fidelity that offends you, rather than the faults of Christians?
2. A word to you who believe:
1. Judge yourself as you are seeking whatis lacking in others. Savedby grace,
shall we not exercise mercy?
2. Let us learn to see in our brethren along with the evil that distresses us, the
Roodthat we have misunderstooduntil now.
3. Raise your look to the Master, there van will find peace and certainty.
(E. Bersier, D. D.)
The woman of Canaan
G. Moberly, D. C. L.I. "THIS POOR WOMAN'S UNREMITTING
OBSTINACY, it may so callit, IN PRAYERS. See the power of persevering
prayer. They may seemfor a while unanswered; they may not seemto work
any alterationin our secrethearts.
II. THE POWER OF INTERCESSION. Itis our duty to pray for others.
III. That this poor woman's reiterated prayers are by our Lord called faith.
Greatis the faith that prays without ceasing. The sphere of common duty is
the sphere also of secretspiritual growth.
IV. Regardagainthis poor woman thus singledout in all the heathen world to
receive the only cure, as a type of the Church of God. The Church, like her,
has many sons and daughters grievously vexed with the evil spirit. They are
brought to Christ in prayer.
(G. Moberly, D. C. L.)
Greatfaith
J. Vaughan, M,A.How singularly and beautifully appreciative Jesus always
was of anything, that was good. His words show accuracyof observationand
calculation.
I. There are many striking features in the characterofthis woman. Her
motherly care, energy, humility, pleading; but Christ selectedonly one. Faith
the rootof all, Some think we make too much of faith, and place it out of its
proper proportion.
II. The elements which went to make the "great faith." Sorrow seems to have
been, if not the cradle, yet the schoolof her faith. She comes and makes her

petition as faith always ought, leaving details with God. The test to which she
was put was exceedinglysevere.
(J. Vaughan, M,A.)
Help from he, heaven
A. O."Lord, help me." This prayer is suitable —
I. Forthose who are seeking salvation.
II. For a soulunder spiritual darkness.
III. For the believer amidst worldly perplexities.
IV. For the Christian labourer.
V. For the dying saint.
(A. O.)
The faith of the Syro-Phoenicianwoman
CongregationalPulpit.I. THE EXTRAORDINARYCHARACTER OF HER
FAITH.
1. It was basedon the most limited knowledge.
2. It conquered natural prejudice in herself, and the fearof its influence in
others.
II. WHY CHRIST SO SEVERELYTESTED IT.
1. His first object was to expose and rebuke the intense bigotry of the Jews
around Him.
2. He wished to draw out and exhibit the full strength of her faith.Lessons:
1. Christ's mercy and mission extend to all, howevervile and outcastthey may
be.
2. The true way to derive goodfrom Him is by faith, rather than by
knowledge oracts of worship.
3. An encouragementto the utmost tenacity and desperationof faith.
4. An illustration of the way in which appearances may deceive us. God may
seemto repulse us, but never does so actually.
(CongregationalPulpit.)
This woman of Caananteaches us to pray
Lapide.(1) With greathumility in that she acknowledgesherselfto be a
dog;(2) with faith, in that she calls Christ the Son of David, i.e., the
Messiah;(3)with modesty, because she sets before Christ the right of dogs and

her own misery; yet does not draw from thence the conclusionthat Christ
should healher daughter, but leaves that to Him;(4) with prudence, in that
she takes hold of Christ by His ownwords, and gently turns His reasoning
againstHimself, into an argument for obtaining her desire;(5) with reverence,
with religion and devotion, because she made her application on her
knees;(6)with resignation, in that she did not say, "Heal my daughter," but
"Help me," in the manner that shall seemto Thee best;(7) with confidence,
because, althougha Gentile, she had a firm hope that she would be heard by
Christ:(8) with ardour;(9) with charity, in that she made intercessionfor her
daughter, as if she were anxious for herself, saying, "Help me";(10) with
constancyand perseverance, in that she persistedwhen she was twice
repulsed, and became yet more earnestin prayer.
(Lapide.)
A double miracle
J. H. Burn, B. D., Harry Jones, M. A., J. Morison, D. D.1. Of Faith.
2. Of Healing. Thrice did Christ commend " greatfaith," and in eachcase
outside the fold of Israel. In this case the wonder is not that the woman had
greatfaith, but that she had faith at all. Her faith was greatbecause —
I. (1) it would stand trial.(2) It was a wrestling faith. She heard the repulse, yet
is neither daunted nor disheartened. She will not take His No. She will even
resistHis arguments.(3)It was victorious. Just now Jesus seemedto deny the
smallestboon; now He opens His treasures, andbids her help herself.
II. Learn from this that when God delays a boon, He does not necessarilydeny
it.
(J. H. Burn, B. D.)Under this story there is the touch of nature which binds us
all together. Let us learn from it —
1. Perseverance. Few things can be reachedby a single stride. All successis
the outcome of previous patience;the finest pictures result from
multitudinous touches of the brush. Let. us keepour faces to the light, and the
persevering desire shall at length be gratified.
2. Faith. This is a far larger thing than canbe clothed in any form, and the
most tenacious professiondoes not imply that we have that vivid apprehension
of the living God which makes us really trust in and reston Him. Have you
faith as well as a creed? Are you daily trusting in the living God amidst all
your wants, and sorrows, andsins?
3. Toleration. We are often inclined to look with insular exclusiveness orhalf-
disdainful curiosity on such non-Christians as we come in contactwith. Let us

remember that Christ took the children's bread and castit to dogs. With such
an example before us, we dare not disclaim any as too degradedto share with
us the " one flock and one shepherd."
(Harry Jones, M. A.)Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat, etc. — The woman's
remark is admirable and delightful. It is full indeed of true theologyand real
philosophy. She apprehended clearly(1)that it was right that our Lord's
personalministry should be devoted to the Jews;(2)that He bore a benignant
relation to the Gentiles — that He was not a sectarianSaviour;(3) that it
would not in the leastinterfere with His ministry in relation to the Jews, to
put forth by the way His blessedenergy in behalf of such suppliant Gentiles as
herself. She was not asking Him to forsake Palestine, orthe Jews.
(J. Morison, D. D.)
A woman's master-stroke
Luther.Was not this a master-stroke?She snares Christ in His ownwords.
(Luther.)
An incident like thisDean Plumptre gives the following story from the
Talmud. "There was a famine in the land, and stores of corn were placed
under the care of Rabbi Jehudah the Holy, to be distributed only to those who
were skilled in the knowledge ofthe law. And, behold, a man came, Jonathan,
the sonof Amram, and clamorouslyaskedfor his portion. The Rabbi asked
him whether he knew the condition, and had fulfilled it, and then the
suppliant changed his tone and said, 'Nay, but feedme as a dog is fed, who
eats of the crumbs of the feast,'and the Rabbi hearkenedto his words, and
gave him of the corn."
Asking for crumbsLaurence Justinian. first Patriarchof Venice, resembled
this woman in the prayer he offered when at the point of death. "I dare not
ask for a seatamong the happy spirits who behold the Holy Trinity.
Nevertheless,Thy creature asks forsome portion of the crumbs of Thy most
holy table. It shall be more than enough for me, O, how much mere than
enough! If Thou wilt not refuse some little place to this Thy poor servant
beneath the feetof the leastof Thine elect."
The, coasts ofTyre and Sidon
Harry Jones, M. A.This narrative records a visit of Jesus to a region which lay
beyond the borders of the Jewishland. It did not lie at any greatdistance;it
was within a day's ride of Capernaum, and it could be seenfrom hill-tops just
behind Nazareth;yet it was an alien country, and that notable strip of the
Mediterraneanshore on which Tyre and Sidon were situated had never

belongedto the Jewishpeople. The coastofTyre and Sidon was fringed by an
almost continuous line of buildings; quays, warehouses, and private residences
dotted the whole shore-line, and it was therefore no retired spot, but one
which swarmed with a large and busy population, with ships sailing on the
face of the waters, and the fishermen plying their trade within sight of the
shore. The scene was very unlike those which were most associatedwith our
Lord's presence. He was here surrounded by abundant tokens ofvigorous
maritime and naval life. Insteadof shepherds, sowers, cornfields, scribes, and
Pharisees,there were warehouses,docks,ship-building yards, and sailors,
amongstwhich He moved when He departed into the coasts ofTyre and
Sidon.
(Harry Jones, M. A.)
Spread of truth to foreign lands
J. Wells.CaptainCook found in the South Seas some uninhabited islands,
waving with the fruits and flowers peculiar to Europe. No human hand had
planted the seeds in that soil. How, then, were they there? A boy in one of our
valleys is amusing himself with seeds. A few of them fall from his hand into
the tiny stream at his cottage door:they are carried down to the river, which
floats them out to sea. They are drifted about for thousands of miles, and at
last castupon the shore of a South Sea island. A bird picks them up, and flies
to its nest; but, scaredby a hawk, lets them drop. They are coveredwith the
leaves of the foresttill spring calls them forth. By and by the wind shakes out
the ripe seed, and carries it abroad. Again it falls into the kindly bosom of the
earth, and againspring draws it forth. Thus, we may suppose, the deserted
island is soonclothedwith an Europeanharvest. And thus the seedof God's
Word is often scattered, we cannottell how.
(J. Wells.)
Grievously vexed with a devil
Bishop Gregg.(demoniacalpossession):— It is agreedon by all sober
interpreters of Scripture that, at this period of the world, Godpermitted evil
spirits to take possessionof, and to afflict, individuals to an extent that He did
not before and has not since permitted;(1) to show to all the power and
malignity of Satan;and(2) to exhibit the compassionatekindness of the
Saviour, and His powerto relieve those thus oppressedOften may we, in a
spiritual sense, see sucha thing nowadays — a believing, godly parent, having
an unbelieving, ungodly child, whose heart is held and governed by a wicked
spirit. Often, when there is life in the parent's soul, there is death in the
child's; light in the parent's understanding, but darkness and ignorance in the

child's; love in the parent's heart, but hatred and enmity in the child's. What
a painful and afflicting sight to a parent's eyes. And the case may be often
reversed!
(Bishop Gregg.)
Silence
W. Denton., J. Morison, D. D.Silence is not refusal. The reasons forChrist's
silence at this time were:
1. In order that by exercising her faith He might strengthenand deepen it.
2. That He might manifest it to others, and so give her as an example to those
who stoodby, as well as to future generations.
3. That He might not offer an additional stumbling-block to the Jews, to
whom the calling-in of the Gentiles was an abomination.
(W. Denton.)Notbecause He was unwilling to speak, but because there are
occasions onwhich silence is more eloquent and stirring to the thought than
speech. Notinfrequently silence is golden, while speechis "silvern;" and this
was one such occasion.
(J. Morison, D. D.)
The lostsheep of the house of Israel
J. Morison, D. D.It was necessarythat there should be some limits to our
Lord's personalministry; and it was wise that these limits should be fixed at
the circumference of the circle of Israel. To have spread out His ministry
farther, during the brief period of His terrestrial career, wouldsimply have
been to have thinned out and weakenedHis influence. What might have been
gained extensivelywould have been lost intensively. It was of primary moment
that He should make sure of a foothold, on which He might plant His moral
machinery for moving the world. That foothold He did secure in the house of
Israel, the householdof Israel, the family of Israel;for the whole nation was
but a developedfamily circle.
(J. Morison, D. D.)
Moralpersistence
T. Manton.To sink under the burden argueth weakness,but it is strength of
faith to wrestle through it. We read of Pherecides,a Grecian, in a naval fight
betweenhis nation and Xerxes, that he held a boat in which the Persians were
fighting, first with his right arm; when that was cut off, with his left; when
that was cut off, with his teeth; and would not let go his holdfast but with his
life.

(T. Manton.)
The use of delay
J. Wells.Some oldwriter thus quaintly explains the case. "Christ's love is wise.
There is an art in His strange delays, which make us love-sick. We cheapen
what is easily got, and under-rate anything that is at our elbow; but delays
heighten and raise the marketvalue of Christ's blessings. He wishes to make
our faith stronger, and His trials are for the triumph of our faith. He did as
we do when we hold toys dangling before our children, that we may make
them desire and enjoy them more. He acts as we do with musicians at the
door; for when they please us, we do not give them their penny at once, that
we may hear their music longer."
(J. Wells.)
The kindness of refusals
J. Wells., the mother of , prayed that her godless boy might not go to Rome,
for she feared that Rome would be his ruin. God did not grant that request,
because He had something better in store for her. Augustine went to Rome,
and was convertedthere.
(J. Wells.)
Stern truths
Bishop Gregg.Thiswas the most cutting of all — telling her in plain terms that
she had no more right to get what she asked, than the dogs have to get the
children's bread; and also intimating very plainly that she was no better than
a dog. Still she was not discouraged:even this did not put her off. If she had
not possessedgreatfaith, how would she have acted? Justas many at the
present day do when they hear a plain sermon (as they call it); when they hear
in plain words what the Bible says of human nature; they don't like that; they
can't be so very bad as all that; they don't approve of what that preacher says
at all, and so they go to some other place where they will hear more palatable
language about the kindness of man — his good nature, generosity,
noblemindedness, and so forth; but they who are of the truth will not listen to
this, for they know it to be a lie, and the children of the truth can take no
pleasure in a lie. People think it is very bad to hear themselves called" great
sinners; " they think very strangelyof a man if he tells them they are poor,
wretched, miserable, blind, and naked;but, I suppose, if they heard the term
" dog" applied to them as Christ applied it to this woman here, they would be
up in arms at once, openly scoutat so unwarrantable an affront, and take
goodcare never to go near that preacheragain. So did not this woman; she

had faith — strong faith; she acknowledgesthe aptness of the illustration, and
humbly accepts Christ's estimate of her as the right one.
(Bishop Gregg.)
The dogs
J. Morison, D. D.There was some reasonlying at the base of the designation.
The heathens around were, in the mass, exceedinglyunclean and ferocious:
barking too, incessantly, at the true God and true godliness. But our Lord, in
this case, refers notto the wild, fierce, filthy dogs, belonging to nobody, that
prowl about Oriental cities;but to little pet dogs, in which children are
interested, and with which they play. Mostprobably there might be one or
more of them, within sight, in the company of some children.
(J. Morison, D. D.)
Greatthoughts of Christ
C. H. Spurgeon.The Syro-Phoenicianwomangained comfort in her misery by
thinking greatthoughts of Christ. The Masterhad talked about the children's
bread. "Now," arguedshe, "since Thouart the Masterof the table of grace, I
know that Thou art a generous housekeeper, and there is sure to be
abundance of bread on Thy table. There will be such an abundance for the
children that there will be crumbs to throw on the floor for the dogs, and the
children will fare none the worse because the dogs are fed." She thought Him
one who kept so gooda table that all she neededwould only be a crumb in
comparison. Yet remember what she wantedwas to have the devil castout of
her daughter. It was a very great thing to her, but she had such a high esteem
of Christ, that she said, "It is nothing for him, it is but a crumb for Christ to
give." This is the royal road to comfort. Greatthoughts of your sin alone will
drive you to despair; but greatthoughts of Christ will pilot you into the haven
of peace.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Perseverance offaith
Salter.An unbelieving heart may have some flash of spirit and resolution, but
it wants free mettle, and will be sure to jade in a long journey. Faith will
throw in the net of prayer againand again, as long as God commands and the
promise encourageth. The greyhound hunts by sight, and when he cannot see
his game he gives over running; but the true hound by scent, he hunts over
hedge and ditch; though he sees notthe hare, he pursues all the day long.
Thus an unbelieving heart may be drawn out upon some visible probabilities
and sensible hopes of a coming mercy to pray and exercise a little faith, but

when these are out of sight, his heart fails him; but faith keeps the scentof the
promise, and gives not over the chase.
(Salter.)
Faith gives prevalency to prayer
Gurnall.In the severalprecedents of praying saints upon Scripture record you
may see how the spirit of prayer ebbed and flowed, fell and rose, as their faith
was up and dawn .... This made the woman of Canaanso invincibly
importunate; let Christ frown and chide, deny and rebuke her, she yet makes
her approaches nearerand nearer, gathering arguments from His very
denials, as if a soldiershould shoothis enemy's bullets back upon him again;
and Christ tells us what keptup her spirit undaunted — "O woman, greatis
thy faith."
(Gurnall.)
Children's bread given to dogs
C. H. Spurgeon.1. Whenher case was come to such a point, she heard of the
Lord Jesus;and what she heard she actedupon. They told her that He was a
greatHealer of the sick, and able to castout devils. She was not content with
that information, but she setto work at once to try its value.
2. This womanwas most desperatelyresolved. She had made up her mind, I
believe, that she would never go back to the place from whence she came till
she had receivedthe blessing.
3. I may not leave this picture without observing that this woman
triumphantly endured a trial very common among seeking souls. Here is a
woman who conqueredChrist; let us go by her rule and we will conquer
Christ too by His own grace.
I. In the first place, observe that SHE ADMITS THE ACCUSATION
BROUGHT AGAINST HER. JESUS calledher a dog, and she meekly said,
"Truth. Lord." Neverplay into the devil's hands by excusing sinners in their
sins. The woman in this case, if it had been a sound way of getting comfort,
would have argued, ".No, Lord, I am not a dog; I may not be all I ought to be,
but I am not a dog at any rate; I am a human being. Thou speakesttoo
sharply; goodMaster, do not be unjust." Instead of that she admits the whole.
This showedthat she was in a right state of mind, since she admitted in its
blackest, heaviestmeaning whateverthe Saviour might choose to sayagainst
her. By night, the glow-wormis bright like a star, and rotten touchwood
glistens like molten gold; by the light of day the glow-wormis a miserable
insect, and the rotten woodis decay, and nothing more. So with us; until the

light comes into us we count ourselves good, but when heaven's light shines
our heart is discoveredto be rottenness, corruption, and decay. Do not
whisper in the mourner's ear that it is not so, and do not delude yourself into
the belief that it is not so.
II. But notice, in the secondplace, SEE ADHERES TO CHRIST
NOTWITHSTANDING. Didyou notice the force of what she said? "Truth,
Lord, yet the dogs eatthe crumbs that fall from" — where? "Fromtheir
Master's table."
III. Furthermore, the woman's greatmaster weapon, the needle gun which
she used in her battle, was this, SHE HAD LEARNED THE ART OF
GETTING COMFORTOUT OF HER MISERIES. Jesus calledher a dog.
"Yes," saidshe, "but then dogs get the crumbs." She could see a silver lining
to the black cloud. If I deservedanything there would be the less room for
mercy, for something would be due to me as a matter of justice, but as I am a
sheermass of undeservingness, there is room for the Lord to revealthe
aboundings of His grace. There is no room for a man to be generous amongst
yonder splendid mansions in Belgravia. Suppose a man had thousands of
pounds in his pocket, and desiredto give it away in charity, he would be
terribly hampered amid princely palaces.If he were to knock atthe doors of
those greathouses, and say he wanted an opportunity of being charitable,
powdered footmen would slam the door in his face, and tell him to be gone
with his impudence. But come along with me; let us wander down the mews,
all among the dunghills, and get awayinto back alleys, where crowds of
raggedchildren are playing amid filth and squalor, where all the people are
miserably poor, and where cholera is festering. Now, sir, down with your
money-bags;here is plenty of room for your charity; now you may put both
your hands into your pocket, and not fear that anybody will refuse you. You
may spend your money right and left now with ease and satisfaction. When
the Godof mercy comes down to distribute mercy, He cannot give it to those
who do not want it; but you need forgiveness, foryou are full of sin, and you
are just the person likely to receive it. "Ah!" saith one, "I am so sick at heart;
I cannot believe, I cannotpray." If I saw the doctor's brougham driving along
at a greatrate through the streets, I should be sure that he was not coming to
my house, for I do not require him; but if I had to guess where he was going, I
should conclude that he was hastening to some sick or dying person. The Lord
Jesus is the Physicianof souls. Do try now, thus to find hope in the very
hopelessness ofthy condition, in whatever aspectthat hopelessness maycome
to thee. The Bible says that thou art dead in sin, conclude then that there is
space for Jesus to come, since He is the Resurrectionand the Life. Your ruin

is your argument for mercy; your poverty is your plea for heavenly alms; and
your need is your motive for heavenly goodness. Go as you are, and let your
miseries plead for you.
IV. Let me, in the fourth place, notice THE WAY IN WHICH THE WOMAN
GAINED COMFORT. SHE THOUGHT GREAT THOUGHTS OF CHRIST.
It was a very greatthing to her — but she had a high esteemof Christ. She
said, "It is nothing to Him — it is but a crumb for Christ to give."
V. And so you see, in the lastplace, she WON THE VICTORY. She had, first
of all, overcome herself. She had conquered in another fight before she
wrestledwith the Saviour — and that with her own soul.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
The little dogs
C. H. Spurgeon.I. THE MOUTH OF FAITH CAN NEVER BE CLOSED.
1. It cannotbe closedon accountof the closedearand mouth of Christ.
2. Notby the conduct of the disciples.
3. Notby exclusive doctrine which appeared to confine the blessing to a
favoured few.
4. Notby a sense ofadmitted unworthiness.
5. -Not by the darkestand most depressing influences.
II. FAITH NEVER DISPUTES WITHTHE LORD.
1. Faith assents to all the Lord says — "Truth, Lord."
2. It worships.
3. She did not suggestthatany alterationshould be made for her.
III. FAITH ARGUES.
1. She argued from her hopeful position — "I am a dog, but Thou hast come
all the way to Sidon, — I am under Thy table."
2. Her next plea was her encouraging relationship — "Master's table."
3. She pleads her associationwith the children.
4. She pleads the abundance of the provision
5. She lookedat things from Christ's point of view.
IV. FAITH WINS HER SUIT.
1. Her faith won a commendation for itself.

2. She gained her desire.This womanis a lessonto all who imagine themselves
outside the pale of salvation; an example to all whose efforts after salvation
have been apparently repulsed; a lessonto every intercessor.
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Our Lord had a very quick eye for spying faith
C. H. SpurgeonIf the jewelwas lying in the mire His eye caught its glitter, if
there was a choice earof wheat among the thorns He failed not to perceive it.
Faith has a strong attraction for the Lord Jesus;at the sight of it "the king is
held in the galleries"and cries "thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine
eyes, with one chain of thy neck." The Lord Jesus was charmedwith the fair
jewelof this woman's faith, and watching it and delighting in it He resolvedto
turn it round and set it in other lights, that the various facets of this priceless
diamond might eachone flash its brilliance and delight His soul. Therefore He
tried her faith by His silence, and by His discouraging replies that He might
see its strength; but He was all the while delighting in it, and secretly
sustaining it, and when He had sufficiently tried it, He brought it forth as
gold, and set His own royal mark upon it in these memorable words, "O
woman, great is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt."
(C. H. Spurgeon)
The elements of prevailing prayer
J. B. Jeter, D. D.1. Sincerity.
2. Humility.
3. Importunity.
4. Faith.
(J. B. Jeter, D. D.)
The greatnessofa woman's faith
B. J. Hoadley1. It was exercisedby a woman.
2. It was a mother's faith.
3. It had an aim.
4. It disregardedapparent partiality.
5. It was not discouragedby apparent delay.
6. It was devoid of selfishness.
7. It gatheredstrength from its exercise.
8. It won.

(B. J. Hoadley).
The trial and triumph of faith
S. Rutherford.Thee parts of the miracle are —
I. THE PLACE WHERE IT WAS WROUGHT.
II. THE PARTIES ON WHOM.
III. THE IMPULSIVE CAUSE.
IV. The miracle itself, wrought by the woman's faith: in which we have —
1. Christ's heightening of her faith.
2. The granting of her desire.
3. The measure of Christ's bounty — "As thou wilt."
4. The healing of her daughter.
(S. Rutherford.)
"She crieth after us1. Christ's love is liberal, but yet it must be sued.
2. Christ's love is wise. He holdeth us knocking till our desire be love-sick for
Him.
3. His love must not only lead the heart, but also draw. Violence in love is most
taking.
Christ looking beyond His temporary limits
S. Rutherford.Christ doth but draw aside a lap of the curtain of separation,
and look through to one believing heathen: the King openeth one little
window, and holdeth out His face, in one glimpse, to the woman of Canaan.
(S. Rutherford.)
Grace working on unpromising material
S. Rutherford.Christ, then, can make and frame a fair heaven out of an ugly
hell and out of the knottiesttimber He can make vessels ofmercy, for service
in the high palace of glory.
(S. Rutherford.)
Prayer strengthenedby adversity
S. Rutherford.Also, the prayers of the saints in prosperity are but summer
prayers, slow, lazy, and alas!too formal. In trouble, they rain out prayers, or
castthem out in co-naturalviolence, as a fountain doth cast out waters.
(S. Rutherford.)

COMMENTARIES
EXPOSITORY(ENGLISHBIBLE)
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(28)O woman, greatis thy faith.—
The answerof the woman changedthe conditions of the problem, and
therefore, we may reverently add, changedthe purpose which depended on
them. Here again, as in the case ofthe centurion, our Lord found a faith
greaterthan He had met with in Israel. The womanwas, in St. Paul’s words, a
child of the faith, though not of the flesh, of Abraham (Romans 4:16), and as
such was entitled to its privileges. She believed in the love of God her Father,
in the pity even of the Prophet who had answeredher with words of seeming
harshness.
Be it unto thee even as thou wilt.—St. Mark adds, as spokenby our Lord, “Go
thy way, the devil is gone out of thy daughter,” and that when the woman
went to her house, she found her child laid on the bed, calm and peace and
slumber having takenthe place of restless frenzy.
It is obvious that the lessonofthe story stretches far and wide. Wherever man
or woman is by birth, or creed, or even sin, among those whom the judgment
of the heirs of religious privileges counts unworthy even of the lowestof
spiritual blessings, among outcasts andheirs of shame, the excommunicated
and the lost, there the thought that “the dogs under the table eat of the
children’s crumbs” may bring, as it has often brought, the faith that changes
despair into something not far short of the full assurance ofhope.
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary15:21-28The dark corners of the
country, the most remote, shall share Christ's influences; afterwards the ends
of the earth shall see his salvation. The distress and trouble of her family
brought a woman to Christ; and though it is need that drives us to Christ, yet
we shall not therefore be driven from him. She did not limit Christ to any
particular instance of mercy, but mercy, mercy, is what she beggedfor: she
pleads not merit, but depends upon mercy. It is the duty of parents to pray for
their children, and to be earnestin prayer for them, especiallyfor their souls.
Have you a son, a daughter, grievously vexed with a proud devil, an unclean
devil, a malicious devil, led captive by him at his will? this is a case more
deplorable than that of bodily possession, andyou must bring them by faith
and prayer to Christ, who alone is able to heal them. Many methods of

Christ's providence, especiallyof his grace, in dealing with his people, which
are dark and perplexing, may be explained by this story, which teaches that
there may be love in Christ's heart while there are frowns in his face;and it
encouragesus, though he seems ready to slay us, yet to trust in him. Those
whom Christ intends most to honour, he humbles to feel their own
unworthiness. A proud, unhumbled heart would not have borne this; but she
turned it into an argument to support her request. The state of this woman is
an emblem of the state of a sinner, deeply conscious ofthe misery of his soul.
The leastof Christ is precious to a believer, even the very crumbs of the Bread
of life. Of all graces, faithhonours Christ most; therefore of all graces Christ
honours faith most. He cured her daughter. He spake, andit was done. From
hence let such as seek help from the Lord, and receive no gracious answer,
learn to turn even their unworthiness and discouragements into pleas for
mercy.
Barnes'Notes on the BibleGreatis thy faith - That is, thy trust, confidence.
The word here seems to include, also, the humility and perseverance
manifested in pressing her suit. The daughter was healed then. Going home,
she found her welland composed, Mark 7:30.
Jamieson-Fausset-BrownBible Commentary25. Then came she and
worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me—(Also see on [1312]Mr7:26.)
Matthew Poole's Commentary Mark saith, Mark 7:29, And he saidunto her.
For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And when
she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid
upon the bed. O woman! For this saying, showing the greatnessofthy faith, be
it unto thee as thou wilt. Go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.
And her daughter was made whole from that very hour, as she understood
when she came home to her house, for she found the devil was gone out of her
daughter, and her daughter was laid upon the bed. Thus the words of both the
evangelists compoundedmake but one entire and perfect sense. The greatness
of her faith appearedin two things:
1. In that she had so little means, so small a revelation; being a pagan, she
ordinarily had not heard the gospel, nor seenso many of Christ’s mighty
works, confirming the truth of the doctrine of it. Hence it is observed, that
Christ admired the faith of none but pagans, Matthew 8:10.
2. In that she would not give over, though he gave her three repulses. So as she
said, like Jacob, I will not let thee go, until thou bless me. And as he, like a

prince, so she, like a princess, prevailed with God, and obtained the thing
which she desired.
But will some say. Where was her faith? What promise, what word of God,
had she to assentto? God doth not speak to us outwardly, but inwardly, as
undoubtedly he had to this woman, giving her some inward assurance thathe
was the Son of God, and both able and willing to grant her the thing she
asked. Now a firm and fixed assentto any Divine revelationis faith, whether
the revelationbe internal or external. We from hence learn the mighty power
of true faith and fervent prayer.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThen Jesus answered, andsaid unto
her,.... As one surprised at the strength of her faith, and the clearness and
justness of her pious reasoning;and not concealing himself, and the designs of
grace, any longerfrom her, breaks out in greatadmiration of her, saying,
O woman, greatis thy faith! He seems surprised, that she, a woman, and a
poor Gentile, should express such strong faith in him; calling him Lord,
owning him to be the Messiah, worshipping him as God, believing him able to
do what could not be done by human art; and though she met with such
repulses, and even called a dog, yet still continued importunate with him,
believing she should succeed:
be it unto thee even as thou wilt; let thy daughter be healed, as thou desirest,
and in the way, and at the very time thou wouldsthave it:
and her daughter was made whole from that very hour: power went forth
from Christ, and dispossessedthe devil; so that when she came home, as Mark
observes, she found her daughter lying on the bed, quiet, and easy, and
perfectly well. The conduct of our Lord towards this woman, and her
behaviour under it, do, in a very lively manner, representthe methods which
God sometimes takes with his people, when they apply to him in their distress;
and the nature and actings of their faith upon him: as she, when she first
applied to Christ for mercy and help, had not sword of answergiven her; so
sometimes they cry, and the Lord turns a deafear, or seems not to hear, and,
in their apprehension of things, has coveredhimself with a cloud, that their
prayer should not pass through; however, an immediate answeris not
returned; yea, when others interpose on their behalf, and entreat for them, yet
no favourable answeris returned, as was not by Christ to his disciples, when
they besoughthim on this woman's account:and yet, notwithstanding all this,
as she, they are not discouraged, but ply the throne of grace with fresh suits,
acknowledge thatthe worstof names and characters belong to them: that they
are unworthy of the leastof mercies, and should be content with the crumbs of

divine favour, but cannot go awaywithout a blessing; they lay hold on every
word of God, and hastily catch at it, and improve everything in their own
favour, that faith can come at, and so, in the issue, succeedin their requests:
effectual, fervent, and importunate prayer, the prayer of faith availeth much
with God.
Geneva Study BibleThen Jesus answeredand said unto her, O woman, great
is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made
whole from that very hour.
EXEGETICAL(ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)
Meyer's NT Commentary HYPERLINK
"/commentaries/meyer/matthew/15.htm"HYPERLINK"/matthew/15-
28.htm" HYPERLINK "/commentaries/meyer/matthew/15.htm"Matthew
15:28. Ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκ.] See note on Matthew 9:22.
The miracle is one of healing from a distance, as in Matthew 8:13, John 4:46
ff., and is to be regardedneither as an allegoryof Jesus’owncomposing
(Weisse, I. p. 527), which came subsequently to be lookedupon as the record
of a miracle, nor as being a mere case ofthe miraculous prediction of the
future (Ammon. L. J. II. p. 277).
Expositor's Greek Testament HYPERLINK
"/commentaries/egt/matthew/15.htm"HYPERLINK"/matthew/15-28.htm"
HYPERLINK "/commentaries/egt/matthew/15.htm"Matthew 15:28.
mmediate compliance with her request with intense delight in her faith, which
may have recalledto mind that of another Gentile (Matthew 8:10). ὦ γύναι:
exclamationin a tone enriched by the harmonies of manifold emotions. What
a refreshment to Christ’s heart to pass from that dreary pestilential
traditionalism to this utterance of a simple unsophisticatedmoral nature on
Pagansoil!The transition from the one scene to the other unconsciously
serves the purposes of consummate dramatic art.
Bengel's GnomenHYPERLINK
"/commentaries/bengel/matthew/15.htm"HYPERLINK"/matthew/15-
28.htm" HYPERLINK "/commentaries/bengel/matthew/15.htm"Matthew
15:28. Ὦ γύναι, O woman) Now at length our Lord addresses her.[700]—
ΜΕΓΆΛΗ, great)Modestydoes not interfere with greatness offaith; see ch.
Matthew 8:8-9.—ὡς, as)After the hard struggle, so much the more is given.—
θέλεις, thou wishest)There is faith even in wishing.—ἀπὸ, κ.τ.λ.,from that
very hour) The soundness which followedwas lasting.

[700]Assigning to her no ordinary phrase, with which there was no danger of
the womanbeing inflated on accountof her extraordinary humility of mind.—
V. g.
Pulpit CommentaryVerse 28. - O woman, greatis thy faith. Jesus had often to
complain of unbelief in his hearers;at no man's faith did he ever express
surprise, exceptin the case ofanother Gentile, the centurion of Capernaum
(Matthew 8:10). Be it unto thee even as thou wilt. She had conquered; she
gained her wish. But we must not think that Christ consentedbecause his
human feelings were overcome by her importunity, like the unjust judge in
the parable, though the principle and teaching of that parable were here
beautifully illustrated. He acted all the time as God, who foreknew what he
would do. He had been leading her up to this climax; he had willed to give her
an opportunity of exhibiting this trust and sell-command and unfailing
confidence, and now he crowns her with his mighty eulogium, and grants her
request, rewarding her greatfaith by a greatmercy. Her daughter was made
whole. St. Mark reports the words of Christ, "For this saying go thy way; the
devil is gone out of thy daughter." He does not say, "I will come and heal
her;" he tells her that the cure is already effected. Without personalcontact
with the sufferer, without any command uttered to the possessing demon, by
his silent will alone the wonder comes to pass. This blessing for the child was
won by the mother's faith. The two points to be remarked in this marvellous
history are - Christ's abnormal treatment of a suppliant, and that suppliant's
astonishing faith and perseverance.Bothof these subjects have been noticed
in the course of the Exposition.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
Carte Blanche BY SPURGEON
“Then Jesus answeredand said unto her, O woman, greatis your faith:
be it unto you even as you will.”
Matthew 15:28
I mean to dwell Especiallyupon those words at the end of the verse, “Be it
unto you even as you will,” but before we considerthem, I should like to

remind you again, as I did in the reading, that our Lord admired this
woman’s faith. He said unto her, “O woman, greatis your faith.” She was
humble, she was patient, she was persevering, she was affectionate towards
her child, but our Saviordid not mention any of these things, for He was most
of all struck by her faith. What other goodthings she had sprang out of her
faith, so the Lord Jesus wentat once to the root of the matter and, as it were,
held up His hands in astonishmentand exclaimed, “O woman, greatis your
faith.” Her faith really was great, extremely great, when you considerthat she
was a Gentile and one of a race that had, ages before, beendoomed. The
Canaanite race was one in whose nature idolatry seemedto be ingrained, yet
this woman showedthat she had greaterfaith than many a Jew!
There are two casesofextraordinary faith recordedin the early part of
Matthew’s Gospel–andin both of these instances where our Saviorexpressed
His astonishmentat the greatness ofthe faith, the believers were Gentiles. Of
the centurion at Capernaum He said, “Verily I say unto you, I have not found
so greata faith, no, not in Israel.” It is a wonderful thing when persons who
have lived in ignorance and vice exhibit greatfaith. We are glad when those
who have been brought up religiously and morally are led to believe in Christ,
but we are often more astonishedwhen the immoral–those who have
previously knownnothing of true godliness–areenabledby Divine Grace to
exercise greatfaith in Christ. “O woman, great is your faith,” said our Lord,
for it was greatevenapart from her being a Gentile, for it had been sorely
tried. Trials of faith from disciples are often very severe, but the disciples had
put her aside and even besoughttheir Lord to, “Sendher away.”
But trials of faith from the Master, Himself, are still more severe. To have
Christ’s deaf earand dumb lips–this was a trial, indeed, and worse than that,
to have rough words from such a loving and tender Teacheras He was, and
even to be calleda dog by the greatShepherd of Israel and to be told that it
was not right to give her the children’s bread–these were heavy tests of her
confidence!But she had such faith that she bore up under all and still pressed
her suit with the Son of David, the Lord of Mercy! We cannot but feelthat
Christ did her justice when He said, “O woman, greatis your faith.”
Our Saviorseems to have been especiallystruck with the ingenuity of her
faith. Little faith always lacks ingenuity–it must have everything very plain or
else it cannotmove at all. But greatfaith makes crookedthings straight, sees
light in the midst of darkness and gathers comfort out of discouragement!For
this woman to turn Christ’s word inside out, as it were, and when He said, “It
is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to castit to dogs,” for her to say,
in effect, “I do not ask to have it castto me–only let me have the crumbs

which fall by accidentfrom the children, themselves, whenthey have brought
the dogs under the table”–this was, indeed, extraordinary faith and wonderful
pleading. “If You will heal my daughter, there will be none the less of Your
marvelous powerfor the children of Israel, for You can healthem, too. If You
grant me this that I ask–greatas it is to me, it is only like a crumb to You–
Your table is so lavishly provided for by Your Grace. Eventhis greatfavor
that I ask of You will be nothing more to You than a chance crumb that falls
from the children’s table.” This was splendid pleading and the Saviorsaw the
force of it at once. He loves ingenuity on the part of those who come to Him.
He is so ingenious, Himself, in devising means of bringing back His banished
ones, that He is glad to see ingenuity in the banished ones, themselves, when
they desire to come back to Him. He therefore cries in holy astonishment, “O
woman, great is your faith!”
Taking the case ofthe woman as a whole, I think that it must have been her
pertinacity, her firmness, that surprised the Lord. Others are easilyput off,
but she would not be put off. Others need encouragement, but she encouraged
herself. When the door is shut in her face, she only knocks atit–and when
Christ calls her, “Dog,”she only picks up what Christ has said, as a gooddog
will pick up his master’s stick, and brings it right to His feet! There was no
baffling her. If all the devils in Hell had been about the business, not merely
that terrible one that possessedherdaughter, she would have beaten them all,
for she had such faith–shall I not say–suchdoggedfaith in the Lord Jesus
Christ, that she could even getcomfort out of being called a dog! She had such
resolute faith that she must have what she sought and she would not go away
without it. If she does not succeedatfirst, she will battle on until she does win
the victory! She will continue pleading till she carries her suit.
Our Lord was not only, to speak after the manner of men, astonishedat her
faith, but, with reverence we may saythat He was conqueredby it. He yielded
to her faith and He yielded unconditionally. He gave her much more than she
asked, for she had not askedthat her daughter might be healed the same
hour. She had hardly gotas far as the asking at all and, as to mentioning the
details, she had only pleadedwith Him in general. But Christ gave her
definitely what He knew she wishedfor and gave it to her at once!And, what
is more, He did, as it were, hand her over the keys of His house. “There,” He
said, “Mygood woman, I so admire your faith that I sayto you, Go and help
yourself! You may have whateveryou like. Whatever treasure of Grace I have
is yours if you want it–be it unto you even as you will.” He gave her the keys of
the heavenly vault!

Some time ago, a lady wishing to help the Orphanage, sent me a check and she
did a very unwise thing, indeed, for she signed the check, but she did not fill in
the amount. Neverdo that! You see, I might have put all her fortune down
and made out the check for any amount that the lady had in the bank. She
evidently trusted me very largely, but I sent her check back to her saying that
I did not know what amount to put down. Of course, she intended to give a
guinea, or £5, or something of the kind, but she forgot to say how much–and
that is a very dangerous plan, indeed, with most people. So our Saviorgave
this woman a blank check. “Makeit out for whateveramount you like,” He
said. “Greatis your faith; be it unto you even as you will. Whatever it is that
you wish for, you shall have. Your faith has won from Me this gift that I now
put at your disposalall My powerto bless. Be it unto you even as you will.”
I am going to talk especiallyabout that point, and first I will try to answerthe
question, How far did this carte blanche extend? Then, secondly, when is it
safe for the Lord to give such a cart blanche as that? And, thirdly, if He did
give us such power, how would we use it?
1. First, then, dear Friends, HOW FAR DID THIS CARTE BLANCHE
EXTEND when the Savior said to the woman, “Be it unto you even as
you will”?
In answerto which I would say, first, that it went so far as to baffle all the
powers of Hell. This woman’s child was grievouslyvexed with a devil and we
read, “her daughter was made whole from that very hour.” “Forthis saying,
go your way,” said Christ, according to Mark’s account, “the devil is gone out
of your daughter.” Now Satanis very mighty–there is not one of us, nor all of
us put togetherwho can be equally matched with him! He takes small account
of 10,000 men–he is more crafty and cunning than all the wise men and more
powerful than all the mighty men who ever came together–andyet the Savior
seems to say, “I have heard you, goodwoman, I have seenyour faith. I will
rebuke the demon, I will send the evil spirit back to his own place and your
child shall be snatched out of his cruel grasp.”
Beloved, if you have faith enough, Christ will give you power, even, to castout
devils! If you can only trust Him–trust Him without measure or stint and
believe in Him as this woman did–He will give you powerto make Satanfall
like lightning from Heaven and flee before you. “Jesus I know,” saidthe evil
spirit at Corinth, “and Paul I know”–andthe devil still knows those who make
him know them! Through faith in Jesus they speak to him with authority and
he must flee from them. So, if you have faith, you shall resist the devil and
even he, powerful as he is, shall turn his back and flee from you! And, as
Luther said, though there were as many devils as the tiles upon the housetops,

yet would faith in God give you Grace to vanquish them all! Remember that
glorious promise, “The God of peace shallbruise Satanunder your feet
shortly.” So this carte blanche, when He said to the woman, “Be it unto you
even as you will,” meant, “The devils, themselves, are now subject to your
will.”
Next, it meant that it was the will of the Lord to heal her daughter completely.
She had come all the wayfrom Syrophoenicia to the borders of the land of
Israelthat she might plead with Christ about her daughter, her dear child,
perhaps her only child. This sorrow pressedvery heavily on her heart, so she
cried unto the Lord, “Have mercy on me.” She so identified herselfwith her
child that she did not know any difference betweenherself and her child!
They had seemedto grow into one in the greattrouble that they had at home.
I have known many a mother who certainly would far rather have suffered,
herself, than that her child should suffer, so completely had she identified
herself with her child.
Now, Beloved, if you can plead with Christ with this woman’s heroic faith. If
you canfully believe in Him and not dare to doubt Him, you shall have your
children put at your disposal. He will deal graciouslywith them–with the girl
for whom you are pleading, with the boy over whom your heart is aching. He
will sayto you, dear mother, “O woman, greatis your faith; be it unto you
even as you will.” The boy shall repent, the girl shall believe, the children shall
come to Jesus'feetand become your comfort and joy through their early
conversionto Christ. Is not this a greatblessing?
Yes, and the woman had such faith in Christ that this blank check further
meant her to have this gift at once. “Be it unto you even as you will, now, at
once.” So she willed at once, ofcourse, that the devil should go out of her
daughter–and out the devil had to go, for her will had become God’s will, and
Christ had infused into her will a mighty powerwhich even Satancould not
resist!Oh, if you have faith enough, you may getthe blessing you desire even
now! It may be that while sitting in this Tabernacle, breathing a prayer for
your child, God may bless your child before you get home! If you can but have
faith enough, He has powerenough–andif He deigns to say, “Be it unto you
even as you will,” I know that it will be your will–not that your girl may be
convertedwhen she becomes a woman, not that your boy may be saved when
he becomes a man–but that the blessedmiracle may be workedat once, even
now! What parents want to let the devil have their children even for an hour?
O Jesus, turn him out at once!Let us see our children, our children’s children,
our brothers and sisters and friends convertednow, for while now is the
acceptedtime with God, now is the time which every earnestChristian will

prefer for the conversionof those for whom he prays. A splendid promise is
this concerning greatblessings to be had and to be had at once–“Beit unto
you even as you will.”
I must go a little further and saythat I think our Lord, when He said to the
woman, “Be it unto you even as you will,” permitted her to eat the children’s
bread. She had saidbefore, “The little dogs eatof the crumbs which fall from
their masters'table”–and, “then Jesus answeredandsaid unto her, O woman,
greatis your faith: be it unto you even as you will.” I think this means that
instead of having the privilege to go and roam like a dog under the table and
eat only what she could pick up, she was made into a child and was permitted
to sit at the table, and eatof all that the Lord had provided! O poor Sinner,
you came in here, tonight, feeling like a whipped dog, did you not? You said to
yourself, “There will not be anything for me in the sermon.” But, by-and-by,
as you heard of the greatGrace of Christ to this poor woman, you thought
that there might be hope even for you. And now you begin to think that there
is a possibility that even you may be blessed!
Well, well, I venture to say to you that if you wish to eatthe children’s bread,
you may! “Be it unto you even as you will.” Lord, we do not ask of You that
we may be treatedbetter than the rest of Your family! If any of you pray to
God to make a distinction and to give you more than He gives His other
children, I do not think you are likely to getit. If you come to Christ as Mrs.
Zebedee did and begin asking that James and John may sit, the one at His
right hand, and the other at His left, you will not getwhat you ask. But if you
say, “O Lord, You are my God. I love Your people–letme fare as they do. I
had rather be a doorkeeperin the house of my God than dwell in the tents of
wickedness. I do not ask to be exempt from tribulation, for all the heirs of
salvationhave to endure it. I only ask that I may eat what Your children eat.
If they have bread, Lord, I will be happy to have bread. I ask for no dainties.
If they drink water from the rock, Lord, let me have a draft of the same–Iask
for nothing more.” Jesus says, “Beit unto you even as you will. If you are
content to sit at the table with My children, come along with you. If you sigh
after their bread which came down from Heaven–if you will take ‘scotand lot’
with them, there is nothing to hinder you. Be it unto you even as you will.”
Surely, also, when the Savior spoke thus to the Syrophenician woman, He
meant to make reference to her first prayer. She cried unto Him, saying,
“Have mercy on me, O Lord, You Son of David.” “Yes,” He said, “now be it
unto you even as you will. I have mercy on you. If you have sinned, I forgive
you. If you are hard of heart, I will softenyour heart. If you have been an
ignorant heathen, I will enlighten you and bring you to My feet. I will be to

you the Son of David and you shall be one of My own chosenpeople, and I will
care for you, and protectyou, and deliver you, as David did the many for
whom he fought.”
O Souls, if any of you are crying, “Lord have mercy upon me”–Ifyou have
faith in Christ–and He deserves to be trusted, for there is none like He! He
deserves to be trusted without a single doubt, for He never failed anyone and
He never lied to anyone. Therefore let no wickedmistrust come in to weaken
your faith–if you cantrust Him, He says to you, “Be it unto you even as you
will.” Take mercy! Take mercyand more mercy, and yet more mercy! Come
to the Table of Love and sit among the children of the Lord and feedon
heavenly bread! Put up your prayer for your child, pleading the promise to
the jailor, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved, and your
house.”
Come to Christ with all the torment you have felt from the devil’s possession
of you–the horrible thoughts, the blasphemous insinuations, the desperate
doubts–and hear the Saviorsay to you, “Be it unto you even as you will.” The
devil shall be made to depart from you. Your poor head shall lose the fever
from the burning brow. Your heart shall beat at its even pace and you shall be
at peace again. The Lord shall rebuke your adversary. In this confidence, say
unto the demon even now, “Rejoicenotagainstme, O my enemy: when I fall,
I shall arise.”
Oh, this is a grand, grand word from our Lord’s lips! It is a wonderful check,
signed by our Savior’s own hand, and left blank for faith to fill up! We might
have half thought that He would have said, “O woman, your faith is too big
for Me to trust you with unlimited prayer. If you had only a little faith, I
would go as far as your little faith would go and keeppace with you.” But no,
no! That is not Christ’s method of acting. He says, “O woman, greatis your
faith and as you cantrust Me, I cantrust you. Cry as you will, for so be it unto
you. You have firmly resolvedto have no doubt about My powerand
willingness, and to trust Me without reserve. so I trust you without reserve–be
it unto you even as you will.”
II. So now I pass to our secondquestion, which is this–WHEN IS IT SAFE
FOR THE LORD TO TRUST ANYBODY WITH SUCH A PROMISE AS
THIS, “Be it unto you even as you will”?
It would be very unsafe to trust some of you thus. Why, there is one man here
who, if it were said to him, “Be it unto you even as you will,” would at once
pray for–well, I do not know how many thousand pounds–but when he got
home, he would be discontentedand say, “What a fool I was not to ask for two

or three times as much!” Ah, yes, yes, yes! But the Lord does not trust greedy
people in that way. Not while there is any idea of your own merit left, will
Christ trust you at all! Not while there is a fraction of self-will left, will Christ
trust you at all. And not while doubt remains. That must go, for the whole
verse says, “O woman, greatis your faith: be it unto you even as you will.” He
trusts faith. He will not trust unbelief, he will not trust self-confidence, he will
not trust human merit–but where there is faith, there He gives the keys of His
treasury and says, “Be it unto you even as you will.”
When will the Lord thus trust us? Well, I think, first, when we agree with
Christ–whenwe are like this woman who had no quarrel with the Savior.
WhateverHe said was right in her eyes. If He calledher a dog, she said,
“Truth, Lord.” When you and Christ agree and there is no quarrel between
you, then He says, “Be it unto you even as you will.” If you do not yield to
Him, He will not yield to you. But when you just end all disputing and say,
“Lord, I have done with all quibbling and quarrelling. I will never raise
another question and never harbor another doubt. I believe You. I believe
You. As a child believes its mother, I believe You. When I cannot understand
You, when You distress me, still I believe You.” Ah, when you come to that
point, then the Lord will say, “Be it unto you even as you will.”
Next, when our soulis takenup with proper desires. This woman had no idea
of asking for a hundred thousand shekels ofsilver, or a wedge of gold, or a
goodly Babylonian garment. Only one thought possessedher–“Mychild! My
child! Oh, that the devil might be castout of my child!” “Now,”says Christ,
“be it unto you even as you will.” And when you have greatdesires for
heavenly things–when your desires are such as God approves of–whenyou
will what God wills, then you may will what you like!When it comes to this,
that you have dropped your own desires ofan inferior and groveling kind and
you are taken up with desires for necessarythings–desires thatcome to you
from Christ, Himself. When you desire the bread, not from the devil’s oven,
but from Christ’s table–whenthat is what you crave–thenit shall be unto you
even as you will.
Next, it shall be to us even as we will when we see our Lord in His true office.
This woman saw that Christ was a Healerand she appealedto Him as a
Healer. If you see Christ as Prophet, Priestand King, you may go and ask of
Him as a Prophet what a Prophet is ordained to give, or as a Priestwhat a
priest is intended to bestow, oras a King what a king is set upon the throne to
do! You may go to Christ as He really is and if you see that He is ordained for
this purpose and for that, then keep in tune with what He is ordained to be
and you may ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. You must not

try to take Christ awayfrom His offices!Christ is not sent of God to make you
a rich man–He is sent of God to make you a saved man. So you may go to Him
as a Savior, for that is His office. You may go to Him as a Priest, for it is His
office to cleanse, to offer sacrifice, to make intercession. Take Christ as God
sets Him forth and then be it unto you even as you will.
Next, it will be to us even as we will when we can believe about the distinct
objective that is before us. This womanpleaded for her child. All her faith
went out towards her child. I love the prayer that has in it faith concerning
the thing for which it pleads. There are many Christian people who say they
have faith about 20 things, but then the thing that they cannot believe about is
the twenty-first! You must have a faith that cannot only cover21 things, but
that can covereverything! We say, “Oh, I could believe if my trouble were
like So-and-So’s!” You could not believe at all unless you canbelieve about
your present trouble–and you must believe about the objective for which you
are praying, that it can be given you, that it will be given you in answerto
your prayer–and then Jesus will say to you, “Be it unto you even as you will.”
Again, we canhave whatever we like when our heart seeksonly God’s Glory.
When what we pray for is not for wealth, nor with a desire for our own honor,
but when even what we want for ourselves is askedwith the higher motive
that God may be glorified in us by our obtaining such-and-such a gift, or
being delivered from such-and-such a trial. When God’s Glory is your one
aim, you may ask what you will and it shall be given unto you.
And above all, when we always keepto what I have already mentioned, when
we only ask for the children’s bread, then the Lord will give us what we crave.
If you ask for what God gives His elect, for what Christ has bought for His
redeemed. If you ask for what the Holy Spirit works in the minds of men
convertedby His power. If you ask for what God has promised. If you ask for
what it is customary for Godto bestow upon His waiting people, then, “be it
unto you even as you will.” No wild fancy, no rhapsody, no whim that makes
you wish for this or that, is worthy to come within the compass ofmy text. But
that which the Lord waits to give you–that which He knows would be goodfor
you, that which will be an honor to Him, and which will help you to honor
Him–you may ask without any stammering or fear and you shall have it, for
He says to you, “Be it unto you even as you will.”
I do not know, but I think that I am speaking personally to somebody here in
trouble, who has been long pleading and praying and has never gotan answer
yet. “Be it unto you even as you will.” Hannah, the womanof a sorrowful
spirit, sits in this house, bowed down in souland pouring out before the Lord
her silent prayer. Let her take this messagefrom the Lord’s servant, or, better

still, from the Lord, Himself, “Be it unto you even as you will.” But then I only
dare to say it to one to whom I could also say, “O woman, greatis your faith.”
If you have not any faith, how are you to have it? Here is a soup kitchen
opened for the poor, and they are told to bring their jugs, their mugs, their
basins–anything they like. A woman comes and says, “I have not a mug.”
“Have you a basin?” “No.” Well, you say to her, “You canhave the soup,” but
then, you see, she cannot carry it home without a basin, or a jug. So, here is
the mercy of God and many lack it–here is a blessing rich and rare, and many
cannot carry it home because they have no faith–but Christ could sayto the
Syrophenician, “O woman, greatis your faith: be it unto you even as you
will.”
II. Now I finish by asking another question. Suppose this blank check to be
given to us, HOW WILL IT BE USED?
Well, first, I should use it upon that thing about which I have been praying
most. I will not say what it is. This womanhad been praying most about her
daughter, so, when the Saviorsaid, “Be it unto you even as you will,” she did
not saya single word, but she just willed in her mind that the devil should be
driven out of her daughter. Oh, that you might have faith enough to be able to
will the right thing! If Christ leaves His own will in your hands and feels safe
in doing so, oh, will strongly! It is for God, you know, to give a fiat, but Christ
here gives a fiat to the woman! As I read the text, He says to her, “Be it unto
you”–“So letit be.” “Be it so,” He says, “as you will.” Behold, the fiat of God
goes forth to you, Believer, to let it be even as you will it to be! Now, canyou
not will for the child for whom you have been praying? Do you not will for the
congregationthat lies on your heart? Do you not will for that friend with
whom you have been speaking in order to try to bring him to Christ? Will for
the distinct objective for which you have been praying and then, may the will
of the Lord be done and may your will also be done because it is an echo of the
will of the Lord!
Next, I think that if we had this said to eachone of us–“Be itunto you even as
you will,” we should first will our own salvation. Pray, as we sang just now–
“With my burden I begin Lord,
Remove this load of sin!
Let Your blood, for sinners spilt,
Let my consciencefree from guilt.
Lord! I come to You for rest,
Take possessionofmy breast.
There Your blood-bought right maintain,
And without a rival reign.”

Let eachone of us pray, “Lord, save me! Lord, make sure work of it! Save me
from sin, save me from self, save me from everything that dishonors You.”
I was talking, the other day, with a man who was saying that he attended a
ministry where he heard very little about holy living. He thought that he was a
believer in Christ, though he was living in sin, and continued to live in sin. He
knows, now, that he was no believer, or else he could not have lived in sin as
he did. And now he prays to God, not for salvationwhile he is living in sin, but
for salvationfrom sin. So, we will first ask of God our ownfull salvation, and
we know that His answerwill be, “Be it unto you even as you will.”
Have we not all a prayer, also, for our children, or our friends, or those who
lie near to our hearts? Then let us pray on with greatfaith till we hear Christ
say, “Be it unto you even as you will.” And then let us go home and expect to
see the work of Divine Grace begun in our children! Watch for it, O parent,
and carefully nurture it as soonas you see the first beginnings of it! About this
matter, also, Jesus says, “Be itunto you even as you will.”
I think that if I were askedto pray, now, for something very special, and that I
might have whatever I asked, my prayer would be, “Lord, make me grow in
Divine Grace. Give me more faith. If I have greatfaith, give me more. If I
have much love to You, give me more love to You. If I know my Lord, I pray
that I may know more of Him and know Him to a fuller and more intense
degree.” Myprayer shall be–
“Nearer, my God, to You,
Nearerto You.”
Let that be the prayer of eachone of you to whom it is left to fill up this blank
check!
Then there is another prayer that I am sure I would remember, if nobody else
here did, and that would be concerning Christ’s Kingdom. If it is to be unto
me as I will, then I will it that God’s Truth should be preached everywhere,
and that false doctrines should be made to fly like chaff before the wind! If
our prayer is heard and we are permitted to have what we will, our will is that
God may send us Luthers and Calvins, and brave men like John Knox, again–
men with bones in their backs and fire on their lips–with hearts that burn and
words that glow with holy fervor! We need them so badly! The Lord have
mercy upon the Free Church of Scotlandand give her back faithful
covenanting men and women! The Lord have mercy upon our own poor
denomination and give us those who love the Truth of God and dare to stand
up for it, come what may! Oh, for such a prayer as that! Lord, revive Your

Church! Lord, lift up a banner because ofYour Truth! Lord, put Your
adversaries to the rout!–
“Fight for Yourself, O Jesus, fight,
The travail of Your soul regain!”
Oh, to hear in our hearts this gracious wordfrom the King, Himself, as we
plead with Him concerning His Kingdom, “Be it unto you even as you will.”
By-and-by you and I shall lie sick and ill. And they will say, “His days are
numbered.” Then, if the Lord shall visit us in answerto our prayers and
whisper to us, “Be it unto you even as you will,” oh then the promise will read
in a very different sense from what I canread it now! Then will the poor tent
begin to be takendown–well, it never was worth much. Fearfully and
wonderfully made is this mortal frame, but it is capable of bringing us great
pain and much sorrow and, also, of deadening our devotion and hampering us
in our work for God. “The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” “Ah, well,”
says the Lord, “you shall be rid of your flesh one day! It shall be unto you
even as you will.” You have sung, sometimes–
“Father, I long, I faint to see
The place of Your abode.
I’d leave Your earthly courts and flee
Up to Your seat, my God!”
“Be it unto you even as you will.”
A dear Sisterwho was buried today said, when they told her that she could
not live another day, “Doesit not seemwonderful? Is it not a grand thing to
know that I am going to see the Lord Jesus Christ today?” And she lay on her
bed saying this to all who came, “It seems too goodto be true that I should be
so near that for which I have longed these many years!I am going, today, to
see the King in His beauty!”
Ah, thank God, we, too, shall come to that lastday of our earthly life! Unless
the Lord descends quickly, we, too, shall come to our dying bed and then we
shall hear our Saviorsay, “Be it unto you even as you will,” and oh, we shall
will to see His face and to be forever with the Lord, and to praise Him with
infinite rapture foreverand ever! Blessedbe His name! We have faith to
believe that it will be even so. Then we will tell Him what we cannot tell Him
now–how much we love Him, how deeply we feel our indebtedness to Him–
and we will give all the glory of our salvationto His holy name forever and
ever! God grant that this may be the happy lot of everyone of us, for our Lord
Jesus Christ’s sake!Amen. HYMNS FROM “OUR OWN HYMN BOOK”–
327, 978, 980.

GREG ALLEN
"O WOMAN, GREAT IS YOUR FAITH"
Matthew 15:21-28
Theme: Jesus responds mercifully to the persistent faith of a mother for her
child.
(Delivered Mother's Day Sunday, May9, 2004 at Bethany Bible Church. Unless
otherwise indicated, all Scripture is taken from the New King James Version,
unles.)
INTRODUCTION
Every Mother's Day, I have felt led to share a story of one of the great
"mothers of faith" that we find in the Bible. As I've done this over the years,
it's been amazing to me how many greatmothers there are in the Scriptures.
One lessonwe candraw from that fact is that God has a speciallove for
mothers.
Each"mother" story in the Bible has a unique lessonto teachus. And this
morning, I'd like us to considera particular story about a mother who
encounteredour Lord Jesus Christ. Her story has much to teachus about the
depth of a mother's love for a child in need; and of how Jesus responds to
such a mother's persistent faith in His ability to come to her child's rescue -
even when the mother herselfwas unworthy of His help. Her story is told to us
in the fifteenth chapter of Matthew's Gospel.
* * * * * * * * * *
This particular womanhad no natural claim to the Jesus the JewishMessiah,
because she was not Jewish. She was Greek in origin; having come from the
coastalland of Phoenicia - particularly from the regions of Tyre and Sidon.
When the Gospelwriter Mark tells her story, he describes her as being "Syro-
Phoenicianby birth" (Mark 7:26); because herhomeland bordered on Syria.
Matthew (whose Gospelwas distinctively Jewishin flavor) refers to her in the
way that a Jewishpersonwould typically describe someone from that region:
"a woman of Canaan" - that is, a woman of the people group that originally
occupiedthe land God gave to the Jews;a womanof the people group that
was paganistic and heathenistic, and that had been driven out of the land by
God to make way for His chosenpeople.

The people group from whom this woman came was notorious in the Old
Testamentfor having sold the people of Israelinto slavery to other nations;
such as to the Edomites (Amos 1:9) and to the Greeks (Joel3:5-6). God
promised great judgment on the cities of Tyre and Sidon; and they were later
conquered by the Babylonians (Jer. 27:2-8). Tyre itself was subsequently
turned into a desolate place (Ezek. 26:1-21)by Alexander the Great.
This woman, you see, came from a place that was despisedby the Jewish
people. Just to give us some idea of how the Jews felt about Tyre and Sidon,
you might remember that Jesus once rebukedthe unrepentant cities in which
He had performed miracles and said,
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! Forif the mightyworks
whichwere done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would
have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. ButI say to you, it will be
more tolerablefor Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgmentthan for you.
And you, Capernaum,whoare exalted to heaven, willbebrought own to
Hades; for if the mightyworkswhichwere done in you had been done in
Sodom, itwould haveremaineduntilthis day. But I say to you that it will
be more tolerablefor the land of Sodom in the day of judgmentthan for
you" (Matthew 11:21-24).
Jesus was saying that, if He had performed His mighty works in even such
cities as Tyre, and Sidon, and Sodom, they would have repented. This goes to
show you how the people viewed Tyre and Sidon. In the Jewish mind, those
Gentile cities were unlikely places for the mighty works of God to be
performed. And as far as the Jewishpeople were concerned, they could keep
company with Sodom! It was from this land, then, that this womancame.
* * * * * * * * * *
This woman from a paganland had a daughter; and apparently, her daughter
became possessedby a demon. The Bible tells us that she was "severely" or
"badly" possessedby what Mark called "anunclean spirit" (Mark 7:25).
We're not told much about the girl's condition; but we can guess atwhat her
suffering was like by thinking of others in the Scripture who were possessed
by demons. There was a man once brought to Jesus, for example, who was
made mute - unable to speak - because ofa demon (Matthew 9:32). Another
man was not only made mute by a demon, but also made blind (Matthew
12:22). On another occasion, a boy was brought to Jesus who was not only
made mute by a demon, but who also had - from childhood - been frequently
seizedby the demon, thrown down to the ground, causedto foam at the mouth
to gnash his teeth, and to become rigid (Mark 9:17-18). The poor boy evenfell

Jesus praised the woman of faith

Jesus praised the woman of faith

Recommandé

Recommandé

Contenu connexe

Tendances

Tendances (20)

Similaire à Jesus praised the woman of faith

Similaire à Jesus praised the woman of faith (20)

Plus de GLENN PEASE

Plus de GLENN PEASE (20)

Dernier

Dernier (20)

Jesus praised the woman of faith