1)The healing of the daughter of the Syrophenician woman is recorded in Mark 7;24-30.See the Matthew’s account of this incident in Matthew 15:21-31.
This was the only occasion in which Jesus Christ had crossed the boundary of the Jewish territory.The incident happened in the coasts of Tyre & Sidon.The two cities were ancient cities.Perhaps Jesus might have made this visit to the Gentile area to reveal that the plan of salvation of God is for all the people of the world and not limited to the Jews only.
2)The daughter of the Gentile woman was grievously vexed with a devil.Matt.
15:22.She had an unclean spirit.Mark 7:25.The woman of Canaan came to Jesus who was in a house.(Perhaps he wanted to take rest.).She used the titles of “Son of David” & “Lord” to call Jesus & ask his mercy.Matt.15:22.The Jews expected Messiah to come in the line of David & the title “Son of David”was the title used by them.To her,Jesus did not give any reply but remained silent.Matt.15:23.The silence of Jesus did not give her discouragement.She was firm in her approach for help.
3)The disciples of Jesus asked him to give her disposal.Jesus has pointed out that his mission was mainly to the people of Israel who were lost.The woman was not discouraged even now.She was persistent in her approach.She fell at his feet & worshiped him & asked him to help her.Matt.15:23-25;Mark 7:25,26.
4)Jesus answered to her this time.He said,”It is not meet to take the children’s bread,and cast it to dogs.” Matt.15:26;Mark 7:27.Jesus referred “children” to the people of Israel & “dogs” to the Gentiles.The Jews called the Gentiles as “dogs”.
5)Again the woman was not discouraged & continued her approach to get the needed help from Jesus.She said that it was true that the dogs ate the crumbs which fell from the master’s table.Matt.15:27;Mark 7:28.She made the point that the pet dogs would be allowed to eat the crumbs at the same time they fell from the master’s table.She made her plea to Jesus strongly.Jesus obliged to her request eventually.
6)Jesus said,”O woman,great is thy faith;be it unto thee even as thou wilt.”
Matt.15:28.The devil has done out of her daughter at the same hour.When the woman went to her house she found that her daughter was alright.In another incident Jesus had commended the faith of the centurion,who was also a gentile.(Matt.8:10;Luke 7:9).-”Verily I say unto you,I have not found so great”-
It should be noted that in both incidents the healing took place at a distance.
7) These two incidents are illustrations for the justification of the
Gentiles by faith…..God has promised Abraham, “..in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” Gen.12:3…In Gal.3:8,we read”And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith,
preached before the gospel unto Abraham,saying ‘In thee shall all nations be blessed.’”.
In Gal.3:28,29 we read “There is neither Jew nor Greek,there is neither bond nor free,there is neither male nor female;for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
in Rom.3:29,30 we read “Is he God of the Jew only?Is he not also of the Gentiles? yes of the Gentiles also:seeing it is one God,which shall justify the circumcision by faith,and uncircumcision through faith.”

Commentary by Alex
Posted on: 2/25/2009 01:04 am