Large crowds came to Him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute, and many others, and laid them at His feet, and He healed them. Sermons
Mark 8:1-21. Parallel passage: Matthew 15:30-16:12 1. The feeding of the four thousand. 2. The sign sought by the Pharisees. 3. The leaven of the Pharisees. I. OMISSION. Having pretty fully considered the feeding of the five thousand recorded in the sixth chapter, and its relation to the feeding of the four thousand narrated in the above section of this eighth chapter, we waive further notice of this subject, as the two miracles are in fact twin miracles, having much in common, and many circumstances so similar that, as we saw, some erroneously identified them. We may add, however, that on the former occasion the northern villagers would have made Jesus a king; the dwellers on the eastern shores make no demonstration. Further, the five thousand were fed after the return of the twelve; the four thousand after our Lord's return from the borders of Tyre and Sidon. In the former case, the disciples went away by sea and Christ retired to the mountain, but met them again at the fourth watch, as he walked upon the waters. On the present occasion the multitude had been with Jesus three days, and afterwards he departed with the disciples in the ship. II. THE PHARISEES. At this juncture they had made common cause with their bitter opponents, the Sadducees; both together made a combined and desperate attack on our Lord. He seems to have avoided Bethsaida and Capernaum, which were further north, and to have landed near Magdala, now El-Mejdel, in the neighborhood and about three miles to the north of which was Dalmanutha, on purpose, it would seem, to escape from those inveterate enemies who appear to have made Capernaum or Bethsaida their head-quarters. Consequently they were under the necessity of coming in quest of him; for they "came forth, and began to question with him." Their ostensible object on this occasion was to seek of him a sign from heaven, but their real design was, in all likelihood, to entrap him. They were insincere as well as sceptical; and, had the sought-for sign been granted, it would not have overcome their deeply rooted prejudices and hypocritical pretences. The conduct of these wretched men was suicidal. Their curiosity craved a sign; their unbelief unfitted them for its performance, as also for its proper perception had it been performed. Besides, had there not been many signs? Had not a multitude of the angelic host celebrated Christ's birth on the plains of Bethlehem? Had there not been the reception by Simeon, and the response of Anna at his presentation in the temple? Had not the star appeared in the East? Had not the Magi followed its guidance to worship the infant Saviour and to present their gifts? Had not an audible voice from heaven acknowledged him at his baptism, it did as on two subsequent occasions? Had not the Spirit, in visible, dove-like form, descended upon him? Thus in the temple two pious Jews expressed their grateful acknowledgments and recorded their joy, confessing their Lord. Soon after, Gentile Magi, men of scientific knowledge and literary pursuits, came from a far-off Eastern land to pay their homage. Here we have at once Hebrew piety and Gentile philosophy uniting to do honor to the infant Saviour, and bow in humility at his feet. Here, too, we have male and female - that Godly old man Simeon and that holy, aged woman Anna representing their respective sexes in owning his Messiahship. So afterwards, on his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when the crowd that went before and the crowd that followed after had cried, "Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!" the children in the temple responded, saying in the selfsame strain, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" Old and young, male and female, Gentile and Jew, thus unite their tribute to that Saviour whose mercy they need, whose grace they share, by whose work they are benefited, and in whose salvation they participate. But not so these captious, sceptical, false-hearted, and malignant Pharisees. On three other occasions we read of a sign being demanded - after the cleansing of the temple, the journey through the corn-fields, the feeding of the five thousand; so also on the occasion mentioned here. What was the nature of the sign for which they clamoured? The signs they sought were marvels of a garish kind - appearances in the sky, such as manna coming down from heaven, as they themselves intimated in John 6.; or the standing still of the sun and moon, or the sudden descent of thunder and hail, or some change of the atmosphere, as Theophylact suggests; or the calling down of fire and rain, or the receding of the sun's shadow on the dial, or some great, overmastering, and stupendous miracle. "They thought," says Theophylact, "he could not perform a sign from heaven, as one who in league with Beelzebub could only perform signs on earth." But had they not seen even greater signs than these? And, had they been favored with the signs of their own choosing, would they have been satisfied? There is no reason to believe they would. Our Lord, however, never gratified an idle curiosity, nor wrought a miracle to create wonder, but usually to supply some want or relieve some necessity. III. THE DISCIPLES' WANT OF SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT. Our Lord, as we have seen, had to contend with the hostility of the Pharisees, their stubborn disbelief and ensnaring captiousness. In view of these, and of the subtilty of the temptation which claimed a miracle to prove his Messiahship, as also perhaps of the crisis that was hurrying on, there welled up from the depths of his heart that sigh of mingled patience and pity. But he had more to contend with than Pharisaic opposition and disbelief; he had the perverseness of his own disciples. If he had the stolid stubbornness of the Pharisees to encounter on the one hand, he had the stupidity of his own disciples to oppose on the other. On the one side there was sullen scepticism, on the other sad slowness of heart; on the one malignant frowardness, on the other wayward misconception. How often is the disciple of Christ similarly situated! He meets with open enmity on the part of Godless, Christless men, while unaccountably he finds obstacles thrown in his way by the professed friends of truth. If foes are bitter in their opposition, friends sometimes fail to render the expected and much-needed support - often, however, more from want of thought than want of will. But when distressed and depressed, what by fightings without and fears within, we have the example of our Lord to encourage us and keep us from desponding. If such things were done in a green tree, what may we not expect to be done in a dry? IV. MEANING OF THE WARNING AGAINST THE LEAVEN. Our Lord broke off his interview with these hypocritical Pharisees abruptly, and re-embarked rather hurriedly. He abandoned them in their unbelief, renouncing and rejecting them as impracticable malignants. The disciples, whose duty it was to provide for their own and Master's wants, had somehow overlooked or neglected the duty that thus devolved on them. Either, owing to their hasty re-embarkation, they had forgotten (ἐπελάθοντο being used in a pluperfect sense) to provide bread before starting - a strange oversight after having collected seven large baskets (σπυρίδας) full of fragments; or, after landing, and when they had come to the other side, they forgot (ἐπελάθοντο having the ordinary past signification of the aorist) to take bread for their land-journey further, though they had had only one loaf with them in the ship. Our Lord, as usual, improving the occasion, and intending to guard his disciples from the subtle, insinuating errors and example of the Pharisees, warned them against their plausible but pernicious teaching, and in doing so he employed terms, as was his custom, suggested by recent occurrences. "Take heed, beware," he said, "of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod;" or, as Meyer understands the word (βλέπετε), "Take heed, turn your eyes away from the leaven of the Pharisees, and from the leaven of Herod;" or, as St. Matthew has it, from "the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees," so that Herod, from his Sadduceeism, may here, by way of eminence, represent that sect. Leaven, with the single exception of the parable of the leaven, is always used for evil of some sort, especially evil secretly working and silently diffusing itself; and hence, in preparation for the Passover, leaven was to be purged out of all the households of the Hebrews. Accordingly the leaven of the Pharisees, if used here in a specific and not in a generic sense, may he taken to denote hypocrisy, while the leaven of the Sadducees may signify misbelief, and that of Herod worldliness; and as the Sadducean creed allows full scope to worldly pleasures and pursuits, and because of their many points of contact, the two latter may coincide or change places; while the whole three are animated by one and the same spirit of opposition to God and true religion. Our Lord here warned his disciples against all doctrine, practice, or teaching of like character under the name of leaven. His disciples, in their low, grovelling notions, and through their slowness of spiritual apprehension, understood him to speak of bread in the literal sense, and of bread baked with leaven got from the Pharisees on landing. They supposed that the Saviour was warning them against anything of that kind that might corrupt them. How different the Master and the disciples! The latter allowed their thoughts to be too much engrossed with the bread that perisheth; the former had his mind occupied with the bread that endureth unto eternal life, and warned them against any teaching or any practice that might interfere with their possessing it. No wonder our Lord was somewhat sharp in his rebuke of their spiritual dulness, for, having eyes for the physical part of the miracles, they failed to see their spiritual import. They had eyesight only for the outward shell, but did not perceive the kernel. Hence it is that he inquires, Having ears, hear ye not?" and again, "How is it that ye do not understand?" V. EXEGETICAL NOTE ON CERTAIN WORDS AND PHRASES IN THE PRECEDING SECTIONS. 1. The clause, "They have now been with me three days," is literally, There are now three days to them remaining with me. To the original expression thus exactly rendered has been cited the following parallel from the 'Philoctetes' of Sophocles Ην δ η΅μαρ ἤδη δεύτερον πλέοντί μοι: "It was now the second day to me sailing." 2. Instead of ἐν ἐρημία of St. Matthew, we have here in St. Mark ἐπ ἐρημίας, which is slightly different in sense, meaning, "In circumstances consequent on or connected with being in a desert." 3. In Ver. 12 the received text reads ἐπιζητεῖ, which yields a very suitable sense, namely, seeks a sign in addition to those already given. The critical editors, Lachmann, Tisehendorf, and Tregelles, however, read the simpler verb ζητεῖ. 4. In this same verse there is a Hebraistic form of strong abjuration. The clause in our English Version is, "There shall no sign be given;" so also the Syriac has simply "not;" but the strict rendering is, "If a sign shall be given," which, resolved according to the idiom of the original, is," May I not live if a sign shall be given," or "God do so to me and more if a sign shall be given." 5. So also in the same verse, "he brake," that is, at once, because the verb is the aorist tense; and "kept giving," as the verb is imperfect. 6. The two participles meaning respectively "having given thanks" and "blessed" amount to nearly the same thing, and set us an example suitable, seemly, and seasonable of thanking God and asking his blessing when we partake of our daily food; in other words, of conforming to the time-honored practice of saying "grace," as it is called, before meals, by which we thankfully acknowledge the Giver, and ask his blessing on and with the gift. - J.J.G.
Then Jesus went thence and departed Into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. I. WHAT MADE THE FAITH OF THIS WOMAN SO REMARKABLE?1. She had much against her in her original circumstances. In the eye of a Jew she belonged to the most hated of all the Gentile races. There was a frontier line of dislike to cross, far wider than any distance between Tyre and Palestine. Yet it did not keep her from finding her way to the great Teacher of the Jewish nation. 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 cast an alms to a persistent beggar. Weaker faith would have felt the chill, and would have desisted. But it is not from them that she seeks an answer. She will take her dismissal from none but Christ Himself. 3. The woman's faith reaches its greatest trial in the conduct of Christ. The disciples, cold as they are, seem merciful compared with their Master. As she cries, and pours her heart into her prayer, He moves away with silent neglect. That dreadful silence is harder to bear than the sorest word that can be spoken. Still she cried after Him, and at last He spoke. But His words, were they not even harder than His silence? For He did not speak to her, but only of her, and that in such a slighting manner as almost to 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 of the first cause of all, which was Christ's eye watching her steps, and His hand bearing her up, but of the mediate causes by 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 greater the feeling of the trouble, the more surely will it carry you into the presence of the 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, greater and more merciful than her eyes saw. She looked beyond appearances, and fixed 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 power by 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 Christ to educate and strengthen it by drawing it, often through much tribulation, to Himself. (J. Ker, D. D.) Of all the expressions of Christian life, prayer is the foremost, h precedes and accompanies every other. 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 cannot live without inward intercourse with his God and Saviour. Love cannot exist 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 itself to the hand of Jesus, and refuses to be shaken off. Then the wrestling prayer for salvation begins, for it is begotten of 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 rest till 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, assail His 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 cast the crumbs to the dogs. If we have but the crumbs from His rich table, we shall be satisfied. Even if we are the last in 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 allowed to rest on His breast with John, we shall be satisfied if only with Thomas we are permitted to behold the print of the nails. And when we have become quite exhausted in wrestling with Him, and all our strength is broken; when, so to speak, the hollow of our thigh is out of joint; when we can only 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 sacrificed his 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, almost powerless: now, almost almighty. He who thus wins God's heart, wins everything. A child of God is lord over all things, (C. E. Luthardt.) This story is the simplest of dramas, having two persons and a chorus.I. THE FIRST PERSON IS THE HEATHEN WOMAN, AND HERE WE NOTE: (1) (2) (3) II. THE OTHER PERSON IS THE LORD JESUS. Looking on Him as the model of human duty, and the expression of 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 PERSONS WHERE WE EXPECT NOT TO FIND THEM. She was a heathen, not a Jew. II. THAT AFFLICTIONS, BOTH PERSONAL AND DOMESTIC, ARE POWERFUL INCENTIVES TO PRAYER. III. THAT IN OUR EXERCISES OF DEVOTION WE OUGHT TO PRAY FOR OTHERS AS; WELL AS FOR OURSELVES. IV. THAT SINCERE SUPPLICANTS MAY MEET WITH GREAT DISCOURAGEMENTS IN 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.) I. The Saviour's silence indicates thoughtfulness. II. Denotes loving estimates. III. Manifests the greatness of self-control. Effective speech is power over one's fellows, but silence is power over one's own self. IV. And yet the Saviour's silence may have been sympathetic. V. Was preparative. What power in a judicious pause. Delay may enhance the preciousness of the gift. (W. Burrows, B. A.) 1. Strong and wise parental love. 2. Her earnestness. 3. Deep humility. II. WHAT OUR LORD HIMSELF ACTUALLY COMMENDED IN HER — "Great is thy faith." This virtue singled out because all others flow from it. III. THE GRACIOUS TREATMENT SHE RECEIVED FROM OUR LORD. 1. Christ delayed His answer to 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 signal honour. 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 can see in His dealings with us. 6. The prayer of faith is always crowned with 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 expected it. 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 can and will do helpless sinners good. (T. Mortimer.) 2. To foster humility. 3. To intensify desire after the blessings we request. 4. To enhance the joy of success when the answer is vouchsafed. 5. Blessed are they that wait for Him. (C. M. Merry.) II. III. IV. (J. B. Jeher, D. D.) I. II. III. IV. V. (Anon.) I. The quality of the woman. II. She was a believer. III. The greatness and strength of her faith; seen in her trials and temptations; and in her victory over them, by her importunity, humility, and resolved confidence.The woman's temptations are four. I. Christ's silence. Though a sore temptation, this should not yet weaken our faith; for God's delay is for His own glory and our good: to enlarge our desires, and put greater fervency into them. II. The small assistance she had from the disciples. III. Christ's seeming to exclude her from His commission. IV. Christ's answer implying a contempt of her, or at least a strong reason against her.The woman's victory over her temptations. I. II. III. (T. Manton.) 1. Christ is wholly silent. 2. Christ intimates that He had nothing to do with her. 3. Christ seems to answer with 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 over the 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 against her 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.) 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 esteemed the good disposition of this petitioner, but for a time concealed His kind intentions, being willing to exercise her faith and submission, her patience and perseverance.The woman's faith was great — 1. With relation to her religion, and to her country. 2. In comparison with the unbelieving Jews. 3. Considered in itself. 4. Because it stood so severe a trial. (J. Jortin.) 1. She believed in Jesus before the scene related in this gospel; we distinguish in her conversion that 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 received God's Word indirectly, through the prejudices of the Jews. The feeble ray which reached her 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 especial designs of mercy 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 sought retirement. 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 opposed to her. Once in the presence of Jesus she in satisfied. His silence. To try her patience. Only for a time. His speech seems cruel. The Word of God does seem sometimes against the child of God. In the love of Christ she finds refuge against His silence and words; His love is only hidden for a moment under harshness. She could not be defeated because she would not doubt. She triumphs. (Adolphe Monod.) 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 character when she prays, "Have mercy on me;" but we know the chief object of her prayer was her daughter. She identifies herself with her daughter's misery. 3. She asks for mercy and help (ver. 25). 4. Regard Jesus as God able 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 IMPEDIMENTS SHE 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 efficacy of prayer. (The Pulpit.) 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 earnest suppliant. 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.) 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 itself a very unpromising one. She was a Gentile. 3. The coldness in our Lord's behaviour, which seemed to disdain the least attention to her — "He answered her not a word." 4. The conduct of the disciples introduced a still further dissuasion, well calculated to dampen her hope of success. 5. To this was added the still further disheartening answer of 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 character of her 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 confessed her unworthiness. 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 gospel assures us where our help is. 3. It indicates how to avail ourselves of our great mercies. 4. Precious encouragement does it bring to us. (J. A. Seiss, D. D.) I. THE WOMAN HERSELF. All we know of her origin and feeling is contained in 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 called Canaanites — that is, Lowlanders, for the great Phoenician people had settled themselves in the fertile valleys, and on the maritime plains of Palestine, and there in their walled cities had developed in the highest degree an ancient civilization. To this Phoenician stock she belonged. It was divided into two parts — the African and the Syrian stock. She belonged to the Syrian, to the people who inhabited the narrow strip of land between Lebanon and the sea. The last term "Greek," has of course nothing to do with race, nor does it say anything of her language; but religion. St. Paul divides men into Jew and Greek; the word means heathen. She was one of those that worship Baal and Astarte. II. IN HER CASE OBSERVE THE WORKINGS OF SORROW. That from the outset there began to operate compensating results which took away some of the bitterness. 1. This sorrow worked out in a greater love "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 together co-operated to produce something higher still. They enlarged the heart, purified her feeling, lifted the thought to immortality; Astarte could no longer fill 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 gather from the fact that she calls Christ " Son of David." She began to think trustfully of Israel's God. Such were the workings of sorrow in her heart. III. AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE GREAT DRAWINGS BETWEEN THE SAVIOUR AND THE SOUL THAT NEEDS HIM. There is something mysterious here. It is not by accident that great mercy and misery meet. What is the secret of that journey to Tyre and Sidon. I suppose the Saviour felt 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 power of prayer. The disciples were changed; educated for their missionary work; they see how rich a thing a human heart is. She came asking a mercy for herself, and went away carrying it to others. (R. Glover.) 1. She confesses her misery when imploring the mercy of Christ. 2. She confesses her weakness when imploring the help of Christ. 3. She confesses her unworthiness by admitting the mission of Christ. II. THE GREAT FAITH OF THIS WOMAN IS TO BE TRACED IN HER FERVENT PRAYER. 1. Mark her recognition of the character of Christ. 2. Her confidence in the power of 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 of Christ. 3. It overcame the limitation of the usual ministrations of Christ. (J. Wonnacott.) 1. Let us remove the hypocrites; to make of their duplicity an arm against the gospel is an unworthy proceeding. You see their inconsistencies; are you sure you do not exaggerate them? Have you weighed all that Christian faith produces of excellent works? 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 gospel itself. But van contrast the 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 what is lacking in others. Saved by grace, shall we not exercise mercy? 2. Let us learn to see in our brethren along with the evil that distresses us, the Rood that we have misunderstood until now. 3. Raise your look to the Master, there van will find peace and certainty. (E. Bersier, D. D.) II. THE POWER OF INTERCESSION. It is our duty to pray for others. III. That this poor woman's reiterated prayers are by our Lord called faith. Great is the faith that prays without ceasing. The sphere of common duty is the sphere also of secret spiritual growth. IV. Regard again this poor woman thus singled out 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.) I. There are many striking features in the character of this woman. Her motherly care, energy, humility, pleading; but Christ selected only one. Faith the root of 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 school of her faith. She comes and makes her petition as faith always ought, leaving details with God. The test to which she was put was exceedingly severe. (J. Vaughan, M,A.) I. For those who are seeking salvation. II. For a soul under spiritual darkness. III. For the believer amidst worldly perplexities. IV. For the Christian labourer. V. For the dying saint. (A. O.) 1. It was based on the most limited knowledge. 2. It conquered natural prejudice in herself, and the fear of its influence in others. II. WHY CHRIST SO SEVERELY TESTED 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, however vile and outcast they may be. 2. The true way to derive good from Him is by faith, rather than by knowledge or acts of worship. 3. An encouragement to the utmost tenacity and desperation of faith. 4. An illustration of the way in which appearances may deceive us. God may seem to repulse us, but never does so actually. (Congregational Pulpit.) (Lapide.) 2. Of Healing. Thrice did Christ commend " great faith," and in each case outside the fold of Israel. In this case the wonder is not that the woman had great faith, but that she had faith at all. Her faith was great because — 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 resist His arguments.(3) It was victorious. Just now Jesus seemed to deny the smallest boon; now He opens His treasures, and bids her help herself. II. Learn from this that when God delays a boon, He does not necessarily deny 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 reached by a single stride. All success is the outcome of previous patience; the finest pictures result from multitudinous touches of the brush. Let. us keep our faces to the light, and the persevering desire shall at length be gratified. 2. Faith. This is a far larger thing than can be clothed in any form, and the most tenacious profession does not imply that we have that vivid apprehension of the living God which makes us really trust in and rest on Him. Have you faith as well as a creed? Are you daily trusting in the living God amidst all your wants, and sorrows, and sins? 3. Toleration. We are often inclined to look with insular exclusiveness or half-disdainful curiosity on such non-Christians as we come in contact with. Let us remember that Christ took the children's bread and cast it to dogs. With such an example before us, we dare not disclaim any as too degraded to 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 theology and real philosophy. She apprehended clearly(1) that it was right that our Lord's personal ministry should be devoted to the Jews;(2) that He bore a benignant relation to the Gentiles — that He was not a sectarian Saviour;(3) that it would not in the least interfere with His ministry in relation to the Jews, to put forth by the way His blessed energy in behalf of such suppliant Gentiles as herself. She was not asking Him to forsake Palestine, or the Jews. (J. Morison, D. D.) (Luther.) (Harry Jones, M. A.) (J. Wells.) (Bishop Gregg.) 1. In order that by exercising her faith He might strengthen and deepen it. 2. That He might manifest it to others, and so give her as an example to those who stood by, 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.)Not because He was unwilling to speak, but because there are occasions on which silence is more eloquent and stirring to the thought than speech. Not infrequently silence is golden, while speech is "silvern;" and this was one such occasion. (J. Morison, D. D.) (J. Morison, D. D.) (T. Manton.) (J. Wells.) (J. Wells.) (Bishop Gregg.) (J. Morison, D. D.) (C. H. Spurgeon.) (Salter.) (Gurnall.) 2. This woman was most desperately resolved. She had made up her mind, I believe, that she would never go back to the place from whence she came till she had received the 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 conquered Christ; 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 called her a dog, and she meekly said, "Truth. Lord." Never play 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 speakest too sharply; good Master, do not be unjust." Instead of that she admits the whole. This showed that she was in a right state of mind, since she admitted in its blackest, heaviest meaning whatever the Saviour might choose to say against her. By night, the glow-worm is bright like a star, and rotten touchwood glistens like molten gold; by the light of day the glow-worm is a miserable insect, and the rotten wood is 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 discovered to 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 second place, SEE ADHERES TO CHRIST NOTWITHSTANDING. Did you notice the force of what she said? "Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from" — where? "From their Master's table." III. Furthermore, the woman's great master weapon, the needle gun which she used in her battle, was this, SHE HAD LEARNED THE ART OF GETTING COMFORT OUT OF HER MISERIES. Jesus called her a dog. "Yes," said she, "but then dogs get the crumbs." She could see a silver lining to the black cloud. If I deserved anything 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 sheer mass of undeservingness, there is room for the Lord to reveal the 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 desired to give it away in charity, he would be terribly hampered amid princely palaces. If he were to knock at the doors of those great houses, 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 away into back alleys, where crowds of ragged children 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 God of mercy comes down to distribute mercy, He cannot give it to those who do not want it; but you need forgiveness, for you 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 cannot pray." If I saw the doctor's brougham driving along at a great rate 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 Physician of souls. Do try now, thus to find hope in the very hopelessness of thy condition, in whatever aspect that hopelessness may come 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 Resurrection and 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 great thing to her — but she had a high esteem of Christ. She said, "It is nothing to Him — it is but a crumb for Christ to give." V. And so you see, in the last place, she WON THE VICTORY. She had, first of all, overcome herself. She had conquered in another fight before she wrestled with the Saviour — and that with her own soul. (C. H. Spurgeon.) 1. It cannot be closed on account of the closed ear and mouth of Christ. 2. Not by the conduct of the disciples. 3. Not by exclusive doctrine which appeared to confine the blessing to a favoured few. 4. Not by a sense of admitted unworthiness. 5. -Not by the darkest and most depressing influences. II. FAITH NEVER DISPUTES WITH THE LORD. 1. Faith assents to all the Lord says — "Truth, Lord." 2. It worships. 3. She did not suggest that any alteration should 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 association with the children. 4. She pleads the abundance of the provision 5. She looked at 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 woman is a lesson to all who imagine themselves outside the pale of salvation; an example to all whose efforts after salvation have been apparently repulsed; a lesson to every intercessor. (C. H. Spurgeon.) (C. H. Spurgeon) 2. Humility. 3. Importunity. 4. Faith. (J. B. Jeter, D. D.) 2. It was a mother's faith. 3. It had an aim. 4. It disregarded apparent partiality. 5. It was not discouraged by apparent delay. 6. It was devoid of selfishness. 7. It gathered strength from its exercise. 8. It won. (B. J. Hoadley). 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.) 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. (S. Rutherford.) (S. Rutherford.) (S. Rutherford.) 5151 feet 5134 blindness, natural Crumbs and the Bread On the Words of the Gospel, Matt. xv. 21,"Jesus Went Out Thence, and Withdrew into the Parts of Tyre and Sidon. And Behold, a Canaanitish Woman," The Perseverance of Faith Genesis xxvii. 38 Sermon for the Second Sunday in Lent How to Make Use of Christ for Cleansing of us from Our Daily Spots. Second Withdrawal from Herod's Territory. Another Avoiding of Herod's Territory. Jesus Fails to Attend the Third Passover. Healing a Phoenician Woman's Daughter. The Deaf Stammerer Healed and Four Thousand Fed. Third Withdrawal from Herod's Territory. The Cavils of the Pharisees Concerning Purification, and the Teaching of the Lord Concerning Purity - the Traditions Concerning Hand-Washing' and Vows. ' Jesus and the Syro-Phoenician Woman A Group of Miracles among a Semi-Heathen Population The Feeding of the Four Thousand - to Dalmanutha - the Sign from Heaven' - Journey to Cæsarea Philippi - what is the Leaven of The Intercourse of Jesus with the Pagans and the Samaritans. To the High and Mighty Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. Introductory Note. Manifestly Also in the Gospel we Find the Mouth of the Heart... Prayers on Pilgrimage. --"Lord Help Me. " --Matt. xv. 25 Luther's Fourth Preface The Woman of Canaan |
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