Matthew 15:23

Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. For the exposition, see the notes at Mark 7:24....

23._But he made no reply to her. _In various ways the Evangelists bestow commendation on the faith of this woman. Here they bring before us her unshaken constancy; for the silence of Christ was a sort of refusal, and there is reason to wonder that she was not cast down by this trial, but her continuance in prayer was a proof of her perseverance. This appears, however, to be inconsistent with the nature of _faith _and of _calling upon God, _as it is described by Paul, who assures us that no man can pray aright till he has heard the word of God. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? (Romans 10:14.) Who then will say that this woman had faith, who takes courage from her own feelings, though Christ is silent? But as Christ ha

21-28 The 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 begged for: she pleads not merit, but depends upon mercy. It is the duty of parents to pray for their children, and to be earnest in prayer for them, especially for 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, and you must bring them by faith and prayer to Christ, who alone is able to heal them. Many methods of Christ's providence,...

Verse Matthew 15:23. _HE ANSWERED HER NOT A WORD._] Seemed to take time to consider her request, and to give her the opportunity of _exercising_ her _faith_, and _manifesting_ her _fervour_....

This narrative is also found in Mark 7:24. THE COASTS OF TYRE AND SIDON - These cities were on the seacoast or shore of the Mediterranean. See the notes at Matthew 11:21. Jesus went there for the purpose of concealment Mark 7:24, perhaps still to avoid Herod. Matthew 15:22 A WOMAN OF CANAAN - This woman is called, also, a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, Mark 7:26 In ancient times, the whole land, including Tyre a

EXPOSITION MATTHEW 15:1 _Discourse concerning ceremonial pollution. _(Mark 7:1.) MATTHEW 15:1 THEN. This is after the third Passover, which whether our Lord attended or not, has been a matter of some dispute. Moral considerations would make us infer that he was present, fulfilling all righteousness, though there is no direct statement in our narratives on the subject. CAME TO JESUS SCRIBES AND PHARISEES, WHICH WERE OF JERUSALEM, SAYING. The Sinaitic, B, and some other manuscripts read, _Came to Jesus from Jerusalem scribes and Pharisees. _This, which is virtually the reading of the Revised Version, whether origina

BUT HE ANSWERED HER NOT A WORD,.... Not that he did not hear her, or that he despised either her person or petition, or that he was not moved with it; but to continue her importunity, and try her faith, and make it manifest: for like reasons the Lord does not always, and immediately, answer the requests of his people. This giving her no answer, either that he would, or would not help her, carried in it a tacit repulse of her, and a denial of assistance to her; and it seems as if she did for a while desist from her application to him, and betook herself to his disciples to plead with him for her: AND HIS DISCIPLES CAME; to the house where he was; who, it seems by this, had been elsewhere; AND BESOUGHT HIM, SAYING, SEND HER AWAY; not in any shape, with any sort of answer, without curing her daughter, or without a promise of a cure; no, they desired she might be dismissed, with a grant of...

Matthew 15:1. _Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,_ Our Lord had been busily engaged in healing the sick, and now these pettifoggers came round about him to try and worry him. They were a kind of mosquito swarm to Christ, had he not been a perfect man they might have worried him. Matthew 15:2. _Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread._ «Why do thy disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? « Generally a good man is held responsible for the acts of his followers. If they cannot find fault with Christ they will find fault with his disciples, who must have been men of admirable character when even scribes and Pharisees had no worse charge to bring than th

3. THE CORRUPTION OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES; THE CANAANITISH WOMAN AND HER FAITH; THE MULTITUDES HEALED. CHAPTER 15 _ 1. The Question of the Scribes and Pharisees.(Matthew 15:1 .) 2. His Answer. (Matthew 15:3 .) 3. The Multitude Called.(Matthew 15:10 .) 4. The Disciples Instructed.(Matthew 15:12 .) 5. The Canaanitish Woman. (Matthew 15:21 .) 6. The Multitudes Healed. (Matthew 15:29 .)_ This chapter introduces us more fully

THE HEALING OF THE GREEK WOMAN'S DAUGHTER (Mark 7:24 *). Lk. may have thought the story unacceptable to his Gentile readers. Mt. adds the saying, I was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He makes the woman come out of the heathen territory, for Jesus could hardly go thither, much less work a miracle, after the prohibition to the disciples in Matthew 10:5; Matthew 15:23 f. suggests that He desired, out of compassion, to overstep His Divinely imposed limit, but that He must abide within it. There is a struggle in His mind. Perhaps Matthew 15:26 is more accurate than...