24 And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. 25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. 28 And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. 29 And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. 30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. (Mark 7:24-30 KJV)
William Burkitt’s Commentary
BURKITT : | Mr 7:1-13 | Mr 7:14-23 | Mr 7:24-30 | Mr 7v31-37 |
All along in the history of our Saviour’s life, we are to take notice of how he went about from place to place doing good. Being now come into the borders of Tyre and Sidon he finds a poor woman of the race of the Canaanites, who becomes first a humble supplicant, and then a bold beggar, on the behalf of her possessed daughter.
Where observe, 1. That though all Israel could not example the faith of this Canaanite, yet was her daughter tormented with the devil.
Learn hence, That neither truth of faith, nor strength of faith, can secure against Satan’s inward temptations, or outward vexations: and consequently, the worst of bodily afflictions are not sufficient proof of divine displeasure.
Observe, 2. The daughter did not come to Christ for herself, but the mother for her. Perhaps the child was not so sensible of its own misery, but the mother feels both the child’s sorrow and her own. True goodness teaches us to appropriate the afflictions of others to ourselves, causing us to bear their griefs, and sympathize with them in their sorrows.
Observe, 3. The seeming severity of Christ to this poor woman; he calls her not a woman, but a dog; and, as it were, spurns her from the table. Did ever so severe a word drop from those mild lips? What shall we say? Is the Lamb of God turned a lion, that a woman in distress, imploring pity, should be thus rated out of Christ’s presence?
But hence we learn, How Christ puts the strongest faith of his own children on the severest trial. This trial had never been so sharp if her faith had not been so strong: usually, where God gives much grace he tries grace much.
Observe, 4. The humble carriage of this holy woman; her humility grants all, her patience overcomes all, she meekly desires to possess the dog’s place; not to crowd to the table, but to creep under it, and to partake of the crumbs of mercy that fall from thence. Nothing is so pleasing to Christ as to see his people follow him with faith and importunity when he seems to withdraw himself from them.