The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-03-30
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL,
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COMMENTS
FOR APRIL 3.

Subject: Jesus Visits Tyre aud sidon, MarA
viii, 24-37-Golden Text, Heb. xi., g.
Memery Verses, 27-29 - Commentary
on the Days Lesson.
/. A mothers plea Tvs. 2426). "a.
From thence He arose." That is, after
delivering the discourses at Capernaum.
Edersheim thinks that Jesus and the
twelve apostles went Immediately to the
north country, while others think there
was q short delay in, or near, Capernaum
before starting out. Borders of Tyre and
Sidon." Tyre and Sidon were heather cit
les on the east coast of the Mediterranean
Sea. Their religion was base and corrupt
ing nature worship. Beelzebub, the name
adopted by the Jews as a name for Satan,
was one of their deities, who was supposed
to be the author Of AL the pollutions of
idol worship" Into a house" In all
probability the house of jew. Eder-
sheim thinks He must have tarried here
several days.; the fact that He desired to
be kept hid, but could not, would suggest
this. mo man knew it." He judged it
proper to conceal Himself awhile from the
Gould not be hid" 1T seems that He
was personally known to many of this
country, who had seen and heard Him in
Is. "Whose young daughter" The ac-
ta tual spptfer1ags sp Of the daughter were great
dured by sympathy were stin greater. Our
sufferngs for others are great in proper.
tion to the amount Of love we have for
them. Hence, the greatest sufferer on
earth was Christ. "An unclean spirit"
Matthew says her daughter was "griev.
ously vexed with devil" This was cer-
tainly a sad case. Nothing can destroy
the peace of home more than to have
daughter possessed with Satanic influences.
The spirit that nat possessed this g was as an
This at once showed the humility Of the
woman; she assumed the most lowly at
titude possible as'she appeals to His mercy.
%, Woman was Greek" BY language.
The Jews called those who were idolaters
Greeks, or Gentiles. "A Syrophenician by
nation" A Syrophenician. Phoenicia be-
longed to the Roman province Of Syria.
She was Syrian, of Phoenicia. "Besought
case was an urgent one, and, on her knees,
at His feet, she poured out her request.
Would cast forth" She believed He
had power to do this. Matthew says she
"cried unto Him saying, Have mercy on
me, o Lord, Thou son of David" She
pleaded for mercy; she knew she could
make no claim upon Him in any other way.
The woman recognized Jesus as the Jew.
ish Messiah; she called Him Lord" and
'The son of David" "The devil, ETC."
Here is plain, STRAIGHTFORWARD confes-
family troubles, and gloss over matters,
and make it appear that, after all, her
daughter is quite respectable" u.
II. Faith triumphing VS.. 27.30). q.
"Jesus said" The woman's discourage
ments were great: !. Her advantages had
been small. She was heathen woman,
with but little means of even obtaining
the light Of the Hebrew Scriptures. 2.
At first Jesus did not reply to. her request
lMatt. Is: a., 3. The disciples besought
Him to send her away. 4. When Jesus
soul, seeking salvation, frequently meets
these same tests, and many become discour-
aged by them ";The children" The Jews:
First be filed" They are the favored
people. The gospel was first to be offered
to the Jews, and to them our Lords per-
sonal ministry on earth was chiefly re-
stricted. Jesus told her that His bless
ings were for the lost of Israel (Matt.)
Not meet" 1t is not suitab!e-pot the
To take those blessings that belong to the
verest test Of ali. Tie Gentiies were con-
sidered by the. Jewish people as no better
than dogs, and Jesus only used a form Of
speech which was common; but it must
have been very offensive to the heather.
Would this woman resent it? Would her
pride at last be stirred? No. She "shrunk
and shriveled" into nothingness at His
feet, and her faith still held on for the de-
s':sc s SSY!sss,rE SYss KEerd" Truth, Lord" cMatt.)
It is all 50. The Jews; tie favored ones
heather, only Gentle dog. "Yet." Now
follows C) an answer to His argument
against entertaining her petition, and (2)
most touching appeal to His clemeney.
"The dogs; eat of the chiidren's crumbs"
I only ask such kindness as the dogs of
any family enjoy. If am dog, give me
at least dogs fare.
20. For this saying" Her faith had
triumphed. Jesus, said, 20 woman, great
is thy faith" (Matt.) There are several
other graces that shone bright in her:
wisdom, humility, meekness, patience,
Ppeos on ser R and 6ut es nese wes Gr ns
commends that, because, of all graces,
faith honors Christ most; therefore, Of all
graces, Christ honors faith most. Devil
IS gone" Now, at this very moment, thy
request is granted. Though our Lords
mission was to the lost sheep of Israel,
yet He always honored personal faith in
Himself, wherever found" "Perseverlng
faith and prayer are next to omnipotent.
No person can thus pray and believe with
out receiving all his soul requires.
III. A man healed Tvs. 3l.3O. 81. DE
parting" Leaving the borders" Of Phoe-
nicia, Jesus made circuit to the southeast.
He crossed the Jordan and sought .sec.u:.
sion in Decapolis, southeast of the Sea of
Galilee. 32. lone; deaf" The healing of
this man is related only by Mark. An
stammerer. "Beseech" Earnestly en-
treat This shows their faith in Christ's
ability. 33. Took him aside" The man
would thus be more deeply impressed, and
a public healing would cause the people to
come together in great crowds, Put His
fingers, etc" Some external sign was
needed to show to others that the result
really proceeded from Christ He put His
fingers into his ears to mark the ear-drum
that was to be quickened; he spit and
touched his tongue to show that its stiff
fened muscles must be fabricated into lin
berness; He looked up into heaven to show
that the source OF power was God; He
spoke the word to mark that the effect
was instant in time upon the command.
a. Sighed" Christ's sympathies were
touched, and He sighed when He saw the
suffering and sorrow around Him. 'Eph;,
nbatha." The actual AIamic word used
by our Lord. IS. "Spake plain" When
Christ undertakes a case He ALWAYS does
in complete work. In verses 81 and 81 Jesus
charged them to tell no man, but they pub
lished it so much the more and were as
tonishcd beyond measure.
The Model Farmer Found.