The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1910-06-07
The
Sunday School
INTERNATIONAL LESSON COM
MENTS FOR JUNE IL.
Subject: The Canaanitish Woman,
Matt. Commit
Verses 81, %.

GOLDEN TEXT. - 'sGreat is thy
faith: be it unto thee even as thou
wilt" Matt. 1928.
TIME.-May or June, A. D. 90.
PLACE. - Neighborhood of Tyre
and Sidon.
EXPOSITION.---I. Faith Seeking
a Blessing, 21, %. Jesus desired to
withdraw at this time from publicity
and activity (cf. CHI. 1914, Is: IA:
49, He wished to be alone with the
immediate circle of His disciples to
prepare them for what lay before
them. But His presence could not
be hid 1t can never be hid when He
is present anywhere mark 2:1O His
glory and saving power shine out, and
the needy will gather together to
Him He will draw the broken-heart-
ed to Himself wherever He goes.
Scarcely had He arrived (Mk. 1926,
r. w, when a woman in sore dis
tress because of little daughter who
was under the power of an unclean
spirit, heard of Him. 1t is quite like
ly that she had often wished, when
she heard of His mighty deeds, that
He would some day come her way.
The long-hoped for hour has at last
arrived, and without delay she has
tens to Him. This woman is an e.
ceedingly interesting and instructive
character. Her position was very dis
couraging. She was outside the cove
nant promises and blessings Tvs. %,
"a, 26); she was in sore distress, her
daughter having fallen under the
power of the unseen, but real and aw-
full powers of darkness; the disciples
were unsympathetic, and even the
Saviour Himself seemed unheeding.
There was apparently no helper Even
her own mode of approach to the Saw
Jour was mistaken. She approached
Him as the Son of David as Il she,
Canaanite outcast, had part in the
promises to Israel. But this woman
got the blessing she sought in spite of
all. Her faith conquered and made
her true child of Abraham and heir
of the promises (Gal. 1926, IA; Luke
1879; 1870. A rationalistic inter-
probation of the incident would make
the child's affection simply case Of
insanity or epilepsy. Demon-posses-
sion, as distinguished from insanity
arising from purely physiological
causes, is an established fact Satan
mustered all his forces for the great
fight on hand Cool 2:15, r. VI But
possession exists to-day, as
has been clearly proven by carefully
observed and recorded facts (see
Demon-P Possession and Allied Themes,
by Nevius). 1t is a narrow and
short-sighted philosophy that admits
the existence of only such beings as
We can see with our poor eyes. There
Is a supernatural world of bad spirits
as well as good This fact will ac-
count for those phenomena that re-
main to spiritualism, clairvoyance.
hypnotism, ETC., after we have elimin-
ated all we can by the exposure OF
fraud, sleight-of-hand, natural causes,
etc. This girls case was sad one.
She was in Satan's power, and like so
many OF his victims, grievously tor
mented. But, fortunately, she had a
believing, praying mother. Her
mothers prayer was model. 1t was
earnest, direct, brief, definite, per-
sonal, humble, believing, persistent,
prevailing The kernel of it was.
Have mercy on me.
III. Faith Tested, 1926. To the
woman's first prayer Jesus answered
not word ". 23). This action on
Jesus part at the first glance seems
inexplicable, and out of all keeping
with what we usually read of Him.
But the more we study it, the more
meaningful it is seen to be, and the
more evident the genuineness of the
story becomes. There was a three
fold reason why Jesus paid no.
heed. Cd There was a real diff
ficulty in the way Of giving the wo-
man what she sought: she was a.
stranger from the covenants Of
PROMISE" an alien from the commons
wealth of Israel, separate from
Christ" (Eph. 2:12). This dificulty
was very real, but faith surmounted
1t. Mountains are nothing to faith
| I'd The woman approached Him on
a wrong footing, as child of the
Kingdom. This she afterward rectis
Ned by taking her place as a Gentii0
dog ('slittle pet dog" however
Many of us would get more if We
would only take our right place be-
fore God. 60 Jesus would test her
faith. He often seems not to hear
when He really does.
III. Faith Overcoming Difficulties
and Obtaining the Blessing, 81, %.
In the end the woman got far more
than she sought. She sought healing
for her daughter. Besides this. she
obtained testing, instruction, com.
mendation for herself. How wonder
fully blessed to have Jesus Himself
say to one, Great is thy faith. II
| Jesus answer to the disciples Tvs.
20, 24) is deeply significant. They
begged Him to send her away, asa
they were annoyed at her importun-
ate cries. His seemingly strange and
| partly irrelevant answer means, when
looked at closely, II can't send herr
away without granting her request.
and how can grant her request when
| phe is without the covenants and my
mission" The lessons about faith in
this passage are very rich az
Often found when least expected. (2)
Rooted in Jesus. CD Manifested in
(a) coming to Jesus, OBJ praying to
Jesus, (c) holding on to Jesus, (d)
expecting much from Jesus. "a
| What 1t accompanies. (a) overcomes
| Rppare atty insuperable obstacles, (b)
| obtains all 1t asks, (c) pleases Christ,
! I'D wins communication