The Green Forest tribune., 1912-10-18

GOLDEN IEAT-"Hlm that cometh to me l will in no wise cast out."-JohD 6:37.
 Chronologically the incident of the centurions servent precedes that of the Syrophenician woman, though we will look at them in the order sug- gested. The one incident occurs near the border of Tyre and Sidon, prob ably about May or June, A. D. 29, and the other in Capernaum during the summer of A. D. 2S. Both are incl dents in the life of Jesus that have to do with his ministry as the Hebrew Messiah to those who were outside of the pale of Judaism.
 At the beginning of Marks record (v. 24) we have a wonderful sugges- tion as to the strain of Jesus, ministry and the accompanying lesson that true righteousness cannot be hid, t speaks for itself
 There are four uses of the word answered" in Matthew's record of this incident (Matt 15:21-2S) that are suggestive. Let us first, however, get the setting. This woman was Greek "a Gentle; by race she was a Sy- rophenician, that is, Canaanite. Thus she was a descendant of that race whom God, by the hand of Josh ua, had driven out to make room for the Hebrew nation, and as such is under the ban of God. See Eph 2:f2. Yet this woman reaches Jesus, her trouble being that her daughter is possessed by an unclean spirit. At her approach she takes a lowly place at Jesus feet and requests that he heal the child. She calls him the Son of David" and "He answered her not a word" Matt 15:23. She had no claim upon him as the Mes siah. This was the wrong footing, for she was not a child of the kingdom. It was her need that drove her to him. How she had heard Of him is suggested in Mark 3:8 and 7:24, of. Rom. 10:17. There are some ques- tion that silence will not answer. A wrong conclusion will be reached, as In this case the disciples came to a wrong conclusion and desired to send her away" Contrast Jesus patience with the disciples impa- tience, "she crieth after us" and em. phasize the danger of external judg- ment. There are many great moral issues today that are demanding an other answer than that of silence.
 The Answer of Law.
 Jesus then made a second answer the answer of law, Matthew 15:24, in which he accepts her estimate of him as the Jewish Messiah. His work was primarily to the Jews John Ill, 12). But her need was great. and identifying herself with the need of the child she "worshipped" Jesus. He is more than the Messiah, he is a Saviour. Not yet, however, is Jesus ready to grant her request. His third answer (v. 25), the answer of mercy, is literally that first the children must be fed, and she replied, Yea, Lord; even the dogs under the table eat of the ehildren's crumbs" For this saying viz, that she did not pro- test against the words he had spoken, but accepted the proper estimate of him as being the Jewish Messiah and herself as outside of that covenant, he made fourth answer, the answer to faith. He answered: 70, woman, Preat is thy faith" V 2S, and grants her carte blanc (v. 2S), "be it unto thee even as thou wilt" As outcasts, we must cast ourselves lat his feet"
 Let us now look at the account ot the centurion's servant. Once more Jesus is appealed to by one who is outside the Hebrew covenant and on behalf of a servant. In the other in cident there was the interruption of a seeming refusal and here the inter- ruption of an instantaneous granting of the request. Again we need to read the parallel accounts given by the other evangelists. Verse ten of this section is the key to this whole story. What are some of the marks of great faith?" First. 1t is tested. The servant was "dear unto the centurion" Luke 7:2. Second, it is progressive when he heard of Jesus," Luke 7;3. Third. it will be recognized by others, Luke "A.
 The Great Faith.
 The protest in v. g, and the remark able commendation of Jesus thereon, is a solemn warning to all who are in covenant relations with God and his Son whom he has sent Jesus had there a glimpse of that great coming day when all Gentiles would be gathered unto him, V. II (cf Rev. 7:9). The centurion received for his faith com- mendation, and healing for his servant as well, V. 13.
 Why should there be such differ ence in the treatment of these two when we read of each that they had great faith ?-Matthew 15:28 and 8:10. The difference can be explained only by the fact that the Master knew all the facts about both and he adopted such tactics for each as were best suited to the case. This impresses us with the truth that personal work cannot be done by any rule of thumb; indeed, the Master seems seldom to have used the same method twice. Is there then no common factor in these two incidents? The yielding of faith always gains that which is sought.
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