The Jasper news. [volume] (Jasper, Missouri) 1898-1924, 1912-10-17
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 20.
MISSION TO THE eENTiLEs.

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. 20, and
the other in Capernaum during the
summer Of A. D. rs 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
". 24) We have a wonderful sugges-
tion as to the strain Of Jesus. ministry
and the accompanying lesson that
true righteousness cannot be hid. It
speaks for itself
There are four uses of the word
Answered in Matthews record OF
this incident (Matt 1j:2l.2S) that are
suggestive. Let US first. however. get
the setting. This woman was a Greek
"a Gentle; by race she was a Sy.
ropheniclan that is a 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 . L..
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
r.r no .A
her not a word" Matt 1923. 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:S and 1924, cf.
Rom 1917. There are some ques-
tion that silence will not answer \
wrong conclusion will be reached, as
in this case the disciples came to
wrong conclusion and desired to
send her away" Contrast Jesus
patience with the disciples impa-
tience, "she crieth after US" and EN-.
phasize the danger of external iudg-
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 1924, in
which he accepts her estimate OF him
as the Jewish Messiah. His work
was primarily to the Jews John 1:ll.
12). But her need was great. and
. l.
the child she "wo-shlpped" Jesus
He is more than the Messiah, he ia a
Saviour Not yet, however, is Jesus
/ ready to grant her request His third
/ answer w. 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 chlldrens crumbs" For
/ this saying, viz. that she did not pro-
test against the words he had spoken,
but accepted the proper estimate Of
I him as being the Jewish Messiah and
l herself as outside OF that covenant,
he made a fourth answer, the answer
to faith. He answered: 20, woman.
great is thy faith" v 2S, and grants
her carte blanc ". 2s), "be it unto
thee even as thou wilt" As outcasts,
We must cast ourselves at his feet"
Let us now look at the account OF
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
n seeming refusal and here the inter,
ruption OF an instantaneous granting
OF the request. Again we need 20
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 a great falth?" First, II is
tested The servant was dear unto
the centurion" Luke 7:2. Second, it
is progressive when he heard oi
Jesus" Luke 7:3. Third. it will be
recognized by others, Luke IA
The Great Faith.
The protest in v. 8, and the remark
able commendatlon Of Jesus thereon
is a solemn warning to all who are II
covenant relations with God and hii
Son whom he has sent. Jesus had ther,
a glimpse Of that great coming day
when all Gentiles would be gathered
unto him, v. IL (cf Rev 7:9). Tn,
centurion received for his faith com
mendation, and healing for his servan
as we'll, v. 13.
Why should there be such a differ
ence in the treatment of these two
when we read OF each that they haC
great aith?-Matthew 1928 and $40
The difference can be explained only
by the fact that the Master knew al
the facts about both and he adopted
such tactics for each as we're bes
suited to the case. This impresse
us with the truth that personal worl
cannot be done by any rule OF thumb
indeed, the Master seems seldom {,
have used the same method twice. Il
there then no common factor IN thest
two incidents? The yielding Of faith
always gains that which IS sought