Morgan County republican., 1912-10-17
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 20.
MISSION TO THE GENTIlEs.

LESSON TExT-Mark 7:2i-so and Mat
thew S:5-13.
GOLDEN TExT-"Iim that cometh to
mo ] will in no wise cast out."-John
637.
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
tho 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. %. Both are Incl.
dents in the life Of Jesus that have
to do with his ministry as the Hebrew
Messiah to these 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, 1t
speaks for itself.
There are four uses OF the word
answered" in Matthews 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 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. 2l2.
Yet this woman reaches Jesus, her
trouble being that her daughter Is
possessed by an unclean spirit. At
her approach che 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 q word" Matt. 1928. She
had no claim upon him as the Mes.
siah, This was the wrong footing. for
she was not a child Of the kingdom
1t was her need that drove her to
him. How she had heard Of him is
suggested in Mark 3:8 and 7:24. CT
Rom. 10:17. There are some ques'
tion that silence win not answer. A
wrong conclusion will be reached. as
in this case the disciples came to q
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 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 1924. In
which he accepts her estimate OF hin
as the Jewish Messiah. His work
was primarily to the Jews (John 1:l1
12). But her need was great, ant
identifying herself with the need o.
the child she "worshipped" Jesus
He is more than the Messiah, he is 6
Saviour. Not yet. however. Is Jesus
ready to grant her request. His third
answer ". 25). the answer Of mercy
is literally that first the childrer
must be fed, and she replied. YEA
Lord; even the dogs under the tabl'
eat OF the children's crumbs" Fo
this saying, viz, that she did not pro
test against the words he had spoken
but accepted the proper estimate o
him as being the Jewish Messiah ant
herself as outside Of that covenant
he made a fourth answer, the answe
to faith. He answered: 20, woman
great is thy faith" v. 2s, and grant
her carte blanc ". 2S). "be 1t unit
thee even as thou wilt" As outcasts
we must cast ourselves "at his feet.
Let US now look Mt the account o
the centurion's servant. Once NOR
Jesus is appealed to by one who l
outside the Hebrew covenant and o.
behalf of a servant. In the other ir
cident there was the interruption O
seeming refusal and here the inter
ruption OF an instantaneous grantin
OF the request. Again we need t
read the parallel accounts given b
the other evangelists. Verse ten G
this section Is the key to this Who'll
story. What are some Of the mark
OF a great faith?" First, It
tested. The servant was dear unit
the centurion" Luke 7:2. Second.
Is progressive when he heard {
Jesus" Luke 7:3. Third. 1t will b
recognized by others, Luke ia.
The Great Faith.
The protest In v. 9, and the remarl
able commentator Of Jesus thereof
is q solemn warning to all who are
covenant relations with God and h
Son whom he has sent Jesus had thel
a glimpse Of that great coming da
when all Gentiles would be gathert
unto him. v. II (cf. Rev. 7:O. tt
centurion received for his faith col
mendation. and healing for his servaI