The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1912-10-17

Chronologically the incident OF the
centurions servent precedes that OF
the Syrophenician woman, though we
will look at them in the order sug-
the border OF Tyre and Sidon. prob
ably about May or June. A. ID. 20. 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 we're outside Of
the pale OF Judaism.
Al the beginning OF Marks record
". 24) we have a wonderful sugges-
ton as 10 the strain Of Jesus, ministry
and the accompanying lesson that
true righteousness cannot be hid, II
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 q Greek
"a Gentle; by race she was q Sy-
rophenician, that Is. q Canaanite.
Thus she was a descendant OF that
race whom God, by the hand Of Josh
va, had driven out to make room for
the Hebrew nation, and as such 10
under the ban OF God. See Eph. 2:l2.
Yet this woman reaches Jesus. her
trouble being that her daughter IL
possessed by an unclean spirit. At
her approach she takes q 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. 1923. She
had no claim upon him az the Mes
siah. This was the wrong footing. for
she was not q child Of the kingdom.
II was her need that drove her to
him. How she had heard OF him 10
suggested in Mark SIS and 7:24. CT.
Rom. 1917. There are some Ques-
ton that silence will not answer. A
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-
thence. "she crieth after Us" and en-
phasize the danger Of external 1udg-
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 q 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:l1.
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 .
Saviour Not yet. however. Is Jesus
ready to grant her request. His third
answer ". 25). the answer OF mercy.
10 literally that first the children
must be fed. and she replied. Yea.
Lord: even the dogs under the table
eat OF the chiidren'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 q fourth answer. the answer
to faith. He answered: %. woman.
great 10 thy faith" " 2s. and grants
her carte blanc ". 2s). be II unto
thee even as thou wilt" As outcasts.
We must cast ourselves at his feet"
Let us now look at the account Of
the centuron's servant. Once more
Jesus is appealed to by one who IL
outside the Hebrew covenant and on
behalf Of . servant. In the other in
cident there was the interruption Of
. 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 evanselists. Verse ten Of
this section 10 the key to this whole
story. What are some OF the marks
of Q great faith!" First. It 10
tested. The servant was dear unto
the centurion" Luke ia. Second. II
10 progressive when he heard Of
Jesus" Luke Ia. Third, Il will be
recognized by others. Luke ia
The Great Faith.
The protest In v. 8. and the remark
able commendation Of Jesus thereon.
is q solemn warning to all who are In
covenant relations with God and his
Son whom he has sent. Jesus had there
q glimpse Of that great coming day
when all Gentiles would be gathered
unto him. v. IL (cf. Rev. 7:S. The
centurion received for his faith COM
mendation. and healing for his servant
as well. v. 10.
Why should there be such Q Differ
ence In the treatment Of these two
when we read OF each that they had
great faith t-Matthew 1928 and $40.
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. 10
there then no common factor In these
two Incidents, The yielding OF faith
always gains that which Is sought.