LESSON III.—SUNDAY, JULY 15, 1900
THE GENTILE WOMAN'S FAITH.
24 "AND from thence He arose, and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered into a house, and would 25 have no man know it; and He could not be hid. But straightway a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, 26 having heard of Him, came and fell down at His feet. Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by race. And she besought Him that He would cast forth the devil out of her 27 daughter. And He said unto her, Let the children first be filled; for it is not meet to take the children's bread and cast 28 it to the dogs. But she answered and saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; even the dogs under the table eat of the children's 29 crumbs. And He said unto her, For this saying go thy way; 30 the devil is gone out of thy daughter. And she went away unto her house, and found the child laid upon the bed, and the devil gone out." NOTE.—The parallel account of the incident mentioned in this lesson will be found in Matt. 15:21-28. In 1 Kings 17:8-24 will be found an account of help being rendered by Elijah to a woman of this region. For instances of other examples of great faith, the teacher may turn to Luke 7:6 and onward, Matt. 9:18; 8:2, and Mark 9:24. (1) Leaving Capernaum, where did Jesus and His disciples go? What did He do in order that He might be alone there? What does the record say in regard to this? V. 24. Note 1. (2) Who at once learned of His presence there? What cause had she for being interested in Jesus? What did the woman do? V. 25. (3) What was this woman's nationality? To what particular race did she belong? What request did she make of Jesus? V. 26. Note 2. (4) What reply did Jesus make to her request? What did He say would be an improper thing for Him to do? V. 27. Note 3. (5) What response did the woman make to Jesus' reply to her entreaty? V. 28. (6) On account of this reply, what did Jesus tell her to do? What did He declare in reference to her daughter? V. 29. Note 4. (7) On going to her house, what did the woman find? V. 30. 1. Went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon.—Two flourishing seaports, and capitals of Phenicia, a narrow, level district along the shore of the Mediterranean. Sidon was twenty miles north of Tyre. Tyre is about thirty-five miles, and Sidon fifty-five miles, from Capernaum. The Saviour's purpose in going to the borders of these heathen cities was not simply to escape the opposition of the scribes and Pharisees. Neither was it for the sole purpose of healing the daughter of this woman. "The Saviour's visit to Phenicia and the miracle there performed had a yet wider purpose. The same agencies that barred men away from Christ eighteen hundred years ago are at work to-day. The spirit which built up the partition wall between Jew and Gentile is still active. Pride and prejudice have built strong walls of separation between different classes of men. There are no barriers that man or Satan can erect but that faith can penetrate. In faith the woman of Phenicia flung herself against the barriers that had been piled up between Jew and Gentile. It is thus that Christ desires us to trust in Him. The blessings of salvation are for every soul. Caste is hateful to God. He ignores everything of this character. In His sight the souls of all men are of equal value. Without distinction of age, or rank, or nationality, or religious privilege, all are invited to come unto Him and live."—Desire of Ages. 2. A Greek, a Syrophenician by race.—The woman was a Greek-speaking Gentile, under the influence of Grecian customs; a Syrian Phenician as distinguished from the Carthaginian Phenicians. She was a representative of a vast multitude of pagans, as she represented Shem and Ham by descent, and Japheth by language and civilization. 3. Let the children first be filled.—This woman's faith in Christ showed her to be one of the "children" in fact. Jesus said it was not meet (not proper) to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. Nevertheless, He gave her her desire after proving her faith. The term "dogs" was frequently applied to the Gentiles by the Jews. Christ does not use it as a term of reproach to her, but as a test of her faith. The Saviour first proves that she is one of the children of the household, and then grants her petition. 4. For this saying go thy way.—"The trial of her faith brought her greater blessings than would have been possible if her first request had been answered immediately. The trial of the woman's faith was a school where new lessons of faith were learned. When a current of electricity is to be developed from an unnoticed flow into a great light, it must be made to pass through a smaller wire and a poor conductor. These obstacles bring out the brilliant electric light and the most intense heat."—Peloubet. There is a lesson for the Christian to-day in the unwavering faith of the Syrophenician woman. The delays and obstacles which she encountered could not quench it. She made them stepping-stones to the blessing which she needed.