Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.
After open conflict with the scribes and Pharisees who were offended by His rebuke and sought His life, Jesus withdrew from Galilee toward the hill country on the borders of Phoenicia to avoid open strife. That district was heathen ground of the old Canaanite race, despised by the Jews and without the light of God's word, where He hoped to find the retirement and rest He had failed to secure at Bethsaida. He went there deliberately to relieve an afflicted Gentile mother by healing her demon-possessed daughter, traveling a long distance for that purpose, and it was the only miracle He performed on that journey. He first met her pleading with apparent indifference and silence, acting out the exclusiveness of His followers in order to test and reveal her persistent faith, then with divine compassion commended her great faith and healed her daughter from that hour. By this mercy to one of a despised people He taught His disciples to leave Jewish exclusiveness and prepared them to carry His love without limit of nationality or custom to all nations after the partition between Jew and Gentile was broken down.
Withdrawal to Gentile Borders
Then Jesus withdrew from Capernaum and from Jerusalem and Galilee after His clash with the Pharisees and scribes, who were offended by His laying bare the hollowness of their piety and the unscripturalness of their teachings and sought His life. He departed to avoid an outbreak of hostility, and in so doing fulfilled that He would not strive nor cry nor cause His voice to be heard in the streets, for He did not proclaim His own merits or enter into controversy or strife. He left His field of labor because they sought His life and crossed Galilee to the hill country on the borders of Phoenicia.
Looking westward He could see the ancient cities of Tyre and Sidon spread on the plain below with their heathen temples, magnificent palaces and marts of trade and harbors filled with shipping. Beyond lay the blue expanse of the Mediterranean, over which the messengers of the gospel were afterward to bear its glad tidings to the centers of the world's great empire, though the time for that was not yet and the work before Him then was to prepare His disciples for their mission. The departure into that region set the scene for barriers being broken down.
The district was heathen ground inhabited by the old Canaanite race, who were idolaters despised and hated by the Jews and excluded from the advantages the Jews daily enjoyed. They were an unfortunate and despised people, not favored with the light of God's word. Even there tidings of His work as a prophet who heals all manner of diseases, whether rich or poor, had penetrated through Jews living among the Phoenicians, some of whom had listened to His words and witnessed His wonderful works.
He came to this region hoping to find the retirement He had failed to secure at Bethsaida. He hoped there to find the rest and quiet His human nature needed, because His work was less widely known there than in Jerusalem or Galilee. Yet retirement and rest were not His only purpose in taking this journey. Even in retirement He could not be hid, for He entered into a house and would have no man know it, yet His Godlike character, wise and gracious words, and deeds of mercy revealing a power far above priests and rulers made Him the observed of all observers and spoke to hearts and minds.
Mercy Beyond Israel's Bounds
He went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon deliberately to relieve an afflicted Gentile mother by healing her devil-vexed daughter, traveling a long distance for that purpose. That healing was the only miracle He performed on that journey. Tidings of His work as a healer of rich and poor had already penetrated there through Jews living among the Phoenicians, and people from other nations were coming to Him for help for relatives and friends.
The woman who met Him was a Canaanite of a despised race, knowing the Jews had no dealings with Canaanites and would not even speak to them. She had sought help from heathen gods without relief and was tempted to doubt what a Jewish teacher could do, yet moved by a mother's love and having heard of His miracles of mercy she resolutely determined to appeal to Him as her only hope. She came without national or religious prejudice or pride, yielding to His influence, acknowledging Him as Redeemer able to do all she asked, accepting even the lowly place of one seeking crumbs, with implicit and perfect faith.
For a time He acted out the exclusive ideas of His followers and the Pharisees toward the heathen, meeting her with apparent indifference, repulse and silence while she followed and continued pleading. The disciples thought He shared their prejudice and asked Him to send her away. His answer about being sent to the lost sheep of Israel outwardly matched that prejudice but implicitly rebuked them, since He had taught He came to save all who would accept Him. This delay exposed the cold treatment she would have received from the Jews and tested and displayed her faith, sincerity and persistent determination not to be driven away.
Knowing her heart and sorrow, He looked on her woe with divine compassion and pitying tenderness. He commended her great faith as greater than He had found in Israel, and in pity and love granted her request and healed her daughter from that hour so the demon troubled her no more. She departed acknowledging Him as Saviour and happy in answered prayer, and her trust refreshed His spirit. His great love for suffering people was shown in answering her earnest, humble supplication.
By this act of mercy toward one of a despised people He taught the disciples to leave Jewish exclusiveness, to treat people in distress with mercy, and to see that Gentiles also bore deep sorrows and hungered for truth and the light. He taught that Israel's privileges and promises were meant to make them a blessing to other nations rather than a reason for pride and separation.
The encounter broke down barriers and prepared them to work for others besides their own people and to act without His personal counsel after He left them. It led them beyond exclusiveness to direct ministry among the Gentiles without limits of custom, nationality, territory or social division. After His death broke down the partition between Jew and Gentile this lesson guided His representatives in carrying the message of His love to all nations as salvation also for Gentiles.
The account shows Him as moved by a mother's sorrow, compassionate toward mothers and suffering people, a great Medical Missionary whose whole life represented God and set an example of compassionate service to the whole world. It teaches persevering prayer: He inspires persistent faith and rewards it. No soul who asks in faith will be left to perish and even the weakest struggling soul may live, for when He comes into storm and darkness midnight becomes as bright as noonday, and faith recognizing Him rests implicitly on the promises because God is behind them, bringing peace, quietude, rest and grace to the needy soul.
After open conflict with the scribes and Pharisees who were offended by His rebuke and sought His life, Jesus withdrew from Galilee toward the hill country on the borders of Phoenicia to avoid open strife. That district was heathen ground of the old Canaanite race, despised by the Jews and without the light of God's word, where He hoped to find the retirement and rest He had failed to secure at Bethsaida. He went there deliberately to relieve an afflicted Gentile mother by healing her demon-possessed daughter, traveling a long distance for that purpose, and it was the only miracle He performed on that journey. He first met her pleading with apparent indifference and silence, acting out the exclusiveness of His followers in order to test and reveal her persistent faith, then with divine compassion commended her great faith and healed her daughter from that hour. By this mercy to one of a despised people He taught His disciples to leave Jewish exclusiveness and prepared them to carry His love without limit of nationality or custom to all nations after the partition between Jew and Gentile was broken down.
Withdrawal to Gentile Borders
Then Jesus withdrew from Capernaum and from Jerusalem and Galilee after His clash with the Pharisees and scribes, who were offended by His laying bare the hollowness of their piety and the unscripturalness of their teachings and sought His life. He departed to avoid an outbreak of hostility, and in so doing fulfilled that He would not strive nor cry nor cause His voice to be heard in the streets, for He did not proclaim His own merits or enter into controversy or strife. He left His field of labor because they sought His life and crossed Galilee to the hill country on the borders of Phoenicia.
Looking westward He could see the ancient cities of Tyre and Sidon spread on the plain below with their heathen temples, magnificent palaces and marts of trade and harbors filled with shipping. Beyond lay the blue expanse of the Mediterranean, over which the messengers of the gospel were afterward to bear its glad tidings to the centers of the world's great empire, though the time for that was not yet and the work before Him then was to prepare His disciples for their mission. The departure into that region set the scene for barriers being broken down.
The district was heathen ground inhabited by the old Canaanite race, who were idolaters despised and hated by the Jews and excluded from the advantages the Jews daily enjoyed. They were an unfortunate and despised people, not favored with the light of God's word. Even there tidings of His work as a prophet who heals all manner of diseases, whether rich or poor, had penetrated through Jews living among the Phoenicians, some of whom had listened to His words and witnessed His wonderful works.
He came to this region hoping to find the retirement He had failed to secure at Bethsaida. He hoped there to find the rest and quiet His human nature needed, because His work was less widely known there than in Jerusalem or Galilee. Yet retirement and rest were not His only purpose in taking this journey. Even in retirement He could not be hid, for He entered into a house and would have no man know it, yet His Godlike character, wise and gracious words, and deeds of mercy revealing a power far above priests and rulers made Him the observed of all observers and spoke to hearts and minds.
Mercy Beyond Israel's Bounds
He went into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon deliberately to relieve an afflicted Gentile mother by healing her devil-vexed daughter, traveling a long distance for that purpose. That healing was the only miracle He performed on that journey. Tidings of His work as a healer of rich and poor had already penetrated there through Jews living among the Phoenicians, and people from other nations were coming to Him for help for relatives and friends.
The woman who met Him was a Canaanite of a despised race, knowing the Jews had no dealings with Canaanites and would not even speak to them. She had sought help from heathen gods without relief and was tempted to doubt what a Jewish teacher could do, yet moved by a mother's love and having heard of His miracles of mercy she resolutely determined to appeal to Him as her only hope. She came without national or religious prejudice or pride, yielding to His influence, acknowledging Him as Redeemer able to do all she asked, accepting even the lowly place of one seeking crumbs, with implicit and perfect faith.
For a time He acted out the exclusive ideas of His followers and the Pharisees toward the heathen, meeting her with apparent indifference, repulse and silence while she followed and continued pleading. The disciples thought He shared their prejudice and asked Him to send her away. His answer about being sent to the lost sheep of Israel outwardly matched that prejudice but implicitly rebuked them, since He had taught He came to save all who would accept Him. This delay exposed the cold treatment she would have received from the Jews and tested and displayed her faith, sincerity and persistent determination not to be driven away.
Knowing her heart and sorrow, He looked on her woe with divine compassion and pitying tenderness. He commended her great faith as greater than He had found in Israel, and in pity and love granted her request and healed her daughter from that hour so the demon troubled her no more. She departed acknowledging Him as Saviour and happy in answered prayer, and her trust refreshed His spirit. His great love for suffering people was shown in answering her earnest, humble supplication.
By this act of mercy toward one of a despised people He taught the disciples to leave Jewish exclusiveness, to treat people in distress with mercy, and to see that Gentiles also bore deep sorrows and hungered for truth and the light. He taught that Israel's privileges and promises were meant to make them a blessing to other nations rather than a reason for pride and separation.
The encounter broke down barriers and prepared them to work for others besides their own people and to act without His personal counsel after He left them. It led them beyond exclusiveness to direct ministry among the Gentiles without limits of custom, nationality, territory or social division. After His death broke down the partition between Jew and Gentile this lesson guided His representatives in carrying the message of His love to all nations as salvation also for Gentiles.
The account shows Him as moved by a mother's sorrow, compassionate toward mothers and suffering people, a great Medical Missionary whose whole life represented God and set an example of compassionate service to the whole world. It teaches persevering prayer: He inspires persistent faith and rewards it. No soul who asks in faith will be left to perish and even the weakest struggling soul may live, for when He comes into storm and darkness midnight becomes as bright as noonday, and faith recognizing Him rests implicitly on the promises because God is behind them, bringing peace, quietude, rest and grace to the needy soul.