THE
SYRO-PHOENICIAN WOMAN
Faith
& Perseverance
Mt.
15:21-28 TEXT
Along with Mk.
7:24-30
Jesus
goes to the city of Tyre (20
miles S. of Sidon - 100 miles NW of Jerusalem)
Tyre
was in the province of Phoenicia
-
also
known as Syria
(of Assyrian influence)
This
was land that had been allotted to the tribe of Asher
- (Josh. 19:24-31) as
part of the promised land of Canaan
(Gen.
10:19; 15:18-21)
vs.
21 This is the only record of Jesus going outside of the land of
Palestine during his ministry
Jesus
was unsuccessful in escaping the multitudes in this place.
Mk.
7:24 "From
there He arose and went to the
region of Tyre and Sidon. And
He
entered
a house and
wanted no one to know it,
but
He could not be
hidden."
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vs.
22 This woman was a Gentile
-
Mt.: Syro-Phoenician
- Mk.: Canaanite
She
asked for MERCY
- an undeserved gift.
Mk.
7:25-26 "For
a woman whose young daughter
had an unclean spirit heard
about Him,
and she came and
fell at His feet.
(26)
The woman was a Greek, a Syro-
Phoenician by birth,
and
she kept
asking Him
to cast the demon out of her
daughter."
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vs.
23 Jesus did not answer. Why?
A test of her faith?
Sometimes
our prayers are not answered immediately. Why?
Lk.
11:5-8 Jesus'
parable teaches patience &
persistence in prayer.
Our
faith needs to be tested
in order for us to grow
in faith
Jas.
1:2-3 "My
brethren, count it all joy when you
fall into various trials, (3)
knowing
that
the testing of your faith produces
patience."
Isa.
40:29-31 "He
gives power to the weak, and to
those who have no strength,
(30) even
the youths shall faint and be weary,
and the
young men shall utterly fall,
(31) But
those who wait on the Lord
shall renew their strength;
They shall
mount up with the wings like eagles,
they shall run
and not be weary, they
shall walk and not faint."
His
disciples were ready to send her away.
But
Jesus stands ready to help in time of need.
Psm.
46:1 "God
is our refuge and strength,
a
very present
help in trouble."
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vs.
24 Jesus' present focus
(mission)
was the
"lost
sheep of Israel"
His
compassion was focused on them:
Mt.
9:35-36 "Then
Jesus went about all the cities
and villages, teaching in their
synagogues, preaching the gospel of
the kingdom, and
healing every
sickness and every disease among the
people.
(36) But when He saw the
multitudes, He was moved with
compassion for them, because they
were weary and
scattered, like sheep
having no shepherd."
Isa.
54:7-8 "
'For a mere moment I have forsaken
you, but with great mercies I will
gather
you. (8) With a little wrath I hid My face
from you
for a moment; But with
everlasting kindness I will have
mercy on
you.' Says the Lord, your Redeemer."
Mt.
10:5-8 His
limited commission focused on
the Jews.
Compare
this to His great
commission:
Mt.
28:18-19 "....All
authority has been given to Me
in heaven and on earth. (19) Go
therefore and make disciples of
all
nations,
baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and
of the
Holy Spirit,"
Jesus'
ultimate
goal included Gentiles as well:
Jn.
10:15-16 ".....I
lay down My life for the sheep.
(16) And other
sheep I have which
are
not of this fold;
them also I must bring
and they will hear My voice; the
there
will be one flock and one shepherd."
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vs.
25 But
she came and worshipped Him -
anyway - PERSISTENCE!
Are
we too quick to give up? Are we ready to turn away if He doesn't
answer immediately
or in a way we
didn't choose?
Do
we assume He doesn't love us if we aren't immediately relieved?
Mt.
7:7-8 "Ask,
and it will be given to you; seek,
and
you will find; knock,
and it will be opened.
(8) For everyone who asks
receives, and
he who seeks
finds and to him who knocks
it will be opened."
Prov.
8:17 "I
love those who love Me, and those
who seek Me diligently
will find Me."
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vs.
26 Jesus' reply: It's not appropriate
at this
time.
After
Jesus' death, burial & resurrection - then
was
the time:
Eph.
2:11-16 After
the cross, the middle wall of division would come down.
Mk.
7:27 "But
Jesus said to her, 'Let the children be
filled first, for it is not
good to take the
children's bread and throw it to the
little
dogs."
Jesus
was still testing the persistence of her faith.
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vs.
27 She acknowledged her unworthiness -
even as a little "dog" But
she asked only
for "crumbs" She
was acknowledging His
great power to grant her request as
only a
small thing for Him to do. Others
were
amazed by His power to cast out demons:
Mt.
9:32-33 "As
they went out, behold, they brought
to Him a man, mute and
demon-
possessed. (33) And when the demon
was cast out, the
mute spoke. And
the
multitudes marveled,
saying, 'It was
never seen like
this in Israel.' "
What
others
(at
Capernaum)
had considered great
- she recognized as crumbs
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vs.
28 She passed her test of faith.
The
faith of this Gentile woman was an example for Israel.
On
one other occasion prior to this, Jesus granted the request of a
Gentile The
centurion
of Mt. 8 also demonstrated similar faith & Jesus held it up
for Israel to see:
Mt.
8:5-13 (10)
"Assuredly, I say to you, I have
not found such great
faith, not
even in Israel!"
We
are to be:
Rom.
12:12 "...patient
in tribulation, continuing
steadfastly in prayer."
"The
testing of our faith is measured by the persistence of our will."
Jas.
1:2-8 Ask
without doubting.
INVITATION
Our
faith waits
on the Lord
Lk.
12:35-38 "Let
your waist be girded and your lamps burning; (36) and you
yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he
will return from the wedding, that when he comes and
knocks they may open to him immediately. (37) Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find
watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird
himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve
them. (38) And if he should come in the second watch, or
come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are
those servants."