reminds them that prayer and fasting were essentials.  Peter shares, however

humbly, in the miracle of the tribute money; the disciples take a part in the

miracle of the colt, and when the disciples marvelled at the withering of the

fig tree, they are again reminded of the faith which removes mountains.

There is a reason for this; `greater works than these shall ye do, because I

go to

My Father', said the Lord, and Mark 16 closes with the following words, `the

Lord working with them, confirming the Word with signs following'.  These

are, therefore, all indications of the coming dispensation of Pentecost.  All

was now awaiting that sign of all signs, the sign of the prophet Jonah.

The references to the coming of the King, and the Hosannas to the Son

of David, again indicate how near the common people were to accepting the

Lord as the Messiah.  What a dreadful charge lies at the door of their

spiritual rulers, who instructed them to choose Barabbas instead of Christ!

How soon will this piece of history be repeated on a grander scale? Spiritist

activity seems to indicate that the Lord and the False Christ are near.

There are two miracles which we reserve for more detailed

consideration owing to their bearing upon the dispensational outlook, namely,

that of the woman of Canaan, and that of the withered Fig Tree.  We will now

deal with these.

All the miracles, as well as all the parables, have a definite

dispensational character, but the two we select in this article have that

character in a very prominent way.  The first of the two took place near the

close of the Lord's ministry as the Son of David, the second near the close

of His ministry as the Son of Abraham.  Soon after working the first miracle

the Lord began to speak of His approaching death, while soon after the second

He was led away to be crucified.  A simple outline of the miracle of Matthew

15:21 -28 is as follows:

A

Have mercy, O Lord, Thou Son of David

B

But He answered her not a word

A

Send her away for she crieth after us

B

But He answered I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the

house of Israel

A

Lord, help me

B

But He answered; take not children's bread and cast to dogs

A

True Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs

B

Then Jesus answered, O woman, great is thy faith.

The woman was a woman of Canaan, a Gentile, a Syrophenician (Mark

7:26), and she approached the Lord, calling Him by His title, `Son of David'.

Now as Son of David He came to be King, `King of the Jews' (Matt. 2:2;

27:37,42).  This sovereignty was primarily of an exclusive character.  The

promise to David regarding his throne will be fulfilled in Christ, and in its

primary interpretation it has no place for any nation but Israel.  When the

kingdom is established and that King is reigning, then world -wide blessing

will result.  So it was that the Saviour, Who so often was moved with

compassion as He contemplated fallen and suffering man, `answered her not a