Has the reader observed one great difference between the miracles performed before the twelfth chapter and

those after it? In the case of those that are detailed in the first half of Matthew, Christ works them entirely alone. A

change comes with this new series.

The disciples are the ones first addressed with regard to the feeding of the 5,000. `Jesus said unto them, they

need not depart, give ye them to eat'. While the disciples were utterly unable to comply with the task, they have an

ample share in its outworking. Peter evidently began to realize that the working of miracles in conjunction with the

Lord was now expected, for he asks the Lord to bid him come to Him upon the water!

The repetition of the feeding of the 5,000 by the feeding of the 4,000 seemed intentional, but the disciples did not

at the time appear to grasp the Lord's purpose. The Lord rebukes both lack of memory and lack of faith as to these

two miracles (16:5-12). He rebukes the lack of faith again when the disciples confessed their inability to cast out the

demon (chapter 17), and 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

words, `The Lord working with them, and 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 shocking 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? The spiritist activity seems to indicate that the Lord is 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. These we will now

deal with.

Matthew 15:21-28, and 21:19

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:

A1

Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David.

B1

But He answered her not a word.

A2

Send her away; for she crieth after us.

B2

But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

A3

Lord, help me.

B3

But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.

A4

Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs.

B4

Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith.

The woman was a woman of Canaan, a Gentile, a Syrophenician by nation (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