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(Miracles10, pp.139-142).
No.6.
Two Miracles of Dispensational Importance
(Matt. 15: 21 - 28, and 21: 19).
pp. 135 - 138
(1)
The Syrophenician Woman (Matt. 15: 21 - 28).
All the miracles, as do 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 take 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 Matt. 15: 21-28 is
as follows:--
A1 | Have mercy, O Lord, Thou Son of David.
B1 | But He answered; not a word.
A2 | Send her away for she crieth after us.
B2 | But He answered; not sent but to lost sheep of Israel.
A3 | Lord, help me.
B3 | But He answered; not take children's bread and cast to dogs.
A4 | True Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs.
B4 | Then Jesus answered, O woman, great is thy faith.
The woman was of Canaan, a Gentile, a Syrophenician by nature (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 earthly 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
word".
His reply to the disciples' request reveals the reason of this strange silence, "I am not
sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel". These words, to weak faith, would
have sounded as the death knell of hope. The woman however penetrated the reply and
learned its lesson. As Son of David He could do nothing for her; she must therefore drop
that title and approach Him simply as Lord; she had no right in Him as Son of David
such as Israel had. "Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me." This
request draws from the Lord a personal answer, but what will He say? Will He grant her
request? "He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and cast it to
kunaria (little dogs)." At first sight this answer seems as forbidding as the former one.