Healing a Phoenician Woman's Daughter.

  26 And he answered and said, ^b unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet [suitable, becoming] to take the children's bread and to cast it to the dogs. [By the use of the word "first" Jesus suggested that there would come a time of mercy for the Gentiles. He uses the diminutive for the word dog, thus indicating a tame pet, and suggesting rather the dependence and subordinate position than the uncleanness of the dog. By so doing he gave the woman an argumentative handle which she was not slow to grasp.]

  28 But she answered and saith {^a said,} ^b unto him, Yea, Lord; ^a for even the dogs ^b under the table eat of the children's crumbs. ^a which fall from their masters' table. [Jesus had suggested that domestic order by which dogs are required to wait until the meal is over before they receive their portion; but with a wit made keen by her necessity, she replies by alluding to the well-known fact that dogs under the table are permitted to eat the crumbs even while the meal is in progress; intimating thereby her hope to receive and before all the needs of Israel had first been satisfied. By using the word dogs Jesus did not mean to convey the impression that he shared the Jewish prejudices against Gentiles; a construction which would be contrary to Mattviii 1:1 Luke 4:25 Luke 4:26 Luke 10-12 .]

  28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: ^b For this saying go thy way; ^a be it done unto thee even as thou wilt. gone out of thy daughter. [Thus by its ending this little incident illustrates the doctrine that men should pray and not faint ( Luke 18:1-8 ). The woman's experience has been often repeated by other parents who have prayed for children which, if not demon-possessed, was certainly swayed by diabolical influences. The woman's faith is shown in many ways: 1. She persisted when he was silent. 2. She reasoned when he spoke. 3. She regarded this miracle, though a priceless gift to her, as a mere crumb from the table of his abundant powers. It is noteworthy that the two most notable for faith--this woman and the centurion--were both Gentiles.] ^a And her daughter was healed from that hour.

  ^b 30 And she went away unto her house, and found the child laid upon the bed, and the demon gone out.

  ^b 30 And she went away unto her house, and found the child laid upon the bed, and the demon gone out.