Matthew 15:21-28 Jesus healed
a Canaanite woman’s daughter near
Long journey for the sake of one
little girl
21 Then
Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of
Facts Revealed:
V
Jesus had been teaching and working miracles
around the
V
From the Sea of Galilee, Jesus traveled on foot
to the Mediterranean coast of
V The woman was a Greek, Syro-Phoenician (Canaanite) by birth who lived in that region, a foreigner by nationality and despised by the Jews. [Mark 7:24, Matthew 15:21]
V The woman had heard of His reputation, came, and cried out to Jesus, acknowledging that in her estimation, Jesus was the Messiah Son of David of Jewish prophecy with power to accomplish the petition she requested.
˛ "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed." [Matthew 15:22, Mark 7:25-26]
V
Jesus knew the strength of her faith and wanted
to make an example of her to the people of
˛ Jesus ignored her until the disciples urged Him to send her away, because she cries out after us, to them she had become a pest. [Matthew 15:23]
V
Jesus said:
"I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of
˛
Thus Jesus indicated that His primary mission
was to the lost of the House of Israel, in keeping with God’s purpose for
˛ Paul writing to the Romans picked up on this same concept, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Gentile). [Romans 1:16]
˛ By testing her faith this way, she became an object lesson for the disciples who witnessed the transaction.
V The woman demonstrating her great need and faith, worshiped Him saying, “Lord, help me!” [Matthew 15:25]
˛ One of the most effective prayers a person can make to God, is to cry from the heart; “Lord, help me!”
V Jesus response was for the benefit of the disciples to whom she was not worthy, "It is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." [Mark 7:27, Matthew 15:26]
V Her response showed the humbleness of her heart and her determination to claim His help.
˛ "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters' table." [Mark 7:28, Matthew 15:27]
V Then Jesus answered and said to her, "For this saying, go your way, the demon has gone out of your daughter. [Mark 7:29]
V "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire." And her daughter was healed from that very hour. [Mathew 15:28]
˛ When she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed. [Mark 7:30]
˛ Another case of healing long distance by Jesus' spoken Word. God can cast out demons anywhere, just by speaking the Word, demons must obey Him. We only need faith.
V
After this encounter, Jesus returned to
Decapolis, east of the
˛ This is the only thing Jesus did in that region before returning to the place where He had come from.
˛
This demonstrates that the trip from the Sea of
Galilee, to
˛ Jesus went a long way to help one little foreign girl because of the faith of her mother.
˛ Jesus went a long way to provide Salvation for each of us as well, if we also believe. [Galatians 3:22]