Matthew 15:21

Jesus went thence. [Withdrawal to Phoenicia, Matt. 15:21-28=Mark 7:24-30. Major comment: Matthew. See Retirement from Public Ministry; The Duration of Christ’s Ministry, the Opening of the Galilean Ministry, The Ministry of Our Lord; on miracles pp. 208-213.] The following incident probably occurred in the late spring of A.D. 30, possibly about the month of May. With the feeding of the 5,000 and the Sermon on the Bread of Life in the synagogue at Capernaum (see on John 6:1, 25), the Galilean ministry reached its climax. The tide of popularity began to turn against Jesus as it had the year before in Judea (see DA 393), and the majority of those who had considered themselves His followers rejected Him (see on John 6:60-66). This had been but a few days before the Passover of that year, which Jesus did not attend (see on Mark 7:1).

The Third Galilean Tour had greatly alarmed the Jewish leaders (see DA 395; see on Mark 6:14). After the Passover a delegation from Jerusalem confronted Jesus with the charge that He was breaking down the religious requirements (see Mark 7:1-23). But He silenced them by revealing their hypocrisy, and they went away in great anger and rage (see DA 398). Their attitude and threats made clear that His life was in danger (DA 398, 401). So in harmony with the counsel He had previously given the disciples He retired from Galilee for a time (see on Matt. 10:14, 23), as He had from Judea the year before when rejected by the leaders there (see on ch. 4:12).

This retirement northward marks the opening of a new period in Christ’s ministry, and the close of His ministry in Galilee, to which He had devoted approximately one year, from about the Passover of A.D. 29 to that of A.D. 30. It was now less than one year before His death.

Although the immediate circumstance that prompted Jesus’ withdrawal to the region of Phoenicia was the encounter with the scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem, the journey had positive objectives also. Jesus had a definite purpose not only in leaving Galilee but also in going to the general region of Phoenicia. Now that He had been rejected by the Jews both in Judea and in Galilee, Jesus sought an opportunity to instruct His disciples in laboring for non-Jews. The heathen needed the gospel, and He now began a series of lessons designed to lead the disciples to realize the needs of the heathen and the fact that they too were prospective candidates for the kingdom of heaven. The withdrawal to Phoenicia provided an excellent opportunity for such instruction (see DA 400). Jesus performed but one miracle during the course of this visit to Phoenicia. This visit, however, was clearly not a missionary journey in the sense that the three tours of Galilee were, for upon arrival Jesus went into seclusion, and planned to keep His presence there a secret (see Mark 7:24).

Coasts. Gr. mere, “district,” “division,” or “region.” Jesus withdrew to the hills of the border country between Galilee and Phoenicia (see DA 399), whence He could see the cities of Tyre and Sidon, 23 mi. (c. 37 km.) apart, in the coastal plain below. The area belonged to the Roman province of Syria (see Vol. II, p. 69).

Tyre and Sidon. See Vol. I, p. 128; Vol. II, pp. 67, 68; see on Gen. 10:15. For centuries before the coming of the Romans tire Phoenicians had been the commercial leaders of the world.