Matthew 15:22

A woman of Canaan. The Phoenicians were of the old Canaanite race; in fact, they called themselves Canaanites (see on Gen. 10:6, 18). It was the Greeks who called them Phoenicians, apparently after the name of a purple dye (Gr. phoinix) that the former purchased from the latter during the early days of Phoenician trade in the Aegean region (see Vol. II, p. 68). The Canaanites were of Hamitic ancestry, but early during their residence in the land of Palestine they adopted the Semitic language and absorbed so much Semitic culture that it was long thought they were of Semitic origin. The Jews were Semitic, and there were great similarities in language and general cultural characteristics between the Hebrew and Canaanite peoples.

This was the fourth occasion recorded in the Gospels on which Jesus had ministered to non-Jews. The first was at Sychar in Samaria (John 4:5-42), the second at Capernaum (Luke 7:1-10), and the third, in the vicinity of Gergesa (Mark 5:1-20). The Samaritans were, of course, partly Jewish, and though Jesus’ ministry for them would not be looked upon with favor, it would not bring upon Him the censure that work for outright heathen would. The centurion was friendly to the Jews and believed that they held the true religion. The miracle Christ performed for him was in accordance with the request of the Jewish leaders themselves. The healing of the demoniacs of Gergesa could not be construed by the Jews as an intentional contact on the part of Christ with the heathen. Rather, they might consider it an emergency thrust upon Christ, in which, in a sense, He drove out the demons in self-defense. Furthermore, He refused to permit the demon-freed men to associate with Him as disciples. Even now, with the woman of Phoenicia, Jesus was not openly working for the people of the district (see Mark 7:24). She came to Him and thrust her request upon Him.

Christ’s dealings with the non-Jews of Palestine were incidental to His ministry for “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24). If His labors for the chosen people were to meet with any measure of success, it was necessary that He should, outwardly at least, comply with custom to the extent that the Jewish leaders should have no occasion to accuse Him of breaking down the barriers they had erected against the Gentiles, wrong as those barriers were in many respects (see Vol. IV, pp. 28-33). Otherwise, He would have destroyed His influence with the very people for whom He had come to labor. Today, Christian workers are to consider all men their equals before God, and to remember that “God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34).

Coasts. Gr. horia, “borders,” here a region enclosed by borders (see on v. 21). Jesus was in the region of Tyre and Sidon, the woman was of the region of Tyre and Sidon, and the incident here recorded occurred within that same region. When the woman found Jesus she “fell at his feet” (Mark 7:25), prostrating herself before Him in the usual Oriental posture assumed by one presenting a petition to a superior (see on Matt. 4:9; 8:2).

Have mercy. Gr. eleed, (see on eh. 5:7).

Son of David. See on eh. 1:1. That a heathen woman should address Jesus by this title, which implied recognition of Him as the Messiah, is surprising. There were many Jews living in Phoenicia, and among them the news of the wonderful deeds of Jesus had long since been in circulation (see Mark 3:8; Luke 6:17). It was apparently through these Jews residing in Phoenicia that the woman had heard about Jesus (see DA 400).

Grievously vexed with a devil. Literally, “badly demonized,” or, more freely, “severely possessed by a demon” (see Additional Note on Mark 1).