IN Matthew 15. we have two hearts revealed to us―the heart of man and the heart of God. In reply to the Pharisees’ criticism of His disciples for eating with unwashed hands, our Lord laid down that a man is not defiled by that which goes into his mouth, but by that which comes out, the words being the expression of what is in the heart. He proceeded to draw an appalling picture of the human heart. According to His judgment, which cannot err, it is a pestilent sink of iniquity.
Turning away from His hypocritical opponents, the Saviour went into the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He had but a short time before held up these places as specially hardened (Matt. 11); what could He hope to find there to refresh His distressed spirit? He was soon appealed to by a Canaanitish woman to cast a demon out of her daughter: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a demon.” How terribly she erred! As one of a cursed race, of which remnants existed in the land merely because of the dilatoriness of God’s people in Joshua’s day, what could she claim from David’s Son but judgment? At first the Saviour gave her no answer, but being urged by His disciples to dismiss her He said: “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of Israel.” This was indeed His mission at that time. He “was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers” (Rom. 15:88Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers: (Romans 15:8)). In this character Gentiles could have no claim upon Him whatever. The earnestness of the woman, however, was such that she would take no denial. Accordingly she pressed her suit further, saying: “Lord, help me.” She dropped the Jewish title of “Son of David,” and craved mercy simply. But she had not gone low enough, so our Lord replied: “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” This was indeed a testing word. Yet she did not fire at it and turn away, like Naaman, in a rage. She meekly retorted: “Yea, Lord, for even the dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their master’s table.” (See Revised Version.) Her argument was perfect, and it prevailed. Though she was truly but a Gentile, outside the elect family of Israel, she had confidence that such was the goodness of the divine heart that there was blessing in it for even the meanest of His creatures. Certainly He whose eternal home is the Father’s bosom would not contradict her in this. His strange bearing was intended to elicit this fine expression of faith from her. The Saviour’s stern demeanor covered a heart of tenderness that yearned to bless her the moment she took true ground before Him. He appears to have visited the locality for her sake; for, having healed her daughter with His word, He forthwith returned to the place from whence He came. His eye had discerned the woman’s sorrow from afar, though she knew it not.
The secret of blessing is to take a low place at the divine feet.
As born of a ruined stock, and individually guilty of sin, we have no claim on God save for judgment. But he who will humbly acknowledge himself ungodly and undone will speedily learn that such is the heart of God towards him that He sacrificed His Only-Begotten Son for his blessing, and that in virtue of His atoning death, sins and iniquities are remembered no more.