The Life of Christ

• Upon hearing that, she determined to do everything in her power to persuade this Man to heal her daughter.

From a logistical perspective, it appears that Jesus is inside the house and the woman is outside the house; the door and windows were guarded by the twelve.

• The disciples have been positioned accordingly to prevent anyone from entering.

• Her desperate voice, however, carries over the restraints of the disciples and does reach the ears of Jesus —“Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Mt. 15:23 But He did not answer her a word. And His disciples came to Him and kept asking Him, saying, “Send her away, for she is shouting out after us.”

“He did not answer her a word,” was His polite way of saying, “No, I cannot do this.”

• There are things Jesus cannot do, and one of them was to heal and deliver Gentiles; it was not the kingdom time.

• In just a few short years, however, Jesus would commission His church to go beyond the borders of Israel to perform miracles among the heathen.

Refusing to accept His silent rejection, she determined to work the system; this meant pleading with the disciples, not just one, but all twelve.

• Rather than use a soft diplomatic approach, she raises her probable high-pitched voice and with strong emotion pleaded the desperateness of her case to each disciple —“You must get me in the door to talk to Him!” For we then read, “She is shouting out after us!”

• When the disciples opened the door to request that Jesus send her away, she found her moment to carefully slip in with them.

• We find it humorous that all twelve of the future pillars of the New Jerusalem are collectively unable to contain this one woman; they passionately beseech Jesus to do what they proved incapable to accomplish.

Mt. 15:24 But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

She has managed to enter the house and look directly at Jesus; He has agreed to talk to her, only out of respect for His disciples.

• Graciously, He explains that in strict obedience to His Father and Kingdom protocol, He is only allowed to minister to those who are Jewish.

• He doesn’t have the authorization to change the rules of heavenly engagement.

This desperate woman has just received two consecutive “no’s” audibly out of the mouth of Jesus — one silent and one out loud — and yet she will simply ignore the stark reality Jesus has created before her!

Mt. 15:25 But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”

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