Sermon Tone Analysis

The brightest jewels are often found in the darkest places.

Christ took his “disciples of little faith” 20 miles outside of Israel to a Gentile city to teach them about the fundamentals of great faith.

What was the Genesis of her faith?

THE MOUTH OF TRUE FAITH CANNOT BE CLOSED

If ever the faith of a woman was tried so as to make her cease from prayer, it was that of this daughter of Tyre.

She had difficulty after difficulty to encounter, and yet she could not be put off from pleading for her little daughter, because she believed in Jesus as the great Messiah, able to heal all manner of diseases, and she meant to pray to him until he yielded to her importunity, for she was confident that he could chase the demon from her child.

The mouth of faith cannot be closed even on account of the closed ear and the closed mouth of Christ.

He answered her never a word.

She spoke very piteously, she came and threw herself at his feet, her child’s case was very urgent, her motherly heart was very tender, and her cries were very piercing, and yet he answered her never a word: as if he were deaf and dumb, he passed her by; yet was she not staggered; she believed in him, and even he himself could not make her doubt him, let him try silence even if he would.

It is hard to believe when prayer seems to be a failure.

“Though he slay me,” said Job, “yet will I trust in him.”

That was splendid faith.

It would be a great deal for some if they could say, “Though he smite me, yet will I trust him,” but Job said, “Though he slay me.”

If he put on the garb of an executioner, and come out against me as though he would destroy me, yet will I believe him to be full of love: he is good and gracious still, I cannot doubt it, and therefore at his feet I will lie down and look up, expecting grace at his hands.

Oh for such faith as this! O soul, if you have it, you are a saved man, as sure as you are alive.

If even the Lord’s apparent refusal to bless you cannot close your mouth, your faith is of a noble sort, and salvation is yours.

Her faith could not be silenced by the conduct of the disciples

They did not treat her well.

They were not like their Master, but frequently repulsed those who would come to him.

Her noise annoyed them, she kept to them with boundless perseverance, and therefore they said, “Send her away, for she crieth after us.”

Poor soul, she never cried after them, it was after their Master.

Sometimes disciples become very important in their own eyes, and think that the pushing and crowding to hear the gospel is caused by the people’s eagerness to hear them, whereas nobody would care for their poor talk if it were not for the gospel message which they are charged to deliver.

Though they did not treat her as men should treat a woman, as disciples should treat a seeker, as Christians should treat everybody, yet for all that, her mouth was not stopped.

Peter, I have no doubt, looked in a very scowling manner, and perhaps even John became a little impatient, for he had a quick temper by nature; Andrew and Philip and the rest of them considered her very impertinent and presumptuous; but she thought of her little daughter at home, and of the horrible miseries to which the demon subjected her, and so she pressed up to the Saviour’s feet and said, “Lord, help me.”

Cold, hard words and unkind, unsympathetic behaviour could not prevent her pleading with him in whom she believed.

Dear friend, this is very trying, but if you have true faith in the Master you will not mind his disciples, whether it be the gentlest of us, or the most rude of us, but just urge on your case with your Lord till he deigns to give you an answer of peace.

Her mouth, again, was not closed by exclusive doctrine, which appeared to confine the blessing to a favoured few.

The Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am not sent save to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” and though properly understood there is nothing very severe in it, yet the sentence must have fallen on the woman’s heart like lead.

“Woe is me” she might have thought, “then he is not sent to me; vainly do I seek for that which he reserves for the Jews.”

Now, the doctrine of election or predestination, which is assuredly found in Scripture, ought not to hinder any soul from coming to Christ, for, if properly understood, it would rather encourage than discourage.

The mouth of faith cannot be closed by a sense of admitted unworthiness.

Christ spoke of dogs: he meant that the Gentiles were to Israel as the dogs: she did not at all dispute it, but yielded the point by saying, “Truth, Lord.”

She felt she was only worthy to be compared to a dog.

I have no doubt her sense of unworthiness was very deep.

She did not expect to win the boon she sought for on account of any merit of her own; she depended upon the goodness of Christ’s heart, not on the goodness of her cause, and upon the excellence of his power rather than upon the prevalence of her plea; yet conscious as she was that she was only a poor Gentile dog, her prayers were not hindered; she cried, notwithstanding all, “Lord, help me.”

The mouth of faith cannot be closed by the darkest and most depressing influences.

“It is not right, said the Lord Jesus, “ to take children’s bread and throw it to dogs.”

Perhaps she did not quite see all that he might have meant, but what she did see was enough to pour cold water upon the flame of her hope, yet her faith was not quenched.

It was a faith of that immortal kind which nothing can kill; for her mind was made up that whatever Jesus meant, or did not mean, she would not cease to trust him, and urge her suit with him.

Faith worships.

You notice how Matthew says, “Then came she and worshipped him.”

Faith also begs and prays.

You observe how Mark says, “She begged him.”

She cried, “Lord, help me,” after having said, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David.”

Faith pleads, but never disputes, not even against the hardest thing that Jesus says.

If faith disputed it would not be faith, but unbelief.

Faith in God implies agreement with what God says.

Genuine faith believes anything and everything the Lord says whether discouraging or encouraging.

She never has a “but” or an “if,” or even a “yet” to put in, but she stands to it, “You have said it, Lord, and therefore it is true: you have ordained it Lord, and therefore it is right.”

She never goes beyond that.

TRUE FAITH NEVER DISPUTES WITH GOD

Faith agrees to all the Lord says

She said, “Truth, Lord.”

I am a dog!” “Truth, Lord; truth, Lord; so I am.” “It would not be right that the children should be robbed of bread in order to feed dogs.”

“Truth Lord, it would not be fitting, and I would not have one of your children deprived of grace for me.”

“It is not your time yet,” said Jesus; “the children must first be fed; children at the meal times and dogs after dinner; this is Israel’s time, and the Gentiles may follow after.

But not yet.”

She virtually replies, “I know it, Lord, and I agree.”

She does not raise a question or dispute the justice of the Lord’s dispensing his own grace according to his sovereign good pleasure.

She fails not, as some do who cavil at divine sovereignty.

It would have proved that she had little or no faith if she had done that.

She disputes not as to the Lord’s set time and order.

She entered into no argument against its being improper to take the covenant bread from the children and give it to the uncircumcised heathen: she never wished Israel to be robbed for her.

Dog as she was she would not have any purpose of God nor any propriety of the divine household shifted and changed for her.

She agreed to all the Lord’s appointments and this is a portrait of true faith.

True faith agrees with the mind of God, even if it seem adverse to oneself, it believes the revealed declarations of God whether they appear to be pleasant or terrible, it agrees with God’s word whether it be like a balm to its wound or like a sword to cut and slay.

If the word of God be true, do not fight against it, but bow before it.

It is not the way to a living faith in Jesus Christ, nor to obtain peace with God, to take up arms against anything which God declares.

In yielding lies safety.

Say “Truth, Lord,” and you shall find salvation.

Faith worships all the Lord says

She not only agreed to all that the Lord said, but she worshipped him in it.

“You call me ‘dog,’ but you are my Lord: you count me unworthy to receive you blessings, but you are my Lord, and I still own you as such.”

She is of the mind of Job: “Shall we receive good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil?”

She is willing to take the evil and say, “Whether the Lord gives, or whether he refuses, blessed be his name; he is my Lord still.”

This is grand faith, which has thrown aside its arguments, and not only agrees to the Lord’s will, but worships him in it.

Let it be what it may, O Lord, even if the truth condemns me, yet still you are Lord, and submit myself to you: do with me what you will.”

TRUE FAITH ARGUES MIGHTILY

Though it does not dispute.

“Truth, Lord,” said she, “yet the dogs eat the crumbs.”

This woman’s argument was correct, and strictly logical throughout.

It was an argument based upon the Lord’s own truth, and you know if you are reasoning with a man you cannot do better than take his own statements and argue upon them.

She does not proceed to lay down new truth, or dispute the old ones by saying “I am no dog;” but she says, “Yes, I am a dog.”

She accepts that statement of the Lord, and uses it as the basis of a blessed argument.

She took the words out of his own mouth, and vanquished him with them, even as Jacob overcame the angel.

There is so much force in the woman’s argument, that I quite despair this morning of being able to set it all forth to you.

Jesus said, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and cast it to the dogs.

“No,” said she, “it would not be right to do this, because the dogs are provided for, for the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.

It would be very improper to give them the children’s bread, because they have bread of their own.

Truth, Lord, I admit it would be improper to give the dogs the children’s bread, because they have already their share when they eat the crumbs which fall from the children’s table.

That is all they want, and all I desire.

I do not ask thee to give me the children’s bread, I only ask for the dog’s crumbs.”

She argued with Christ from her hopeful position.

“I am a dog,” said she, “but, Lord, you have come all the way to Sidon; here you are close on the borders of my country, and therefore I am not like a dog out in the street; I am a dog under the table.”

Mark tells us that she said, “The dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.”

She as good as says, “Lord, you see my position: I was a dog in the street, far away from you, but now you have come and preached in our borders, and I have been privileged to listen to thee.

Others have been healed, and you are in this very house doing deeds of grace while I look on, and therefore, though I am a dog, I am a dog under the table; therefore, Lord, let me have the crumbs.”

Do you hear what she is saying?

I am a dog.

I do not deserve any grace only justice.