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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
February, 1934
Whenever there are mysteries in our lives which we cannot understand, we need to look at them through God’s mirror, the Bible, for by so doing, we shall find the only safe and sure answer.
good to them that love God.” “The trying of your faith worketh patience.” “ If we suffer, we shall also reign with him.” “What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.”
Given FREE W IT H A Y E A R ’ S S U B S C R I P T I O N T O T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
MARCH 18, 1934 JESUS RESPONDS TO FAITH M atth ew 13:53 to 16:12
"The Partiality o f J E S U S "
The Lord’s reply to the disciples also carried a ray of hope: “ I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” If He would seek the lost—those who were far from Him, who did not desire Him— surely He would have something for even the Gentiles who sought Him. Evidently moved by this conviction, the woman then approached the Lord with a prevailing plea (vs. 25-27). She took the place of one who had no claim except her need and the fact that Jesus Christ, as Lord was able to help her. She stood on the ground o f grace, pleading no merit of her own. Not to the “ Son of David” did she appeal, but to the Lord o f all the earth who had blessing for all. The Lord had a final test for her, and He applied it in the reference to “dogs” (v. 26). Even the use of this word helped the woman’s faith, because the Lord did not use the word descriptive o f the fierce, homeless, outcast dog, but one which meant a “little home dog,” a pet in the house hold. The woman evidently sensed His meaning, for she took the place He gave her and secured what she desired. As long as there is any claim whatsoever, grace cannot and does not operate. This woman’s appeal should be carefully considered because o f its teaching on how to get things from the Lord. She came to Christ with deep earnestness, she was definite in her request, her appeal was di rect and simple, she was filled with ex pectancy, she was persistent even in the face of seeming rebuff, and finally she was rewarded with the blessing she sought. It is worth any one’s time and effort to master this lesson on prayer. The commendation o f the woman’s faith (v. 28) would encourage her in all future times of distress and difficulty. She would not soon forget this incident. Likewise, we should not forget that He who spared not His own Son will give us all necessary things, if we stand upon the ground o f grace alone, presenting no claim except our great need. II. D ealing w ith I srael (29-31). When the Lord Jesus returned from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He repaired to a mountain, and there great crowds came unto Him (vs. 29, 30). He was in their midst as their Messiah sent from God, but to them He was nothing more than a wan dering Rabbi with "power to heal. They were eager for physical help, but they re jected the spiritual blessings He had for them. But, by doing exactly what the prophets had said Messiah should do when He came, the Lord would give the people every op portunity to know that He was the fulfill ment o f the law (v. 30). He gave them proof that the kingdom was at hand in the Person o f their King. Here there was no question concerning the right o f the Gen tiles; the “ Son of David” was acting un hindered and unasked. The Messiah was treating the children o f Israel, even in their rebellious condition, as the people of God, which they were. They were impressed with His power and “wondered” when they saw the heal-
Lesson T ex t : Matt. 15:21-31. Golden T ex t : “Ask, and it shall be given y o u ; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Matt. 7:7). Outline and Exposition I. R esponding to th e G entile (21-28). The Canaanitish woman was “a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation” (Mk. 7:26). This fact explains the seeming indifference o f Jesus toward her when she made her first request for help. In Matthew’s Gos pel, Jesus is presented as Messiah, the King of the Jews, and in this capacity, His min istrations excluded the Gentiles. The woman was in deep trouble. Her daughter, being possessed by a demon (v. 22) times, we too often look upon demon pos session as merely some mental derange ment. The Bible teaches very clearly that demons are intelligent beings controlled by Satan and ever seeking to inhabit human bodies. Both the woman and the Lord recognized the reality o f demon posses sion—the woman because o f her own bitter experience and the Lord because of His omniscience. The woman was helpless in her trouble and nearly hopeless because of her inability to combat Satan. No known power could deliver from his bondage, but she had heard of the wonderful things Jesus had done elsewhere, and she grasped at the hope that He might do something for her. “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David,” was her cry. Direct and definite in her approach, she eagerly awaited His answer. However earnest her appeal was, it was made on improper grounds. She took the place which, at that time, belonged only to Israel, im plying that there was no distinction be tween herself and the others who had been helped. She approached the Lord as the “ Son o f David” but, as such, He had nothing for her. Hence “he answered her not a word” (v. 23) sympathized with all human woe and had the power to assuage it seemed extraordi nary. But the very silence was an encour agement to the woman to persist in her re quest. It even emboldened the disciples. They, too, evidently thought the Lord’s ac tion was strange, for they said to Him, “ Send her away; for she crieth after us.” Or, in other words, “Grant her request and be rid of her.” The Lord’s silence, together with the attitude of the disciples, would awaken hope in the woman. BLACKBOARD LESSON
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, was in bondage to Satan. In modern
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. This silence on the part of One who
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