The Syrophoenician Woman's Faith

24 And he went away from there to the country of Tyre and Sidon. And he went into a house, desiring that no man might have knowledge of it: and he was not able to keep it secret. 25 But a woman, whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having had news of him, came straight away and went down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Greek, a Syro-phoenician by birth: and she made a request to him that he would send the evil spirit out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, Let the children first have their food: for it is not right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs. 28 But she said to him in answer, Yes, Lord: even the dogs under the table take the bits dropped by the children. 29 And he said to her, For this saying go your way; the evil spirit has gone out of your daughter. 30 And she went away to her house, and saw the child on the bed, and the evil spirit gone out.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 7:24-30

Commentary on Mark 7:24-30

(Read Mark 7:24-30)

Christ never put any from him that fell at his feet, which a poor trembling soul may do. As she was a good woman, so a good mother. This sent her to Christ. His saying, Let the children first be filled, shows that there was mercy for the Gentiles, and not far off. She spoke, not as making light of the mercy, but magnifying the abundance of miraculous cures among the Jews, in comparison with which a single cure was but as a crumb. Thus, while proud Pharisees are left by the blessed Saviour, he manifests his compassion to poor humbled sinners, who look to him for children's bread. He still goes about to seek and save the lost.