The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.
The woman was a Greek, х Helleenis (G1674)] - that is, 'a Gentile,' as in the margin; a Syrophoenician by nation-so called as inhabiting the Phoenician tract of Syria. Juvenal uses the same term, as was remarked by Justin Martyr and Tertullian. Matthew calls her "a woman of Canaan" - a more intelligible description to his Jewish readers (cf. Judges 1:30; Judges 1:32-33).
And she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter - "She cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David: my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil" (Matthew 15:22). Thus, though no Israelite herself, she salutes Him as Israel's promised Messiah.
Here we must go to Matthew 15:23-25, for some important links in the dialogue omitted by our Evangelist. Matthew 15:23. "But He answered her not a word." The design of this was first, perhaps, to show that He was not sent to such as she. He had said expressly to the Twelve, "Go not into the way of the Gentiles" (Matthew 10:5); and being now among them Himself, He would for consistency's sake, let it be seen that He had not gone there for missionary purposes. Therefore He not only kept silence, but had actually left the house and-as will presently appear-was proceeding on His way back, when this woman accosted Him. But another reason for keeping silence plainly was to try and to whet her faith, patience, and perseverance. And it had the desired effect: "She cried after them," which shows that He was already on His way from the place. "And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us." They thought her troublesome with her importunate cries, just as they did the people who brought young children to be blessed of Him, and they ask their Lord to "send her away," that is, to grant her request and be rid of her; because we gather from His reply that they meant to solicit favour for her, though not for her sake so much as their own. Matthew 15:24. "But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel" - a speech evidently intended for the disciples themselves, to satisfy them that, though the grace He was about to show to this Gentile believer was beyond His strict Commission, He had not gone spontaneously to dispense it.
Yet did even this speech open gleam of hope, could she have discerned it. For thus might she have spoken: 'I am not SENT, did He say? Truth Lord, Thou comest not hither in quest of us, but I come in quest of Thee; and must I go empty away? So did not the woman of Samaria, whom when Thou foundest her on Thy way to Galilee, Thou sentest away to make many rich!' But this our poor Syrophoenician could not attain to. What, then, can she answer to such a speech? Nothing. She has reached her lower depth, her darkest moment; she will just utter her last cry: Matthew 15:25. "Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me!" This appeal, so artless, wrung from the depths of a believing heart, and reminding us of the Publican's "God be merciful to me a sinner," moved the Redeemer at last to break silence-but in what style!
Here we return to our own Evangelist. Here we return to our own Evangelist.