The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ – G076 The Faith of the Canaanite Woman, The Lord Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand

Commentary on the Four Gospel Books
The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ
G076 The Faith of the Canaanite Woman
The Lord Jesus Heals a Deaf and Mute Man
The Lord Jesus Feeds the Four Thousand
Matthew 15:21-39; Mark 7:24-8:10

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All the Bible verses quoted in this article are from the King James Version, unless otherwise noted.

Matthew 15:21-39

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24 But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

25 Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me.

26 But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

30 And great multitudes came unto Him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and He healed them:

31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

32 Then Jesus called His disciples unto Him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with Me now three days, and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.

33 And His disciples say unto Him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

35 And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

36 And He took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

39 And He sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

Mark 7:24-37

24 And from thence He arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but He could not be hid.

25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of Him, and came and fell at His feet:

26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought Him that He would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

28 And she answered and said unto Him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.

29 And He said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

32 And they bring unto Him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech Him to put his hand upon him.

33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

34 And looking up to heaven, He sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

36 And He charged them that they should tell no man: but the more He charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

Mark 8:1-10

1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto Him, and saith unto them,

2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with Me three days, and have nothing to eat:

3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

4 And His disciples answered Him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

5 And He asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

6 And He commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and He took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to His disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.

7 And they had a few small fishes: and He blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.

8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.

9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and He sent them away.

10 And straightway He entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

In this lesson, we will study the faith of a Canaanite woman that led to her daughter being healed of demonic possession; we will learn about the Lord Jesus healing many sick people, especially a deaf and mute man, by the Sea of Galilee in the region of Decapolis; and we will learn about how, in that same location, the Lord Jesus multiplied bread and fish to feed more than four thousand people.

This was the second time the Lord Jesus multiplied bread to feed thousands. The first instance is recorded in Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-15. Both events took place on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The first occurred in the north, near Bethsaida. The second was in a location to the south, within the territory of Decapolis. On the map illustrating the sequence of the Lord Jesus’ journey, as recounted in Matthew 15:21-39, we have temporarily marked location (4) on a coastal area in Decapolis, as the exact site is not specified in Scripture.

Illustration: The sequence of the Lord Jesus’ journey,
as recounted in Matthew 15:21-39
https://preachingfromthebible.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/The-sequence-of-the-Lord-Jesus-journey-as-recounted-in-Matthew-15.jpg

Looking at the illustrated map, brothers and sisters, you will see the red numbers from (1) to (5):

(1) The Lord Jesus departs from Capernaum.

(2) and (3) The Lord Jesus reaches the borders of Tyre and Sidon.

(4) The Lord Jesus arrives at the Sea of Galilee, in the region of Decapolis.

(5) The Lord Jesus comes to Dalmanutha, likely a small village near the town of Magadan.

Now, let us explore the meaning of each Bible verse in this lesson.

Matthew 15:21-22

21 Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

22 And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto Him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, Thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.

Mark 7:24-26

24 And from thence He arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but He could not be hid.

25 For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of Him, and came and fell at His feet:

26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought Him that He would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

After teaching the Pharisees about what truly defiles a person, the Lord Jesus departed from the city of Capernaum and headed toward the cities of Tyre and Sidon. In the Original Biblical Greek, Matthew uses the term “parts” (G3313), while Mark uses the term “bounded alongside” (G3181) in the plural, meaning “border.” Both were translated as “coasts” and “borders” in the King James Version. It is possible that both Matthew and Mark intended to indicate that the Lord Jesus traveled to an area between the cities of Tyre and Sidon. He sought to leave Galilee and find a quiet place away from the crowds. Therefore, instead of going to the large cities of Tyre or Sidon, He went to a small village near the border of those cities. As He and His disciples entered a house there, someone approached Him. It was a woman of Gentile descent, not an Israelite. The Israelites at that time generally referred to all other peoples as Greeks. The term “Syrophoenician” was used to describe Phoenicians living in the Syrian province of the Roman Empire, like the people of Tyre and Sidon. This woman’s daughter was possessed by a demon, so she came to the Lord Jesus to ask Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.

We do not know how the woman learned that the Lord Jesus had just arrived in that area. However, she had heard the reports about His healing and casting out demons, so she came, fell at His feet, and begged Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. The Apostle Matthew was present with the Lord and recorded her plea. Although she was a Gentile, she recognized that the Lord Jesus was a descendant of David. She pleaded with the Lord to have mercy on her and heal her daughter.

Matthew 15:23-24

23 But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and besought Him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

24 But He answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

We can understand that the woman cried out to the Lord, as recorded by Matthew in verse 22, before she came before Him, fell at His feet, and continued to plead, as noted by both Matthew and Mark in verse 25. Before she approached and kneeled before the Lord, His disciples had asked Him to send her away because she kept following them and pleading. The Lord Jesus responded to the disciples, but likely also intended for the woman to hear that He was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel who had strayed from God’s truth.

Matthew 15:25-27

25 Then came she and worshipped Him, saying, Lord, help me.

26 But He answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.

27 And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

Mark 7:27-28

27 But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs.

28 And she answered and said unto Him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.

The woman came and kneeled before the Lord, pleading for His help. The Lord Jesus responded to her, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread and to cast it to dogs.” The term “bread” here symbolizes the blessings of God. The term “children” refers to the Israelites, a people chosen by God as His own, called His “son” and “firstborn” (Exodus 4:22). The term “dogs” (in Greek: little dogs) was used to refer to the children of Gentiles because Gentiles were considered unclean by the Israelites, and dogs were regarded as unclean animals.

However, the Lord Jesus’ words were not intended to insult the woman’s daughter. He used the Israelites’ view of Gentiles to test the Syrophoenician woman’s faith. Her response demonstrated both humility and faith in *God’s abundant mercy and the Lord Jesus’ healing power.

As with other stories, we understand that Matthew and John were present with the Lord, serving as direct witnesses, so they likely recorded the exact words of the Lord Jesus and the statements of others. Mark and Luke, on the other hand, wrote their accounts based on the testimonies of other witnesses. Therefore, Mark and Luke may have recorded the conversations according to memory or the interpretations of those recounting the events. Although the wording used by Mark and Luke may sometimes differ from that of Matthew and John, the central message remains accurate. Additionally, Mark and Luke occasionally include details that Matthew and John omit. By comparing and combining the four Gospels, we can obtain a more complete account.

Matthew 15:28

28 Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

Mark 7:29-30

29 And He said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.

30 And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.

After the woman’s response, the Lord Jesus praised her. He addressed her as “O woman,” a respectful form of address among the Israelites, similar to how He spoke to Mary, His mother (John 2:4). He commended her for having great faith. It was because of her great faith that she received the righteous request she sought.

It is very likely that Matthew recorded the first part of the Lord Jesus’ statement, while Mark recorded the latter part. The complete statement from the Lord might have been: “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.”

We can imagine that as soon as the woman declared her faith, *God sent His angels to drive out the demon tormenting her daughter. This is why the Lord Jesus said, “For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter.” “For this saying” refers to her declaration that even the children of the Gentiles are entitled to the abundant blessings God gives to Israel.

In reality, anyone who has genuine faith in God receives His mercy and blessings. The people of God live by faith, as affirmed in Habakkuk 2:4 and reiterated by the Apostle Paul in Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38. Paul also taught the believers in Corinth that:

“(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Only those who live by faith can remain joyful and at peace in all circumstances and receive their righteous prayers. Righteous prayers are those that align with the standards of love, holiness, and justice set by *God. Through our declaration of faith, demons are driven away. Through our declaration of faith, we receive the promises God has given us, both in this life and the next. The greatest blessing of all is receiving eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 15:29-31

29 And Jesus departed from thence, and came nigh unto the sea of Galilee; and went up into a mountain, and sat down there.

30 And great multitudes came unto Him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and He healed them:

31 Insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.

Mark 7:31-35

31 And again, departing from the coasts of Tyre and Sidon, He came unto the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the coasts of Decapolis.

32 And they bring unto Him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech Him to put his hand upon him.

33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue;

34 And looking up to heaven, He sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened.

35 And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.

After the healing of the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter, the Lord Jesus departed from the region of Tyre and Sidon and returned to the coastal area of Galilee. According to Mark, He arrived in the coastal region of Galilee within the territory of Decapolis. The term Decapolis (G1179) means “ten cities.” “Deca” means “ten,” and “polis” means “city.” The region of Decapolis was located to the east of the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee. The Bible does not specify which village or city in Decapolis the Lord Jesus visited. Therefore, we have tentatively marked (4) a coastal area near the border of Syrophoenicia and Decapolis. It is likely that the Lord Jesus returned to the region of the Gadarenes, where He had healed two demon-possessed men (Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-20; Luke 8:26-39).

One notable point in this lesson is that the border regions of Tyre and Sidon, as well as the coastal area of Galilee within Decapolis, were inhabited by Gentiles, with few Israelite villages. We can understand that when the Lord healed the sick in the region of Decapolis, it was likely that among those healed were many who were not Israelites.

When He arrived, the Lord Jesus went up a mountain and sat there to rest. However, many crowds from various places gathered to seek Him, bringing those who were sick. All the sick were healed by the Lord Jesus. However, Mark recorded a particular case of a man who was deaf and mute. This event is unusual because, unlike others, the Lord Jesus did not heal him in the typical manner but took him aside privately and directly touched his ears and tongue. It is likely that the Lord Jesus used this event to convey a parable to His followers. Below are the details of the healing of the deaf and mute man, through which we can find spiritual lessons.

The man did not come to the Lord on his own but was brought by others. Similarly, in the world, there are many people who do not know the Lord and need others to proclaim Him to them and bring them to the truth and salvation of the Lord. The people of God need to be zealous in leading many to the Lord.
The man was deaf and could not hear. In the world, there are many who hear but do not understand the truth of God’s Word. They need spiritual healing to be able to hear and understand the Word of God.
The man was mute, meaning he could not speak clearly and had difficulty expressing ideas. The term “μογιλάλος” (mogilalos) /mog-il-al’-os/ (G3424) means to speak with difficulty. Similarly, in the world, there are many people who cannot speak about the Lord because they do not have a clear understanding of Him. They also need spiritual healing to be able to speak clearly about the Lord.
The Lord Jesus took the man aside, away from the crowd. It is likely that He wanted the man to focus solely on Him. Similarly, the Lord Jesus desires that those whom He grants complete salvation focus entirely on Him, living and dying for the Lord.
He placed His fingers into the man’s ears. Since the deaf man could not hear, the Lord touched his ears to help him understand that He intended to heal his deafness. There are physical and spiritual healings through which the Lord helps us understand that He is healing us.
He spat and possibly used His saliva to touch the man’s tongue, similar to how He mixed saliva with clay and applied it to the eyes of a blind man (John 9:6). The Bible does not explain why the Lord used saliva in these cases. We can understand that He used His healthy DNA to effect healing rather than relying solely on His spoken word. We can also infer that those who belong to the Lord become one with Him not only spiritually but also physically, as husband and wife become one another, sharing their DNA.
He touched the man’s tongue. The Lord Jesus touched his tongue so that the man would understand that He intended to heal his speech. Similarly, there are physical and spiritual healings through which the Lord helps us recognize that He is the one who heals us.
He looked up to heaven. This was a common practice of the Lord Jesus as well as the Israelites in their prayers to *God. We should follow the example of the Lord, maintaining our relationship with *God through prayer. The Holy Spirit, through the Apostle Paul, has taught the people of God as follows:

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto *God.” (Philippians 4:6)

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of *God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1Thessalonians 5:18)

He sighed. The verb “στενάζω” (stenazō) /sten-ad’-zo/ (G4727) means to sigh or groan. This verb is used only once for the Lord Jesus and is also found in the following verses:

“And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” (Rô-ma 8:23)

“For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven.” (2 Corinthians 5:2)

“For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.” (2 Corinthians 5:4).

We do not know the content of the Lord Jesus’ sigh. However, it could have been a groan as a prayer of His, expressing to *God the suffering of humanity in a sinful world. Similarly, we can present all our sighs and sorrows to *God.

He said to the man, “Ephphatha!” Mark recorded the exact Aramaic phrase of the Lord, which means “Be opened!” With His authority, He commanded the man’s ears to be opened to hear and his tongue to be loosened to speak clearly. Only by the Lord’s gift can a person be healed and restored physically and spiritually. “Be opened” is also the Lord’s command to free those who come to Him from all the bonds of sin.

We see that the Lord Jesus performed seven significant actions to heal the man, which serve as a meaningful parable.

According to Matthew’s account, in addition to healing the deaf and mute man recorded by Mark, the Lord also healed many others with various disabilities: lame, blind, mute, and afflicted by other ailments. As a result, the crowds glorified the God of Israel. They recognized that the God of Israel was different from the gods of other nations. Surely, apart from the Lord Jesus, they had never seen anyone who could heal all kinds of ailments, including those possessed by demons. Glorifying *God means acknowledging and praising the power and compassion of *God, which brought healing through the Lord Jesus.

Mark 7:36-37

36 And He charged them that they should tell no man: but the more He charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it;

37 And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: He maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.

The Lord Jesus did not want the crowds to spread the news of His healing, perhaps because He wanted to rest for a while. If they continued to publicize it, even more people would come to Him. However, the more He instructed them to keep quiet, the more they talked about it. Over the three days that the crowds stayed with Him, they witnessed numerous healings by His hand. As a result, they eagerly shared their experiences and the extraordinary blessings they had received.

Matthew 15:32-33

33 And His disciples say unto Him, Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?

Mark 8:1-4

1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto Him, and saith unto them,

2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with Me three days, and have nothing to eat:

3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

4 And His disciples answered Him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

A short time before that, also on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, near the city of Bethsaida, the Lord Jesus performed a miracle, multiplying loaves and fish to feed more than 5,000 people. However, when the Lord told His disciples that He did not want to send the crowds away hungry, they replied:

“Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness, as to fill so great a multitude?”

“From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?”

It is possible that Matthew recorded one disciple’s response and Mark recorded another’s. The disciples’ responses make us feel as if they had forgotten the miracle of the multiplication of loaves and fish. They should have replied to the Lord: “We have seven loaves and a few small fish. Please let us feed them.”

Matthew 15:34-36

34 And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes.

35 And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground.

36 And He took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.

Mark 8:5-7

5 And He asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

7 And they had a few small fishes: and He blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.

It wasn’t until the Lord Jesus asked them how many loaves they had that the disciples mentioned they had seven loaves and a few small fish, indicating they had more than before. Previously, they had only five loaves and two small fish.

The Lord Jesus did not say anything to His disciples. He simply commanded the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then He took the loaves and fish, gave thanks, blessed them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to distribute to the crowd.

In the Biblical Greek, Matthew uses the verb “gave thanks” (G2168), while Mark uses the verb “blessed” (G2127). We can understand that the Lord Jesus both thanked God for the food and blessed the loaves and fish to be beneficial for those who ate.

It is possible that among the crowd, there were people who had previously been fed by the Lord Jesus during the first multiplication of loaves and fish.

Placing ourselves in the position of those who witnessed the miracles of the Lord Jesus, we might feel awe and wonder at His power. Witnessing such miracles would likely evoke a strong desire to follow Him and be His disciple, to learn from His teachings daily. Our faith might be tested, but seeing His miracles could inspire us to stand firm in our belief, even when faced with His suffering and crucifixion.

Today, the Lord Jesus still extends His call to everyone. I encourage you to read and listen to the series “Seven Calls of the Lord” [1].

Matthew 15:37-39

37 And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets full.

38 And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside women and children.

39 And He sent away the multitude, and took ship, and came into the coasts of Magdala.

Mark 8:8-10

8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.

9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and He sent them away.

10 And straightway He entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

The first time the Lord Jesus multiplied the bread and fish, over 5,000 men, not counting women and children, were fed, with 12 baskets left over. The second time, over 4,000 men, not counting women and children, were fed, with 7 baskets left over. The Lord Jesus likely broke less bread and fish the second time, knowing there were fewer people.

After the crowd had eaten their fill, the Lord Jesus dismissed them and immediately went with His disciples by boat to the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. They landed at the town of Magadan and then traveled to a small village called Dalmanutha, in the region of Galilee.

We conclude this lesson here.

May the Holy Spirit guide us into all the truths of God’s Word (John 16:13). May the Word of God sanctify us (John 17:17). May the Faithful *God of Peace Himself sanctify our spirit, soul, and body entirely, without blame (1 Thessalonians 5:23), at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Beloved Savior. Amen!

Timothy Christian Huynh
Priscilla Christian Huynh
08/24/2024

Notes:

[1] https://preachingfromthebible.net/category/the-seven-calls-of-the-lord-jesus-christ/

About Using “*God” and “holy spirit”

Wherever the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts of the Bible uses a definite article with a noun to denote GOD, we translate it into English as *God or “the God” to refer to God the Father. We understand that “God,” without a definite article, was used as a collective noun for all and any of the three Persons of the Godhead. And “God,” with a definite article, was used to refer to God the Father.

In the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the term “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) without the definite article “the” (το) is used to denote the power of God, which is given by God the Holy Spirit. “The Holy Spirit” (το πνευματι το αγιω) is God, and “holy spirit” (πνευματι αγιω) is the power that comes from God.