來到推羅與西頓
馬太福音十五章21至31節
21耶穌離開那裡，退到推羅、西頓的境內去。
22有一個迦南婦人從那地方出來，喊著說：“主啊，大衛的子孫，可憐我！我女兒被鬼附得甚苦。”
23耶穌卻一言不答。門徒進前來，求他說：“這婦人在我們後頭喊叫，請打發她走吧！”
24耶穌說：“我奉差遣，不過是到以色列家迷失的羊那裡去。”
25那婦人來拜他，說：“主啊，幫助我！”
26他回答說：“不好拿兒女的餅丟給狗吃。”
27婦人說：“主啊，不錯！但是狗也吃牠主人桌子上掉下來的碎渣兒。”
28耶穌說：“婦人，你的信心是大的，照你所要的，給你成全了吧！”從那時候，她女兒就好了。
29耶穌離開那地方，來到靠近加利利的海邊，就上山坐下。
30有許多人到他那裡，帶著瘸子、瞎子、啞巴、有殘疾的和好些別的病人，都放在他腳前，他就治好了他們。
31甚至眾人都希奇，因為看見啞巴說話，殘疾的痊愈，瘸子行走，瞎子看見，他們就歸榮耀給以色列的神。
信息分享
在前幾天，基督曾嘗試帶門徒到一個安靜的地方休息，可是群眾卻在那裡找到他們。接著，法利賽人也從耶路撒冷北上來質疑基督。因此，祂可能是為了尋找一個安靜的地方，便帶門徒走到對岸。推羅是一個多山的國家，他們要越過山坡，才能走到沿岸的平原。在這裡，基督有機會用心且安靜地教導十二門徒。
我們不知道基督在兩地逗留了多久，也許有好幾個星期，然後才回到加利利。但無論如何，在這期間，有一位外邦婦人獲得基督的憐憫，使她那個被鬼附的女兒得到醫治。那婦人與基督之間的對話十分有趣。她表現出無比的堅持，終於贏得基督的讚賞和醫治。
那婦人接受了基督的比喻，但作出了一個極好的回應，她指著基督以狗比喻外邦人說：「是的，但當兒女吃飽之後，狗也會得到東西，牠們吃從桌上掉下的殘渣兒。所以，你有殘渣幫助我的需要嗎？」
耶穌看見她的信心和需要，馬上讚賞她的信心。雖然基督從沒有見過她的女兒，但她女兒立刻就從魔鬼的勢力中釋放出來。婦人的信心使她的要求得蒙應允。今天當我們向祂祈求，基督同樣要看見我們的信心。縱使祂已回到天上，並不在我們身邊，但祂仍然回應我們的禱告。
VISITING TYRE AND SIDON
Matthew 15:21-31
21 Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed.”
23 But He answered her not a word.
And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us.”
24 But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
25 Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
26 But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”
27 And she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.”
28 Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
29 Jesus departed from there, skirted the Sea of Galilee, and went up on the mountain and sat down there.
30 Then great multitudes came to Him, having with them the lame, blind, mute, maimed, and many others; and they laid them down at Jesus’ feet, and He healed them.
31 So the multitude marveled when they saw the mute speaking, the maimed made whole, the lame walking, and the blind seeing; and they glorified the God of Israel.
Message
A few days before, Christ had tried to take His disciples to a quiet spot for rest but the crowds had found them there. Then Pharisees from Jerusalem had traveled north to confront Christ. Perhaps to find the quietness He had been looking for, He led His disciples across the coast. It was a hilly country which they walked through before coming out onto the coastal plain. It would be a real opportunity for Christ to give quiet instruction and teaching to the twelve.
We do not know how long this visit lasted; perhaps it was several weeks before Christ returned to Galilee. But it was long enough for one Gentile woman to be given deliverance for her daughter who was demon possessed. The interchange between this woman and Christ was very interesting. She certainly was persistent and finally won the word of commendation and healing from Christ.
The woman accepted the analogy Christ made but came back with a splendid answer. She took up His reference to dogs and said, “True, but when the children are fed, the dogs gain something too. They get the crumbs which fall from the table. So, do you have a crumb for me to help meet my need?”
Jesus recognised her faith and her need and quickly commended her faith. Her daughter was released from the power of the demon immediately even though Christ never actually saw the child. Her faith won what she was asking for. This is what Christ is still looking for when we make our requests known to Him. He can answer our prayers today even though He is not physically present with us now as He was back then.