who was in desperate need of a miracle (1 Kings 17:7-
16). She was no daughter of Israel, but a despised
Gentile in the middle of an idolatrous land. Yet as a
result of her faithful obedience, she saved both her
son's life and her own and left behind a legacy of the
true God at work in the land of Syria. Perhaps this
story was still being told among the people centuries
later. In the Gospel of Matthew another Syrian
woman plays out a drama of her desperate need amid
the toughest circumstances.
sumably for some privacy and rest. It was here that
the Syro-Phoenician woman met Him, no doubt hav-
ing heard of His miraculous work throughout Judea.
as evidenced by her plea that was also a confession
of faith: "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David"
(Matthew 15:22). In addressing Christ as Lord, she
voiced the earliest confession of the Church of His di-
vinity. In calling Him Son of David, she articulated
the expectation that He was the Messiah. Was she
repeating phrases like some superstitious chant or
as a faithful proclamation of the true believer? This
would be tested as the story unfolded.
against her. As a woman, it was totally inappropriate
for her to speak in public before a man spoke to her.
Beyond that, she was raised in a religious setting
that no doubt clouded her understanding of who
Christ was. In her religious world, accepting some-