e cannot tell. Perhaps He wanted, by the trial, to make her a
better woman, to bring out something noble which lay in her heart unknown
to her, though not to Him who knew what was in man. Perhaps He wished to
shew his disciples, who looked down on her as a heathen dog, that a
heathen, too, could have faith, humility, nobleness, and grace of heart.
Be that as it may, when the poor woman came crying to Him, He answered
her not a word. His disciples besought Him to send her away--and I am
inclined to think that they wished Him to grant her what she asked,
simply to be rid of her. "Send her away," they said, "for she crieth
after us." Our Lord, we learn from St Mark, did not wish to be known in
that place just then. The poor woman, with her crying, was drawing
attention to them, and, perhaps, gathering a crowd. Somewhat noisy and
troublesome, perhaps she was, in her motherly eagerness. But our Lord
was still seemingly stern. He would not listen, it seemed, to His
disciples any more than to the heathen woman. "I am not sent but unto
the lost sheep of the house of Israel." So our Lord said, and (what is
worth remembering) if He said so, what He said was true. He was the King
of the people of Israel, the Royal Prince of David's line; and, as a man,
His duty was only to His own people. And this woman was a Greek, a Syro-
phenician by nation--of a mixed race of people, notoriously low and
profligate, and old enemies of the Jews.

Then, it seems, He went into a house, and would have no man know it.
But, says St Mark, "He could not be hid." The mother's wit found our
Lord out, and the mother's heart urged her on, and, in spite of all His
rebuffs, she seems to have got into the house and worshipped Him. She
"fell at His feet," says St Mark--doubtless bowing her forehead to the
ground, in the fashion of those lands--an honour which was paid, I
believe, only to persons who were royal or divine. So she confessed that
He was a king--perhaps a God come down on earth--and again she cried to
Him. "Lord, help me." And what was our Lord's answer--seemingly more
stern than ever? "Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet
to take the children's bread and cast it unto the dogs." Hard words.
Yes: but all depends on how they were spoken. All depends on our Lord's
look as He spoke them, and, even more, on the tone of His voice. We all
know that two men may use the very same words