CHILDREN in the BIBLE
© Original material and text. 2019.

Section Sixteen

A Women’s Daughter

Matthew and Mark record Jesus helaing the daughter of a woman. The woman is descibed as a ‘Canaanite’ in Matthew and as a ‘Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia’ by Mark. Both record how Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Whilst there, he is approached by the woman who says that her daughter is possessed by evil spirits or demons. She pleads with Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus then highlights the issue of Jews and Gentiles. Canaanites were the traditional enemy of the Jews and here was a Gentile woman asking a Jew for her daughter’s healing. Jesus mentions this in a phrase that compares Gentiles to dogs - an unclean animal for the Jews. The woman’s faith is then shown in her reply - that she doesn’t care if she’s just picking up the leftovers. It is this faith that Jesus then rewards and he heals her daughter.

In the Bible

This story can be found in: • Matthew Chapter 15 verses 21 to 28 • Mark Chapter 7 verses 24 to 30

Phoenicia

Phoenicia was the name given by the Romans and Greeks for the land also called Canaan. At the time of the gospels, the land was domindated by the city states of Tyre and Sidon. The woman, who came from the Syrian controlled part of the region, was therefore a Gentile. She was called ‘Greek’ because the Greek empire had been very influential in the time just before the gospels. So by birth and culture, the woman was clearly no Jew - yet she sees healing because of her faith in Jesus. It is also interesting to note that the Phoenician religion (of which Baal was one of the gods worshipped) often included child sacrifice. By contrast, Jesus heals a child.
CHILDREN in the Bible
© 2019

Section Sixteen

A Women’s Daughter

Matthew and Mark record Jesus helaing the daughter of a woman. The woman is descibed as a ‘Canaanite’ in Matthew and as a ‘Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia’ by Mark. Both record how Jesus went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. Whilst there, he is approached by the woman who says that her daughter is possessed by evil spirits or demons. She pleads with Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus then highlights the issue of Jews and Gentiles. Canaanites were the traditional enemy of the Jews and here was a Gentile woman asking a Jew for her daughter’s healing. Jesus mentions this in a phrase that compares Gentiles to dogs - an unclean animal for the Jews. The woman’s faith is then shown in her reply - that she doesn’t care if she’s just picking up the leftovers. It is this faith that Jesus then rewards and he heals her daughter.

In the Bible

This story can be found in: • Matthew Chapter 15 verses 21 to 28 • Mark Chapter 7 verses 24 to 30

Phoenicia

Phoenicia was the name given by the Romans and Greeks for the land also called Canaan. At the time of the gospels, the land was domindated by the city states of Tyre and Sidon. The woman, who came from the Syrian controlled part of the region, was therefore a Gentile. She was called ‘Greek’ because the Greek empire had been very influential in the time just before the gospels. So by birth and culture, the woman was clearly no Jew - yet she sees healing because of her faith in Jesus. It is also interesting to note that the Phoenician religion (of which Baal was one of the gods worshipped) often included child sacrifice. By contrast, Jesus heals a child.