Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2.pdf

<strong>Commentary</strong> on Matthew, Mark, Luke - Volume 2
himself to have been sent to LOST sheep, as he assures us in another passage that he came to save
that which was lost, (Matthew 18:11.) Now as we enjoy this favor, at the present day, in common
with the Jews, we learn what our condition is till he appear as our Savior.
25. And she came and worshipped him. We might be apt to think that this woman contends
with some measure of obstinacy, as if she would extort something from Christ in spite of him; but
there is no reason to doubt that she was animated by the conviction which she entertained as to the
kindness of the Messiah. When Christ expressly declared that it did not belong to his office, she
was not intimidated by that refusal, and did not desist from her purpose. The reason was, that she
adhered firmly to that previous sentiment of faith which I have mentioned, and admitted nothing
that was opposed to her hope. And this is the sure test of faith, that we do not suffer that general
commencement of our salvation, which is founded on the word of God, to be in any way torn from
us.
26. It is not seemly. Christ’s reply is harsher than ever, and one would think that he intended
by it to cut off all hope; for not only does he declare that all the grace which he has received from
the Father belongs to the Jews, and must be bestowed on them, otherwise they will be defrauded
of their just rights; but he disdainfully compares the woman herself to a dog, thus implying that
she is unworthy of being a partaker of his grace. To make the meaning plain to us, it must be
understood that the appellation of the children’s bread is here given, not to the gifts of God of
whatever description, but only to those which were bestowed in a peculiar manner on Abraham
and his posterity. For since the beginning of the world, the goodness of God was everywhere
diffused—nay, filled heaven and earth—so that all mortal men felt that God was their Father. But
as the children of Abraham had been more highly honored than the rest of mankind, the children’s
bread is a name given to everything that, relates peculiarly to the adoption by which the Jews alone
were elected to be children The light of the sun, the breath of life, and the productions of the soil,
were enjoyed by the Gentiles equally with the Jews; but the blessing which was to be expected in
Christ dwelt exclusively in the family of Abraham. To lay open without distinction that which God
had conferred as a peculiar privilege on a single nation, was nothing short of setting aside the
covenant of God; for in this way the Jews, who ought to have the preference, were placed on a level
with the Gentiles.
And to throw it to the dogs. By using the word throw, Christ intimates that what is taken from
the Church of God and given to heathens is not well bestowed. But this must be restricted to that
time when it was in Judea only that men called on God; for, since the Gentiles were admitted to
partake of the same salvations—which took place when Christ diffused everywhere the light of his
Gospel—the distinction was removed, and those who were formerly dogs are now reckoned among
the children. The pride of the flesh must fall down, when we learn that by nature we are dogs At
first, no doubt, human nature, in which the image of God brightly shone, occupied so high a station
that this opprobrious epithet did not apply to all nations, and even to kings, on whom God confers
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John Calvin