And when she was come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
Lastly, the Canaanitish woman came in to Him, on hearing of Him; if she had not first submitted herself to the God of the Jews, she would not have obtained their benefit. Concerning herit continues: “For a woman, whose daughter had an unclean spirit, as soon asshe had heard of Him, came in and fell at His feet.”
Having entered also into the house, He commanded His disciples not to betray who He was to anyone in this unknown region, that they, on whom He had bestowed the grace of healing, might learn by His example, as far as they could, to shrink from the glory of human praise in the shewing forth of their miracles; yet they were not to cease from the pious work of virtue, when either the faith of the good justly deserved that miracles should be done, or the unfaithfulness of the wicked might necessarily compel them. For He Himself made known His entry into that place to the Gentile woman, and to whomsoever He would.
The time will come when even you who are Gentiles will obtain salvation; but it is right that first the Jews who deservedly are wont to be called by the name of children of God’s ancient election, should be refreshed with heavenly bread, and that so at length, the food of life should be ministered to the Gentiles. There follows: “For it is not meet to take the children’s bread, an...
Mystically however the Gentile woman, who prays for her daughter, is our mother the Church of Rome. Her daughter afflicted with a devil, is the barbarian western race, which by faith hath been turned from a dog into a sheep. She desires to take the crumbs of spiritual understanding, not the unbroken bread of the letter.
Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc. Tyre and Sidon were places of the Canaanites, therefore the Lord comes to them, not as to His own, but as to men, who had nothing in common with the fathers to whom the promise was made. And therefore He comes in such a way, that His coming should not be known to the Tyrians and Sidonians.Wherefore it continues: “and entered into ahouse, and would have no man know it.” For the time had not come for His dwelling with the Gentiles and bringing them to the faith, for this was not tobe, till after His cross and resurrection.
Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.: Now by this the Lord wished to show His disciples that He opened the door of faith even to the Gentiles, wherefore also the nation of the woman is described when it is added, “The woman was a Gentile, a Syrophenician by nation,” that is, from Syria and Phaenice.It goes on: “and she besought Him that He would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. "It continues: “But He said unto her, Letthe children be first fil...
After that the Lord had finished His teaching concerning food, seeing that the Jews were incredulous, He enters into the country of the Gentiles, for the Jews being unfaithful, salvation turns itself to the Gentiles. Wherefore it is said, “And from thence Hearose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon.”.
Or else, His reason for coming in secret was that the Jews should not find occasion of blame against Him, as if He had passed over to the unclean Gentiles. It goes on: “But He could not be hid. "Therefore when a thing has taken place, it may be asserted that He has willed it. But we should observe that this happened amongst the Gentiles, to whom it was not time to preach; nevertheless not to receive them, when they came to the faith of their own accord, would have been to grudge them the faith. So then it came to pass that the Lord was not made known by His disciples; others, however, who had seen Him entering the house, recognized Him, and it began to be known that He was there....
