Then came she and worshiped him, saying, Lord, help me.
Read Chapter 15
Epiphanius the Latin
AD 403
Then, in face of the Jews who were rejecting him, this Gentile woman asked him to heal her daughter. But the Lord turned a deaf ear to her. She fell down at his feet and adored him, saying, “Lord, help me.” The Lord then said to her, “It is not fair to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” What have the Jews to say to this? Plainly he implied that they were children and called the Gentiles “dogs.” The woman agreed, saying to the Savior, “Yes, Lord.” That is to say, I know, Lord, that the Gentile people are dogs in worshiping idols and barking at God. “Yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” In other words, you came to the Jews and manifested yourself to them, and they didn’t want you to make exceptions. What they rejected, give to us who are asking for it. Knowing the importunate faith of this woman, our Lord said, “O woman, your faith is great! Let it be done for you as you desire.” Faith accepts what work does not merit, and throug...
For whereas before this she had not ventured so much as to come in sight (for she cries, it is said, after us), when one might expect that she should rather depart further off in utter despair, at that very time she comes nearer, and worships, saying, Lord, help me. Matthew 15:25
What is this, O woman? Have you then greater confidence than the apostles? More abundant strength? Confidence and strength, says she, by no means; nay, I am even full of shame. Yet nevertheless my very shamelessness do I put forward for entreaty; He will respect my confidence. And what is this? Heardest thou not Him saying, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel? I heard, says she, but He Himself is Lord. Wherefore neither did she say, Entreat and beseech, but, Help me.
When the woman saw that her advocates, the Apostles, had not succeeded, again she approaches fervently and calls upon the Lord. Christ speaks of her as a dog, because the Gentiles led an unclean life and were involved with the blood of meat sacrificed to idols, while the Jews He speaks of as children. But she answers wisely and indeed profoundly, "Even though I am a dog and not worthy to receive a loaf of bread, that is, a mighty act and a great sign, nevertheless grant this to me which is a small thing by comparison with Thy power, though to me it is great. For crumbs are not large in the eyes of those who eat loaves, but to dogs they are large, and they feed on them."
