This miracle is not simply the story of a mother and her demon-possessed child; it is really an international incident which was to affect the future shape of Christendom. What happened to the Canaanite woman that day affects us today in a most direct and vital way.

Like most international incidents it happened at the border between two adversaries. Jesus had traveled to the extreme north end of the Jordan Valley. He was standing at the border line between Syria and Galilee. The inhabitants of Syria were called Phoenicians.

The story of our miracle is told by Mark (7:24-30) as well as by Matthew (15:21-23). Scholars fail to agree as to whether Jesus actually set foot into Gentile territory. Some interpreters like Richard Trench1 are convinced that at no time in his earthly ministry did o…