The Syrophoenician (Canaanite) Woman's Daughter (Matthew 15:21–28; Mark 7:24–30)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homily 52 (on Matthew 15:21–28) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/200152.htm

On why He came into Gentile territory at all:

And why did He go at all into these parts? When He had set them free from the observance of meats, then to the Gentiles also He goes on to open a door, proceeding in due course; even as Peter, having been first directed to annul this law, is sent to Cornelius.

On His silence, His hard word, and her growing earnestness:

But Christ says, "I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." What then did the woman, after she heard this? Was she silent, and did she desist? Or did she relax her earnestness? By no means, but she was the more instant. But it is not so with us; rather, when we fail to obtain, we desist; whereas it ought to make us the more urgent.

On how she turned His own words into her plea, and why He had delayed:

And He calls them no longer "sheep," but "children," and her "a dog." What then says the woman? Out of His own very words she frames her plea. "Why, though I be a dog," said she, "I am not an alien."... With this intent did Christ put her off, for He knew she would say this; for this did He deny the grant, that He might exhibit her high self-command... Not in insult then were His words spoken, but calling her forth, and revealing the treasure laid up in her.

On her humility set against the pride of those who counted themselves children:

But do thou, I pray you, together with her faith see also her humility. For He had called the Jews "children," but she was not satisfied with this, but even called them "masters;"... He said, "It is not meet," and she said, "Truth, Lord;" He called them "children," but she "masters;" He used the name of a dog, but she added also the dog's act. Do you see this woman's humility?

On the word that crowned her, and on perseverance in prayer:

What then says Christ? "O woman, great is your faith." Yea, therefore did He put her off, that He might proclaim aloud this saying, that He might crown the woman. "Be it unto you even as you will."... This was akin to that voice that said, "Let the Heaven be, and it was."... But mark thou, I pray you, how when the apostles had failed, and had not succeeded, this woman had success. So great a thing is assiduity in prayer.

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Theophylact of Ohrid (c. 1050–1107)

From his Explanation of the Gospel of Mark, as preserved in the Catena Aurea on Mark. Public domain.

On why Christ now turns toward the country of the Gentiles:

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.

On why He came in secret:

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.

On the children, the bread, and why He delays His grace:

He calls the Gentiles dogs, as being thought wicked by the Jews; and He means by bread, the benefit which the Lord promised to the children, that is, to the Jews. ... The reason, therefore, why the Lord does not immediately hear, but delays His grace, is, that He may also shew that the faith of the woman was firm, and that we may learn not at once to grow weary in prayer, but to continue earnest till we obtain.

On the soul that, falling into sin, is healed by humble confession:

The soul of each of us also, when he falls into sin, becomes a woman; and this soul has a daughter who is sick, that is, evil actions; this daughter again has a devil, for evil actions arise from devils. ... if however in humility, knowing ourselves to be dogs, we confess our sins, then the daughter, that is, our evil life, shall be healed.

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Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Sermons on the New Testament, Sermon 27 (on Matthew 15:21) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 6. Public domain. Full text: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/160327.htm

On the woman as a lesson in humility:

This woman of Canaan, who has just now been brought before us in the lesson of the Gospel, shows us an example of humility, and the way of godliness; shows us how to rise from humility unto exaltation.

On why He seemed not to hear her:

So then, as being eager to obtain mercy she cried out, and boldly knocked; and He made as though He heard her not, not to the end that mercy might be refused her, but that her desire might be enkindled; and not only that her desire might be enkindled, but that, as I have said before, her humility might be set forth.

On her confession of herself as a dog, and His answer:

The Lord had called her a dog; and she did not say, I am not, but she said, I am. And because she acknowledged herself to be a dog, immediately the Lord said, Woman, great is your faith; be it unto you even as you have asked. You have acknowledged yourself to be a dog, I now acknowledge you to be of human kind.

On the woman as a figure of the Church, and on the grafting of the Gentiles:

See, Brethren, how in this woman who was a Canaanite, that is, who came from among the Gentiles, and was a type, that is a figure, of the Church, the grace of humility has been eminently set before us.

The natural branches shall be broken off, that the wild olive tree may be grafted in. Now why did the natural branches deserve to be cut off, except for pride? Why the wild olive tree to be grafted in, except for humility? Whence also that woman said, Truth, Lord, yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. And thereupon she hears, O woman, great is your faith... The wild olive tree is the people of the Gentiles... Because of pride they were broken off: and the wild olive tree grafted in because of humility. This humility did the woman show forth.

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St. Bede the Venerable (c. 672–735)

From his Commentary on Mark, as preserved in the Catena Aurea on Mark. Public domain.

On the order of salvation, the Jews first and then the Gentiles:

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.

On shrinking from the praise of men in the working of miracles:

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.

On the faith of the mother and the baptism of infants:

On account then of the humble and faithful saying of her mother, the devil left the daughter; here is given a precedent for catechising and baptizing infants, seeing that by the faith and the confession of the parents, infants are freed in baptism from the devil, though they can neither have knowledge in themselves, or do either good or evil.