Baal and Ashtoreth worship of the Phonecians

The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Exorcising a Syro-Phoenecian (Part One)

Commentary by — Martin G. Collins

Matthew 15:21-28

(21) Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon. (22) And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. (23) But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. (24) But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. (25) Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. (26) But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. (27) And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. (28) Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.

  Mark 7:24-30

(24) And from thence he arose, and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon, and entered into an house, and would have no man know it: but he could not be hid. (25) For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet: (26) The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation; and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. (27) But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. (28) And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. (29) And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. (30) And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed.
King James Version

When Jesus exorcised a Syro-Phoenician woman’s daughter (Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30), it was a time of peril for Him. Herod was suspicious, and the Pharisees no longer concealed their loathing of Him, having become openly hostile toward Him. Although many of the common people were enthusiastic over His marvelous works and profound teachings, many were also deeply offended by some of His words, which exposed them as sinners.

So Jesus saw a need to seek seclusion to rest and instruct His disciples in private. Mark records, however, “But He could not be hidden.” The glory of Christ’s teaching and miracles could not be concealed in this darkened world.

The disciples’ appeal to get rid of the woman reveals their weariness of the crowd’s incessant pleas for Jesus’ intervention. Her persistent cries for her daughter’s healing were just another aggravation and too much to deal with.

As a Phoenician, the woman would likely have worshipped the mother-goddess “Ashtoreth” or “Astarte,” also known as “the Queen of heaven,” who was thought to be the giver of all life. This goddess supposedly allowed her worshippers to do all sorts of evil. This woman, then, from a background of total paganism, sought divine mercy both for herself and for her demon-possessed daughter.

Matthew’s account expresses that the daughter was badly demonized, totally insane and disabled. Her anxious mother, unable to do anything for her relief, pleads with Jesus for mercy on her and her daughter. She addresses Him as “Lord,” revealing her respect for Him as having authority and superiority. In calling Him “the Son of David,” she recognizes Him as Israel’s Messiah. She identifies herself with her daughter’s need, implying that healing her daughter would mean mercy for her, as her child’s misery was her own. No doubt, the merciful Jesus anticipated her need for Him as He had with others (John 5:6).

— Martin G. Collins

To learn more, see:
The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Exorcising a Syro-Phoenecian (Part One)

Related Topics:
Ashera; Ashtoreth; Astarte
Astarte
Exorcising a Syro-Phonecian
Miracles of Jesus Christ: Exorcism of Demons
Phonecian Religion
Queen of Heaven