The Meaning of Matthew 15:21 Explained

Matthew 15:21

KJV: Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

YLT: And Jesus having come forth thence, withdrew to the parts of Tyre and Sidon,

Darby: And Jesus, going forth from thence, went away into the parts of Tyre and Sidon;

ASV: And Jesus went out thence, and withdrew into the parts of Tyre and Sidon.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  Jesus  went  thence,  and departed  into  the coasts  of Tyre  and  Sidon. 

What does Matthew 15:21 Mean?

Study Notes

departed
the Syrophenician woman
For the first time the rejected Son of David ministers to a Gentile. It is a precursive fulfilment of Matthew 12:18 Addressed by a Gentile as Son of David, He makes no reply, for a Gentile has no claim upon Him in that character. Ephesians 2:12 . Addressing him as "Lord," she obtained an immediate answer. Romans 10:12 ; Romans 10:13
King
"The King" is one of the divine titles Psalms 10:16 and so used in the worship of the Church 1 Timothy 1:17 but Christ is never called "King of the Church." He is "King of the Jews" Matthew 2:2 and Lord and "Head of the Church" Ephesians 1:22 ; Ephesians 1:23 (See Scofield " Matthew 16:18 ") See Scofield " Hebrews 12:23 "; Matthew 16:18 ; Hebrews 12:23

Verse Meaning

Matthew used the key word "withdrew" many times (cf. Matthew 2:12; Matthew 2:22; Matthew 4:12; Matthew 12:15; Matthew 14:13). Tyre and Sidon stood on the Mediterranean coast about30,50 miles north of Galilee respectively. This was pagan Gentile territory. This was not a mission to preach the kingdom in this Gentile region. Jesus was simply getting away with His disciples for a rest.

Context Summary

Matthew 15:21-28 - The Reward Of An Outsider's Faith
A crumb from the table of our Lord can make the heart satisfied and glad. But the suppliant must take the right place and give Him His right place. This poor Gentile mother had no claim on Jesus as the son of David-He was therefore silent. It was impossible for her to come in by the door of the covenant, but His silence led her to knock at another door, and taught her to cry, Lord, help me.
There was yet another lesson for her to learn and the Lord knew that she was capable of learning it. She must realize that for the time His ministry was confined to the Chosen People, so that the Gentile claim could be recognized only incidentally. But when she was willing to take the low place under the table and ask for the children's crumbs, He put the key of His unsearchable riches into her hand, saying, "Woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt." Those who yield to God most absolutely are able to decree things! See Job 22:28; John 15:7. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 15

1  Jesus reproves the Scribes and Pharisees
7  for transgressing God's commandments through their own traditions;
10  teaches how that which goes into the mouth does not defile a man
21  He heals the daughter of the woman of Canaan,
29  and other great multitudes;
32  and with seven loaves and a few small fish feeds four thousand men

Greek Commentary for Matthew 15:21

Coasts [μέρη]
Lit., and better, as Rev., parts. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 15:21

Mark 7:24 Into the borders of Tyre and Sidon [εις τα ορια Τυρου και Σιδωνος]
The departure from Capernaum was a withdrawal from Galilee, the second of the four withdrawals from Galilee. The first had been to the region of Bethsaida Julias in the territory of Herod Philip. This is into distinctly heathen land. It was not merely the edge of Phoenicia, but into the parts of Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15:21). There was too much excitement among the people, too much bitterness among the Pharisees, too much suspicion on the part of Herod Antipas, too much dulness on the part of the disciples for Jesus to remain in Galilee. [source]
Mark 8:10 Into the parts of Dalmanutha [εις τα μερη Δαλμανουτα]
Matthew 15:39 calls it “the borders of Magadan.” Both names are unknown elsewhere, but apparently the same region of Galilee on the western side of the lake not far from Tiberias. Mark here uses “parts” (μερη — merē) in the same sense as “borders” (ορια — horia) in Mark 7:24 just as Matthew reverses it with “parts” in Matthew 15:21 and “borders” here in Matthew 15:39. Mark has here “with his disciples” (μετα των ματητων αυτου — meta tōn mathētōn autou) only implied in Matthew 15:39. [source]
Mark 9:22 Help us [boethēson hemin)]
Ingressive aorist imperative. Do it now. With touching tenderness he makes the boy‘s case his own as the Syrophoenician woman had said, “Have mercy on me” (Matthew 15:21). The leper had said: “If thou wilt” (Mark 1:40). This father says: “If thou canst.” [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 15:21 mean?

And having gone forth from there - Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre Sidon
Καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἐκεῖθεν Ἰησοῦς ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὰ μέρη Τύρου Σιδῶνος

ἐξελθὼν  having  gone  forth 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἐξέρχομαι 
Sense: to go or come forth of.
ἐκεῖθεν  from  there 
Parse: Adverb
Root: ἐκεῖθεν  
Sense: thence, from that place.
  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Ἰησοῦς  Jesus 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Ἰησοῦς  
Sense: Joshua was the famous captain of the Israelites, Moses’ successor.
ἀνεχώρησεν  withdrew 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀναχωρέω  
Sense: to go back, return.
μέρη  district 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: μέρος  
Sense: a part.
Τύρου  of  Tyre 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: Τύρος  
Sense: a Phoenician city on the Mediterranean, very ancient, large, splendid, flourishing in commerce, and powerful by land and sea.
Σιδῶνος  Sidon 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: Σιδών  
Sense: an ancient and wealthy city of Phoenicia, on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea, less than 20 miles (30 km) north of Tyre.