But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came to him and asked him, saying, Dismiss her, for she cries after us.

And he did not answer her a word; and his disciples having come to him, were asking him, saying, 'Let her away, because she crieth after us;'

But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and sought him, saying, Send her away; for she cries after us.

But He answered her not a word. Then the disciples interposed, and begged Him, saying, "Send her away because she keeps crying behind us."

But he gave her no answer. And his disciples came and said to him, Send her away, for she is crying after us.

But he did not answer her a word. His disciples came and begged him, saying, 'Send her away; for she cries after us.'

He did not say a word to her. And his disciples, drawing near, petitioned him, saying: "Dismiss her, for she is crying out after us."

But Jesus did not answer her a word; and his disciples came up and begged him to send her away. "She keeps calling out after us," they said.

But he made no reply to her. In various ways the Evangelists bestow commendation on the faith of this woman. Here they bring before us her unshaken constancy; for the silence of Christ was a sort of refusal, and there is reason to wonder that she was not cast down by this trial, but her continuance in prayer was a proof of her perseverance. This appears, however, to be inconsistent with the nature of faith and of calling upon God, as it is described by Paul, who assures us that no man can pray aright till he has heard the word of God. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? (Romans 10:14.) Who then will say that this woman had faith, who takes courage from her own feelings, though Christ is silent? But as Christ has two ways of speaking and of being silent, it must be observed, that though he withheld at that time the words of his mouth, yet he spoke within to the mind of the woman, and so this secret inspiration was a substitute for the outward preaching. Besides, her prayer arose out of the hearing of faith, (Romans 10:17;) and, therefore, though Christ does not immediately reply, she continually hears the sound of that doctrine [1] which she had already learned, that Christ came as a Redeemer. In this way the Lord often acts towards those who believe in him; he speaks to them, and yet is silent. Relying on the testimonies of Scripture, where they hear him speaking, they firmly believe that he will be gracious to them; and yet he does not immediately reply to their wishes and prayers, but, on the contrary, seems as if he did not hear. We see then that the design of Christ's silence was not to extinguish the woman's faith, but rather to whet her zeal and inflame her ardor. But if a small seed of doctrine in a woman of Canaan yielded such abundant fruit, it ill becomes us to be dejected, if at any time he delays and does not immediately grant a favorable answer. Send her away. The disciples present no request in favor of the woman, but as they are annoyed by her importunity, they desire that, in some way or other, she may be dismissed. It is a childish contrivance, which the Papists have endeavored to support by means of this passage, that departed saints are allowed to plead for us; for, granting that this woman solicited the disciples to give her some favor or assistance -- which, however, cannot be proved from the passage -- still there is a wide difference between the dead and living. It must be also observed, that, if they really intended to aid her by their advocacy, they obtain nothing.

Footnotes

1 - "Toutesfois ceste doctrine ne laisse pas tousiours de retentir en son coeur;" -- "yet that doctrine does not fail to resound continually in her heart."

But he answered her not a word - This was done to test her faith, and that there might be exhibited to the apostles an example of the effect of persevering supplication.
The result shows that it was not unwillingness to aid her, or neglect of her. It was proper that the strength of her faith should be fully tried.

He answered her not a word - Seemed to take time to consider her request, and to give her the opportunity of exercising her faith, and manifesting her fervor.

(5) But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.
(5) In that Christ sometimes shuts his ears, as it were, to the prayers of his saints, he does it for his glory, and our profit.

But he answered her not a word,.... Not that he did not hear her, or that he despised either her person or petition, or that he was not moved with it; but to continue her importunity, and try her faith, and make it manifest: for like reasons the Lord does not always, and immediately, answer the requests of his people. This giving her no answer, either that he would, or would not help her, carried in it a tacit repulse of her, and a denial of assistance to her; and it seems as if she did for a while desist from her application to him, and betook herself to his disciples to plead with him for her:
and his disciples came; to the house where he was; who, it seems by this, had been elsewhere;
and besought him, saying, send her away; not in any shape, with any sort of answer, without curing her daughter, or without a promise of a cure; no, they desired she might be dismissed, with a grant of her request, to her entire satisfaction, as appears from Christ's answer: the reason they give is,
for she crieth after us; not only because she was troublesome to them, was importunate with them, and would take no denial from them: she followed them wherever they went; there was no getting rid of her: but also, because her case was so moving, was delivered in such an affecting manner, and her cries were piercing, that they could not bear them; and therefore entreat him, that he would relieve, and dismiss her.

THE WOMAN OF CANAAN AND HER DAUGHTER. (Matthew 15:21-28)
But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us--(Also see on Mark 7:26.)

He answered her not a word. He neither repelled her, nor made a favorable answer. There were reasons for hesitation, given in Matthew 15:24, on which see the comment , but there is no doubt that it was his purpose to have mercy. He delayed in order to bring out a great lesson.

He answered her not a word - He sometimes tries our faith in like manner.