2001, The Banner of Truth Trust, 406 pp., pbk.

One of the strangest encounters Christ had was his conversation with the Gentile woman who sought healing for her daughter. The event is recorded in Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30. Christ's response to her request "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel" (v. 24) leads to her response that manifested great faith rooted in her heart. Christians may wonder why Christ responded to the woman as he did.

Samuel Rutherford, the noted Scottish pastor and commissioner to the Westminster Assembly preached twenty-seven sermons on this incident. In the style of so many Puritans of that day, he breaks down the text and takes the readers through it. Each sermon is full of scripture drawn from elsewhere in the Bible. Rutherford thus lays line upon line to show that the points he makes are consistent throughout the Bible. This approach allows Rutherford to examine Christ's character and reasons for His response, as well as the Gentile's persevering faith and pursuit of Christ's ministry. Rutherford takes time to answer objections that he believes could be made to the biblical truth he is unfolding.

Rutherford published these sermons at a time when Scottish Presbyterians had felt the persecuting hand of the supporters of Charles I. A civil war was then (1645) raging in the British Isles. No doubt his congregation and many others wondered why God was allowing these events to occur. We live in a day also when God continues to move in mysterious ways in our nation and beyond. Rutherford's focus on Christ's character and covenant will be an encouragement to readers who are resting in Christ. The Gentile's response in the midst of perplexity in the action of worship and in continued prayer is a needed reminder to God's people in any day or age. This is especially important when God does not seem to be answering our prayers as we wish.

Rutherford devotes many pages to the explanation of what real Christian faith is. Among other truths, he stresses that faith rests in Christ, not in our thinking what Christ should do for us. Faith rests in Christ Who does all things well, not in the multitude of our pleadings, or the time frame in which we believer He should act.

This book provides great encouragement to readers. It reminds us to perseveringly pray and constantly remember that we have a Savior Who loved us before we ever loved Him and Who always provides what is good for us even in the midst of testing. The book will be particularly enjoyable to those who enjoy the fruit of Puritan thought and those who desire to work slowly through this text and mine many of the riches found therein.

©2010 Byron Snapp, Hampton,Virginia