The woman was encouraged that Jesus had noticed her case sufficiently to remark upon it, although his words conveyed no definite hope to her mind, and she now urged her case with increased earnestness, bowing at his feet and crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.” Jesus, still apparently rejecting her entreaties, according to the unfeeling prejudice of the Jews, answered, “It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs.” This was virtually asserting that it was not just to lavish the blessings brought to the favored people of God upon strangers and aliens from Israel. This answer would have utterly discouraged a less earnest seeker. Many would have given up all further effort upon receiving such a repulse, and would have gone away feeling humiliated and abused, beyond all patience; but the woman meekly answered, “Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” {2SP 303.1}

Kvinden fattede mod, da Jesus så vidt lagde mærke til hende, at han gjorde bemærkninger angående hendes bøn, Selvom hans ord ikke bragte noget klart håb til hendes hjerte, og hun trængte nu frem mere ivrig med sin bøn. Hun kastede sig ned for hans fødder og råbte: Herre, hjælp mig!" Jesus agtede tilsyneladende endnu ikke på hendes bøn, men svarede i overensstemmelse med jødernes følelsesløse fordom: "Det er ikke smukt at tage børnenes brød og kaste det til de små hunde." (26.vers) Disse ord udtrykte ligefrem, at det ikke var rigtigt at spilde Guds velsignelser, som tilhørte hans benådede folk, på fremmede. Dette svar ville have gjort en mindre ivrig søgende helt modløs. Mange ville have ophørt med al videre anstrengelse, efter at de var blevet således bortstødte, og ville have gået bort i den tanke, at de var blevet tilsidesat og forurettet over alle grænser. Men kvinden svarede sagtmodig: "Jo Herre! thi de små hunde æder dog af de smuler, som falder fra deres herres bord." (Matt 15,27)