Who was the woman of Canaan who cried out to Jesus for mercy?
She was a Gentile woman from the border region of Tyre and Sidon. She cried to Jesus, calling Him Lord and Son of David, asking mercy because her daughter was grievously vexed by a demon. Jesus initially answered her not a word, since His ministry was only to Israel, and His disciples urged Him to send her away.
Les explains that this woman was a Gentile, a Canaanite, who came out of the same border area as the two Gentile cities, Tyre and Sidon. She cried to Jesus, saying, “Have mercy on me, O LORD, thou Son of David,” because her daughter was grievously vexed with a demon. Les notes that Jesus answered her not a word, which implies He ignored her because she was a Gentile and He had a ministry only to the nation of Israel. The disciples begged Him to send her away because she kept crying after them, probably making a nuisance of herself for several days. Jesus then told the twelve that He was not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel, confirming His ministry was to the Jew.
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.