me, within the circle of the blessings which God, the Great
Householder, is ever dispensing to His family. We also belong to His
household, though we occupy but the lowest place therein.'"

The Dummelow _Commentary_, on Matt. 15:26, reads in part as follows:
"The rabbis often spoke of the Gentiles as dogs, e.g. 'He who eats with
an idolater is like one who eats with a dog.' ... 'The nations of the
world are compared to dogs.' 'The holy convocation belongs to you, not
to the dogs.' Yet Jesus in adopting the contemptuous expression slightly
softens it. He says not 'dogs,' but 'little dogs,' i.e. household,
favorite, dogs; and the woman cleverly catches at the expression,
arguing that if the Gentiles are household dogs, then it is only right
that they should be fed with the crumbs that fall from their masters'
table." Edersheim, referring to the original text, says: "The term means
'little dogs,' or 'house dogs.'"

5. Decapolis.--The name means "the ten cities," and was applied to a
region of indefinite boundaries lying mostly on the east of Jordan and
southerly from the sea of Galilee. Scythopolis, which Josephus (Wars of
the Jews, iii, 9:7) refers to as the largest of the ten cities, was on
the west side of the river. There is lack of agreement among historians
as to the cities comprized under the name. Biblical mention (Matt. 4:25;
Mark 5:20; 7:31) implies a general region rather than a definite area.

6. The Coasts of Caesarea Philippi.--The term "coast" as it appears in
the Bible (authorized, or King James version), is used to connote
boundary, limit, or border, and not distinctively a seashore. (For
examples see Exo. 10:4, 14, 19; Josh. 15:1, 4; Judg. 11:20; Matt. 2:16,
etc.) It is applied therefore to inland areas, and frequently occurs as
indicating a vicinity or neighborhood.

Caesarea Philippi, a town located, as stated in the text, near Mount
Hermon at the source of the Jordan, had been enlarged and beautified by
Philip the tetrarch, and by him was named Caesarea in honor of the Roman
emperor. It was called Caesarea Philippi to distinguish it from the
already existing Caesarea, which was situated on the Mediterranean shore
of Samaria, and which in later literature came to be known as Caesarea
Palestina. Caesarea Philippi is believed to be identical with the ancient
Baal Gad (Josh. 11:17) and Baal Hermon (Judg. 3:3). It was known as a
place of idolatrous worship, and while under Greek sovereignty was
called Pa