Jesus’ willingness to talk with and help [the Canaanite woman of this week’s Gospel] is proof of His rejection of certain rabbinic teachings concerning discourse with women and the uncleanness of Gentiles. […] In Mark, the woman’s trust is indicated by the fact that she believes Jesus when He says her daughter is healed, and leaves in full confidence. Matthew makes explicit what is implicit in Mark, O woman, great is your faith. Only one other in the Synoptic tradition is praised in these terms, again a non-Jew (Mt 8.5-13, Lk 7.1-10). This woman serves as an example to the Evangelists’ audiences. In Matthew her great faith contrasts with the disciples’ great annoyance with her persistent pleading. How surprised Matthew’s audience must have been to hear this Gentile woman’s faith called great, when a characteristic description of Jesus’ own disciples in that Gospel is that they have little faith.
--Ben Witherington III, Women in the Ministry of Jesus
Image source: Jesus Exorcising the Canaanite Woman’s Daughter, from the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry, 15th c., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exorcism_of_the_Syrophoenician_woman%27s_daughter#/media/File:Folio_164r_-_The_Canaanite_Woman.jpg
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