In yesterday's study Jesus paved the way for Jewish believers to accept believing Gentiles as equals. To prove He practices what He preaches, in today's passage Jesus heals the daughter of a Gentile woman.
"Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet He could not keep His presence secret." (Mark 7:24) We don't know whose house Jesus stays in, but since He is in a Gentile region He does not publicly announce His presence. He doesn't march through town openly with His entourage of disciples. Jesus loves Jews and Gentiles equally, but He would simply be giving the Pharisees more fodder for the fire if it were publicly known that a Jewish rabbi like Himself was lodging among Gentiles. He has work to do in Tyre and He does not want it hindered by His enemies.
Nevertheless, word of His presence quickly spreads by word of mouth, and a woman with a desperate need comes to Him for help. "In fact, as soon as she heard about Him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at His feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter." (Mark 7:25-26) The gospel writer Matthew quotes the words the woman spoke at Jesus' feet, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly." (Matthew 15:22) What a statement of faith this is, especially coming from a first-century Gentile! She would have been brought up in a pagan religion containing a pantheon of gods, and yet we can tell from her words that she believes Jesus is both Messiah and God. Many of the religious leaders at Jerusalem, who should have recognized the identity of Jesus from the Scriptures, rejected Him. Yet this woman, whom the religious leaders would have considered an unclean heathen, recognizes Him by faith.
Jesus gives an unusual reply to her request. "'First let the children eat all they want,' He told her, 'for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs.'" (Mark 7:27) We must keep in mind that Jesus intends to help her and that His words are not meant to be cruel. In fact, I would dare to suggest His main purpose in coming to Tyre is to heal this woman's daughter. After performing this miracle we will find Him departing from the town, and that suggests to me that Jesus intentionally makes a trip to Tyre for the express purpose of healing a specific person. This is the same thing He did when going to the Gentile region to heal the man known as "Legion". This is the same thing He does when He goes through Samaria in order to meet up with the woman at the well. Jesus makes His peculiar reply because He has an audience and He wants to use this situation as an opportunity to teach the audience that He does not consider it beneath Him to associate with Gentiles. In His remark He displays the belief of the Jews of His day that Gentiles are as unclean as an unclean animal....a dog, for example. He says something like, "I've come to help the children of Israel. My ministry in Israel is not finished. Am I to take the children's bread (their instruction and healing) away from them before they are full and cast it to the dogs (the pagan Gentiles)?"
He asks this question because He knows what she will say. He asks this question because His audience needs to hear His question and her reply of faith. In one sentence she will brilliantly sum up God's intention to bring the gospel to the Gentiles and to include them in His family. "'Lord,' she replied, 'even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.'" (Mark 7:28) Because Jesus will be largely rejected by the religious leaders of Israel, and because persecution of Christians will become intense in Judea, the gospel will spread to the Gentiles. The Gentile woman understands this. I believe it has been revealed to her by the Holy Spirit. She is saying something like, "Yes, Lord, I know You have come to Your own people Israel. But just as the dogs under the table eagerly scarf up the crumbs that fall to the floor, we Gentiles will eagerly scarf up the gospel that so many of Your own people will reject."
"Then He told her, 'For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.' She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone." (Mark 7:29-30) Matthew tells us that Jesus also says, "Woman, you have great faith!" (Matthew 15:28) She has the faith to believe Jesus is Messiah and Lord. She has the faith to believe He can help her. She has so much faith that, instead of insisting Jesus come with her to the house to make certain her daughter is healed (just in case more needs to be done for her), she accepts what He says and goes home expecting to find her daughter healed. If only we all had such faith! It makes me ashamed how often I fail to possess the type of faith this woman displays. She takes Jesus at His word. She simply believes. She doesn't rationalize why she believes in Him or harbor doubts in her mind or talk herself out of going to see Him. All she knows is that she has a problem only the Lord can fix, so she does the only thing that seems sensible to her: she goes to Him.
In the chapter known as the "Hebrews Hall Of Faith", the Apostle Paul sums up for us what faith is and he reminds us that faith is the only way to please God. "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6) We have problems that only Jesus can fix. As Lord, He is able to fix them. Help us, Lord Jesus, to have more faith. Help us to take You at Your word. Make us like this Gentile woman who came to You in faith expecting to be helped. We all have problems that no one else can fix. Help us to trust You with them. Amen!
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