Gentile Territory (Mark 7:24-37)

Intro

In Mark 7:24-37 Jesus heads into Gentile territory for the third time, probably seeking rest. Instead he interacts with two desperate people in need.

• (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) This incident seems to follow naturally the preceding incidents in which Jesus breaks with the Jewish oral law and particularly the law of ceremonial cleanness. Jews normally had no relationship with Gentiles because associations with them made them ritually unclean. Jesus now shows by example that those oral laws are invalid and deliberately associates himself with a Gentile woman. Mark also wants to emphasize the mission to the Gentiles. The Gospel of the kingdom is not limited to Israel, even though historically it came to her first (cf. v.27); the good news is for Mark’s Gentile readers as it was for the Syrophoenician woman.
  • Jesus had just blown their minds arguing that what goes into a man’s stomach didn’t make him unclean.  Now, he’s going into gentile territory, staying in a gentile home – This would have made him unclean according to tradition.  We can assume he is in a Gentile home because they allow a gentile woman to enter. He not only is wiping out the distinction between clean and unclean foods, but also clean and unclean people. 
  • This still has to be hard for the disciples to wrap their minds around.  They had been taught their whole lives not to associate with gentiles.  They avoided going into gentile areas.  Jesus is now intentionally going into gentile areas and is interacting with them. I believe part of what we’re going to see in these miracles is Jesus is continuing to use them to teach his disciples. 

1. How far away do you feel from God?

• Some of you feel unworthy, too far for him to reach…
• On the other end of the spectrum are those who think they are close, secretly judging the unworthy ones
• Today’s text has something for everyone…

Historical context for this section; Tyre and Sidon, Jews vs. Gentiles

• • (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) This is the first of three events Mark recorded from Jesus’ third excursion beyond the borders of Galilee (for the three excursions see Mark 4:35; 5:20; 6:32-52; 7:24-8:10).

Out of Bounds

A Syrophonecian woman begs Jesus to heal her daughter, and his response seems offensive to modern ears. Jesus’ mission was to the Jews; Gentile territory was out of bounds. Mark 7:24-27

Mark 7:24-27 (NLT) Then Jesus left Galilee and went north to the region of Tyre. He didn’t want anyone to know which house he was staying in, but he couldn’t keep it a secret. Right away a woman who had heard about him came and fell at his feet. Her little girl was possessed by an evil spirit, and she begged him to cast out the demon from her daughter.

Since she was a Gentile, born in Syrian Phoenicia, Jesus told her, “First I should feed the children—my own family, the Jews. It isn’t right to take food from the children and throw it to the dogs.”

• He was trying to keep it a secret.  It could be he was looking for rest.  He also knew it would give the Jewish religious leaders more ammunition against him and fan the flames of their hatred if they knew he was staying in a gentile home. 
• When Jesus is truly present, you can’t keep it a secret.
• (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) Mark stressed the woman’s non-Jewish identity: she was a Greek, not from Greece, but a Gentile by culture and religion. She was a Syrophoenician born in Phoenicia, part of the province of Syria. Matthew called her a “Canaanite woman” (Matt. 15:22).
• Why would Jesus say this? Offensive?
  • (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) the dogs (lit., “little dogs,” house pets, not outdoor scavengers) represented the Gentiles (not in a derogatory sense here).
  • (New Bible Commentary) In his answer (27) Jesus was probably quoting a popular proverb, and was therefore not being as harsh as it sounds.
  • Explain mission of Jesus to Jews first (offensive?)
    • Acts 1 game plan
  • Jesus said, “First” He is indicating an order.  He’s not saying he didn’t come for gentiles, but he came for the Jews first.  That has been God’s order.  He chose Israel, but even in Old Testament there were provisions for foreigners. God told Abraham, “All nations will be blessed because of you.”  The intention was always to bring salvation to both Jews and gentiles, but it came to the Jewish people first.  
  • If that gives you heartburn, remember God is God and we’re not.  His ways are above our ways.  His thoughts above our thoughts. 
  • Jews called gentiles dogs in a very derogatory way, when spoken of a woman it meant a shameful, audacious woman – a bitXX. Jesus didn’t use that term.  He softened it.  
• Exodus 22:31 (NLT) “You must be my holy people. Therefore, do not eat any animal that has been torn up and killed by wild animals. Throw it to the dogs.”

Dog Scraps

The woman’s reply pleasantly surprises Jesus, humbly asking for nothing more than dog scraps. Jesus heals from a distance – the only such miracle in the gospel of Mark. Mark 7:28-30

Mark 7:28-30 (NLT) She replied, “That’s true, Lord, but even the dogs under the table are allowed to eat the scraps from the children’s plates.” “Good answer!” he said. “Now go home, for the demon has left your daughter.” And when she arrived home, she found her little girl lying quietly in bed, and the demon was gone.

• She still addresses Jesus as Lord even after being turned down.  This shows her humility.  She doesn’t question the order.  She doesn’t respond by saying, “How dare you call me a little dog!” She doesn’t whine and say , “That’s not fair.”  She is willing to take the scraps.  She recognizes that even the scraps from Jesus are better than anything the world has to offer. 
• She obeyed when Jesus told her to go home.  She didn’t question, “How do I know she’s better? Don’t you need to go with me to hear her?” Her faith is much like that of the Roman centurion who told Jesus he wasn’t worthy to have him come to his home, but just give the order and his servant would be healed. 
• What kind of impact did this have on the disciples? To see gentiles express such faith when so many of the Jewish people, particularly the leaders, didn’t believe Jesus was who he said he was. These healings weren’t based on the ancestry of those coming to Jesus, but simply on their faith and Jesus’ grace and mercy. 
• How do you handle offensive sayings of Jesus?
  • I am the way, the truth, and the life – no one comes to the father except through me. 
  • For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh.  Therefore what God has joined together let no one separate. 
  • Forgive others as you have been forgiven by your Father in heaven 
  • Romans 11:18 (NLT) But you must not brag about being grafted in to replace the branches that were broken off. You are just a branch, not the root.
• (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) (this is the only instance of healing at a distance found in Mark’s gospel)
• Humility
• Desperation drives people to seek help. 

Romans 1:16 (ESV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

The Fringe

Jesus heads back to the Decapolis and heals a man with hearing loss and a speech impediment. This man represents those on the fringe; we don’t know whether he’s a Jew or a Gentile. Mark 7:31-37, Isaiah 35:5-6

Mark 7:31-35 (NLT) Jesus left Tyre and went up to Sidon before going back to the Sea of Galilee and the region of the Ten Towns. A deaf man with a speech impediment was brought to him, and the people begged Jesus to lay his hands on the man to heal him. Jesus led him away from the crowd so they could be alone. He put his fingers into the man’s ears. Then, spitting on his own fingers, he touched the man’s tongue. Looking up to heaven, he sighed and said, “Ephphatha,” which means, “Be opened!” Instantly the man could hear perfectly, and his tongue was freed so he could speak plainly!

• (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) This miracle is recorded only by Mark. It concludes a narrative cycle, 6:32-7:37, with the people’s confession about Jesus (7:37). This event prefigured the opening of the disciples’ “ears” (cf. 8:18, 27-30). A second narrative cycle begins in 8:1 and climaxes in the disciples’ confession (8:27-30).
• (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The Decapolis (see comment on 5:20) was largely Gentile, but many Jews also lived there.
  • (Zondervan Bible Commentary (1 Vol.)) The man in question, though living in a Gentile district, was probably Jewish, for Jesus addressed him when healing him in Aramaic.
• (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) (mogilalon, “speaking with difficulty”). This rare word occurs only here and in the Septuagint of Isaiah 35:6
  • Isaiah 35:6 (NLT) The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland.
• (IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition) Some scholars point out that magicians often spoke unintelligible phrases during healings. Here, however, Jesus speaks *Aramaic, which would have been known to most people, Jewish or *Gentile, from Syria-Palestine (cf. also Mk 14:36). It was probably particularly common in the villages and rural areas.
• (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) Jesus’ sigh should be seen as something that accompanied his inner communion with the Father. Jesus’ prayer consisted of only a single word–Ephphatha (an Aramaic word that Mark, as usual, explains).
• (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) In healing this man, Jesus used sign language and symbolic acts (which Mark did not explain) that uniquely suited the man’s needs and caused him to exercise faith.
  • (New Bible Commentary) Looking up to heaven and sighing were visible pictures of prayer that a deaf and dumb man could understand.
• (Zondervan Bible Commentary (1 Vol.)) Jesus then commanded the man’s ears to be opened. He did not command also that his tongue be released, realizing that his difficulty in speaking was simply a secondary consequence of his inability to hear.
  • (Bible Knowledge Commentary (2 Vols.)) Defective speech usually results from defective hearing, both physically and spiritually.
• Not sure which is grosser, that Jesus got this man’s ear wax on his fingers or that he put his saliva on the man’s tongue.  
• Both healings were brought about because of intercession – the mother came for her daughter, the crowd brought the deaf man to Jesus. Who are you interceding for? 

Close

This section of scripture teaches us that sometimes the people furthest from God end up having the greatest faith.

How far away do you feel from God?

• Some of you feel unworthy, too far for him to reach…
• On the other end of the spectrum are those who think they are close, secretly judging the unworthy ones
• Today’s text has something for everyone…

Mark 7:36-37 (NLT) Jesus told the crowd not to tell anyone, but the more he told them not to, the more they spread the news. They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.”

• (Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Abridged Edition (2 Volumes)) The statement “he has done everything well” reminds us of Ge 1:31: “God saw all that he made, and it was very good”; Mark goes on again to remind us of the messianic significance of this miracle by words that reflect Isa 35:5-6. Undoubtedly for Mark the significance of this miracle was the proclamation of the Gospel in the territory of the Gentiles, a sign of the messianic activity of Jesus.