Mark 7:24-37 | Session 28 | Mark Rightly Divided
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Mark 7:24-30 | The Syrophenician Woman
Verse 24 -
Tyre and Sidon are ancient Phoenician cities located in the modern country of Lebanon, on the Mediterranean coast. They are to the northwest of the Sea of Galilee region where Jesus had been previously. The journey from the Sea of Galilee region to Tyre and Sidon would have been significant, possibly taking several days on foot.
Many commentaries likely note that this journey to Gentile territory represented a clear expansion of Jesus' ministry beyond Jewish territories. However, I think the text does not say what the commentaries insist it says. First, the text does not require that Jesus cross the “border” into Tyre and Sidon. The phrase “borders of Tyre and Sidon” refers to the border region, and Jesus could have clearly been on the Jewish side of the territory.
Secondly, even if Jesus did cross over (which is doubtful), it is written that He "entered into a house, and would have no man know it." It would be challenging to interpret this as Jesus reaching out to Gentiles.
From this point in the Book of Mark through chapter 8, Jesus seeks seclusion. The political climate is becoming tense and it isn't the right time for His death. Given these circumstances, it's perfectly understandable that Jesus would want to withdraw from the crowds and find a more secluded place. Yet, given Jesus's degree of fame, "he could not be hid.”
Verses 25-26 -
Mark introduces a woman whose "young daughter had an unclean spirit" (v. 25), implying that the spiritual battles within Jewish territories also affected non-Jewish families. The woman was "a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation" (v. 26). It's unclear whether she lived on the Tyre/Sidon side or the Jewish side of the border. These borders were probably more porous than many contemporary national borders, as they functioned more like today's state borders. One could easily cross from one side to the other without much consideration. However, from the context, it's clear she was a Gentile.
The woman had heard of Jesus (v. 25), and was presumably aware of His power over demonic forces. Naturally, she sought any help she could find, and it appears that anyone would want to assist her given her plight.
Verse 27 -
The woman's wish for her daughter's demon to be cast out and her health to be restored was met with a surprising response from Jesus. Firstly, he implied that she was a 'dog', a second-class being. Even if Jesus meant this as a comparison, the negative connotation is hard to avoid. In the ancient Middle East, dogs were seen as lowly and dirty animals. For instance, consider Goliath's reaction to David's approach: "Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves?" (1 Samuel 17:43 KJV).
Secondly, Jesus' response raises the question of whether his healing power or authority over demons is finite. If he were to heal the girl, would he then be unable to care for the Jewish nation? His healing power, unlike the bread in his illustration, surely isn't in limited supply.
The most probable interpretation is that Jesus used the response to test the woman's faith and determination. It seems unlikely that Jesus would belittle the woman merely due to her Gentile status, even considering his role as "a minister to the circumcision" (Rom. 15:8). Jesus is depicted as a figure of unconditional love and acceptance. In John 13:34, Jesus instructs his disciples to "love one another, as I have loved you." He offers forgiveness to the adulterous woman, shows compassion to the rich young ruler, demonstrates mercy to the criminal on the cross, heals the lepers, and welcomes children. Could this be the only exception to his kindness, or is it a test? While Jesus does overturn the tables of the money changers in the temple (Matthew 21:12-13) and harshly criticizes religious leaders, calling them "whitewashed tombs" (Matthew 23:27), this is the only instance where those seeking his help are sharply rebuffed.
A similar example could be the rich young ruler who asks, "Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?" (Matthew 19:16). Jesus responds, “Why callest thou me good?” (Matt. 19:17). In both scenarios, it appears that Jesus is assessing the sincerity of the individual approaching him.
Verse 28 -
This heartfelt response showcases the woman's faith, wisdom, and profound love for her daughter, likely her strongest driving force. When faced with desperate situations, pride often takes a backseat. The woman firmly believes in Jesus' ability to heal her daughter. She accepts without argument that the bread is for the children, and she is not among them. She does not react negatively to being implied as a dog. Instead, she calmly reminds that "dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs.”
This story bears some resemblance to the account of Naaman the Syrian, as recorded in 2 Kings 5. Naaman, a commander of the army of the king of Syria, was told by the prophet Elisha to bathe in the Jordan river to be healed of his leprosy. Despite his initial reluctance, Naaman eventually humbled himself, bathed in the Jordan as instructed, and was healed. Both stories involve individuals from outside the Jewish community receiving blessings through faith and humility.
Verses 29-30 -
The Lord declared her daughter healed. His healing action was based on "this saying," confirming the woman's faith and the Lord's acceptance of it. There are only two other instances where Jesus performed a "long-distance" healing: the healing of the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10) and the healing of the official's son (John 4:46-54). This is the only instance of a long-distance exorcism.
Mark 7:31-37 | Jesus Restored Speech and Hearing
Verse 31 -
Jesus took a rather circuitous route to get to the Decapolis, which is primarily situated on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. This trip would have, at the very least, involved a journey to the south of Galilee in the Beit Shean region. Alternatively, it could have possibly involved an extensive journey north before heading south to the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee. This indirect route highlights the strategic and intentional movements of Jesus during His ministry. He is not in a hurry to get anywhere. He has entered a time of avoiding crowds.
It's worth noting that the Decapolis region wasn't necessarily Gentile, especially in "the coasts of Decapolis." The religious affiliation of the man we're about to encounter isn't specified. This lack of detail suggests that he may be more likely to be Jewish.
Verse 32 -
In every location he visited, the sick, diseased, demon-possessed, and deformed were brought to Jesus for healing. The man we are now introduced to "was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech". Although we might immediately assume the speech impediment was due to his hearing loss, verse 35 suggests otherwise.
As noted previously, we see again the necessity of touch. It seems almost impossible to argue that the incarnation didn't involve a healing chemistry of some kind in Jesus' physical body.
Verse 33 -
The actions that Jesus takes in verse 33 are curious under any circumstances, but they become even more intriguing when we consider the case of the Syrophenician woman's daughter who was relieved of the demon at a distance. If Jesus possesses the ability to cast out demons remotely, wouldn't it be feasible for Him to heal this man without resorting to such unorthodox methods? This contrast raises questions about the nature of Jesus' healing power and the reasons behind His varying approaches to different situations. There are at least two other occasions where Jesus resorted to curious methods of healing.
In John 9:6, Jesus spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva. He then anointed the eyes of a blind man with the clay and told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. After doing so, the man could see.
In Mark 8:23-25, Jesus healed a blind man at Bethsaida in two stages. He first put saliva on the man's eyes and laid hands on him. Initially, the man saw people as trees walking. After Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes again, his sight was fully restored.
Verses 34-35 -
In addition to the physical activity, Jesus gave a spiritual command, "Ephphatha," which is translated as "Be opened." It is interesting to note that both here and in Mark 5:41 Jesus spoke in Aramaic for healing. Aramaic is to Hebrew what Castilian is to Spanish - largely the same, except for subtle differences in regional and time-period dialect.
In verse 35 we read that “the string of his tongue was loosed.” Whether this is physical or metaphorical is debatable. But in either case the man was instantly healed.
Verses 36-37 -
Despite the miraculous healing, Jesus strictly ordered the crowd not to tell anyone about it. This was likely a futile request, given the awe-inspiring nature of the miracle that had just occurred. This request for silence is not unique in the Gospel of Mark. On several occasions, Jesus makes similar requests to those he healed or to the witnesses of his miracles.
In Mark 1:40-45, after healing a man with leprosy, Jesus sent him away with a stern warning not to tell anyone about his healing.
In Mark 5:43, following the raising of Jairus's daughter from the dead, Jesus gave strict orders not to let anyone know about it.
In Mark 8:30, after Peter's confession that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus warned the disciples not to tell anyone about him.
