David Bahn – Reflections

Mark 7:25-26

 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. ²⁶ Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.

Some dog owners teach their dogs to beg. Our son’s dogs would not only beg, they would also even dance, turning circles on their hind paws in anticipation of the treat that was promised. Is this what Jesus is doing here? Is this some sort of human trick for the enjoyment of the master? There is a certain invitation and challenge going on here in this encounter between Jesus and this Syrophoenician woman. But this is no silly human trick.

Jesus is not simply trying to amuse himself on this occasion. He never treaded people simply as objects of amusement. There is another issue at play here. First of all this is a gentile with whom Jesus is speaking. Secondly this gentile is a woman. Thirdly she is asking for help for a young child – a girl. There is a prayer from the Babylonian Talmud that states: “Thank God I’m not a Goy [Gentile], a slave or a woman!” A child’s status was little higher than a slave for many in Jesus’ day. So she would have been the lowest of the low according to this prayer.

Is Jesus embracing this social order and dehumanizing value system? Does he consider her to be little better than a dog? If not, what is he doing here? Perhaps there was an element of brashness and even entitlement on her part in coming to Jesus so boldly. Maybe she was not humble, even as she begged. But we have no clue of her moties other than that she was not easily turned aside in her quest for Jesus’ help.

When urgent need is connected with singular focus and well-founded faith, miracles may ensue. Whatever else we see here, and however you might take Jesus’ initial rebuff, the result of this woman’s attitude and Jesus’ miraculous power is a healed daughter. This is not mere amusement. It’s not even simply amazing. This is the miraculous and gracious work of God.  He honors faith and gives grace to the humble.

Mark 7:24-30

And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. ²⁵ But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. ²⁶ Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. ²⁷ And he said to her,“Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁸ But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” ²⁹ And he said to her,“For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” ³⁰ And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.