Here are the notes from this weekend's teaching on healing- the audio will follow shortly. FYI, if anyone wants the DVD that we played in the morning service, those are available for pick-up at the warehouse- simply come by the office anytime...
The passage for this week is Mark 7:24-30.
There are two additional texts which are helpful in studying this passage, namely Matthew’s parallel account of the same story (see Matthew 15:21f.) and Matthew’s story about the Roman Centurion’s “great faith” (see Matthew 8:5f.). In all of the Gospels, these two characters are the only two (in my recollection) that Jesus denotes as having “great faith.”
At any rate, this story starts off a bit oddly. Jesus has recently encountered the Pharisees in a round about traditions and rules and regulations and what makes people clean and unclean. He heads on towards the Syro-Phonecian area of the country (go northwest from Jersualem), for some unknown reason (to us), and is engaged by this woman. Oddly enough, these were some of the historical oppressors of Israel.
Notice that He apparently wants to rest- the Bible says that “He entered a house and did not want anyone to know” (Mark 7:24). Of course, as is the case with Jesus, “He could not be hidden” (v24b). The woman in need found him (v25).
We read a few things about her situation:
- She is a Gentile, meaning she is not of the Jewish race- not one of the “chosen people” (this is a point of which Jesus will remind her in a moment) (v26).
- Her daughter is demon-posssed (though we do not know how old the daughter is) (also in v26).
She is breaking all social norms here:
- The Mishnah (a Jewish commentary on the Law) contains a prayer that most rabbis would recite several times a day: “I thank Thee, O God, that I am not a slave, a Gentile, or a woman.” She hits 2 of 3. Indeed, Jewish men would not associate themselves with women in public (which makes Jesus’ ministry- and Paul’s- all the more stunning).
- The Syro-Phonecians in the ancient world were oppressors of the Jews. THis would not be unlike a rich white woman walking into a slave plantation and asking a black pastor- interrupting him while trying to rest- to pray for her daughter. There would obviously be some tension in the air about whether this would be acceptable or not.
Jesus’ response to her is shocking, to say the least. He says to her (see Mark 7:27), “Let the children be fed first...” This would make sense, for we know that He was first sent to the House of Israel. They are the “children” of God to whom He is referring (see also John 8:39).
He takes this statement farther, though, and notes that “it is not right to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs” (7:27b). Again, an odd expression. Understand, “Dog” was an expression used of Gentiles in that culture. So, Jesus may be saying that just as a parent would not take food from the dinner table and toss it to their pets, so also will He not take the blessing (bread: note that He is the bread of life) intended for the Jews and toss it to the Gentiles.
Let me point out that this is what we do see- non-theologically, just practically- because I believe that many people will relate to it. Two big points:
- God seems silent. Jesus has tried to hide Himself (7:24), and He has directly told her that it wouldn’t be right to take what was intended for someone else and hand it to her (v27). Make what you want of it- interpret it as a riddle or look for the deeper meaning... but, however you slice it, she had to hear the word, “No,” on some level. In Matthew’s version, it even says, “He did not answer her with a word” (Matthew 15:23). This is all the more remarkable to me when you see that she actually fell at HIs feet asking for help (see Mark 7:25). She did not approach Him disrespectfully or as an equal!!
- The people of God don’t seem to understand her plight, either. They do not seem sympathetic. In fact, Matthew also tells us that the disciples kept telling Jesus, “Send her away” (Matthew 15:23).
I find that many people who need a great miracle as this woman did (her daughter had a demon!) often feel the same thing: God doesn’t seem to be answering (Jesus was quiet!), and Jesus’ people are trying to push us away!
We know the end of the story- that the daughter does get healed. So, with that, what do we learn from this incident? There are options...
- Is this a lesson about persistent prayer, such as we see in Luke 18:1f., such that we should be like this woman and just keep pressing on, asking Jesus, even when the initial answer seems to be “no”?
- Is this a lesson about something else altogether...?
I think it may be about something else. Notice her response to Jesus: “Yes, but even the dogs under the table eat of the crumbs that fall to the floor!” (Mark 7:28). In other words, she says,
- I do not want what is intended for someone else. I am not jealous of the healing they received- and want that for me.
- I do acknowledge my position. I fall at my feet because I am not worthy to stand before you. And, no, I am not an “insider” on this faith thing.
- I do not need a major breakthrough- for you. In my mind the situation is huge, but for you... this is just a crumb of what you can do. And that is all I need. I am not worthy of it, but I just need a tiny thing of you....
The Bible records that Jesus actually heals the daughter because of this statement: “For this statement go your way,” He says, “the demon has left your daughter” (v29). Matthew says that Jesus actually adds, “Great is your faith” (Matthew 15:28). Again, she was one of the two in the Gospels that Jesus marks as having great faith.
Now, I have often read this passage focusing on the faith issue- because she acknowledges she just needs a small thing of God- and Jesus commends her faith. Other passages in the Bible point out this dichotomy, too:
- Mark 9:19, The disciples do not have faith enough to cast out a demon (even though they have done it successfully before and been given authority to do so) and Jesus asks where there faith is, and how long He will have to endure them.
- Mark 9:23, Jesus explains that all things are possible to him who believes.
- Luke 17:5-6, Jesus relays that “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed [note: the grain of a seed, not even the entire seed], you could say of this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
- Matthew 21:24, Jesus says that you could command a mountain into the sea with the same (small amount) of faith.
I actually looked at the other account of “great faith” in the Gospels, that of the Roman Centurion (Matthew 8:5-13), to see if I could find out more of what this “great faith” might be. The situation in that story is simple: a centurion approaches Jesus because his servant is paralyzed, “suffering greatly” (Matthew 8:6). Jesus tells him that He will go with him and heal the man, to which the centurion replies, “I am not worthy for you to come under my roof” (8:8- remember the rule about Gentiles and Jesus being a rabbi, and this man being a battle-laden man whose group, the Romans, is oppressing the Jews). He adds, “You can simply say the word and it will be done” (v8). And, he clarifies, “I, too, am a man under authority- I say to one soldier to do this and he obeys... and to another, that... and he obeys...” (v9).
Jesus the marvels at this man’s faith, too, and tells him to go his way, that his servant is healed (v10), noting that He has not found this great of faith in all of Israel!
Now, when I read this story in the past, I often took it as “this man recognizes authority and that’s why Jesus says he has great faith.” The man simply understood that because he had “Rome” behind him, he could tell a soldier to march down the battle line and he would- because he had the force of the state by virtue of his position. The same, the centurion saw, was true of Jesus: He had the force of God behind Him and could command things to happen, and they would...
But there are problems in trying to link these stories together that way and make a “clear cut” explanation as to what “great faith” is.
First, there are so many differences:
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Syro-Phonecian Woman
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Roman Centurion
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Mark 7:24f, Matthew 15:21f
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Matthew 8:5f
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She is a woman
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He is a man
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She is a home-maker, with no authority.
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He is in a respected position and has authority.
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She is likely in a low cultural/ social position- note that she comes to Jesus not her husband, not a brother, etc.
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He is in a respected position, socially, culturally...
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The disciples shun her and wants Jesus to run her off (see Matthew 15:23, specifically).
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No word on what the disciples did. Jesus hung out and talked to the man, though.
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Jesus was trying to hide Himself (Mark 7:24) and did not answer her with one word (Matthew 15:23). God seems silent.
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Jesus talks to the man, even expounding upon theological themes, as we will see in a moment.
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Jesus hides (Mark 7:24), and then gives her the spill on not giving bread to the dogs.
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Jesus offers to go to the man’s house and heal the servant (Matthew 8:7).
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It is the woman’s daughter- and she is demon-possessed. This would seem to be a closer relationship and a more important (even eternally-weighted) issue (Mark 7:25).
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It is the man’s servant, and he is paralyzed. This is a physical issue, it seems- and not of a relative (Matthew 8:6).
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Jesus points out to her that she doesn’t belong at the table- she reminds Him that she could be one of those dogs (Mark 7:28) under the table. He tells her that He was “only” sent to the lost sheep of the House of Israel (see Matthew 15:24).
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Jesus points out to him that in the future all sorts of Gentiles will dine with Abraham and Isaac, etc., and that many of the “children” of the Kingdom will be gnashing their teeth (see Matthew 15:11-12).
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On the other hand, the similarities in the story are simple:
- Both feel unworthy to have Jesus come to them:
- She falls at His feet and begs (Mark 7:25), and asks for a crumb (7:28), even acknowledging her position as clearly “not” being one of the chosen people.
- He notes that he is unworthy for Jesus to come under his roof (Matthew 8:8).
- Both involve the healing of a “long distance” miracle. Jesus is not physically present with the person being healed- He simply offers the command the evidence comes into fruition (Mark 7:28: Matthew 8:13).
- Neither of them are Jewish- and do not come under the Law. This means that they do not disqualify themselves based on their failure to keep the Law, nor do they pride themselves in having obeyed it perfectly- they simply come to Jesus humbly- and boldly- asking for what they need, knowing that His mercy (and that is their only plea) is capable.
Note that the final point above is important. If we look at Christ based on the Law, then you and I will feel one of the following, as mentioned above:
- Pride- we deserve for God to bless us, we believe, because of our actions and behaviors, or
- Fear- we realize that we do not deserve for God to bless us precisely because of the same actions or behaviors.
We do not see either trap happening in these stories. They boldly approach, but do so with humility:
- “I am not worthy,” he says (Matthew 8:8), and
- “Just a crumb...” she mentions, falling at His feet and acknowledging her place “(Mark 7:28, Matthew 15:29).
And, both of these people are like us. They are Gentile, and they are going to see Jesus do something long-distance.
My thought is that the story is not about “faith” so much as it is about bold, but humble dependence upon God- the type that says, “I am not worthy... I have done nothing to deserve your blessing... but you are my only hope.”
Our reliance upon grace and mercy in this way is precisely, I believe, what God sees as faith- it is a trusting in Him, in that there is no other hope and no other option for us. In fact, one pastor has termed it this way: “What we see as grace, God sees as faith” (Joseph Prince).
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Questions to consider:
What is our faith really in? Is it faith in “faith” itself?
What does it mean that Jesus is the author and completer (read: finisher) of our faith, according to Hebrews 12:12)? Does this mean that our “faith” can be lacking, so long as we simply lean on God’s mercy? Can we trust Jesus to complete what we do not have, in the same way that the man exclaimed, “I believe, help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24)?
It will be easier to lean on mercy when you “settle” the love issue, that God loves you and his for you, that He is not inflicting you or your child or another loved one with an illness, sickness, or a demon because of something you have done. Consider the verses:
- Romans 8:28f.
- Colossians 1:12- and note that you are “qualified” to share in the riches of His kingdom. Often, we try to disqualify ourselves, when He declares that we are, indeed, qualified.
Where has God seemed silent in your life?
Where have the people of God missed it- and perhaps pushed you away...?
What about this teaching surprises you?
What is freeing to you about what you have learned?
What do you need to pray for, that you perhaps gave up on? What do you need to start praying for, that perhaps you were afraid to start praying about?
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