Fourteenth Sunday of Pentecost |
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Scripture |
Mark 7:24-37 24 From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre . He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, 25 but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. 26 Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go--the demon has left your daughter.” 30 So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre , and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee , in the region of the Decapolis . 32 They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
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Devotional |
Jesus sets out to a place where he was not known, all the time keeping his location secret. Shortly on arriving in the territory, Jesus is confronted by a Gentile woman. Culturally this was unacceptable conduct. Reacting like any typical Jewish male, Jesus uses words that shock us: “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” Having gotten farther than most Gentile women would- an answer from a Jewish man, she pushes her luck. “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Jesus re-evaluates his response, “For saying that, you may go – the demon has left your daughter.” Did the Syrophoenician woman argument cause Jesus to recognize his privileged position and re-evaluate it? What privileges do we have in our life? What is our response to someone who does not share our privileged position? Do we respond in anger or contempt when someone challenges our actions or beliefs? Her unconventional behavior, which initially draws the dominant male’s wrath, by its increasingly boldness, cleverness, and basic moral correctness eventually subverts that wrath correctness eventually subverts that wrath into agreement. Jesus has already taught others that religious customs should not stand in the way of doing good for those in need(see 2:23-28; 3:1-6). Now he must be taught that social conventions should not do so either. 1 Sharon Ringe says Jesus was “caught with his compassion down.” Was this a teaching moment for Jesus? Are there people or categories of people we approach as “unclean? Are there places we will not go? Who are the people you are scared to associate with? Are we listening to people like this woman who try to convince us to act on their behalf anyway? It may be germane to recognize that whether or not early Jews had dogs as house pets, there is no evidence that they were prepared to feed them, and thus the woman here would seem to be asking for pure grace, showing that there was a way that even dogs could be fed. 2 Is this an act of pure grace? The woman achieves her desire not so much by a witty remark as by a faith that goes on beseeching the One who can help until the aid is granted. Jesus says “your daughter healed” She trusts it is so and leaves in that confidence. 3 The historical Jesus displays the action of a Jewish male. Jesus shows a human reaction. This is a process of change. If Jesus learns something from this experience, the implication is that we might also learn something. 1 Mary Ann Tolbert, “Mark” The Women’s Bible Commentary, Louisville : Westminster-John Knox Press, 1992. p. 268
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