Mark 7:24-30
I am sure I am not the only one to read this passage and rub her head in wonder. What...? This is a familiar section of Scripture, but not one easily understood. While I read this many times before, I never took the time or effort to glean its meaning. My curiosity took me deeper in the Word. I assume when a story is told in more than one of the Gospels, there is a very important message here, and this same story can be found in Matthew 15:21-28.
Let's pretend we are sitting in our small group, preparing for some great discussion. Several points I never thought of before, or understood from these verses, are becoming clear. First, we know from past readings that Jesus' popularity grew because of the healings and exorcisms he performed. Wherever they went, Jesus and the Disciples had a huge following. So large, the crowds teetered on the edge of being a mob.
In this passage some historians believe Jesus wanted some rest, and one-on-one time with His Apostles. He still needed to teach them much, and time was running out. It is understandable when the Syrophoenician woman begged Jesus to heal her daughter, He hesitated for a moment, saying, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." (Matthew 15:24)
This worried mother, a powerful woman, a member of Greek speaking ruling class of Phoenicia, brought her breaking heart to Jesus' feet. Desperate for her child to be healed, she humbled herself and came to a Jewish prophet for help. This step revealed her belief in Jesus. Often, Jesus ministered to Gentiles who exhibited such faith.
Discuss
1. How/why to be prepared to desert your plans to accommodate someone’s needs.
2. How/why did Jesus change His plans this day and what were the results?
3. Consider how this lesson could impact lives, yours included.
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