Jesus Heals a Mother's Heart

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.

Faith...the opposite of Lost

This story has always puzzled me. It seems like Jesus is speaking in riddles and unless you are in the inside, you would not understand what is being taught. I think, that this is one of those times where we can truthfully say, "You had to be there."  In this case, you had to live in the times and understand the language of the day.

"...a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. (Mark 7:25-26)

The woman's heart was breaking for her daughter. She couldn't imagine living without her child; and she knew who to turn to for help. The woman was unworthy, as you and I would be, and she knew it. She came to Him as she was, humble and filled with faith. Jesus did the rest.

When Jesus responded to the woman, He used the word for dog meaning pet, not the negative word meaning scavenger, as the Jews often used when referring to a Gentile. Jesus acknowledged the woman's love for her daughter and He responded to her faith in Him without even leaving her side.

Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.” She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Mark 7:24-30