“Healing Prejudice” – MARK 7:24-30

At this point in His ministry, Jesus leaves Palestine for the only time and enters the region of the Phoenicians – Tyre and Sidon. Jesus does not operate by happenstance and the record in the gospels is quite purposeful.

Why, we must ask, does Jesus go here in the wake of His revolutionary teaching on the dietary laws of the Jews passing away?

Remember, it was Peter who needed some extra “convincing” by God before he would go to the house of the Gentile Cornelius. Peter and the eleven were men of prejudice against the Gentiles. Their dietary laws were part of the separation between the Jews and the Gentiles.

So, it’s off to Phoenicia to teach these men (and us) an important lesson.

Jesus taught a much-needed lesson on faith. In Matthew’s account (15:21-28), the disciples are bothered by the woman and urge Jesus to send her away. Her heart-felt plea to heal her sick daughter falls on hard hearts of prejudice. Matthew records her words of faith in addressing Jesus as “Lord” and “Son of David” – a clear indication that this Gentile woman believed Jesus was the Messiah. That precious ingredient missing from so many “religious” people of the Jews was present in this woman. Jesus was searching for faith … the disciples dismissed it. Although Jesus’ words (calling her a “dog”) seem harsh to us, she responded in the way Jesus anticipated and her faith was rewarded. She could have said, “He called me a dog … I hate Him!”

Just as foretold by Isaiah, Jesus was a light to the Gentiles, not a barrier!

Jesus taught a much needed lesson on humility. Surely the disciples cheered Jesus (on the inside) when He employed the common term used by the Rabbis and the Jewish people for the Gentiles. Jesus knew His mission was to present Himself to the Jews as Messiah, and this He called “giving bread to the children” (7:27).

He also knew that His sacrifice would open the way of salvation to all people.

The Jews would consider this “throwing the children’s bread to the dogs”. Instead of using the harshest term, however, Jesus used the word for “puppy” and the woman seized upon it. In faith, she humbly accepted a place at the Master’s table, even if it was only as a puppy sitting at the feet of the children.

She just wanted a crumb … Jesus gave her everything (7:29)!

Amazing … the Gentile woman did not need teaching, the disciples did. There was more than one demon to be cast out. Sure enough, the daughter of this woman of faith had the demon possessing her cast out. Jesus knew the demon of prejudice must be cast out, as well.

Children of the Master had a right to the daily bread.

For the puppies, it was a matter of grace.

By faith we are God’s children.

In humility, we understand we are but little puppies!