For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet:
A heathen Syrophoenician mother whose young daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard of Jesus and came and fell at His feet begging Him to cast the devil out. This happened when He had left Jerusalem for the borders of Tyre and Sidon and entered a house wanting to be hidden, yet He could not be hid. He had made the journey for the very purpose of meeting this afflicted foreigner to relieve her and to leave His disciples an example of mercy toward a despised people. Though at first He seemed not to hear her, she was not offended but kept pleading with implicit faith, and moved with compassion He commended her great faith and healed her daughter from that hour. The encounter rebuked Jewish exclusiveness and prepared the disciples for a work unrestricted by custom or nationality, teaching that no seeking soul who asks in persevering faith is left to perish.
Setting and the Woman
Jesus had left Jerusalem where scribes and Pharisees were seeking His life and gone into the borders and coast region of Tyre and Sidon, entering a house in a Phoenician town wanting no one to know it, yet He could not be hidden. This journey was to the region of a Phoenician town on the coast, and Mark 7:25 records part of His encounter there with a foreign woman in which barriers are broken down. Though He had withdrawn to remain unknown, He was heard of, and her request was heard and her daughter healed.
The woman who came was a foreigner, a Greek, a Syrophoenician mother of the old Canaanite race in Phenicia. She was a heathen idolater from a despised and hated people, an unfortunate race excluded from the advantages the Jews daily enjoyed and not favored with the light of God's word. Her coming illustrates working directly beyond acknowledged Israel, reaching Gentiles and recognizing them as children of God, showing that people regarded as outside Israel could hunger for truth and receive salvation with no territorial or social barrier separating them from God's promise.
She had sought help from heathen gods without relief. But tidings of Christ's work had penetrated that region through Jews living among the Phenicians, reporting that this prophet healed all manner of diseases for rich and poor alike. Hearing of His power and miracles of mercy caused hope to spring up in her heart, and she trusted He had power to heal her daughter. Inspired by a mother's love she formed a resolute purpose not to lose her only hope but to bring her affliction to Jesus that He must heal her child, even while tempted to doubt what a Jewish teacher could do for her, knowing that Jews refused contact with Canaanites.
Her young daughter was grievously vexed and possessed by an unclean, evil spirit or devil. Hearing of Jesus she came and fell at His feet, following Him and beseeching Him with earnest, humble supplication to cast the devil out of her daughter. Her grief and persistent appeal was great love seeking suffering humanity, and Christ healed the daughter in answer to that prayer.
Purpose to Teach Disciples
Jesus undertook the journey to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon for the very purpose of meeting this afflicted mother to relieve her, and at the same time to leave through her coming and falling at His feet an example of mercy toward one of a despised people for His disciples to follow when He would no longer be with them. It was the only miracle He did on that journey, and He worked it as their example. By this act He taught them to move beyond Jewish exclusiveness to be interested in working for others besides their own people, opening their minds more fully to the labor before them among the Gentiles. Their work was to extend without restriction by custom or nationality, even working directly beyond acknowledged Israel, as He Himself was doing in reaching this Gentile and recognizing such as children of God.
He used her case in her sorrow and longing to see Him to show them the spiritual need of people living near Judea. The Jews had been blessed with opportunities to know God so they could bless others, but pride and self-sufficiency had made them neglect the surrounding nations. Their religious leaders, despite position and advantage, failed to understand true religion and to minister to those in need. His manner of receiving her, appearing indifferent and passing on as if not hearing, was meant to test her faith and sincerity and to teach the disciples not to treat the distressed with coldness and prejudice. Though she kept following and pleading in trust that He would relieve her, they were annoyed at her importunity, felt no sympathy for her distress, asked Him to send her away, and supposed from His manner that Jewish prejudice against Canaanites pleased Him.
His answer that He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel accorded with that prejudice yet was an implied rebuke to them. It reminded them that He came to save all who would accept Him, and that all who seek Him ready to believe when He is manifested to them are the lost sheep He came to gather into His fold. The encounter helped prepare them for the gospel mission after His death broke down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile. Standing with similar acts pointing to a work unrestricted by custom or nationality, it powerfully influenced them in directing their labors when the Jews turned more persistently away for declaring Jesus the Saviour of the world. It foreshadowed the later sustained gathering of Gentiles when whole communities would gladly receive the gospel, revealing that people regarded as outside Israel could hunger for the light of truth and receive salvation with no territorial or social barrier separating them from God's promise.
Faith That Receives Healing
She had not been favored with the light of God's word, yet she yielded at once to His divine influence with implicit faith in His power to grant what she asked. No national or religious prejudice or pride swayed her, and she unconditionally acknowledged Him as Redeemer able to do all she asked, even willing to be taken as a dog asking for crumbs. Though for a time He seemed not to answer her cry and appeared to pass on as if not hearing, she was not offended and did not leave but kept faith that He would relieve her distress. She continued following and pleading with earnest supplication, and by that continuance her persistent faith was made manifest.
Moved with compassion, pity, and love, He tested her confidence and was satisfied with it. He commended her great faith and granted her request with the word that it be to her even as she willed. From that hour her daughter became whole and the demon troubled her no more. Though He had withdrawn to a house and wished to remain unknown, He could not be hidden but heard her humble, earnest appeal and healed her daughter in answer to that prayer, so that she departed acknowledging her Saviour and happy in the granting of her prayer.
The event shows that Christ Himself can inspire persevering prayer and rewards the faith He gives. A needy person who asks in faith may keep seeking until the request is granted, and no soul who asks in faith is left to perish. Even the weakest, most struggling person can find hope and sufficiency in God. His great love for suffering humanity in answering such supplication warns against selfish failure to show interest for the unfortunate, the blind, the lame and afflicted, the widow and the fatherless. It calls for greater missionary effort right at home in families and neighborhoods in caring for the afflicted, the suffering, and the discouraged.
A heathen Syrophoenician mother whose young daughter was possessed by an unclean spirit heard of Jesus and came and fell at His feet begging Him to cast the devil out. This happened when He had left Jerusalem for the borders of Tyre and Sidon and entered a house wanting to be hidden, yet He could not be hid. He had made the journey for the very purpose of meeting this afflicted foreigner to relieve her and to leave His disciples an example of mercy toward a despised people. Though at first He seemed not to hear her, she was not offended but kept pleading with implicit faith, and moved with compassion He commended her great faith and healed her daughter from that hour. The encounter rebuked Jewish exclusiveness and prepared the disciples for a work unrestricted by custom or nationality, teaching that no seeking soul who asks in persevering faith is left to perish.
Setting and the Woman
Jesus had left Jerusalem where scribes and Pharisees were seeking His life and gone into the borders and coast region of Tyre and Sidon, entering a house in a Phoenician town wanting no one to know it, yet He could not be hidden. This journey was to the region of a Phoenician town on the coast, and Mark 7:25 records part of His encounter there with a foreign woman in which barriers are broken down. Though He had withdrawn to remain unknown, He was heard of, and her request was heard and her daughter healed.
The woman who came was a foreigner, a Greek, a Syrophoenician mother of the old Canaanite race in Phenicia. She was a heathen idolater from a despised and hated people, an unfortunate race excluded from the advantages the Jews daily enjoyed and not favored with the light of God's word. Her coming illustrates working directly beyond acknowledged Israel, reaching Gentiles and recognizing them as children of God, showing that people regarded as outside Israel could hunger for truth and receive salvation with no territorial or social barrier separating them from God's promise.
She had sought help from heathen gods without relief. But tidings of Christ's work had penetrated that region through Jews living among the Phenicians, reporting that this prophet healed all manner of diseases for rich and poor alike. Hearing of His power and miracles of mercy caused hope to spring up in her heart, and she trusted He had power to heal her daughter. Inspired by a mother's love she formed a resolute purpose not to lose her only hope but to bring her affliction to Jesus that He must heal her child, even while tempted to doubt what a Jewish teacher could do for her, knowing that Jews refused contact with Canaanites.
Her young daughter was grievously vexed and possessed by an unclean, evil spirit or devil. Hearing of Jesus she came and fell at His feet, following Him and beseeching Him with earnest, humble supplication to cast the devil out of her daughter. Her grief and persistent appeal was great love seeking suffering humanity, and Christ healed the daughter in answer to that prayer.
Purpose to Teach Disciples
Jesus undertook the journey to the coasts of Tyre and Sidon for the very purpose of meeting this afflicted mother to relieve her, and at the same time to leave through her coming and falling at His feet an example of mercy toward one of a despised people for His disciples to follow when He would no longer be with them. It was the only miracle He did on that journey, and He worked it as their example. By this act He taught them to move beyond Jewish exclusiveness to be interested in working for others besides their own people, opening their minds more fully to the labor before them among the Gentiles. Their work was to extend without restriction by custom or nationality, even working directly beyond acknowledged Israel, as He Himself was doing in reaching this Gentile and recognizing such as children of God.
He used her case in her sorrow and longing to see Him to show them the spiritual need of people living near Judea. The Jews had been blessed with opportunities to know God so they could bless others, but pride and self-sufficiency had made them neglect the surrounding nations. Their religious leaders, despite position and advantage, failed to understand true religion and to minister to those in need. His manner of receiving her, appearing indifferent and passing on as if not hearing, was meant to test her faith and sincerity and to teach the disciples not to treat the distressed with coldness and prejudice. Though she kept following and pleading in trust that He would relieve her, they were annoyed at her importunity, felt no sympathy for her distress, asked Him to send her away, and supposed from His manner that Jewish prejudice against Canaanites pleased Him.
His answer that He was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel accorded with that prejudice yet was an implied rebuke to them. It reminded them that He came to save all who would accept Him, and that all who seek Him ready to believe when He is manifested to them are the lost sheep He came to gather into His fold. The encounter helped prepare them for the gospel mission after His death broke down the partition wall between Jew and Gentile. Standing with similar acts pointing to a work unrestricted by custom or nationality, it powerfully influenced them in directing their labors when the Jews turned more persistently away for declaring Jesus the Saviour of the world. It foreshadowed the later sustained gathering of Gentiles when whole communities would gladly receive the gospel, revealing that people regarded as outside Israel could hunger for the light of truth and receive salvation with no territorial or social barrier separating them from God's promise.
Faith That Receives Healing
She had not been favored with the light of God's word, yet she yielded at once to His divine influence with implicit faith in His power to grant what she asked. No national or religious prejudice or pride swayed her, and she unconditionally acknowledged Him as Redeemer able to do all she asked, even willing to be taken as a dog asking for crumbs. Though for a time He seemed not to answer her cry and appeared to pass on as if not hearing, she was not offended and did not leave but kept faith that He would relieve her distress. She continued following and pleading with earnest supplication, and by that continuance her persistent faith was made manifest.
Moved with compassion, pity, and love, He tested her confidence and was satisfied with it. He commended her great faith and granted her request with the word that it be to her even as she willed. From that hour her daughter became whole and the demon troubled her no more. Though He had withdrawn to a house and wished to remain unknown, He could not be hidden but heard her humble, earnest appeal and healed her daughter in answer to that prayer, so that she departed acknowledging her Saviour and happy in the granting of her prayer.
The event shows that Christ Himself can inspire persevering prayer and rewards the faith He gives. A needy person who asks in faith may keep seeking until the request is granted, and no soul who asks in faith is left to perish. Even the weakest, most struggling person can find hope and sufficiency in God. His great love for suffering humanity in answering such supplication warns against selfish failure to show interest for the unfortunate, the blind, the lame and afflicted, the widow and the fatherless. It calls for greater missionary effort right at home in families and neighborhoods in caring for the afflicted, the suffering, and the discouraged.