Adam, Zac, Hayley, Jessica, Cassidy, Micah, Megan & Kati,

Witness to Gentiles

(7:24-8:9)

The word for “left” or “went away” in the first verse of this section is a decisive leaving – Jesus is quitting Jewish Galilee and heading into Gentile territory, beginning with Tyre (v24), then through Sidon (v31) to Decapolis (also v31). This is a secret journey, where He tries to not let anyone know He’s here (v24) and He doesn’t do any teaching – but He can’t help but heal the Gentiles and show compassion to them.

We don’t know for sure the reason for this tour of Gentile Galilee, but it’s likely connected to the previous hostile encounter with the Jews and also with King Herod’s aroused interest and fear (6:14-16). It figures very strongly into Mark’s gospel, particularly because he’s writing to Gentile (Roman) readers.

A Gentile who was a “True Israelite”

Beginning the Gentile Galilee tour with the story of this Syrophoenician woman is very important. Mark brings it out clearly: “Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth.” The whole story is about Jesus caring about the Gentiles and “feeding” them – note that it’s sandwiched between the two feedings, the feeding of the 5,000 Jews (Mark 6) and the feeding of the 4,000 Gentiles (Mark 8). Also note that this occurs right after the whole discussion on what is “clean” and “unclean” and the pronouncement: “Thus He declared all foods clean”. Remember that Mark is Peter’s assistant and is writing from Peter’s memories – and that it was Peter who had the sheet of clean and unclean animals dropped in front of him and when he made it to Cornelius’ house finally realized that “I should not call any person unclean” (Acts 10:28), speaking of Gentiles.

It’s difficult for us to handle Jesus, in his parable, relating the Jews to children and the Gentiles to dogs, but there’s an important distinction in the Greek that doesn’t come through in English. Most of the derogatory references to dogs use the standard word “kyon”, likely referring to a street dog or mongrel. But here Jesus uses the diminutive form “kynarion” (like the Spanish “perrito” instead of just “perro”) – a “little dog”, referring to a household pet. In the Old Testament, the Gentiles were outside the house – “without hope and without God” – but now they are inside the house and will be fed. It’s just a matter of timing and priority that Jesus goes first to the Jews (as did Paul). The gospel will go to the Gentiles later.

They will see the glory of the Lord

The word for the man “with a speech impediment” or “who could hardly talk” (in some translations) is only used once elsewhere in the Bible – in the Greek translation (I’m assuming the Septuagint) of Isaiah 35:5-6: “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped .. and the tongue of the dumb shout for joy” – and just three verses earlier, Isaiah prophesied of the desert wastelands of Lebanon (Tyre/Sidon) receiving the joy of God.

The way in which Jesus heals the man seems a bit strange to us – spitting and putting his spit on the man’s tongue – but perhaps Jesus does it in this way to better communicate with the man what He’s doing. Greek healers usually applied a liquid to the area being healed and Jewish healers would sometimes apply spit to the area of sickness or injury accompanied with a prayer. In any case, in the end it is Jesus’ authoritative words, “Be open”, that heals the man and we see again in Jesus touching a “radical identification with the needy”.

The Feeding of the Four Thousand

This is remarkably similar to the Jewish feeding of the five thousand: the disciples don’t get it, as usual, they’re in a desolate place, the disciples provide bread and fish, Jesus blesses them, breaks them and in the end everybody’s fully satisfied. But there are differences, too – this time the crowd has been “with Jesus” – they’ve stuck close to Him for three days. It shows a lot more devotion than the previous crowd in Mark 6, where many were “coming and going” and hadn’t stuck with Jesus for that long. The four thousand here appears to include women and children – and they’re not organized into groups like some kind of military order – whereas in Mark 6 it was the men who were counted and broken into groups of 50 and 100.

It’s a little surprising that such a similar miracle is recorded, but it’s important to note that this time it’s the Gentiles who are being fed (like the “dogs” in Mark 7:28) and that Jesus, soon after, reminds His disciples of both miracles (Mark 8:19-21). It’s also surprising that Jesus’ disciples don’t have a clue, that when Jesus asks them to feed the people, they don’t respond, “Hey! Isn’t this like the time we fed the 5,000? Why don’t you pray and we’ll do it again!” But being in tune with Jesus like that would be totally unlike the disciples. Throughout the whole thing so far, we’ve seen Jesus constantly saying to His disciples “don’t you get it? Do you still not understand?” Also we have to remember that a lot of real time is passing between events, where they’ve had countless meals and worked with countless crowds – we’re only getting the highlights. We read the feeding of the five thousand the day before yesterday, but there was much more time separating the events for the disciples.

Dear Jesus, help us gentiles to remember that we, as a people, were without hope and without God, we had nothing. That You would choose to extend Your grace beyond Israel and even save a remnant from the pagan nations is unexpected and radical – yet we thank You and praise You for it. May Your name be exalted among every culture and people group – and even among the subcultures here in America, from the urban hip-hop generation to the suburban goth communities.

-- peter