Mark 7: Dogs and Children’s Crumbs

Today’s reading is Mark 7.

Admittedly, Jesus’s response to the Syrophoenician women is shocking. It seems out of character. He has consistently shown compassion to the most unclean. But He refuses a miracle and calls this woman a dog. What is that about?

The stage was already set for Jesus to work with a woman like this back in Mark 3:7-12. There we were told part of the crowd coming to Him was from Tyre and Sidon. No exception is made in that text regarding their sick being healed and their demons being cast out. Maybe we assume those crowds were Jews among the Diaspora in Tyre and Sidon.

When the Gentile woman begs on behalf of her daughter, Jesus says:

Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.
—Mark 7:27 (ESV)

We are left wondering why Jesus even traveled into Tyre and Sidon if He was going to dismiss the inhabitants in such a way. But, like the parables which arrest our attention and cause us to ask if something else is really being discussed below the surface, this shocking response causes us to pause and dig deeper before moving on.

Are we really to believe Jesus was against helping this woman until she outsmarted Him in a game of wits? I find that difficult to believe. Rather, it makes much more sense that Jesus allowed this scenario to play out in order to draw attention to a lesson His apostles needed to learn, the woman needed to learn, and we need to learn. What lesson is Jesus bringing to the forefront?

Elsewhere in the gospels, Jesus teaches, “Do not give the dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you” (Matthew 7:6, ESV). How easily the Jews following Jesus might latch on to this statement. How easily they might say to themselves, “Gentiles are dogs. We shouldn’t teach the gospel to Gentiles.” Yet, now we see Jesus in a different setting giving the other side of this teaching. The Jews following Jesus have to moderate the one teaching with the other demonstration.

In Matthew 7, Jesus was not claiming the gospel is not for Gentiles. After all, the gospel may be to the Jews first, but it is also for the Gentiles (see Romans 1:16). The “dogs” then from whom holy things must be kept are not people of a certain bloodline or ethnic heritage. They are those who have demonstrated themselves hostile to the gospel no matter their ethnicity or nationality. Remember, in the limited commission of Mark 6:11, if people did not receive the gospel, the disciples were not to quit spreading the gospel. But at the same time, they weren’t supposed to simply keep trying to force a village, city, or people to accept it. They were to shake the dust of their feet as a testimony against the rejecters, but then they were to move on.

What a surprising point this would be for Jews of that day. A Gentile might indeed be the little dog under the table eating the children’s crumbs, but a Jew might be the wild dog from whom the holy things must be kept.

When Mark wrote his account of the gospel, Peter had already taken the gospel to the Gentiles. The meeting in Jerusalem in Acts 15 had already taken place. This story demonstrates for all that the apostles and Christians had not gone out on their own adding something to the teaching of Jesus by including Gentiles in the kingdom. Jesus had always demonstrated the good news is for Jews and Gentiles alike. Yes, to the Jew first, but also to the Greek.

And I praise the Lord for that because I’m one of those Gentiles. Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Mark 7.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Mark 7 prompt or improve your hope in God?

Even the Dogs

Today’s reading is Matthew 15.

Matthew keeps showing us that where the Jews struggled to respond properly to Jesus, Gentiles responded well. Jesus withdrew to a region of the Gentiles in Tyre and Sidon. At the outset, we might wonder why Jesus would go among a people He seemed to have no inclination of helping. After all, one of the women of the Canaanites in that region sought help and Jesus flatly refused. In fact, at first He simply ignored her. Then when she kept pushing, He said what seems to be one of the most offensive things ever: “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” Jesus calls this woman a dog. Wow!

However, this doesn’t deter her. Instead, she accepts the insult and works it into her argument. “Fine. I’m a dog. At least let the scraps of your abundance come my way the way masters do with dogs.” Jesus responds, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.”

Interestingly, when Jesus called the woman a dog, the apostles don’t jump in with, “Do you know that the Canaanites were offended when they heard this saying?” Yet, surely, what Jesus said about this woman was far more offensive than what He said about the Pharisees. The Pharisees didn’t like what Jesus said. They got offended, angry, upset and decided to act against Him, even try to kill Him. In contrast, Jesus said something truly offensive to this woman, but she hung on. She persisted in seeking a blessing from Him.

The lesson is not for us to be offensive and see how people will respond. Rather, the lesson is for us to avoid offense at Jesus. He may say and do things we don’t like. The reality is blessing comes from Him and from no one else. As Jesus had said when responding to the disciples of John in Matthew 11:6, “Blessed is the one who is not offended by me.” That is, blessed are the people who don’t demand Jesus play by their rules. Blessed are the people who hang on to Jesus even when they don’t quite understand what He is doing and saying. Blessed are those who, when they don’t quite understand what He is doing and saying, realize the problem is with their understanding and not with Him.

This is important today. There are plenty of people today who have decided they are more moral than God. They don’t like some of His laws. They think His laws are immoral. They think the behaviors He calls sin and the people He calls sinners are pure and holy. They get offended. They decide to abandon Jesus. Don’t do that. If you want the blessing, don’t take offense at Him. Follow Him. It will all become clear in the end. And even if it doesn’t, eternity with Him will be worth it.

Tomorrow’s reading is Matthew 15.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. How would you have felt if Jesus called you a dog?
3. What kind of faith do you think it took for that woman to hang on even though Jesus called her a dog?
4. How can we grow that same kind of faith?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?

Intolerant

Today’s reading is Matthew 11.

Back in Matthew 10:15, Jesus had told the apostles whoever refused to listen to them would not fare even as well as Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of their judgment. Now, in Matthew 11:24, He says the same thing to the towns and villages themselves because they are rejecting His teaching. Remember, this is right on the heels of Jesus explaining the Jews were rejecting Him because He wasn’t dancing to their tune.

It will be more tolerable for Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon than for Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida because these latter three had seen more evidence. Jesus had done His amazing works among them. These towns of Israel had more access to God’s word, will, and work and would be judged more strictly.

Question: Where does that leave today’s towns, villages, cities, counties, parishes, states, territories, and countries? Admittedly, I am thinking from my experience in my own country, the USA. The Bible has been the highest selling book in the Western world for generations. We can find hard copies of the Bible for mere dollars. If someone has access to a computer (think: public library) or a smart phone, he or she can have a Bible for free. I doubt there is a single person in this country that hasn’t at least heard of the Bible. I doubt there are many that don’t at least know the Bible is considered to be the Word of God by lots of people. Where does that leave us?

We have all we need. We have the easiest and greatest access to it in all of history. Understand what this will mean for our day of judgment. As much as our generation wants to talk about tolerance, we need to know that the coming day of judgment will not be very tolerant for us. If we reject Jesus, it won’t be for lack of God shining the light on Him. God is not going to be very tolerant on us if we reject Jesus. In fact, He is going to be downright intolerant. By the way, lets not forget this is going to include this generation that demands Jesus play by their rules. We may convince ourselves we are following Jesus, but those among us who change the rules and remake Jesus in our own image will not be tolerated in the judgment.

Do you have ears? Please, hear what Jesus is saying to His generation and to ours.

Tomorrow’s reading is Matthew 11.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. Why do so many ignore the coming day of judgment?
3. Why do so many who ignore Jesus think that even if there is a day of judgment they will be tolerated?
4. What is the only way for us to be tolerated in the day of judgment?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?

More Bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah

Today’s reading is Matthew 10.

I get it. It’s not usual for a daily devotional reading to be centered around a passage of judgment. Usually, we try to find something uplifting and encouraging. Usually, we try to find something that makes the reader feel good. Every once in a while, however, we have to remember what is at stake. Judgment is coming.

Please, understand what Jesus is saying. Do you recall what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah? Do you recall the intense judgment? Do you recall that only three people survived that judgment? Fire and brimstone rained down on Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot and his daughters were the only ones to make it to safety. How do you suppose the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah are going to fare in the final judgment? It is possible Jesus is actually saying, “Do you remember how awful it was for Sodom and Gomorrah on their day of judgment? That day was easier on them than the day of judgment on the towns of Israel who ignore My ambassadors will be when it comes.”

I have no doubt that was in part a reference to the coming judgment in 70 AD when God used Rome to bring judgment on the Jews and destroy Jerusalem. However, there is no doubt the ultimate fulfillment is for anyone who ignores the word of Jesus given through His apostles, the final judgment will be worse than it was or will be for those who were judged in Sodom and Gomorrah.

Please, understand what is at stake for us. Jesus isn’t saying, “I’m coming. If you don’t measure up, I’m going to judge you.” He is saying, “Judgment is coming. If you turn to Me, I’ll save you from it.”

Will you turn to Jesus? Can we help you do so?

Tomorrow’s reading is Matthew 10.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the chapter and the written devo above?
2. Why don’t we like to think about a coming judgment?
3. Why do we need to think about the coming judgment?
4. What advice would you give to others to encourage them to turn to Jesus before the coming judgment?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this chapter and today’s post?