If Jesus Squeezes You Today, What Will Come Out?

Today’s passage is Mark 7:24-30.  With an open mind and a humble heart, read this passage and see what sticks out to you in this passage.  Is there a verse, a phrase, or a lesson you think the Holy Spirit may be highlighting for you in this passage?  After you’ve thought about the passage yourself a bit, read the GAME sharing below.  Let’s go!

Mark 7:24-30 (NIV)
²⁴  Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.

On verse 24:  Jesus goes into Gentile (non-Jewish) territory, visiting the city of Tyre.  Whereas the Pharisees and teachers of the law would be concerned about becoming ceremonially by getting close to Gentiles, Jesus had no such concern.  The fact that Mark places this passage right after the passage where Jesus declares all foods clean suggests that just as there was no food that could not be eaten, so people of all cultures are loved by God and God does not discriminate based on culture or race.

Perhaps because Jesus had taught and healed people from Tyre before (see Mark 3:8-10), Jesus could not keep his presence in Tyre secret.

Mark 7:25-30 (NIV)
²⁵  In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet.
²⁶  The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
²⁷  “First let the children eat all they want,” he told her, “for it is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs.”
²⁸  “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
²⁹  Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”
³⁰  She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

On verses 25-30:  What do we make of Jesus’ shocking answer to the Greek woman born in Syria Phoenicia.  How could Jesus compare her, her daughter and her people to dogs while comparing his own Jewish people to children? Keep the following in mind:

1.     The Greek word for “dogs” here is kynária, which is a diminutive form of kýōn (meaning dog). In other words, Jesus could be evoking the image of “puppies” or “house pets” rather than dirty stray dogs.  In this way, when Jesus refers to the woman and her people as “dogs”, Jesus’ tone may have been softer and more endearing than what appears at first glance.

2.     Jesus was testing and stretching this woman’s faith.  We as a church often try to eliminate barriers to people coming to faith and try to make it as easy as possible.  But here Jesus is making it a little harder for this woman, not because Jesus doesn’t want her to come to faith, but to prove the genuineness of her faith.  There is wisdom in Jesus’ approach, for by not making it super easy for this woman, by making her fight for it, she will cherish Jesus and Jesus’ answer more.  Likewise, sometimes God will allow things to be a little harder than we expect and put us in pressure situations, not to be cruel to us, but so that our faith can grow under that pressure like a muscle and so that we would cherish Jesus more.  So when Jesus squeezes you, will faith come out?

Father, thank You for Your heart that is for people of every nation, race and culture.  Thank You that You don’t always make things easy for us, not to be cruel to us, but so that we can grow.  In Jesus’ name, AMEN!