Mark 7 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 7:24-30 – A Syro-phoenician Woman

Mark 7:24-30 – A Syro-phoenician Woman

|| Matthew 15:21-28[1]

MK7:24 Now after this Jesus rose and traveled[2] to the borders of Tyre and Sidon and there he entered a certain house. He wanted to remain unrecognized[3] but he could not escape discovery. MK7:25 Because a certain woman whose young daughter had an unclean demon heard of him and came and fell at his feet. MK7:26 The woman was a Greek from Syro-phoenicia,[4] and she begged Jesus that he exorcise the demon from her daughter. MK7:27 But Jesus said to her: “Allow the ‘children’ to eat and be satisfied first. Because it is not proper[5] to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.”[6] MK7:28 However, the woman answered Jesus and said to him: “True, Lord, and yet even the little dogs under the table eat the crumb’s the children spill.” MK7:29 So Jesus said to her: “Because of that statement, go now. The demon has left your daughter.” MK7:30 Now when she had returned home she discovered the demon had gone and her daughter lay resting on her bed.

*

[1] Matthew 15:21-28: For details see notes in Nazarene Commentary 2000 on Matthew.

[2] Traveled: Over 50-70 miles.

[3] He wanted to remain unrecognized: He travels 50-70 miles to enjoy some peace and quiet.

[4] Syro-phoenicia: Ancient Canaanites and modern Palestine. This is the land from which Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and English all find their roots.

[5] It is not proper: Or: right, fair. In a moment Jesus will do what he first said was not right or proper. Jesus has come only to call “the lost sheep of the House of Israel.”

[6] Little dogs: Though some say “dogs” the Greek is diminutive and refers to puppies. “Dog” was a derogatory term used by the self-righteous Jews.

+

Preceding

Mark 7 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 7:1-8 – Vain Worship and Human Doctrines

Mark 7 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 7:9-16 – Invalidating God’s Word

Mark 7 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Mark 7:17-23 – How to Defile the Heart

Matthew 15:1-20 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Tradition and the Heart

Matthew 15:21-28 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Giving Bread to Puppies

Matthew 23:25-26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Woe 5: Greed and Unclean

++

Additional reading

1. Today’s thought “Out of the heart … come …” (February 11)

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #8 Matthew 26:31-35 – How All Will Be Stumbled This Night

Matthew 26:31-35 – How All Will Be Stumbled This Night

|| Mark 14:26-31; Luke 22:31-34, 39; John 13:36-38

MT26:31 Now at this time Jesus told his disciples, “All of you [apostles] will stumble[1] because of me this very night. For it has been written,[2] ‘I shall smite the shepherd and the sheep of the flock[3] will be scattered.’ [Zechariah 13:7] MT26:32 But after being raised up[4] I shall go before you into Galilee.” MT26:33 But Peter responded: “If all the others are stumbled because of you, I shall never be stumbled!”[5] MT26:34 Jesus said to him: “I tell you this truth: This very night before the rooster crows three times you [Peter] will deny me.” MT26:35 Peter said to Jesus: “And… if it is necessary for me I will die together with you! Never will I deny you!” Also, all the disciples said the same thing.[6]

*

[1] Stumble: The Greek is SCANDALISTHESESTHE. BER: scandalized. See notes on the word elsewhere.

[2] It has been written: The Nazarene quotes Zechariah 13:7.

[3] The sheep of the flock: See the “one flock” of John 10:16. See Luke 12:32 and the “little flock” of Jesus’ apostles. Jesus had said he came only for the ‘lost sheep of the house of Israel.’ Compare notes on Matthew 10:6 and Matthew 15:24.

[4] Raised up: A synonym for “resurrected.” Compare Paul’s use in 1 Corinthians 15.

[5] I shall never be stumbled: We wonder at Jesus’ expression to this presumptuousness. Or, KJV: never be offended; LAM: never deny you.

[6] All the disciples said the same thing: Or, WEY: in like manner protested all the disciples.

+

Preceding

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #1 Matthew 26:1-2 – Two Days Before Execution

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #2 Matthew 26:3-5 – Plotting to Seize Jesus

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #3 Matthew 26:6-13 – A Woman to Be Remembered

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #4 Matthew 26:14-16 – The Price of Betrayal

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #5 Matthew 26:17-19 – Passover Preparations

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #6 Matthew 26:20-25 – The Last Passover

Matthew 26 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: The Last days of Jesus Christ #7 Matthew 26:26-30 – Keep Doing This in My Memory

Matthew 18:12-14 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Searching for Lost Sheep

Matthew 18:12-14 – Searching for the Lost Sheep Who Stumbled

|| Luke 15:3-7

MT18:12 “How does it seem to you?[1] If a shepherd[2] had one hundred sheep and one strayed, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills[3] and seek out the straying sheep? MT18:13 I tell you this truth: When he finds it he is happier[4] over the one sheep than the ninety-nine who had not strayed. MT18:14 And so, it is not my heavenly Father’s will[5] that even one of these little ones perish.[6]

*

[1] How does it seem to you: Or, KJV: how think ye; KNX: tell me this. The “you” is plural referring to all the disciples.

[2] Shepherd: Literally, “man.”

[3] Hills: Or, “mountains.”

[4] Happier: Or, MON: rejoices.

[5] It is not my heavenly Father’s will: Or, RHM: thus there is no desire in the presence of my Father; PME: you can understand then that it is never the will of your Father.

[6] Even one of these little ones perish: Or, RHM: should be lost. Note this is how the Father feels about the ‘little ones’. It is God’s will than none perish though the possibility of a little one being stumbled is there and thus the severity of the warning to those who would stumble others.

+

Preceding

Matthew 10:16-23 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Sent Forth as Sheep among Wolves

Matthew 12:9-21 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Is It Lawful to Cure on the Sabbath?

Matthew 18:1-6 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Children and Stumbling

Matthew 18:1-6 Reborn and pliable as a child

Matthew 18:7-11 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Danger of Stumbling-blocks

++

Additional reading

1. His Life for the Sheep
2. Atonement And Fellowship 6/8
3. This is an amazing thing
4. Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats

+++

Related posts

1. Prayer and Meditation for Tuesday, November 20, 2018 — “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.”
2. Lost and Found
3. Daily Mass: God seeks what is lost and rejoices when it is found. Catholic Inspiration
4. Loving the One
5. Sitting with the 99
6. Jeremiah 39:1-14: Remaining Among the People