At first reading it disturbs our thinking because we have been taught that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) Even non-believers know or have heard of this verse.  Is Jesus for everyone or not?  When we reread the passage, we see the compassion in Jesus for the woman who is not a Jew, not a person deemed “God’s chosen people,” but a person who has only heard of Jesus and believes strongly in His power to heal—and Jesus is impressed.

Could it be that Jesus, Son of Man guided by God, know that leaving the highly Jewish populated area to travel into Tyre and the Ten Towns, regions mostly populated of Gentiles would solidify God’s proclamation that He loved and provided for everyone who believes?   

Mark 7, The Message

^24-26 From there Jesus set out for the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house there where he didn’t think he would be found, but he couldn’t escape notice. He was barely inside when a woman who had a disturbed daughter heard where he was. She came and knelt at his feet, begging for help. The woman was Greek, Syro-Phoenician by birth. She asked him to cure her daughter.

²⁷ He said, “Stand in line and take your turn. The children get fed first. If there’s any left over, the dogs get it.”

²⁸ She said, “Of course, Master. But don’t dogs under the table get scraps dropped by the children?”

^29-30 Jesus was impressed. “You’re right! On your way! Your daughter is no longer disturbed. The demonic affliction is gone.” She went home and found her daughter relaxed on the bed, the torment gone for good.

^31-35 Then he left the region of Tyre, went through Sidon back to Galilee Lake and over to the district of the Ten Towns. Some people brought a man who could neither hear nor speak and asked Jesus to lay a healing hand on him. He took the man off by himself, put his fingers in the man’s ears and some spit on the man’s tongue. Then Jesus looked up in prayer, groaned mightily, and commanded, “Ephphatha!—Open up!” And it happened. The man’s hearing was clear and his speech plain—just like that.

^36-37 Jesus urged them to keep it quiet, but they talked it up all the more, beside themselves with excitement. “He’s done it all and done it well. He gives hearing to the deaf, speech to the speechless.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Jesus performed miracles as He ministered to the Gentiles in the region of Tyre and Sidon. This is the only recorded instance of our Lord actually leaving Palestine. He was practicing what He had just taught the disciples: There is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, for all are sinners and need the Savior.

Against all odds…There was resistance in this story of the Gentile woman. It must have seemed to her like everything was against her. First, her nationality was against her: She was a Gentile, and Jesus was a Jew. Besides that, she was a woman, and society in that day was dominated by the men. Satan was against her, for one of his demons had taken control in her daughter’s life. The disciples were against her; they wanted Jesus to send her away and let Him (and them) have some rest. For a time, it looked as though even Jesus was against her! It was not an easy situation, and yet she triumphed because of her great faith.

Her reply revealed that faith had triumphed. She did not deny the special place of the “children” (Jews) in God’s plan, nor did she want to usurp it. All she wanted were a few crumbs of blessing from the table, for, after all, “salvation comes through the Jews” (John 4:22). It must have made Jesus’ heart rejoice when she took His very words and used them as a basis for her plea! She accepted her place, she believed His Word, and she persisted in her plea, and Jesus not only met her need, but commended her for her faith!

Warren Wiersbe helps us to understand the culture and times with his commentary:  “The region of “Ten Towns” was also Gentile territory, but before Jesus left the region, the people were glorifying the God of Israel (Matthew 15:30, 31). The man they brought to Jesus was handicapped both by deafness and an impediment in his speech, and Jesus healed him. This miracle is recorded only by Mark and would have been especially appreciated by his Roman readers, since this region was like a “Rome away from Rome.”

“Jesus’ word “Ephphatha” is an Aramaic word that means “be opened, be released.” The man did not hear Jesus speak, but the creation heard the command of the Creator, and the man was healed. Both the tongue and the ears functioned normally again.”

I don’t know about you, but my response to this passage is joy unspeakable and full of glory!  I am rejoicing that God is for everyone one of His created!  Jesus came to seek and to save the lost without God—everyone! 

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, ‘Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.”For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” Romans 10:9-13, NIV

“In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ. Also, since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous “descendant,” heirs according to the covenant promises.”  Galatians 3:28, MSG

I’m standing on the promises of God! 

Lord,

You are God and we are not.  I trust in you, dear Jesus.  I lean on the Your Holy Spirit for wisdom, insight and understanding that goes beyond my own.  Thank you for balancing the scales that are skewed by the world of prejudice, judgement, jealousy, position seeking, arrogance, and pride.  You love each individual in the world who believes and follows in Your ways.  EVERY person no matter where we come from or who we associate with before knowing you, is welcomed into your Kingdom to grow in an intimate relationship with you through the work of the cross.  The cross indeed was the final word and work of salvation for all!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I want to love like you love me—with no conditions.  Help us, Lord.

In Jesus Name, Amen

And we’re singing and praising…

Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
Through eternal ages let His praises ring,
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Verse 2
Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Chorus
Standing, standing,
Standing on the promises of God my Savior;
Standing, standing,
I’m standing on the promises of God…