Sermon Tone Analysis
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*“Gone to the Dogs” \\ **Mark 7.24-27*
We’ve all heard the saying, “Gone to the dogs.”
If something has /gone to the dogs/, it has gone badly wrong and lost all the good things it had.
I want to suggest that this is not the case in our passage this morning.
I hope to show you that the title of this sermon reveals that /gone to the dogs/ is something to celebrate.
Last Sunday, we witnessed the confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders regarding tradition and the heart, and things clean and unclean.
What I believe Jesus is doing (and what Mark is recording) is intentional.
Jesus is beginning to instruct the disciples, the Pharisees, scribes, and the crowds how he is fulfilling the Law.
He has been turning their world upside down.
Jesus has been emphasizing that worship is an internal attitude rather than merely an external action.
This week, Jesus will demonstrate how not only all things can be clean, but also people.
Let’s read the text as we get under way.
We are in Mark 7.24-37.
The last geographical place mentioned in the narrative is Gennesaret in 6.53.
So it would seem as though this is the place where the Pharisees and scribes came in order to confront Jesus.
After rebuking them and instructing the crowd and disciples, Jesus departs for Tyre and Sidon.
This is about 65 kilometers as best I can tell.
The text indicates that Jesus entered a house and did not want anyone to know.
One of the questions I had to ask as I looked at the text was, “Why would Jesus and the disciples travel all this distance and enter a house so as not to be noticed?”
I think the issue is more curious when we see in verse 31 that Jesus departs from Tyre and goes even further north to get to Galilee in the region of the Decapolis*/.
/*It is likely that Jesus is continuing to try to retreat and spend some quality time alone with his disciples so that they get some reprieve from the masses and further instructions about their ministry.
The first point we will look at is *Mercy for the Humble.
*Jesus arrives in Tyre and enters this house.
But he gets no reprieve.
In typical Markan fashion, */immediately/* a woman finds him!
Wow!
This was before the days of newscasts and webcams.
There were no paparazzi tracking him through the dusty roads on the way to Tyre.
Jesus rolls into town, into the house, and here we go again.
We’ve seen Jesus demonstrate great mercy and compassion – looking on people as sheep without a shepherd.
Although this time, his response doesn’t appear as compassionate.
Hold that thought.
Though this short section contains a healing story, it is primarily a teaching opportunity.
The healing is secondary.
A woman approaches Jesus and pleads with him that he might heal her daughter who has a demon within her.
Mark includes a description of the woman.
And this is where it becomes significant.
First, she was a Gentile.
Gentiles were often viewed as unclean by the Jews.
Secondly, she was a woman.
A Jewish man was going to interact with a Gentile woman.
Remember the account with the Samaritan woman in John 4? This was a radical breach of rigid social custom.
Here Jesus is doing it again.
And thirdly, she is from a city that was historically a wealthy and godless oppressor of Israel.
Humility is quite evident on the part of the woman as we shall see.
First, she demonstrates great humility to seek – to seek out Jesus.
Knowing the taboos regarding Gentiles and Jews, men and women, and Israel and Tyre, this woman puts all of this aside for the sake of her daughter.
She is willing to deal with any consequences.
This nameless woman approaches the house that Jesus has retreated to and falls at the feet of Jesus and pleads with him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
She also has humility to ask – to ask Jesus for help.
Actually, she begs.
Now you might think Jesus would respond by saying something like, “precious woman, beloved by God, take heart!
I have great mercy and compassion for people such as you.
Of course your little daughter will be healed!”
But what does he say, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
Well, that doesn’t seem like our compassionate Jesus who looks on people as sheep without a shepherd!
Why would Jesus be so rude?
Or is he being rude?
There are three identifications in this saying.
First, he compares Israel to children.
He compares bread to the blessings bestowed on Israel.
This could also mean more specifically the teachings or ministry of Jesus, or the gospel.
And, here is where we all feel the tension, it is the Gentiles he refers to as dogs.
Some commentators try to soften the blow perhaps and indicate that the word “dog” here is diminutive and refers to a household pet rather than a scavenger dog.
And so there is still affection directed toward the Gentiles.
And this is part of it.
But I think that Jesus is primarily after a test of faith here.
Jesus is leading out the woman’s humility and faith.
How would she respond to this? Would she rise up defensive and turn her back to Jesus?
Would she be discouraged and walk away?
Or would she respond in faith and humility?
Let’s look at the response.
The woman answered, “Yes, Lord…” “Yes, Lord.
I am a dog.
And I beg for your mercy.”
I was thinking of what this interchange might look like today.
Here’s what came to mind.
What does the Bible indicate that we are before we trust in Jesus Christ?
Ephesians 2 says that we are dead in our trespasses, following the course of this world and Satan.
We are sons of disobedience.
We are sinners.
Romans tells us that we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.
This has earned us eternal death.
It’s like me coming up to you in presenting the gospel and saying, “You are a sinner.
You are a follower of Satan and this pagan world’s system.
You are dead in sin and in a constant state of disobedience.”
How do you respond?
Do you respond defensively and turn your back on God? “Who are you to judge me?”Do you try comparing with others and assert your own goodness?
“At least I’m not like my neighbor.
He abuses drugs, cheats on his wife and has wild parties.”
You miss the gospel.
You miss the opportunity for salvation.
Do you get depressed and walk away?
You miss the gospel.
This is truly the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ.
You will not understand the gospel unless you understand your complete unworthiness.
You cannot know the good news without the bad.
What good is a Savior if you don’t know what you need to be saved from?
Jesus is often promoted these days as a solution for marital problems, or a means to a better life – without even a mention of sin or hell.
Jesus doesn’t go seeker-sensitive on the woman.
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