Jesus among the Gentiles

Introduction:

Today, we will take a break from Acts, but we will look at an event in Jesus’ life that will be relevant to Acts.

Jesus has just taught, through a long explanation, about defilement (clean vs. unclean).

He challenged the Pharisees and their handwashing practices.

He explained the meaning of the teaching to his disciples who interpreted the discourse as a parable.

Uncleanness is a matter of the heart.

Uncleanness comes out of the heart of man.

It does not enter a person from the outside.

Because of its controversial nature, it seems, Jesus left Galilee for the regions of Tyre and Sidon.

This is the farthest he goes from Israel proper.

He, however, follows a pattern by the prophets:

Elijah

Elisha

Joel

For the second time, the other in Mk. 5, Mark will place Jesus in the land of Gentiles.

Will he be unclean by transference?

What will come of his travels?

Jesus on Retreat

Jesus left the controversial conversation and went to the borders of Tyre.

Mark does not say Jesus entered the city itself, only its vicinities.

He intended to be in the region under the radar.

This is the second time that Jesus has retreated and hoped for anonymity.

We see him in his humanity.

He wants to remove himself from the growing controversies around him, especially those related to his recent teaching.

We also should think of him governed by fulfilling the scriptures.

He will die at a point in time, and it will not be a mob action over his teaching…yet.

Just as his other attempt to remain incognito, so this one.

He entered a house where he wanted no one to know, but he was not able to escape notice.

A Syrophoenician Woman Introduced

Word, apparently, spread of his presence.

In Mk. 3:8, people from around Tyre and Sidon came along with Jews to see him.

There might have been people present with the ability to identify him.

Mark introduces the woman in a formal manner.

She had a little girl who had an unclean spirit.

She was Greek (what do we make of this?).

She was Syrophoenician by race/birth/origin.

Mark does not explain how her daughter presented symptoms.

Contrast this, if time allows, with the man from Gadara in Mk. 5.

Mark’s focus is on Jesus and the woman not Jesus and the unclean spirit.

Unlike the other three unclean spirit episodes, this one does not speak.

Jesus only speaks with the mother.

The Meaningful Conversation.

The woman asked Jesus to cast out the demon from her daughter.

We now see Mark associated the unclean spirit with a demon.

This will is spiritual warfare.

Jesus makes a very abrupt sounding response to the woman.

Note that his statement is not a rejection.

It emphasizes time, ie. first.

So, there is an element of order and time.

He was sent “to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

It would not be right to take what was intended for Israel and cast it to the Gentiles.

The woman will sound like the centurion whose slave Jesus healed.

She continues to make her case.

Even the dogs have access to the crumbs that fall underneath the table when the children eat.

Perhaps there is something here about children intentionally disregarding their food.

At a minimum, her statement expresses confident that although it might not yet be time, this did not prevent Jesus from healing her daughter.

It may also suggest something else: Jesus did not have to be in Israel to heal. His power transcends people and borders.

Jesus tells her, “because of this statement, depart, the demon has come out of your daughter.

The woman finds it thus.

Again, similarity to Jarius.

Implications

Jesus is more than a Jewish savior.

God cares about all.

She has greater insight than even Jesus’ disciples do on this issue.

She understands whereas Jews do not.