The Syrophoenician Woman

​Scripture Reading: Mark 7:23-30 NASB95
[24] Jesus got up and went away from there to the region of Tyre. And when He had entered a house, He wanted no one to know of it; yet He could not escape notice. [25] But after hearing of Him, a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately came and fell at His feet. [26] Now the woman was a Gentile, of the Syrophoenician race. And she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. [27] And He was saying to her, “Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” [28] But she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table feed on the children’s crumbs.” [29] And He said to her, “Because of this answer go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” [30] And going back to her home, she found the child lying on the bed, the demon having left.

For the only recorded time in the public ministry of Jesus, He steps outside the borders of Israel.  He was on a mission from God, and He is extending the scope of His ministry to include a woman who came from a people group who were traditional enemies of the Hebrews.   Mark does not tell us the reason Jesus departed from Galilee, but it is clear that He wanted to get away from the smothering crowds that followed Him everywhere.

Jesus' fame had even crossed over the border and being anonymous was simply not possible.  A Syrophoenician woman came to the house where Jesus was staying, fell at His feet and asked Him to deliver her daughter from a demon that had possessed her.  (She was persistent and continued to ask for Jesus' help) At first glance, Jesus' response to the woman seems rather rude, but Jesus was examining the woman's faith. 

Jesus said, "Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."  What Jesus stated was true.  To cast a demon out of a non-believing Baal worshiper might lead to heavier possession.   Jesus needed to determine "who" the woman had faith in.  She replied to Jesus, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under that table feed on the children's crumbs."  This was her declaration of faith.  In essence she was stating, "Jesus, I believe in You and You are the only one who can save my daughter."  Jesus recognized her faith and the woman's daughter was delivered!

Questions to Consider: 

1. Do you think that Baal worship might have opened the door for demonic activity with the daughter?  (What are some "things" that open the door to demonic activity?)
2. How do the woman's persistence line up with Jesus' teaching on "Asking, Knocking and Seeking?
   
3. What parallels do you see between this Syrophoenician woman and Rahab who hid the Israelite spies who were scoping out Jericho?
   

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