No human rules can control
Jesus. He lived by God’s commandments. After he had just declared the Jewish
outward laws of uncleanness as not valid (read Mark 7:14-23), Jesus went into Gentile territory – which the Jews
regarded as unclean areas – “to the territory near the city of Tyre. He went into a house
and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not stay hidden”
(Mark 7:24, GNB). I watched TV news today about superstar diva Mariah
Carey was spotted shopping at Kuala Lumpur. I’m sure she understand what Jesus went
through: tired and couldn’t stay hidden (with the exception that Mariah
intentionally want everyone to know).
Let me tell you first
about the Jews’ arrogant attitude of superiority toward other peoples of the
earth. They were proud as God’s chosen people. They regarded other races and nationalities
as inferior to them. They treated everyone else as less than human. And as such,
typically they think others as “dog.” (Familiar with this kind of thinking and
discrimination?).
But contrary to what the
Jews thought, God of the Bible love all people, and anyone can come to Him
through faith in Jesus regardless of race, colour, creed or national origin. There
was a Gentile woman – a despised Gentile “dog” – dare to meet and speak to
Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. “A woman, whose daughter had an evil spirit in her, heard
about Jesus and came to him at once and fell at his feet… She begged Jesus to
drive the demon out of her daughter” (Mark 7:25-26, GNB). Wow! Notice the attitude of
this woman. Again let me reminds you, the Jews referred to Gentiles like her as
“dogs,” but that didn’t bother her. She was determined. She boldly come to
Jesus and asked for His help.
Jesus reply may sound rude
if you don’t understand His thinking and teachings. Jesus answer is not His assertion
of superiority (btw, He is superior over all!), but a
reflection of typical Jewish thinking. “Jesus answered, ‘Let us first feed the children. It isn’t
right to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs’” (Mark 7:27). Jesus was saying that His
earthy ministry was restricted to “the children” of Israel first then after
that His disciples will continue the mission to the whole world. I think Jesus’
answer was partly serious-reminding and partly humorous-testing.
Regardless, the woman
responded: “Sir, even
the dogs under the table ate the children’s leftovers!” (Mark 7:28). I like her persistence! Commenter
R.A. Cole writes, “She had not only
persisted when the Lord refused to answer, she now accepted this humble position
gladly, and showed that, even on those terms, she still claimed healing for her
daughter. God’s abundance for His children was so rich that even the rank
outsider could share in it.” The woman would not be turned away. She
persisted in her request until she was rewarded. She knew she was not inferior in God’s sight. To Jesus the Son of God,
she was not a “dog”! “So Jesus said to her, ‘Because of that answer, go back home,
where you will find that the demon has gone out of your daughter!’”
(Mark 7:29).
I know what it’s like to
feel inferior. I once thought that I was God’s “secondhands.” I was mocked and
make fun of when I was a kid. I was skinny, dark, pimply-faced, disfigured
chest, poor, slow to catch up and unattractive. But as I grown up and knowing
Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I came to realize that I was (and forever) of
value to God in spite of my feeling of inferiority. I no longer a “dog” but now “children” of God. Faith in Christ makes
all the difference! God is not respecter of persons. “God does not show favoritism but accepts from
every nation the one who fears him and does what is right” (Acts
10:34-35, NIV). That means God is not looking for those of noble
births or perfect figures, high ranks or elevate positions, superior races or
special nationalities – but looking for people like the Gentiles woman, me and
you who will look past their obvious weaknesses, who “do what is right,” and to
press on with faith come to Jesus and “fall at his feet.”
I mean, “dogs” are welcome
to Jesus!
“She went home and found her child lying on the bed;
the
demon had indeed gone out of her” (Mark 7:30)
THINK BIG.
START SMALL. GO DEEP.
