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NASB | Mark 7:27 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." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Mark 7:27 He was saying to her, "First let the children [of Israel] be fed, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the pet dogs (non-Jews)." |
Bible Question: In the two versus prior to this, a woman was asking Jesus to cast the demons out of her daughter. In this verse, I know that Jesus is not calling the woman or her daughter a dog, but I'm not sure who the "children" are in this verse and why he associates the woman and/or her daughter to the likes of a dog. Can someone please help me to understand this. |
Bible Answer: Hi, Linda C! You are correct! Jesus uses metaphors as a vehicle to teach His lessons to both the disciples and the general population... when we read Mark 7:24-30 we get a better picture of what is being said in verse 27: Mark 7:24-30 The Faith of a Syrophoenician Woman Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone. First Point: It is made known that the woman is not from the children of Israel; rather she is Greek--a culture that worshipped many gods and whose rituals were considered profane by God. Second Point: Jesus, as the promised Messiah, did not come to the Gentiles (the non-Jewish world)... He came to fulfill the prophecies and the promise given to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Israel)... Third Point: Jesus is not rejecting the woman because He considers her lower than the Jews (God is not a respecter of man); He simply asserts the fact that He came to His own and until His people would reject Him, He is bound by Scripture to fulfill all prophecies. Fourth Point: Jesus uses this opportunity to challenge both the woman who is seeking mercy from God, and His disciples and the people of Israel--He tests her resolve by using an analogy that could very well be reflective of the culture at that particular point in time: the children should be nurtured foremost, then all others can be relieved! Fifth Point: Upon her humility and faith, Jesus was quick to render God's favor to her! (Verses 29-30) Personally, I believe that Christ had already decided to heal the little girl (something akin to Lazarus' resurrection); He simply capitalized on the opportunity to render both physical salvation and spiritual salvation (those who has eyes... those who have ears...). He taught through words, portent signs, and humble examples... He used everything that was at His disposal to gather Israel to Him (as a hen seeks to gather her chicks)... much of the people He saw on a daily basis were poor and uneducated and since Jesus did not want to exclude them from the Good News He employed a language that was colorful, full of imagery and, though simple, spiritual enough to need God's Holy Spirit to discern His complete message. The woman in question did not perceive Jesus' words as degrading--rather, she understood that Israel was the chosen people of God and that as a member of the Greek society she was not of the children of Israel. Yet, her conviction that Jesus could help her gave her the courage to persist on begging for mercy on behalf of her daughter! How many of us today have this woman's courage and determination to rely on God's mercy no matter what? God Bless! Angel |
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Questions and/or Subjects for Mark 7:27 | Author | ||
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rmiddleton | ||
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AandDuniqueinc | ||
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Lindac | ||
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JCrichton | ||
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Shelly | ||
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lilroxysis09 | ||
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lilroxysis09 |