FOR SUCH A REPLY…
Key verse: 29
NIV
Jesus Honors a Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith(A)
24 Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.[a](B) He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. 25 In fact, as soon as she heard about him, a woman whose little daughter was possessed by an impure spirit(C) came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter.
27 “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 the dogs.”
28 “Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
29 Then he told her, “For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”
30 She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
Footnotes
- Mark 7:24 Many early manuscripts Tyre and Sidon
Cross references
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway
ESV
The Syrophoenician Woman's Faith
24 And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon.[a] And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. 25 But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. 26 (A)Now the woman was a (B)Gentile, (C)a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 And he said to her, “Let the children be (D)fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and (E)throw it to the dogs.” 28 But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's (F)crumbs.” 29 And he said to her, “For this statement you may (G)go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” 30 And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Mark 7:24 Some manuscripts omit and Sidon
Cross references
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway
Jesus left Capernaum and went to the vicinity of Tyre, a region where Gentiles lived. The intention may have been to go to a solitary place, but as soon as he went into a house, a woman with a daughter possessed with an impure spirit came for help. Jesus said he could not take children's bread and throw it to the dogs. Instead of taking Jesus' words as an insult, the woman replied that even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the children's table. Her reply was an expression of her faith in Jesus.
She called Jesus the 'Lord,' recognizing his sovereignty. She recognized the Jews' privilege as God's chosen people, but she trusted in the Lord, whose love extended to all. Children may be a priority, but the master takes care of the whole household, including a little dog sitting under the table. When the woman needed the grace of Jesus, she did not care whether the grace was a chunk of bread or crumbs falling off the table.
Jesus blessed the woman who gave such a reply and let her go home to her daughter, who was freed from the impure spirit.
Prayer: Father, you are the sovereign Lord, and you show your grace even though I am an undeserving sinner. I ask for your grace each day. May you show even crumbs of grace so my loved ones can be healed.
One Word: Reply of faith.
