More Healings and Growing Opposition. - Mark 7:24-8:26
Jesus extended his ministry further into Gentile territories. Many themes are repeated from the earlier chapters. Particular emphasis is given to the failure of even his disciples to understand who Jesus really is.
Tyre and Sidon - Mark 7:24
Jesus traveled west to the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The area was dominated by the cities of
Tyre and
Sidon which were about 25 miles apart. Most of the residents were Gentiles, but some were Jews. Some had earlier traveled to Galilee to see Jesus (3:8).
She was a Gentile - Mark 7:26
That this woman was a Syrophoenecian indicates that she was a part of the ancient native population of the area. Phoenecia was the Mediterranean coastal region of the Roman province of Syria. She was
Greek not in ethnicity, but in life style and language. The main point for Mark was that she was a Gentile.
Dog - Mark 7:27
At that time, as today, the word
dog could be used as an insult. But the Greek word used here (and in the parallel passage in Matt. 15:26, 27) is best translated as
dog or
lap dog or
pet dog. It is to be distinguished from the word used to describe a street
dog, a farm dog, or a stray scavenger dog which in the New Testament could be used as an insult (Matt. 7:6, 2 Pet. 2:22). Jesus did not seem to intend an insult. He may simply have pointed to a household pet as he spoke. Nor did the woman take offense. The form of the word that is translated first is always used in Mark's Gospel to indicate a sequence in time (for example 9:11, 12). The point that was made was simply that there was a temporal order in the ministry of the Messiah. He came first to the house of Israel (Matt. 15:24).
Wisdom and unwavering faith - Mark 7:28
The woman responded with wisdom and unwavering faith in Jesus' ability to heal her daughter. Could not the
Lord allow a Gentile to be touched by the power of the Kingdom at the same time as the Jews?
Decapolis - Mark 7:31
The
Decapolis was a large territory east and southeast of the Sea of Galilee named for a loose confederation of ten Gentile cities. This trip from Gennesaret northwest to Tyre to Sidon and then south to the Decapolis was a long one, probably well over 100 miles. We do not know how long it took.
Healing - Mark 7:32-37
This healing was reported by Mark as an example of the many healings by Jesus on this long journey.
Jesus took the man aside - Mark 7:33
It appears that Jesus took the man aside so that the miracle would not become a matter of public knowledge. Note 8:22 where Jesus also took a man to a private location. The detailed description of Jesus sticking his fingers in the man's ears and spitting is unusual in the Gospels.
Jesus sighed - Mark 7:34
Mark reported that Jesus
sighed. The word can also be translated
groaned. It showed that Jesus was deeply involved emotionally in the man's desperate situation. See 1:41; 3:5; 8:12 for other glimpses of Jesus fully human emotional life.
"Ephphatha" is an Aramaic word that Jesus used and which Mark has translated
open.
Freed from speech impediment - Mark 7:35
The clause
his tongue was released could be literally translate,
the chain of his tongue was set free. He was freed from his speech impediment.
Extremely astonished - Mark 7:36-37
Again Jesus told them to keep this a secret. The last time he was in the Decapolis he told the healed Gerasene demoniac to tell of his healing (5:19, 20). It seems that Jesus was now far better known in this area and that led him to want less publicity about his healing powers. In any case, the people ignored him and spread the news. Again they were
astonished , this time extremely astonished.
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