Sermon Notes: Mark 7:24-30
Text: Mark 7:24-30
Big Idea: Jesus is the divine Son of God and the suffering servant Messiah who inaugurates the kingdom of God, who atones for sin through his death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus calls his people to a costly discipleship of self-denial and suffering with purpose and joy.
Big Idea of Mark 7:24-30:
Jesus speaks and acts on mission. In keeping his promise to Abraham, Jesus requires faith, tests faith, receives genuine faith from all nations, and gives himself to those who trust him because he loves them.
This is a challenging text. It is challenging because of modern sensitivity to hard and challenging words. Sometimes Christians decree that God can’t say some things because it hurts human’s feelings. I even saw this week where a PCUSA pastor, Janie McElwee-Smith, made a declaration about this text this week. She declared that Jesus made a mistake and used a slur and is wrong. So, she believes we have to admit Jesus is flawed in his humanity.
If we have a high anthropology and a low Christology, we are going to believe and say some things that are just wrong. We are going to struggle with Jesus, Yahweh from Genesis to Malachi, and any decent theology of the glory of God.
If we have a high Christology and a biblically appropriate anthropology, we are in the right place to interpret God’s word correctly. At this place we will default to the understanding that problems in us with God are not because God is flawed but because we are flawed, unclear, and lack knowledge.
Jesus is the Creator, on mission, and at no time is anything other than his whole person. Jesus is not flawed. Jesus does not make a mistake in our text today.
NOTE: God’s covenant with Abraham established that through his offspring, blessing would extend to all nations on earth (Genesis 12:1–3). This foundational promise created the theological framework for Israel’s role in God’s redemptive plan. Israel received the covenants, the law, the worship practices, and the promises. From Israel came Jesus himself (Romans 9:4–5).
The Old Testament established Israel as the original vessel through which God would work. The Jewish people were entrusted with God’s oracles (Romans 3:1–2), making them the primary custodians of the LORD’s divine revelation.
This role for Israel created a natural order. The good news would come through the Jewish folks first, then extend outward. Jesus became a servant to the circumcised to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and through this confirmation, Gentiles would glorify God for his mercy (Romans 15:8–9).
The New Testament applies this precedent. Peter reminded the Jewish people that they were heirs of the covenant God made with Abraham, and that God the Father sent Jesus to them first to bless them by turning them from their wickedness (Acts 3:25–26).
Paul said God’s word had to be spoken first to the Jews, then cited the Lord’s call for him to be “a light for the Gentiles” and bring salvation to the ends of the earth (Acts 13:46–47).
This sequence of Jew first then to the Gentile wasn’t arbitrary. It honored the Old Testament structure where Israel held foundational status in God’s plan.
Jesus instructed the twelve apostles to go to the lost sheep of Israel rather than to Gentiles or Samaritans (Matthew 10:5–6). Jesus, after his resurrection before his ascension, commissioned the disciples to witness in Jerusalem and Judea and from there extending to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
Jesus is not doing or saying anything contrary to what he promised Abraham or anything inconsistent with reality.
Jesus reserves his right as Creator who has been betrayed by his image-bearers and every image-bearer born to them and their descendants to state the facts as they are revealed. Mankind’s ignorance of what is written is not an appropriate basis for believing Jesus to be harsh or just wrong.
Apart from Jesus’ saving me and making me a son, I’m a dog cut off from the life of God, and unless I repent and believe will perish like I deserve.
Jesus does NO wrong in testing this Gentile woman to see if she really believes.
Let’s restate the big idea of our text: Jesus speaks and acts on mission. In keeping his promise to Abraham, Jesus requires faith, tests faith, receives genuine faith from all nations, and gives himself to those who trust him because he loves them.
Observation: What does this text say?
Who is the author? John Mark
Who is the author’s audience? Gentiles who are being reached in the places the gospel has not reached. Christians who continue to grow in their faith as they grow up into Jesus Christ who is the head of the church.
What is the occasion for the author writing to the audience? John Mark, in his work with Peter in the Great Commission, writes a historical biography about Jesus for use as a gospel tract particularly for Gentiles.
What is the genre of writing? Historical biography
Key words and phrases (big words, words that are repeated, etc.):
Arose and went away – This is strong and intentional language. Jesus is not just flying by the seat of his pants, and he’s also not in a robotic programmed “thing” where he can’t respond to mission and need.
Tyre...Sidon – Mark 3:8 indicates that there are Jewish folks in Tyre and Sidon. This region belonged to Asher back during the settlement of the land as they inherited it from Yahweh and conquered the Nephilim tribes that inhabited it.
Jesus is staying on mission. He is hunting down those he promised Abraham he would hund down in the sequence he has promised. Jesus will keep his word. Jesus is seeking out the lost. He’s seeking the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
Perhaps, even, Jesus intends to rest a little bit with his disciples.
Jesus is also on mission to indicate that the Jew is to look beyond themselves to the nations who are to receive the blessing of salvation from the Jews.
We are going to learn next week that Jesus returns from Tyre via Sidon to the Decapolis, which is a confederation of 10 Greek cities on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Jesus deliberately goes north to return south and east traveling among Gentiles.
Jesus is nearing Jerusalem and the cross, and he is getting after the mission not efficiency.
According to some “...this northern journey took Jesus almost six months. We know nothing about what happened in the course of these six months (except this encounter with the Gentile woman)[1]; but we can be perfectly sure that they were the most important six months through which the disciples ever lived; for in them Jesus deliberately taught and instructed them, and opened their minds to the truth.”[2]
Why can we say this? Verse 25 is an indicator.
Did not want anyone to know – Mark 9:30-32 indicates that Jesus’, intending to not be detected, was so that he could teach them on the journey together alone what they needed to understand about what was coming in Jerusalem in his betrayal and crucifixion. This is serious stuff Jesus is engaged in. The plan of the Triune Creator for salvation is being worked out, and Jesus is on mission to teach his guys.
This is not just willy nilly Bible story stuff. This is Ike planning D-Day with the allies and the liberation of Europe on the line only magnified times infinity.
He could not be hidden – Light is hard to hide because darkness cannot overcome it. Jesus is present, and the elect from the nations recognize him.
Immediately – One of the themes of Mark’s gospel. Nothing is in a hurry. It’s mission. Jesus, the Light of the World enters and stuff starts shaking.
Gentile...Syrophoenician – The Pharisees did not believe one could be saved without the law. Jesus is going to show that the law is not what saves. He saves. Through faith in him, even Gentile pagans can enter the kingdom of God of they come in faith.
A Syrophoenician is one who is Phoenician from the Romans province of Syria. Distinct from the Phoenicians descended from the Carthaginians.
Children...dogs – Jesus is testing faith here. We address this in the “NOTE” above and the big idea. Don’t allow reality and the Lord’s right, holy, and good frankness of the situation offend you.
NOTE: As the Lord said to his own cousin and appointed prophet, who fulfilled the role of “Elijah” as the prophet who would announce the Messiah, when he chose not to get him out of the death sentence of Herod: Matthew 11:6 (ESV) 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
Don’t let the Lord’s holy and divine prerogative keep you from glory.
For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter – This Gentile woman believed. She believed deeply within her very being. This Gentile woman confessed her belief with her words. Jesus gave her what she sought.
Lists:
None.
Contrasts and comparisons (What is being contrasted or compared? Is there an illustration?):
Comparison: Dogs and children both eat from the same source.
This woman not being offended by Jesus’ test can see with eyes of faith that insiders and those outside who see and want to come inside all are justified by the same thing: faith.
Thus, the dogs and the children are really, by the crumbs of faith, made family with no distinction because of faith.
Expressions of time (until, then, when, after):
V. 26 “Now” – Explanatory of the simultaneous awareness that a Gentile is bowing in a posture of worship before Jesus.
The intent is that you observe what is happening in time. It is almost like “look at this”, here’s the point.
Terms of conclusion/purpose clauses (wherefore, therefore, for this reason, finally, for, so, so that):
V. 27 “For” – A statement about the order of operations that is working out in God’s plan in salvation history.
NOTE: The LORD has been saving Gentiles since Genesis 10-11. There are Gentiles all over the genealogies of the Bible.
Remember, Jesus tests faith, and Jesus is boldly testing this woman’s faith.
NOTE: If she had gone away offended, her daughter would have stayed demonized, and they both would have died in their sin.
V. 29 “For” – Because of the woman’s declaration Jesus healed her daughter.
What does the text say: (Don’t interpret here. Just restate the passage in your own words.)
Jesus rises on mission to go north to continue seeking out the lost sheep of the house of Israel and to instruct his disciples on what is coming.
As they are on mission, a Gentile woman comes to Jesus for help with her daughter to get rid of a demon.
Jesus, on a mission he laid out in his word already, boldly tests this woman’s faith with some hard words.
Rather than be offended, this Gentile expresses rich faith in Jesus.
Jesus receives this woman, heals her daughter, and the kingdom continues to include inside those on the outside.
Interpretation: (What does this mean? Take all of the observation data into account)
1. Faith is vital (understatement).
The apostles were called by Jesus to follow him, and they had to turn loose and follow him. Faith.
The demonized had to come to Jesus believing he could and would set them free. Faith.
The sick came and received healing in their bodies because they had faith. Faith.
Father, Son, and Spirit created a world that operates on faith. Jesus requires faith for salvation. Jesus requires faith for healing.
Faith is vital.
And to even say it like that feels like selling it short.
Faith is necessary for salvation.
Faith is necessary for life in Christ.
We enter the kingdom of God by faith.
We persevere by faith. Colossians 2:6-7 (ESV) 6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
2. The god of this world has blinded the minds of unbelievers from faith in Jesus and the forces of evil in the heavenly places war against us and seek to destroy our faith in Jesus, so faith is hard.
Let me give you the Scriptures I just paraphrased in this point:
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 (ESV) 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
1 Thessalonians 3:5 (ESV) 5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
To make faith less hard, let me give you three parts of faith as the reformers taught it. Sometimes breaking things down into the parts helps us to master the whole. So, take this and let it be a help.
Faith, the assurance of things hoped for, and the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1) can be understood in these three parts:
Knowledge (Notitia) – We have to learn, be told, and know truth. Faith is not blind, empty, or objectless.
Mental assent (Assensus) – We have to have a mental understanding and agreement with the truth.
Trust (Fiducia) – We have to assimilate knowing and agreement into reliance upon and action toward.
This Gentile woman gained the knowledge of Jesus’ presence and what he was doing. She searched and listened and thought enough to agree with what she was coming to know. Then she searched him out and came to him and would not be offended by his testing. She didn’t leave.
Faith.
Gospel Connection:
Hebrews 11:6 (ESV) 6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Ephesians 2:8-9 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Sin broke us so badly that the very thing necessary to please God was no longer possible for us. Did you hear Ephesians 2:8-9? Before Adam and Eve messed it up, they could believe. After the fall, we have to be given faith by the power of God through the good news.
So, what does God do? He sends the Son of God, Jesus, the means of creation, to take on flesh and die in our place for our sin, be buried, rise, and ascend to make salvation available for all who would believe.
We can exercise faith because the good news preached imparts God’s grace in such a way that in the preached good news he gives faith to believe so that it is not the work of the one who receives the gift of faith, but faith is a gift to the recipient. As a gift, the recipient of the gift of faith cannot claim they earned it but only receive it and enjoy it to the glory and praise of God who gave it freely to them.
So, if you believe this morning. If you have faith in Jesus, you have all you need. You never leave faith and you never outgrow faith. You will spend the rest of your life in Christ in the local church working that faith out together on mission with Jesus and each other as it gets stronger, gets tested, gets refined, gets deeper, gets more joyous, causes us to experience our union with Jesus deeper, and leads us into the wisdom of God.
And if you have faith in Jesus, you didn’t conjure it up. It was given through the preaching of the good news. Give thanks to God to the glory of God.
If you have been awakened to life, you know it. The transformation the good news brings about when in it the Lord imparts faith is real. If that is you, just receive it.
Application: (What does this text require of me?)
1. How is the Holy Spirit testing, refining and growing your faith?
Jesus tests faith.
Is your faith being tested in the knowledge department?
Is your faith being tested in the mental grasp, understanding department?
Is your faith being tested in the execution department?
Be like the Gentile woman. Know. Understand as best you can. Then act in truth. Receive the Sabbath of rest that Jesus will see you through.
[1] Parenthesis mine.
[2] William Barclay, The Gospel of Matthew, Third Ed., The New Daily Study Bible (Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press, 2001), 147.