Gospel's Explained: Mark 7:27-28

Mark 7:27-28: "But Jesus said to her "Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children's bread and throw it to the little dogs." And she answered and said to Him, "Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs from under the table eat from the children's crumbs."

It is not surprising that many misinterpret what the Bible is saying. Here is a perfect example. The meaning of this passage is arguably rather hidden and needs knowledge of both the culture in Jesus' day and also a Spiritual understanding which only comes when being filled with the Holy Spirit, "our helper" (John 14) (e.g is only available to God's children). On the face of it it appears that Jesus is insulting somebody by comparing them to a dog, however that is not what is happening.

Jesus here is talking about Israel. Israel are God's chosen people. They have been blessed by God immensely, from the bringing about of the nation, to taking them out of slavery in Egypt, to giving them  the Law through Moses which gave an exact picture of God and his benchmark for perfection. For this reason Christ came first to the Jews. However we know that through their rejection, salvation became available to all (Romans 11:11).

NB: Another reason we should pray for Israel; as so aptly put in Romans 11:15 "For if there being cast away is the reconcilng of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?" E.g: if their rejection of Christ resulted in our salvation, then what great blessing would their acceptance of Christ result in!?

The Jews rejection of Jesus served us Gentiles well. For God first offered salvation to the Jews and then it became available to us. What would of happened if the Jews had accepted their Saviour in the first place, we do not know. However this was not in God's plan. You may ask: 'why would God offer His people something if He intended them not to accept it?' But, who are you to question God? As stated in Romans 9:21 "Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make on vessel for honour and another for dishonour?" Just as God chose to harden Pharoahs heart time and time again (Romans 9:17). It was part of God's wonderful all-knowing plan for salvation that His people rejected Lord Jesus, for it was necessary for the Lord Jesus Christ to die, to take the punishment that you deserve and destroy the hold of sin over us all.

In Mark 7, Jesus is talking with a Gentile woman. A derogatory term used by the Jews against Gentiles in those days was 'Gentile Dogs'. Now Jesus is not insulting this woman who has petitioned Him, but rather using this term to both illustrate what He is saying and also to test the woman.

Jesus is saying to the woman that He has been sent to the Jews first and it is them that He must help first before His salvation becomes available to the Gentiles. God's offer is first available to the children of God, before it becomes available to the Gentiles. In a family, the children will eat first and then the dogs and this is the order it should be in.

Not only is Jesus giving us an insight into the fact that soon salvation would become available to all and we now all have the opportunity to become children of God (Galatians 3:29 "and if you are Christ's then you are Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise."), but He is also, in essence, saying: "My salvation has not yet become available to you, why should I answer your request when you do not yet have any right to?"

Matthew 15:24 "But He answered and said, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

The woman's reply is a humble one. She does not get offended, nor does she leave dejected, which she so easily could have done. She easily could of taken offence to the illustration used by Christ. However she does not. She comes to Him humbly and not proud. This approach passes Jesus' test to see whether the Gentile woman was willing to rely upon Him completely or if she would be proud and resist Christ. 1 Peter 5:5 "... God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." 

The woman humbles herself before the Lord. She does not argue with Him because she knows that she is sinful and unworthy to 'eat at the table with the children of God'. The approach of the woman is incredibly important. It is crucial to the gospel of Christ and we should take note of it. The woman's approach shows us how we are able to attain God's mercy.

The woman's reply is saying, 'I know I am not an Israelite but please have mercy on me still.' She does not focus at all on herself. She focuses completely on the Lord. How many people today focus on themselves. People usually focus on their own problems, they ask 'why has this happened to me', they are full of self-pity, everything that happens they look at from the point of view of what effect it will have on themselves. This woman is not doing this. She is focusing completely on Christ. She is saying  "I know I am not good enough and I do not deserve what you are offering, but please give it to me anyway, not based on my own efforts but based on Your goodness and Your mercy."

Jesus is pleased with this reply and grants her petition, telling her that when she returns home she will find that her daughter has been healed from the demon-possession. This granting of her petition shows the mercy of God.

When we petition the Lord we should focus upon Him and not ourselves. We should approach Him on the basis of His goodness and His mercy and grace whilst acknowledging that we do not deserve anything from Him; and indeed we do not! But this is the essence of grace - an undeserved gift.

If we want the Lord to answer our prayers and petitions and even to have mercy on us and receive His salvation, we must always approach Him on these terms and we must approach Him on His terms and not our own.

Just like the story in 1 Maccabees 13 when Simon, Israel's High Priest and leader has brought his mighty army to recapture the city of Gazara (Gaza). Those in the city who see the might of Israel's army are scared and want to make peace with them. Verse 45-46 tells us that the citizens went up onto the city walls and shouted out:

"DO NOT TREAT US ACCORDING TO OUR WICKED ACTS BUT ACCORDING TO YOUR MERCY!"

We are sinful beings and nothing that we can do can save us. Therefore when we come before the Lord, we must approach Him like the gentile woman in Mark 7. We must not petition Him based on what we want and what we think we should have. Rather, we must petition Him based on Him, on His mercy and on His saving grace.

This is the approach we must take to both receive salvation and to make our constant petitions to the Lord throughout our time here on earth.

-BACChristian.