Jesus’s Gentile Mission (Mark 7:24-8:10)
Jesus’s Gentile Mission
Mark 7:24-8:10
Introduction
Christians called to follow the pattern of Jesus’ life
1 Pet 2:21.
While we cannot (and in some cases, should not) imitate everything Jesus did, his life is a pattern for ours.
If Jesus went to the nations, we do too.
It may seem strange to take such a large chunk of Mark all at once, but that is because it is strategic. It is designed to show us this: all that Jesus has done for Israel he also does for the Gentiles.
Geography is important in Mark, and he uses it to communicate theological points. Notice where Jesus goes:
7:24 – To Tyre, a wealthy Gentile region north of Israel
7:31 – from Tyre, through Sidon (further north) to the sea of Galilee to the region of the Decapolis, a long and circuitous route through scarcely populated areas, giving him a lot of alone time. But, most importantly, it completely avoids Galilee.
Mark 8:10 – returns to Dalmanutha—in the area of Genessaret, similar to Capernaum.
Jesus seems to be intentionally leading his disciples through Gentile areas as part of their training.
This should make perfect sense, given what we heard the Lord teach us last week.
If true religion does not consist in the regulation of external things (like food), but the transformation of the internal things (the heart), then it stands to reason that salvation is not just for Jews but for Gentiles also.
Cleansed hearts, not Jewish rituals, make us acceptable to God. Therefore, Gentiles can be acceptable to God as Gentiles.
This is the rhetorical point that Mark is making in these accounts, and why I have grouped them together. Simply reading these accounts should almost feel like de ja vous.
The parent of a sick little daughter laid up in her bed seeks out Jesus and falls at his feet in order to beg him that she might be healed, demonstrating their great faith.
A man is brought to Jesus to be healed, and he heals him with a word, but then commands that he tell no one, only for them to disobey his word and proclaim it anyway.
A multitude is fed by means of the disciples and their meager provisions with many baskets of food left over.
God’s plan of salvation was always for the whole world through Israel, not just Israel at the expense of the whole world.
Genesis 12:3 — in you all the families of the world will be blessed.
Exodus 19:3-6 — you shall be my treasured possession…kingdom of priests and a holy nation
2 Samuel 7:19 — this is instruction for mankind
Isaiah 49:6-8 — Israel as a covenant for the peoples, establishing worldwide blessing
Israel had forgotten this. Their status as the chosen people of God—a true status—had inflated their ego.
God’s pattern has always been Jews first, and through them to the Gentiles.
Abraham
Israel
Jesus was a Jew—in fact the Jew.
Apostles were Jews
Paul’s missionary strategy—definitional to his understanding of the gospel (Romans 1:16).
It was through the salvation of Israel that the whole world would be blessed, and so salvation was to be offered first to Israel, and then to the whole world through them. Romans 11:11-16.
Their privileged position, however, led them to despise the very nations they were formed to reach.
Jonah
Peter and Cornelius (Peter in Galatians, separating from Gentiles due to the brothers sent from James)
A significant problem in the early church—how do Jews and Gentiles get along in one body when for so long they were intentionally and divinely separated? In other words, do Gentiles have to become Jews in order to be justified? And the resounding answer of the NT is no.
Acts—the treatise by a Gentile to a Gentile to assure him that he is included on equal footing.
Paul—Ephesians (one new man) and Galatians (not circumcision) and Philippians (we are the true circumcision)
Mark writes from Rome—the center of the Gentile world—about a Jewish savior.
These stories, then, are precious to us, because we are Gentiles.
And they show us important things about ourselves, and those we are trying to reach.
But, perhaps most importantly, it shows us that we have the same solution, the same problem, and the same provision.
The Same Solution: Trusting Christ (Mark 7:24-30)
The first reality we see is that Gentiles have the same solution as Jews do—it is the solution of trusting in Christ Jesus. To show us this, Mark introduces us to a fascinating lady.
Jesus wants to be hidden, but cannot remain hidden.
a historical and practical reality—probably went to get away from the crowd (6:31). Coming into town with 12 guys was conspicuous and would have made local news.
Also a spiritual reality that Mark repeatedly makes: Jesus is hidden to all those who do not seek him in faith. He comes inconspicuously, and the woman of faith seeks him out.
Evil unclean spirit in a little girl. Mark does not give us details, but there had to be some obvious, visible manifestations of demon possession for her mother to notice. Other places show demons through their strange behavior, their screaming and self-harm, their convulsing. No doubt this little girl was undergoing something like that.
You can imagine a mother’s worry…
She hears of him. We don’t know the details of this, but it must have included the fact that he was a miracle worker, and perhaps something of his message and teaching. He was something of an international phenomenon by this point. She comes to him, in the house (significant detail), and falls at his feet.
But there’s some background information we need to know before we can understand the rest of the story (“now”):
She’s a she—a woman, lowest on the ancient ladder.
She is a Gentile—not a Jew. In itself, not evil. But it gives context.
She is a Syrophoenicians—from Phoenicia in the region of Syria—of which was in the district of Tyre. A sea-faring people, and a region cursed by God in Isaiah 23 and other places.
Matthew adds the detail that she was a Canaanite—one who was supposed to be exterminated in the conquest back in Joshua.
If there was one person who should have been out of favor with God, it should have been her.
A most peculiar conversation unfolds:
She begs him. Matthew supplies us with the exact words: “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” The fact that she understands that she is the Son of David indicates that her theology is actually quite good.
Jesus responds with a parable (Mark 7:27—it isn’t right to feed to the dogs what is for the children. It isn’t mean, it’s just an illustration.
Yes, the Jews had called the Gentiles dogs, but Jesus does not mean it in that sense. This is a pet dog, not a stray tramp. And you don’t feed pets what is for family.
This refers to the reality that Salvation had come to the Jews—that the time for salvation to go to the Gentiles had not yet come. There is a covenantal order which still stands at this time. Moses is still enacted, which means that the times of the Gentiles have not yet begun. Salvation has not begun to flow to the ends of the earth.
Thus, it wouldn’t be right to take the blessings that properly belong to the children of God and give them to others—just like you wouldn’t sit down for dinner then put everyone’s plates on the floor (though the dog would love that!)
Jesus isn’t against healing and helping Gentiles. Gerasene demoniac is proof.
His point is covenantal, not race-oriented. There are special promises that belong to the Jews, and so it is proper to fulfill those promises first before extending salvation to the whole world.
Her witty response: “Yes Lord, yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” I.e., you’re right, Lord. It is not the time for the Gentiles yet. But, does that mean that the dogs under the table don’t get a few crumbs while the children are being fed?
Notice first her tenacity—her apparent rejection by Jesus does not deter her from asking again.
Notice also the fact that she understands the parable—while the disciples just verses before were confused by such sayings. She is demonstrating faith by understanding and receiving his word.
Notice that she does not disagree with Jesus—Yes, you’re right! Salvation is offered to the Jew first, then the Gentile. I’m a Gentile. I’m not part of that chosen people, and I’m ok with that!
Notice her humility—Even dogs get scraps. Can you spare a scrap? I’ll be a dog if it means I can be near the table.
Notice her faith—Jesus did
Jesus’s response: “For this statement [word] you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” Matt 15:28, “O woman, great is your faith!”
Learn: Faith is what cleanses the heart because faith comes to Christ—and faith does not choose between Jew or Gentile. This woman is good soil—she has heard the word, received it, and is bearing fruit in faithful coming to Jesus. Thus, we must do so also.
The Same Problem: Stubborn Deafness (Mark 7:31-37)
The second reality is that the Gentiles have the same problem that the Jews do—the problem of stubborn deafness to Jesus’ words. This is what we see in the account of the deaf-mute.
Jesus takes a long, circuitous route home.
Avoids Galilee
Lots of discipleship time (potentially even weeks of travel)
The Decapolis, remember, had once “begged” Jesus to leave and not come back (5:17). They have already proved unbelieving. But since then, there seems to have been a change, because now they are “begging” him to lay his hand on this deaf-mute (7:32). Do we have any reason to believe that their hearts are changed?
Jesus takes him aside privately—not seeking public attention but doing his works in private.
Fingers in the ears, spitting, touching his tongue. What is he doing?
Not dramatic rituals. Sign language. What compassion! He wanted this man to understand what he was about to do!
Yet as he utters the word for healing, he “sighed.” That’s an interesting detail to include. Why?
Lit – “to express oneself involuntarily in the face of an undesirable circumstance.”
2 Cor 5:2 – in this tent we “groan”—the weight of sin and death and decay which we feel in our souls
Heb 13:17 – let them do this with joy and not with “groaning” — the reaction of shepherding unsubmissive and disobedient sheep.
Rom 8:23 – We ourselves “groan” inwardly as we wait for our full redemption, namely, our resurrection
So what is Jesus doing? In this moment, he feels the weight of sin, decay, death, ruin, and destruction. Yet he sees it not just in the deafness—he’s about to heal it—he sees it in the unbelief.
Yet he still heals him.
Then they disobey his word.
While the woman had heard Jesus’s word, accepted it, and bore good fruit by obeying it, these men do not. They are much more like the soil that springs up quickly with joy but has no root in itself, or the seed sown among thorns that are choked out by the worries and sufferings of life.
I understand it is popular to explain their disobedience to Jesus’ word because of exuberance, and I concede that it is a possible interpretation. But Jesus has been clear: it is the one who hears his word and does it that is like the house built on a rock. Yet he tells these men not to say anything, and they have an inversely proportional reaction to his command—the more he commanded them, the more they didn’t listen to him.
So, there is a great irony in the story—he received his hearing! But he didn’t get hearing in the way that mattered most. Just like the leper.
All the while they end up speaking better than they know! “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.” This is a clear allusion to Isaiah 35:1-7—these kinds of works indicated that the time of exile was over, that blessing was coming to the wilderness and the whole world.
In turn it points us all the way back to the identity of God himself: Exodus 4:11, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”
Learn then: the Gentiles have the same heart as the Jews. It’s a human problem. We struggle against this every day, don’t we? Children? Friends? Coworkers? Family? We tell them the gospel and they hear, but they don’t hear.
Yet Jesus does all things well. He can make the deaf hear and the mute speak. He did so for us—can he not do so for others.
Yet it is also instructive to us—it is when our ears are unstopped and we hear the message of God in our hearts that our tongues are unbound to speak of the great things of God.
We do not say “he has done all things well” until we have truly heard his word/he has opened our ears.
This fits with the apostles’ coming Gentile mission. The real deaf-mutes in the story so far have been the apostles. They don’t really hear! They’re still deaf! “Who is this? What do the parables mean? Why are you saying who touched me? How are we going to feed so many people? Why is there a ghost in the water?” So, how can they proclaim that he has done all things well unless he opens their ears to hear what he has to say?
Are your ears unstopped? Can you say, “He has done all things well?”
The Same Provision: Divine Compassion (Mark 8:1-10)
The third reality is that the Gentiles have the same provision that the Jews do—the provision of a compassionate and divine Savior who cares for all our needs.
We know the arc of the story—it’s almost precisely the same as the 5000 with a couple of differences.
In fact, the stories are so similar that many unbelieving scholars suggest that there was really only ever one mass feeding but many different versions of the story developed over time and Mark has preserved both for us.
Of course, this is bogus—these things actually happened. Jesus in 8:14-21 will treat them as two separate feedings. We should to. But it does highlight that core point—What Jesus does for the Jews, he will do for the Gentiles also.
Yet, one cannot help but noticed the diminished nature of this miracle in relationship to the feeding of the 5000. There are fewer people, more loaves provided by the disciples, and fewer leftover baskets. Which also shows us the same point as the Syrophoenician woman—that salvation has not yet fully gone to the Gentiles. This is just a preview.
The audience is different
5000 – They saw him leave and they run to him, and the context seems to give the impression that this was primarily Jewish.
4000 – “in those days” seems to indicate that he was among the Decapolis for an extended time, making his audience likely primarily Gentile.
Incidentally, if there is any symbolic value in the leftover baskets of food, this is likely where the significance is: 12 for Israel in the 5000 Jewish audience corresponding to the 12 tribes of Israel, 7 for the days of creation in the 4000 Gentile audience corresponding to the state of rest for all humanity. Uncertain, don’t put too much weight on it, but if it is there, that’s what I would say it is.
The setup is different
5000 – Jesus is presented as the Shepherd of the people, feeding his sheep, directing them to sit down on the green grass, and therefore he is the king of Israel. All these points are uniquely specific to Israel itself.
4000 – Jesus is presented as the compassionate provider of food. No mention is made of the shepherd. Instead, it is driven by their physical need for food, which Jesus cares for. He emphasizes this.
Jesus’s response is different
5000 – Jesus sees that the people are like sheep without a shepherd and then proceeds to teach them.
4000 – Jesus sees that the people are hungry and then proceeds to feed them without teaching mentioned.
The disciples response is different
5000 – The disciples surface the need for food after a long day of teaching. Jesus responds by leading them to feed the people.
4000 – Jesus himself surfaces the need for food and his disciples respond with a more circumspect answer: “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?” In other words: “So, Jesus…what are you going to do about it?” So, he says, “How many loaves do you have?” I.e., “Go get the bread. I’m going to feed them.”
Concluding Applications
What can we learn from these accounts?
We should be thankful! We are unnatural branches, grafted into the true olive tree. We don’t belong, yet we have been accepted. We were alienated, far off, cut off from the promises of God, passed over by God when he gave his promises to Abraham. We should not be here!
We must come to him in dogged faith. The Syrophoenecian woman did not give up when apparently she was rejected. Jesus said no. Yet she pressed the matter. Like the persistent widow who bangs on the judge’s door late at night until he caves in. How much more will the compassionate Jesus give us all we need if we only ask him—and ask him more than once.
We must say what we have heard. Those whose ears have been unstopped will tell of what they hear. We know that we have truly heard the word of God if we are saying what we have heard and learned. You can always tell when someone is learning at the feet of Christ—they always want to tell you about it!
He will always provide for all our needs. Notice how Jesus’ focus in the 4000 is all on the physical needs of the people. They’re hungry. They’re going to faint from exhaustion if they don’t get something to eat. We need to give them bread! How much more will he care for every need of yours? Yet notice also how it is not until the third day that he does it. Weren’t they hungry after the first day? Or the second? Yet in good time he did provide, when the need was there and in its proper time.
Go. Go to the nations. Follow Jesus’ example.
We must not become a self-focused church. We must look out. That is the mission.
Perhaps you could be supporting missions more actively through Shepherd. Through giving. Through prayer. Through words of encouragement. Through watching. Through strategizing.
Perhaps you should go. We always assume that someone else will go. But why not you? Should not someone take up the mantle of missionary and lay down their short life in service to Christ’s cause?
Perhaps you know someone who should go. Have you encouraged them? Sought their good? Their maturity? Their equipping?
We are also for this nation! Not through elections, but through the multiplication of healthy churches. We are a church planting church, even if we haven’t planted any churches yet! You must be thinking now whether or not you might one day be called to leave on mission to spread the kingdom of Christ.
But most of all, where are our hearts? Are they in the mission? Are they on board with what Christ is doing? Are we trusting him? Are our ears open? Is our tongue loosed? Do we lean on his compassion?