"Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs" (Mark 7: 28)
Here is an encouragement to persist in prayer. A Gentile woman, in Tyre, pleads with Jesus to heal her afflicted daughter. Yet everything seemed to block her way in her appeal for Christ’s help.
1. It’s his day off. Jesus was taking a break in someone’s house, ‘and did not want anyone to know it’ (v.24). But the woman hears that he is in the neighbourhood; his reputation had reached Tyre long ago (Mark 3:8). Jesus has good minders - but they are no match for a persistent mother!
2. He’s otherwise engaged. Jesus puts out a little test for the woman. Isn’t his first calling as Messiah to the Jewish people - the children? Should their ‘bread’ be given to the outsider Gentile ‘dogs’?
3. You can’t out-argue Jesus. His challenge seemed unanswerable. He’s the world’s greatest teacher; even the cleverest of the scribes and Pharisees could never match him in debate.
But Jesus lets this Gentile nonentity win the argument, with her reply. She’ll take crumbs any day!
She goes home, prayer answered. Her daughter is completely recovered.
Richard Bewes - Rector of All Souls - 11 July 2004
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