Luther Seminary

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Archives for September 7, 2006

Thursday, September 7, 2006

Mark 7:24-8:1 (NRSV)

Read Mark 7:24-8:1 on biblegateway.com

Verse 24From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, Verse 25but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Verse 26Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. Verse 27He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children's food and throw it to the dogs." Verse 28But she answered him, "Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Verse 29Then he said to her, "For saying that, you may go-the demon has left your daughter." Verse 30So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Verse 31Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. Verse 32They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. Verse 33He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Verse 34Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." Verse 35And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Verse 36Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. Verse 37They were astounded beyond measure, saying, "He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak."

Chapter 8In those days when there was again a great crowd without anything to eat, he called his disciples and said to them,

Devotion

We usually want to skip this story. We don’t like thinking about Jesus saying such harsh words to this desperate woman. To our modern ears, Jesus sounds racist and sexist. We want to edit his words and his attitude.

Here Jesus sets some boundaries, making clear that his current mission is to the Jewish people. But this woman’s faith causes Jesus to cross the boundaries and grant her request.

Our modern sensibilities are uncomfortable with boundaries – especially those set by God. We insist that God is about inclusivity and openness. We believe God’s love is for everyone and can’t imagine God saying, “No.” But God does set boundaries, choosing individuals and a people as God’s own.

In the end, Jesus’ determination to stick to his mission, which takes him to the cross, is good news. There, in his death and resurrection, Jesus embraces the whole world in his love.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, we sometimes don’t understand your words and ways. But in the cross we see your love is for us. Amen.

David Baer Immanuel Lutheran Church, Whitewood, S.D.