Everyone Matters
Mark 7: 24-30
September 8, 2024
Sixteenth Sunday of Pentecost
Jesus had gone through the regions of Tyre and Sidon. These were cities of Phoenicia, and Phoenicia was a part of Syria. It was from Tyre and Sidon that there came the first sailors who steered by the stars. Until men learned to find their way by the stars, ships had to hug the coast and to lay up by night; but the Phoenician sailors had circumvented the Mediterranean and found their way through the Pillars of Hercules until they came to Britain.
So, the first thing that we can understand is that Jesus is in Gentile territory. Consequently, we must ask if this was an accident or on purpose. In our previous sermon we found that Jesus wiped out the difference between clean and unclean food. Could it be that now Jesus is wiping out the difference between clean and unclean people? Just as the Jews would never soil their lips with food that was considered unclean, neither would any self-respecting Jew have anything to do with the unclean Gentile. We may find that Jesus is saying that the Gentiles are not unclean and that they too have their place in the Kingdom of God.
Jesus could have come north to this region for temporary escape. In his own country he was under attack from every side. The Scribes and Pharisees had branded Jesus a sinner because of his lack of following all their rules and regulations. Herod had considered Jesus a menace and the people of Nazareth treated him with a great sense of contempt. Jesus knew that the time was coming when he would have to face His enemies, but before that, he would seek the peace and quiet of seclusion. Thus, he withdrew from the hatred of the Jews into the solitude of the Gentile region.
Our story this morning must be read with some insight. A woman has come to Jesus asking for help for her daughter. The answer that Jesus gave her was that it was not right to take the children’s bread and give it to the dogs. This at first is quite a shocking statement. The dog in those days was not the well-loved dogs which we are accustomed to today. The dog, was commonly considered a symbol of dishonor. To the Greek the word dog meant a shameless and audacious woman. Even to the Jew it was a term of contempt. In fact, this was a term often used by the Jews for Gentiles.
How then are we to explain the use of the term dog by Jesus. First of all, Jesus did not use the usual word, he used a diminutive word which described not the wild dogs of the street, but the small lap dogs of the house. In the Greek, diminutives are often words of affection.
Second, we have to consider the tone of his voice. The same word that we speak can be a nasty insult or a term of affection, depending upon the tone of one’s voice. Jesus’ voice took all the poison out of the word.
However, Jesus did not dismiss the woman nor her request. He told her that the children must be fed first; but only first, for there was something left for the household dogs. Jesus meant that Israel was offered the gospel first, but only first, there were others still to come.
Now the woman was a Greek and Greeks were known for their repartee; and she saw that Jesus was speaking with a smile. In those days people did not have knives and forks, but ate with their hands. They then wiped their hands on the bread and then tossed the bread onto the floor for the dogs to eat. So, the woman said, “I know the children are fed first, but can’t I even get the scraps the children throw away?” Jesus loved her response!
Here was a woman of great faith; here was a woman who would not take no for an answer; here was a woman with a very ill daughter and she still had enough joy in her to go toe to toe with Jesus. Her faith was tested and her faith was real and her prayer were answered.
Symbolically, this woman stands for the Gentile world which so eagerly seized on the bread of heaven which the Jews had rejected and thrown away.
But here is a time in which Jesus was reminded that all people matter. Regardless of all the outward appearances which we judge people, all people matter. As we read our New Testament lesson in James, we are again reminded about the Golden Rule to love your neighbor as yourself. James reminds us that the amount of money a person has does not prove the character of that person. Nor does the type of clothing a person wears be it rags or designer clothes.
But we judge people in other ways. We judge them by the color of their skin; their ethnicity; where they live; what type of job they have; who they love; etc…etc…etc. We have all seen the signs that say “Black Lives Matter” and that is so true, but to be really responsive to the will of God, the signs should read, “All Lives Matter.” We are all children of God and God loves us all equally.
This is what Jesus learned as he dialogued with the Gentile woman and this is what we still need to learn today…Everybody Matters!!!
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Wayne
