The Gospel of Mark
Jesus and the Syrophoenician Woman, Mk 7,24-30
This story reminds us of Elijah's visit in 1st Kings to the Widow at Zarepath in the same area.
Mark and Matthew have notably different versions of this encounter. The three significance differences are:
Matthew involves the disciples (That is unusual, Mark usually includes disciples and Matthew leaves them out. See for example the healing of Peter's mother in law, 1,29-31 & Mt 8,14-15)
Matthew has Jesus saying that he was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (Mt 15,24) and
Matthew has Jesus commending the faith of the woman (Mt 15,28).
In verse 24 we are told that Jesus goes to Tyre, which is Gentile territory, not Jewish. Remembering that the evangelist's community may have been predominately Gentile, this could be a story especially for them.
This is also a suitable follow-on from the preceeding discussion of clean and unclean. Jesus is now breaking boundaries, he is going to Gentile territory and he is speaking with a woman. We can note that this is an encounter between Jesus and the woman only, no disciples nor anyone else is present.
Jesus' desire for privacy may indicate no more than Jesus wishing to take a break and a rest from his ministry as we have seen (6,45-46). Yet "immediately" the woman hears of him.
She fell at his feet, as did Jarius (5,22). Links are established with the earlier double healing in chapter five.
Only then does Mark say she was Greek and a Syrophoenician (a local, in other words). By translating "Greek" as "Gentile", the NRSV fails to realise that it is the complete package, Greek (-speaking) and Syrophoenician which make her Gentile.
The unclean spirit in verse 25 becomes a demon in the next verse; the link between clean and unclean is though made, echoing the preceeding controversy.
This healing of the daughter reminds us of the earlier healing of a daughter, that of Jairus in chapter 5. The contrast is between an important Jew and a Gentile woman.
The woman though could have been well educated if she spoke Greek. Her attitude is more like the woman with a hemorrhage than that of Jairus.
Jesus' refusal in verse 27 is simply insulting. It was common for Jews to speak of Gentiles as "dogs". Perhaps this echoes the initial resistance of the Church to undertake its mission to the Gentiles. (We see this in the Acts of the Apostles, Acts 10 for example.)
There is another reference here to bread, though translators often choose other words such as "food". The priority of Israel for salvation is clearly stated, the bread (Jesus proclamation of the kingdom) is to feed them first. We need to keep in mind the significance of bread in this part of the Gospel.
The woman's reply is a strong retort, like the Samaritan woman in chapter 4 of John's Gospel she is able to give as good as she gets. Her need, her faith, are such that she can accept the priority of Israel, however she wants her daughter to be healed.
She calls Jesus "Lord". While too much must not be made of this, it is nonetheless the title for Jesus in the early Church after the resurrection.
This woman like a number of the "minor characters" in this Gospel shows a true understanding of Jesus and a faith in him which surpasses anything of his disciples. We have met the woman with a hemorrhage, in due course there will be blind Bartimaeus in chapter 10.
Jesus is therefore able to respond to the woman's need. He heals at a distance and (in contrast to Jairus) the woman accepts that, goes home and finds her daughter healed.
At the same time, this episode may have helped Jesus himself to realise that the kingdom is for Gentiles as well as Jews. Next time, the next incident, he will have no reluctance to act.
Return to the main page in order to move onto this second healing.