Context No. 2615 of 4322 · Mark
Context · Reflection
Mark 7:24-28: in context
24From there he arose and went away into the borders of Tyre and Sidon. He entered into a house and didn’t want anyone to know it, but he couldn’t escape notice. 25For a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit, having heard of him, came and fell down at his feet. 26Now the woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by race. She begged him that he would cast the demon out of her daughter. 27But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not appropriate to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” 28But she answered him, “Yes, Lord. Yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
In Gentile territory, a Greek woman whose little daughter is tormented by an unclean spirit falls at Jesus's feet and begs him to help. His answer sounds like a closed door: let the children be fed first; it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs. But she does not take offense and leave. Yes, Lord, she says, yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.
Her reply is a marvel of humble, persistent faith. She does not argue with the lowly place his words seem to give her; she accepts it, and then presses her claim on his mercy anyway. Even the dogs get the crumbs. She humbles herself and refuses to let go at the same time, taking Jesus at his word and finding in it, not a rejection, but room for a crumb of grace, which is all she needs. When God's answer seems like a closed door, everything depends on what we do next. This woman neither stormed off offended nor gave up; she pressed in, humbly, sure that even the crumbs of Christ's mercy would be enough.
When God's answer seems like a closed door, do I take offense and leave, or humbly press in, trusting that even the crumbs of his mercy are enough?