Daily Devotional for Wednesday, September 27

Jesus and the Syrophoenician

“But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children’s bread, and cast it unto the dogs,” Mark 7:27.

When you read this passage, it sounds as if Jesus was insulting this woman. In today’s culture, that is probably how you would perceive it anyway. Insults hurt. Think of the last time someone might have insulted you and maybe not on purpose. Did you throw an insult right back? Were you silent? Often the reaction to such things is to become defensive. Not so with this woman, since she understood her place and who she was.

Jesus was not insulting her but was in fact referring to her the same as all Jews did. Jewish culture is much different than the western culture. We would know to refer to anyone as a dog not only would be disrespectful but also there would be consequences. The Jews thought themselves superior to all Gentiles. So, when Jesus made the statement in verse 27, she knew what He was saying.

Jesus came to preach the gospel to the Jews. This is referenced many times throughout the New Testament. Both by Jesus in the Gospels and in Paul’s writings. The children in verse 27 are the Jews, and the dogs are the Greeks. Jesus, in essence, was saying that He came to tell the nation of Israel the gospel, not the other nations. The Jews had priority to hear and receive the gospel message.

The woman’s response to what Jesus said was one of humility, a subservient attitude. She was willing to accept crumbs of mercy that Jesus would have left over after preaching to the Jews. He told her to go her way, for the devil had gone out of her child (verse 29).

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: Knowing the rejection of the Jews, God’s plan was for all to hear and receive the gospel. Are you glad that you received more than crumbs of mercy for your salvation?

Karry Irizarry