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Mark | 1-6 | 7:1-13 | 7:14-23 | 7:24-37 |  8:1-21 | 8:34-9:9 | 9:9-32 | 10:1-10 | 10:11-27 | 10:28-45 | 11:1-11 | 11:12-26 | 11:27-12:12 | 12:13-27 | 12:28-44 | 13-16 |

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Outline

I. The Syrophoenician’s faith (24-30)
II. Jesus heals a deaf man (31-37)

I. The Syrophoenician’s faith (24-30)

Discussion Questions

• What do you know about the cities of Tyre and Sidon?
• Were these Jewish cities?
• Why did He want to keep His presence a secret from the people there?
• What does it mean that the little girl had an “unclean spirit?”
• What does this show us about the activity of Satan and his demons?
• Was Jesus being rude when He said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs?”
• Why do you think Jesus did not help the girl immediately?
• How did the woman respond to Jesus’ statement?
• What does her response show us about her attitude?
• Was the girl with the mother?
• What does this miracle across distance show us about Jesus?
• What lessons can we learn from this passage?
• Are there any lessons about prayer?
• How about perseverance?

Cross-References

Matthew 15:21-28 – And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

Revelation 7:9 – After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

Isaiah 49:6 – he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Ephesians 6:18 – Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Mark 3:11 – And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”

Verse by Verse Commentary

The account of this shared in Matthew is a more detailed account and we will use that for the basis of this discussion.

1. The city of Tyre – Tyre was a Gentile city, which became part of the Roman Empire in 64BC. It is located 39 miles (63 km) from Galilee, which was the basis of Jesus’ operations.

It is an island city that acted as a major harbor for that area. Tyre and Sidon were locally important cities throughout Old Testament times. Hiram was the king of Tyre and floated cedar trees down to Joppa for building the temple. As an island fortress, Tyre was difficult to attack and largely withstood Nebuchadnezzar’s 13-year siege.

Later Sidon would welcome Alexander the Great, but Tyre refused to let him in the city. Alexander used dirt and other items to build a causeway into the sea, then breached the walls and defeated it thoroughly after only seven months. After this point, Tyre would lose its influence.

The downfall of Tyre was predicted in Ezekiel 26 and 27 and was accurately fulfilled. During Roman times Tyre regained some of its affluence and Sidon was a relatively free and prosperous city. Both of these are still populated today.

2. A Canaanite woman – The area was occupied mostly by Gentiles.

Matthew 15:22 – “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.”

Though she was a Gentile, she expresses significant faith in Jesus, referring to Him as Lord and also by His Messianic title, Son of David. In addition, she asks Jesus to have mercy on her, thus acknowledging that she does not deserve His help.

The fact that she went to seek Jesus out shows that she had heard accounts of Him and had faith in Him to help her daughter.

3. But He did not answer her a word –

Matthew 15:23 – But he did not answer her a word.

Jesus does not immediately reply to her. Naturally, we would ask, why wait? We must realize that Jesus is omniscient. He knows what He is going to do. From the beginning, he plans to heal this child.

However, it appears that He wants to test this woman’s faith. It is to her benefit (and perhaps the surrounding peoples’ benefit) to persevere in her request before receiving an answer. It is also beneficial to the crowd and the disciples to see her persistence and faith.

Application – God does not always answer our prayers right away. He may require us to wait to receive what we want. The reason is not that He enjoys making us wait. Rather, the process of waiting can be very beneficial for us. We can learn many lessons while waiting with the right attitude.

Reflect – What kind of lessons can we learn by waiting? In what Biblical accounts did God cause people to have to wait?

A parent may often not give a child what they want immediately because he wants his child to learn patience or to learn to appreciate it more.

We now live in an era of instant gratification. Virtually all the knowledge known to man is available at the click of a button the internet. No more library trips are necessary. Movies and shows can be streamed on demand. All manner of food and cuisine can be delivered within an hour. Shopping can be completed from the comfort of our home and goods show up at the door.

These conveniences are a blessing and a curse. Instant gratification can cause people to become discontent and spoiled, while destroying their attention spans. Perseverance is a trait that seems to be fading from society.

The woman needed to persevere in asking for Jesus’ help and we too need to persevere in prayer (Luke 18:1-8).

3. The disciples ask Jesus to send the woman away –

Matthew 15:23 – And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.”

The disciples were annoyed by her behavior. To them, she was like a pest. Her behavior and perhaps her ethnicity annoyed them.

Application – Compassion is not my strong suite. My natural reaction if someone falls is either, “Get up. Brush it off,” or, “You should be more careful.” Like the disciples, do we too sometimes lack compassion and seek to send “problem people” away instead of helping.

Let us consider the following statement about Jesus and how He practiced it in this encounter.

Matthew 12:20 – A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench.

4. Jesus did not send her away – Here we can perhaps get a clue of Jesus’ intention to finally grant this woman’s request. He does not send away the woman like the disciples ask and like He could have done. Why not?

It seems that the only reasonable answer is that He fully intended to do what this lady requested, but only after she and His disciples had learned the lessons He wanted for them. The fact that Jesus would even engage with her and finally grant her request shows us that he was not racist or rude, as some wrongly conclude from this passage.

5. “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” –

Matthew 15:24 – He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Jesus sent His disciples to the villages of Israel (Luke 10). Jesus was the Jewish Messiah. He was the Jewish king. He was the fulfillment of many of prophecies given to the Jewish people. His first and immediate mission was to the Jews.

We know that His end vision for the world is saved people from all tribes, peoples, and tongues (Revelation 7:9-12). This long path, which would end in this goal being achieved, first took Jesus to the Jews.

Everything has its purpose and its time (Ecclesiastes 3.) We know that Jesus’ earthly ministry was primarily focused on the Jews. Then His disciples, who were Jews, would be sent out to the Gentiles (Matthew 28:28-30, Acts 1:8).

But we also see Jesus’ compassion for the Gentiles, whom He helps and heals on several occasions. Here He wants His disciples to learn to be mission focused on what God has called them to do, while also showing compassion and going beyond that mission when it is necessary to do so.

Application – What is the mission God has given to you? Do you know who you are sent to or what you are sent to do? If not, you need to prayerfully evaluate your calling through the lens of Scripture and the wise advice of godly friends and try to ascertain what God is calling you to do.

Once you think you know, start doing it and allow God to shift your direction a bit if necessary.

A ship that is anchored and tied to the dock cannot go anywhere and it can’t change direction. Speed is required before a boat can change it’s heading.

Likewise, if you are not moving, you will not be able to adjust course. Some people spend years not doing anything because they “don’t know what God has called me to do” or they “don’t know my spiritual gift.” The first step is to start serving. Once you do that, you can adjust as necessary.

For example, if I volunteer to be on the worship team it won’t be long until someone comes along and suggests a different ministry!

Are you wholeheartedly focused on this mission? Jesus did not let things, even good things, distract Him from His mission. Do you let unimportant, worldly things distract you from the mission God has given you? Are you actively working toward it?

Resource – What is your life vision? Read this Bible study as you try to find out.

6. The woman is persistent – She is a great example of perseverance. Though she is seemingly rebuffed at the first attempt, she keeps at it. If she had given up on the first try perhaps she never would have seen what Jesus would do for her daughter.

Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

Later in verse 27 we see that she persists again in her request even after it looks like she was refused the second time.

7. It is not good to throw the children’s bread to dogs – People naturally question if Jesus was being rude to this woman. It is a reasonable question because in our modern-day culture and the English language usage it does appear to be that. In fact, Jews did rudely refer to Gentiles as dogs during the time of Jesus.

However, the word they used was “kuon,” which was used to un-spiritual people or unclean animals. The word Jesus used was “kunarion,” which is the word used for small dog or a pet dog. It is more of an endearing term similar to our usage of the word “puppy.”

Jesus was simply using terms which they would understand to explain that His mission was focused on the Jews first. Remember that Jesus was extraordinarily busy. Thousands of people followed Him around. They came with constant requests, questions, and favors to ask. It is likely that Jesus received far more requests for help than He had time to fill. Messages or letters petitioning assistance from other towns was likely commonplace. He legitimately had very little time available so He had to prioritize.

His first obligation was to His own “clients” or “patients,” the Jews. At the same time, I believer Jesus was testing her faith like He often did with people. He wanted her to keep persisting until she got a favorable response. His final agreement to help her proves this.

Application – We also need to prioritize. It can be hard to balance the needs of family, church, friends, and relatives. It is possible that saying “yes” to helping a friend comes at the cost of saying “no” to helping a family member. Let us pray that the Lord will give us wisdom and fortitude in fulfilling our primary responsibilities while still being compassionate and showing love toward others outside of that sphere.

Reflect – What principles can help guide you in maintaining the proper balance between your responsibility toward different circles such as family and ministry?

8. Jesus demonstrates His power over distance by casting out the demon – Jesus finally agrees to heal her daughter by casting out the demon. When the lady returned (having believed Jesus’ word) she found out that the demon had been cast out just as Jesus said.

Jesus found the perfect solution to this problem. He taught His disciples compassion even for “problem people” outside of their mission. He taught this lady the importance of persistent faith. He healed the girl who was tortured by this demon. Because He healed across a distance, He was not distracted or pulled away from his primary mission, which was preaching to the Jews.

II. Jesus heals a deaf man (31-37)

Discussion Questions

• What can you tell me about the Decapolis? Who lived there?
• Why might Jesus have taken this man aside from the crowd to heal him?
• What does this passage teach you about Jesus?
• Can we learn any spiritual lessons from this miracle?
• Why did Jesus tell them not to spread this news out?
• Do you think they understood the “why” of Jesus’ instruction?
• What does their disobedience show us about them?
• What should we do when we do not understand the “why” of a command?
• What does the statement “He has done all things well” show us about Jesus?

Cross-References

Luke 4:18-19 – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Proverbs 2:2 – Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding.

Proverbs 19:27 – Cease to hear instruction, my son, and you will stray from the words of knowledge.

Verse by Verse Commentary

1. The Decapolis – This was a region of ten Hellenistic Greek cities that were to the east of Galilee, mostly across the Jordan river. Roman culture prevailed in these cities. Mostly, they were composed of Gentiles such as Arameans and Nabataeans, but there were also Jews. Jesus traveled through there to witness several times.

The last time He had visited this region, he cast unclean spirits out of a demon-possessed man. These demons went into a herd of pigs and drowned them. As a result, the locals drove Jesus and the disciples out of the land (Mark 5). It looked like a defeat. Satan was claiming these lands for darkness.

However, God’s master plan was better. On His first trip, Jesus changed the life of one man and gave Him a powerful testimony to share.

Mark 5:19-20 – And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled.

Through the witness of this changed life, the news of Jesus spread. This time on His return the people are far more welcoming. Thousands would gather to witness His miracles and listen to His teaching (Mark 8).

Decapolis was a challenging place to witness to. With so many cultures, ethnicities, and religions represented, it would have been far out of a typical Jew’s comfort zone to travel and minister there. But Jesus was no typical Jew. He had a mission to complete there. He wanted to shine the light in this region controlled by darkness.

Thank God that He does not leave us in darkness either.

Colossians 1:13-14 – He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Application – There will be times when God calls you to leave your comfort zone to minister for Him. Perhaps He will call you to reach out to people who are very different than you. Followers of Jesus need to act like our leader. He doesn’t call us to a life of ease or convenience inside of our comfort zone. But He does call us to be bold and to shine His light. Will you?

2. Jesus healed a deaf man with a speech impediment – There is no sickness or disease too difficult for Him to heal. Jesus did not make a big show out of it. In fact, He asked people not to talk about it. His concern was not for fame. Compassion for this man motivated Him.

Many of Jesus’ miracles point to a spiritual truth beyond the physical reality. Opening the eyes of the blind is a reminder that we are spiritually blind and in darkness without Christ. Opening this man’s ears points to the fact that we cannot truly comprehend spiritual reality without His work in our hearts.

1 Corinthians 2:14 – The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

Romans 10:17 – So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

Miracles prove Jesus’ divine nature and remind us that “apart from Him, we can do nothing” (John 15:5).

3. Jesus asked them not to spread the news around – Jesus was not looking for fame. Matthew quotes an important passage from Isaiah 53 on this topic in the context of a similar encounter where Jesus’ requests confidentiality.

Matthew 12:15-19- Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,
my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased.
I will put my Spirit upon him,
and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
He will not quarrel or cry aloud,
nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.”

Jesus was not about self-glorification. He was not seeking attention. He did not perform healings in the spotlight. Neither did He post the stories to Instagram and Twitter.
More attention would have brought larger crowds looking for signs and miracles. That would have meant less time for teaching and discipleship, which were His primary missions.

The people did not respect Jesus’ instruction to keep it quiet, but shared it even more. They could not have understood the “why” of Jesus’ request. Perhaps they even thought that they were doing Jesus a favor. Maybe they thought He was too meek and needed some free publicity. Regardless of their motivation, they disobeyed.

Application – There may be times when we don’t understand the “why” of a command from an authority. It is well and good to seek further explanation where possible. But not understanding is not proper grounds for disobedience. A soldier cannot excuse defying a direct order by saying, “it didn’t make sense.” When you are required to obey, make sure that lack of understanding does not result in disobedience.

4. He has done all things well – It is a beautiful praise exalting Jesus for His character. While we do some things well, no one except Christ has done “all” things well.

He has given us a perfect example in everything.

Application – Because Jesus gave us a perfect example, we can respond to challenging situations, by asking, “what would Jesus do?” If we can answer that question, we will know exactly what to do.