Mark 8:11-13 The Pharisees Seek a Sign from Jesus

11Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him. 12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.” 13 And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.


Devotional
Jesus after feeding the four thousand now returns with His disciples to the land of Galilee. To a place called Dalmanutha. In Matthew’s parallel passage Matthew refers to it as Magdala (See Matt. 15:39). It appears then that Dalmanutha was near or akin to Magdala on the western shores of the Sea of Galilee, near the hometown or birthplace of Mary Magdalene. ***
And so with Jesus and the twelve disciples back in the land of Galilee the Scripture states: “Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.” Vs.11 Even though Jesus had recently just miraculously fed the four thousand; something that they themselves in all likelihood would have been aware of. Yet it is clear by both the nature of their inquiry, and Jesus' brief response to them, that they themselves were still hardened to the fact that Jesus is truly the Son of God, sent from God, first to His covenant people, and now to all people. And so their seeking a sign from Jesus was (by external appearances) to find evidence that God had sent a prophet to His people. For if the sign came to pass that was to confirm that the prophets message was from God. As long as the prophet did not try to turn the people’s hearts away from God, then the prophets sign was to be respected, and his message obeyed (Deut. 13:1-5). That is how God told Israel to identity His prophets.
Now Jesus Christ Himself was “a sign” (if you like) from God (Luke 2:34-35). From the angel Gabriel's foretelling of Jesus' birth to Joseph and Mary and how He would both establish God's everlasting Kingdom with men and save His people from their sins, (Matt. 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-33). To the Lord Jesus Christ being heralded in by angels, in the heavens, at His birth (Luke 2:13-14). To even John the Baptist being raised up by God to preach a baptism of repentance, according to God’s Prophetic Word (Mal. 3:1; Matt. 11:10) to prepare Israel for Jesus imminent arrival (Matt. 3:1-3). So that all who repent and believe in Him will have remission of all their sins and everlasting life (Acts 5:31-32). Therefore John in faith and obedience to God declared to all that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). Which was continually confirmed by God Himself through all of Jesus' merciful acts and healings by the Holy Spirit that He did; who even confirmed Jesus at His baptism by God when God Himself openly declared “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matt. 4:17

Therefore the Pharisees if not eye witnesses to some of these things, would have been told of many, if not all of them. And so their seeking a sign at this point from Jesus seems utterly unreal! For they being experts in the Law of God surely should have been able to instinctively piece together at least some of the many Old Testament Scriptures which fortell of the Christ's (or Messiah's) Person, were in fact being fulfilled in their very presence, and in their very days! For the Lord Jesus Christ is the only One whom the Scriptures foretell and point to (Genesis 3:15; 49:10; Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Psalm 2 (vs.7); 8:2; 8:4-6; 22; 16:10; 34:20; 35:11; 35:19; 40:7-8; 41:9; 45:6-7; 68:18; 69:9; 69:21; 110:1, 4; 118:22-23; Isaiah 7:14; 9:1-2; 42:1-4; 52:13-53:12; 61:1-2; Jeremiah 23:5-6; 31:10; 31:15; Ezekiel 34:11-16; Daniel; 9:25-26; Hosea 11:1; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 9:9; 11:12-13; Matthew 2:23; Acts 3:11-26; 13:16-41 etc.) Even the Law of God which the Jews seemingly trust in, always point to faith in Jesus Christ as the only means of salvation from sin and death, not Moses and the Law (Hab 2:4; Acts 13:38-41; Rom. 3:19-28; Gal. 3:19-25). Therefore the Pharisees in seeking a sign from Jesus after He had just fed the four thousand, and the five thousand previous to that, when Jesus revealed Himself as the bread of life come down from heaven to feed mankind (John 6:35) were not inquiring of Jesus Christ as seekers wanting to confirm God’s Word, which He Himself had already amply done.
Their purpose in trying to test Jesus was born out of their unbelief about Him (John 7:47). They already had ample evidence that verified His Person, both of what they had seen and heard. God had already revealed Himself through Jesus Christ to them, just as He does today through both His Word and His people to all people. Therefore with the Pharisees seeking a sign from Him, Jesus does not give them a sign. For God does not give signs to change a person’s hardened heart from unbelief to faith. That is why Jesus says no sign shall be given to this generation; that is to them and all those like them, who simply refuse to believe and thus receive His Person. For again though God gives signs to confirm to His people that it is He who is speaking to them, of which they had plenty. He does not give signs to those who refuse to believe the revelation already given them. Jesus’ response than to the Pharisees request for a sign shows a heart that is deeply wearied by the unbelief in theirs; for the Scripture says. “But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.” Vs. 12

Now the word translated sighed deeply is an intensified form of the word used to described someone sighing; it means, “to draw up deep sighs from the bottom of the breast, to sigh deeply” Enhanced Strong’s
Jesus then manifested the weight of a Man who having done so many amazing and merciful things and just recently having healed an incredibly disabled man, then fed four thousand people before arriving back in Galilee, was deeply wearied by the Pharisees hardened hearts towards Him. Notice both Mark and Matthew’s parallel passage (See Matt. 16:1-4) then records that Jesus left the Pharisees (Mark 8:13) not just a literal leaving, which He did, but a leaving of them to their own unbelief and miss understandings about Him. For the Pharisees were externally religious men, but internally their lives and their doctrine were corrupted and hypocritical. For them to seek a sign from Jesus was not only hypocritical in that they themselves did not have genuine faith in God. But they themselves made themselves out to be the keepers of the truth, while living contrary to it. That is why Jesus in Matthews parallel passage (Matt. 16:1-4 ) calls them a wicked and adulterous generation whom He will give no sign to, except the sign of Jonah the prophet, which is a reference to His own resurrection from the dead which is the ultimate sign of His coming from God.
Jesus then didn’t give them the sign they requested, nor will He give you a sign if you request one from Him as proof of His Person coming from God, though the devil might. The Lord Jesus Christ’s Person must be believed by faith, not blind faith, but evidential faith, of His coming from God as the Scriptures foretell and which He has fulfilled (Heb 11:1). God’s Word plus the Lord Jesus Christ's own deeds and Words is a sign enough as Jesus has clearly said (Read John 5:31-47).


Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Additional Resources
*** Gleaned from articles on Dalmanutha and Magdala in Nelson’s illustrated Bible dictionary, Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1995.

Mark 8:1-10 Jesus Feeds The Four Thousand

1 In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them, 2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 “And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.” 4 Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?” 5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” 6 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude. 7 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them. 8 So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. 9 Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away, 10 immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

Devotional
This passage is paralleled in Matt. 15:32-39 and occurs chronologically after Jesus fed the five thousand near the eastern hilly shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. Now this occurs in Decapolis in the land of the Gentiles. For Jesus’ having healed a man there who was brought to Him now has a huge multitude begin to follow Him and these all continue with Him three days and so they having nothing to eat the Lord has compassion on them.

Though Jesus previously miraculously fed a great multitude of five thousand this occurrence has some distinctions in contrast to the previous occurrence. In the feeding of the five thousand the Jewish Passover was at hand and thus Jesus intentionally uses that incident to reveal that He is the embodiment of it, first to be broken as the bread is broken and distributed freely amongst them, then to have His blood shed as a sacrifice for the sins of world, thus through that incident Jesus manifests Himself as God’s Manna sent from heaven to feed people Spiritually to give them Spiritual life. “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35 Therefore it was the Spiritually realities that underlie that miraculous act that Jesus was clearly emphasizing and portraying to them, testing both His disciples and them so that their hearts and the depth of their faith might be revealed to them (Read John 6:26-69).
As well this time the disciples do not ask Jesus to send the multitude away to buy bread for themselves as they did before when He presented them with the situation, after just one day, since Jesus again initiates, but this time He says to the disciples: 2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. 3 “And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.” Vs. 2-3
Jesus then is again demonstrating a heartfelt concern for those who seek to follow Him. What is different is there are no towns or villages nearby as in the feeding of the five thousand which took place near Bethsaida where the multitude could’ve been sent away to buy bread for themselves. So the situation in that sense is far more direr. What isn’t different is the disciple’s hardness of heart which seems to be blinded to the possibility that Jesus can feed these folks just as He did in the other incident. Maybe in some ways we are seeing the progression of faith that Jesus builds in His disciples as He spiritually feeds them? For the disciples respond to Jesus by saying …“How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?” vs. 4 Yet for Jesus to feed this multitude as He has already demonstrated is nothing. What is needed is our faith and our willingness to enter into His Work in the world. Are you then willing to enter into Christ’s labors with Him? The disciples, though not unwilling to enter into God’s labor were unsure on how the need was going to be met, and thus they handcuffed themselves. For they were looking at it from a perspective of what can they do to meet the need, rather than what Christ can. But Jesus doesn’t work that way. If He did He would raise up for Himself a couple of Bill Gates type philanthropy workers and seek to build His Kingdom that way. But Jesus doesn’t work that way. He works through ordinary people with ordinary lives, abilities and resources and does extraordinary things. So that God receives the glory, not man (Consider 1 Cor. 1:26-31). Therefore Jesus responds to the disciples question by saying …“How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.” Vs. 5 Notice Jesus doesn’t say how much money is in the money box; as the disciples reasoned in the feeding of the five thousand, that they didn’t have enough money to buy bread so all the multitude could eat (John 6:7). Instead Jesus says to the disciples how much bread do you have on hand? Not what you will have when you retire or acquire “enough”.
But what do have on hand right now that you can use to build His Kingdom? Time, talents, resources, personal connections, you name it, for you know. What can you give to the most worthy cause in the world? That is for the salvation of it, from the sin within it, and the death that results from it (Rom. 6:23). God has given everybody something. Even our fears and failures God can turn into good for His kingdom when we trust Him to do what we can’t. In feeding of the five thousand incident it was a faith filled boy who provided five loaves and two fish (John 6:9) which became the catalyst that Jesus chose to work through when the disciples despairing, thought they could do nothing; for they were only seeing a crises before them, rather than the possibilities. Yet Jesus met the entire need so that everyone could eat, and still there were twelve baskets of left over fragments; the significance of which we won’t get into right now. So now Jesus is asking His disciples to trust to Him with what they have, so that He might multiply it.

So with the disciples giving to Jesus the seven loaves He commands the multitude to sit on the ground. And with that He takes the seven loafs gives thanks and in His hands (don’t miss this) Jesus breaks the bread and gives it to His disciples who then distribute it to the crowds (vs. 6), similarly with the fish (vs. 7). First our lives and resources go into Christ’s hands then He distributes them through His disciples so that all the need is met. That is how the early church functioned (Acts 4:32-36; 6:1-7). Now we don’t have to dogmatically follow that pattern (and become cult like), nor do we give blindly and without discernment and accountability. But we do have a clear Biblical model of co-operative faith working together, which is so much better than individuals striving apart to achieve the same goal.

And with that everybody ate and was filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. The significance being that is what they started out with! What at the start looked like it would cost them everything in reality cost them nothing. In the Book of Ecclesiastes it says:

“Cast your bread upon the waters,

For you will find it after many days.” Ecc. 11:1

Where’s your bread in your storehouse gathering mold (consider Luke 12:15-48) or is it in the Lord’s hands where He can multiply it and distribute it so that others and yourself will be filled by Him. The passage concludes by saying that those who ate were about four thousand (vs. 9). As well it states that Jesus sent the multitudes away, something that Jesus frequently did, either personally greeting people or bidding them a farewell. Even with large crowds, Jesus was a Man of gracious hospitality; a Man who delivered His Kingdom message with tact and grace so that all might believe and be saved. And so with the people’s departure Jesus immediately got into the boat with His disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha to minister there (vs.10). Now serving Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of heaven begins by first entering into it. And this anyone can do when they believe in Jesus Christ crucified and raised from dead so that their sins can be forgiven and they can be brought into a everlasting relationship with God the Father through faith in Him. For the Scripture says: “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” Rom. 10:9-13

Have you called on the name of the Lord? Sincerely and truthfully, knowing that there is nothing you can do to save yourself from your sins? God isn’t out to condemn you for admitting to Him what He already knows about you. But He is out to change you, first by providing atonement for your sins that is what Jesus’ crucifixion accomplishes. He saves you from His judgment against your sins. Then He transforms you. That is what the Holy Spirit does, conforming your character to Christ’s. Not your personality, but your moral and spiritual character to Jesus Christ’s. Who when He became flesh became the perfect embodiment of what humanity should be like. That is God’s salvation plan for humanity, for everyone who repents of their sins and turns to God through faith in Jesus Christ, God by the Holy Spirit makes them a new creation In Christ and thus apart of God’s new created order to be physically established with Christ’s return. For now the Kingdom of God is as Jesus said within you, within everyone who believes in Him and has believed in ages past is already apart of Jesus Christ’s eternal Kingdom. The alternative is to remain willfully unbelieving, spiritually dead in ones sins and trespasses separated from God because of them and one day if one dies in that degenerate state to spend an eternity in hell, where Jesus said the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched (Mark 9:43-48). But that is not the will of God for anyone, no matter what you have done, that is not God’s will for you, for “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9

Therefore while the Lord delays His return don’t delay your decision, be ready for the Lord Jesus Christ’s return by accepting Him and His offer to pardon your sins and change you here and now. For when He returns or you die, it will be too late as Jesus revealed in His parable of the wise and foolish virgins (Matt. 25:1-13). That is why the Scriptures say today is the day of salvation, for God will not hold back fulfilling His Word for anyone. Not tomorrow, but right now is the appointed time to invite Jesus Christ into your life while there is still time. You may want to pray a salvation prayer, like Billy Graham uses or you may want to pray something from your own heart. It doesn’t matter what matters is that you invite Jesus Christ into your heart and life and then chose to follow Him in obedience to the gospel that is all that matters. This life is a moment, a fleeting moment, and then it’s gone. Don't waste yours on nothing. Prepare for eternity today by making your decision for Jesus Christ.

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Mark 7:31-37 Jesus heals in Decapolis

31 Again, departing from the region of Tyre and Sidon, He came through the midst of the region of Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee. 32 Then they brought to Him one who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him. 33 And He took him aside from the multitude, and put His fingers in his ears, and He spat and touched his tongue. 34 Then, looking up to heaven, He sighed, and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” 35 Immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was loosed, and he spoke plainly. 36 Then He commanded them that they should tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it. 37 And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”

Devotional
From the Phoenician cities of Tyre and Sidon Jesus now moves into another Gentile region, Decapolis, into the very heart of it. It was from this region that early on multitudes came to follow Jesus. And it was in this region as well that Jesus after healing the demon possessed man who lived amongst the tombs in the region of Gadara; went and told it everywhere in the region of Decapolis what Jesus had done for him. Decapolis was after all a region comprising of at least ten major cities, (of Greek polis city states), Gadara being one of them. Located mostly on the eastern side of the Jordan River it circumvented about ¼ of the southeastern section of the Sea of Galilee running as far north as Damascus of Syria and south to modern day Ammon in Jordan. Its union was that it was the hub for originally Greek than Roman culture, thought and political life in what was otherwise Semitic lands. In other words in Jesus’ time this was the epicenter of Roman culture in occupied Israel. If Jesus had a “Jewish only” agenda His visiting this region which was thoroughly Greco-Roman in thought and culture would have quickly quelled that. But as we will see Jesus didn’t preach Moses and the Law but the Kingdom of Heaven which encompasses every tongue, tribe and nation which exercises in faith in God exclusively through Him. So it will be that while Jesus is in the region of Decapolis near the Sea of Galilee that they will bring to Him a man “…who was deaf and had an impediment in his speech, and they begged Him to put His hand on him.” Vs. 32
Jesus’ response is not to heal the man in the presence of them all. Rather He takes the man aside. Away from the multitude; than Jesus puts His fingers in the man’s ears and spat and touched the man’s tongue. Then Jesus looked up to heaven, and sighing He says to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” Vs. 34 Now with Jesus words immediately the man’s tongue was loosed from its impediment and his hearing was restored and the man spoke plainly (vs. 35). I’m not sure why Jesus touched both the man’s ears and tongue before He spoke since it was His Word which made the man well. It may have been He did so because that is what they requested; that Jesus lay His hands on the man to heal him. And really it doesn’t matter. Jesus healed by both personal touch and by personal Word sometimes combing the two, sometimes not. Now with the man’s healing Jesus plainly commands them that they should tell no one. Yet the more He commanded them, the more widely they proclaimed it (vs. 36). Now at certain times Jesus did not want His miraculous works revealed. At least not until He had fulfilled His purposes with His death on the cross than resurrection. In three instances this occurs: the first being after Jesus gave His Sermon on the Mount and a leper came to Him requesting to be healed, (Matt. 8:1-4) which Jesus graciously did but after doing so He commands him to tell no one, but rather go and “…show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Mark 1:44 Thus Jesus wanted him to be His living witness of the Power of God through Jesus Christ to transform lives, not to the crowds, but to the priests, who should have known and believed, but in reality did not. Yet that man went out and proclaimed it freely and so Jesus could no longer go into the town openly but instead He had to stay in the country and people came to Him from every quarter (Mark 1:45). The next instance is when Jesus raises a little girl from the dead. Yet Jesus keeps the astonished parents who were eye witnesses to it from telling others (Mark 5:21-43). Finally we have the instance here which the people who brought Jesus the man when they saw how He healed him the Scripture says: And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He makes both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.” Vs. 37
Jesus truly opens the ears of the deaf and loosens the tongues of the mute. Both then and now of men and women everywhere of every culture and background who hear His voice through His Word. As He draws people to Himself, speaking to our hearts and souls and minds, saying:

"Look to Me, and be saved,

All you ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other." Isaiah 45:22

Than Jesus looses our tongues so that we might confess Him as Lord and declare His righteousness and sing God's praises, and His alone. Since He "...Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2:24-25

What are you looking too? Is it Jesus Christ, God's only Son, crucified for your sins remission and raised from the dead for your justification before God the Father when you believe in Him and confess Him as Lord (Rom. 10:9-10). Or are you looking to yourself, trusting your own righteousness to make you approved before God the Father? Yes, God loves those who follow righteousness (Prov. 15:9) but He cannot bear the self righteousness who trust in themselves rather than God (Prov. 16:5; Luke 18:9-14). For in God's sight there is none who are righteous, no not one (Rom. 3:10). If there were then there would have been no need for Jesus Christ to have to suffer and die in our place so that God might save us by His crucifixion for our sins (Gal. 2:21). As the prophet Isaiah says in foretelling of the Lord Jesus Christ's crucifixion:

 "But He was wounded for our transgressions,

He was bruised for our iniquities;

The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,

And by His stripes we are healed." Isaiah 53:5

Our peace with God comes at a cost and that cost can only be paid by Christ. Read the Bible and look into God's commandments, than examine your own heart and life, and see that you are like all others, sinful. Maybe not to the same degree as others, nonetheless we are all guilty of sin before God as the Scriptures says "all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God." Rom. 3:23
Who then is going to pay the debt? We can't, since God has shut all of humanity under sin making self redemption impossible. Nonetheless God did not leave us without hope, rather so that He might have mercy on all who believe, He gave us His Son so that whoever looks to Him crucified and raised from the dead He might not only remit our sins, Jesus Christ having paid the penalty for them on the cross, He might also transform our person here and now by Christ's Power through His Spirit dwelling within us making us fit for and apart of the Kingdom of heaven here and now. Eternal life is not something you get when you die, it's something God gives you and places in you by His Spirit dwelling within you here and now, the moment you believe (Eph. 1:13-14). "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
Do you have eternal life? Are you sure you know that you are ready to stand before God the Father when you die? Will Jesus Christ be your Righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) and Advocate (1 John 2:1) on that day, or will you stand alone clothed only in you're sins and transgressions?
If you're not sure, make sure, right now ask the Lord Jesus Christ into your heart. If you believe, invite Him in and tell Him you trust Him and only Him by His death on the cross for your sins remission for you want to repent of your sins. And His Spirit, the Holy Spirit will help you do so. For no one can cleanse themselves from their sins and change their inner person, which is corrupted by sin, only Christ can, and this He does by His shed blood, for "without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness." Heb. 9:22 Then by His Spirit dwelling within us He changes us to more and more to reflect His likeness through the fruits of the Spirit, which are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Gal. 5:22-23 Whether God's or mans. "For if anyone is in Christ they are a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new." 2 Cor. 5:17

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

Mark 7:24-30 Jesus Heals a Syro-Phonecian Woman's Daughter

24 From there He arose and went to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He entered a house and wanted no one to know it, but He could not be hidden. 25 For a woman whose young daughter had an unclean spirit heard about Him, and she came and fell at His feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syro-Phoenician by birth, and she kept asking Him to cast the demon out of her daughter. 27 But Jesus said to her, “Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” 28 And she answered and said to Him, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” 29 Then He said to her, “For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 And when she had come to her house, she found the demon gone out, and her daughter lying on the bed.

Devotional
Jesus having taught the disciples in Galilee that defilement does not come from the outside; from not observing the commandments of men, which cannot purify the heart and soul from its sins. But rather what we say, for the things we say is often a reflection of the sins within us. Now moves into a region of the Gentiles. Northwestward, roughly fifty miles along the Mediterranean coast to Tyre and Sidon, metropolises and their surrounding regions in what is modern day Lebanon. If you remember early on in Jesus’ ministry many Gentile people having heard of His mighty works had already come to Him from this region, as well as Idumea (ancient Edom) and regions beyond the Jordan (Mark 3:8). Thus early on Jesus had quite an eclectic following, seeing He did not discriminate against anyone based on nationality (John 4:1-42), gender (John 11:5), occupation (Matt. 8:5-13), reputation (Luke 7:36-50), or really anything else (Luke 8:1-3), which made the Pharisees at times very hostile towards Him (Matt. 9:9-13).

So it will be that while Jesus is there, in the land of the Gentiles, in the regions of Tyre and Sidon with the twelve Apostles. That Jesus having entered a house did not want it to be made known, yet it becomes known. In fact the Scripture says He could not be hidden (vs. 24). Now Jesus entered the house of a foreigner, with the twelve Apostles’ in a foreign land. Not a big deal unless you are a Jew living under the Law. Yet this is not the first time Jesus had done something “controversial” like that. For Jesus freely entered the homes of both the Pharisees (the Jewish religious leaders) as well as Tax collectors and sinners (people the religious leaders went to great lengths to avoid coming into contact with), even Samaritans (a neighboring people group whom the Jews shunned), simply at their invitation and without reservation, which is something everyone should take note of, for Jesus Christ will enter the heart of anyone who simply invites Him in. “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Rev. 3:20

Now the Scripture says that while Jesus was staying in this particular house that a Gentile woman, a Syro-Phoenician by birth meaning this woman had absolutely no claims or means of appeal to God by belonging either to the common wealth of Israel, or even having a share in Israel’s ancestry; as the Samaritan woman at the well did, (see John 4:12), comes to Jesus, and falling at His feet she begins to plead with Jesus to cast a demon out of her daughter. Jesus’ though does not initially respond to her request as is so often the case in the gospel, instead He replies to her request by saying: …“Let the children be filled first, for it is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” Vs. 27 Now Jesus’ response taken at a glance is startling, some might even say harsh, and is utterly out of character with His dealings with people. Nonetheless His demeanor will immediately change towards her as she exemplifies a truly humble faith with her response to Him, when she says: “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs under the table eat from the children’s crumbs.” vs. 28 And with that Jesus says to her …“For this saying go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter.” Vs. 29 And so it was when the woman had returned home she found the demon had gone out of her daughter and she was lying on a bed (vs. 30).

Now what do we make of this? Why was Jesus being rude towards this Syro-Phoenician woman? Are Gentiles really just dogs in His eyes when compared with Israelites? And did He yield to her request just to make her go away? If all one knew of Jesus Christ was from this one passage, one might come to that kind of erroneous and ill considered conclusion. Nonetheless the gospel does not endorse or support such a view of Him and His views of others. For Jesus had already demonstrated a genuine concern for and willingness to heal all kinds of people from this region. And not just this region, but every region He visited, or where people came from seeking Him. Jesus received all who sought Him or He allowed Himself to be received by people from every imaginable culture and walk of life. Even expounding two Gentiles as true people of faith in His first sermon to His hometown in Nazareth, one of which was a widow from this region in the Elijah the prophet’s day; yet Jesus exonerated only her, though there were many widows in Israel in days of Elijah. Similarly Jesus only exonerated Naaman (a leper) and commander of entire Syrian army in the days Elisha the prophet, though there were many lepers in Israel during that time as well (See Luke 4:24-27). His Words than so enraged them that they sought to throw Him off a cliff. Nonetheless Jesus walked away from them unscathed. Therefore though the gospel prophetically was to first come to the Jews, in no way is it partial or limited to them. Simply stated John 3:16 has no boundaries.
***It seems then Jesus was demonstrating the nationalistic pride and exclusivism of His own disciples. To show them (and us) how rude they (and often we) appear in our dealings with people, especially people outside of the covenant community of faith. Make no mistakes about it God’s heart is that no one should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). For God is not partial towards anyone, whether individuals or nations, as God profoundly enlightened the Apostle Peter when the gospel was unwittingly being restricted by the disciples (Read Acts 10); thus Peter went on to declare …“In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 “But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. Acts 10:34-35

Now regarding Jesus’ visiting with a foreigner consider King David upon whom God has established Jesus’ Everlasting throne had many dealings with foreigners. Even trusting his own parent’s welfare to the King of Moab when King Saul began seeking his life (1 Sam. 22:3-4). Later King David while in exile made many close and deeply loyal friends with people who sadly some would classify as “pagan.” Yet it was these so called “pagans” that King David when he attained to the throne as God decreed appointed them as his own bodyguard. In essence he trusted them with his life (2 Samuel 8:15-18). Later King David would also trust them with his son King Solomon’s life as God’s chosen heir to the throne (1 Kings 1:38-40). For it was these men, the Cherethites and the Pelethites from the Philistine city of Gath and surrounding territory; where Goliath the giant dwelt, whom David slew; and where David briefly dwelt in exile, that David developed a loyal following of valiant men (1 Sam. 27:2-3; 2 Sam. 15:17-18). Now these men remained faithful to him throughout his life. Even when his own two sons, first Absalom, than an unrelated Benjamite named Sheba, than Ammon, Absalom’s younger brother, with the people of Israel rebelled and tried to seize the throne. Yet these non-Israelite men fought for King David even when the odds were overwhelmingly stacked against both him and them (See 2 Samuel 15:13-18; 20:4-7). Now during this time one “pagan” man’s self sacrifice in particular stands out. A commander named Ittai the Gittite; (a nokriy, a foreigner, the same word Ruth the Moabitess used to describe herself when Boaz promised to be her Redeemer; see Ruth 2:10), who having just the previous day fled from his own territory near Gath sought refuge with King David. And so it was when David fled Jerusalem from Absalom’s attempted overthrow of him, Ittai the Gittite though a foreigner and newly arrived will swear loyalty to King David, whether in life or death, even when King David granted him an unconditional release from the upcoming battle (2 Sam. 15:19-22). Later King David will appoint Ittai the Gittite as commander over one third of his forces (2 Sam. 18:22). Now after the battle Ittai the Gittite is never mentioned again in the Scriptures giving rise for some Bible scholars to speculate that he was killed in the ensuing battle with Absalom’s forces (Nelson’s Bible Dictionary). For God’s servants, and those who are loyal to Him often come from many different nationalities, backgrounds and life experiences.

 
Note: This is a draft version

Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.
*** Though not a direct quote this notion was gleaned entirely from Mark 7:24 in the Thomas Nelson, Inc., Word in Life study Bible [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1996. 

Mark 7:1-23 Pharisees, Legalism and Defilement from Within

1 Then the Pharisees and some of the scribes came together to Him, having come from Jerusalem. 2 Now when they saw some of His disciples eat bread with defiled, that is, with unwashed hands, they found fault. 3 For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders. 4 When they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other things which they have received and hold, like the washing of cups, pitchers, copper vessels, and couches. 5 Then the Pharisees and scribes asked Him, “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashed hands?” 6 He answered and said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
7 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
8 “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” 9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 “For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11 “But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), 12 “then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13 “making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” 14 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: 15 “There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. 16 “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” 17 When He had entered a house away from the crowd, His disciples asked Him concerning the parable. 18 So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 “because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” 20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 “thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 “All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

Devotional
This passage begins by telling us that some of the scribes and Pharisees had come from Jerusalem to Galilee where Jesus was preaching and teaching the Kingdom of God. Previously some scribes had come up from Jerusalem and they mocked Jesus before the people saying He was casting out demons by the ruler of demons which He rebuked before them and all present (Mark 3:20-30). The fact that some more scribes, and now Pharisees have come up from Jerusalem is not a desire on their collective part to seek Jesus as the Christ and King sent from God, but only to test Him and His orthodoxy. Yet as we will see what they ascribe as being orthodox and incumbent upon men and women and what Jesus Christ does are worlds apart. So it will be that as these scribes and Pharisees come to Jesus and they observe some of His disciples eating with unwashed hands that they will find fault with them. Not for a moral transgression, but a ceremonial one, and not even one that broke the Law, but only one that broke one of their elder’s traditions (vs. 3-4). For being right before God in their eyes was often based on ones observance of their petty observances of totally insignificant things like hand washing before eating. Not that those things carry any weight in God’s eyes as we will see, but they made their traditions to carry much weight in their own sight while overlooking their own more serious transgressions as Jesus will explicitly expose. Which is simply the fruit of legalism; the results of man trying to adhere to minute details of the letter (whether Scriptural or not) while passing over the weightier matters of the Law, as Jesus said, like justice, mercy and faith (Matt. 23:22).
In the King James Bible Commentary on verses 3-4 it says in regards to their holding onto their traditions as making one right before God, …"Holding is an intense expression which implies a strong, tight grasp as a hawk would seize its prey, Tradition (Gr. Paradosis) comes from two words which mean “to give alongside of.” Thus, Jewish tradition is men’s statutes set alongside of God’s law, It is not the law, but has been accepted and taught with equal authority." Hence here we have a graphic picture of the Pharisees dogmatically holding onto a non Scriptural ideal and giving it the same weight as if it came through the Scriptures. Nonetheless ceremonial washings or any other teaching or commandment of man can do nothing to cleanse the human heart from sin, only repentance towards God and faith in Jesus Christ can, for it is Jesus Christ alone and our faith in Him is what makes us right in the sight of God (Rom. 5:1). Now as Jesus responds to the Pharisees confronting Him with questions about His disciples not keeping their traditions (vs. 5). He shows no regard for their traditions, for Jesus responds to them by saying:
“Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written:
‘This people honors Me with their lips,
But their heart is far from Me.
7 And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ Vs. 6-7
Now Jesus is quoting from Isaiah 29:13, where it is said that the fear of God was taught by the commandment of men. A grave error both then and now. Therefore Jesus is laying down a demarcation line between true worship of God (John 4:23-24) and worship that is according to the doctrines and commandments of men. For those who hold to the latter do so in vain.
Therefore in light of what Jesus says here about in vain worshipping God according to the commandments of men. We must ask ourselves some very poignant questions about our own faith practices. Do we have or are we dogmatically holding onto non-Scriptural traditions (or ideals) by which we think we are approved before God? Personal preferences on non-essential and non-moral things can sadly become entrenched in our faith practices, and thus become points of legalism and sadly contention, because we hold them so dearly. And in time holding onto them, rather than Jesus Christ’s commandments. For Jesus Christ commands brotherly love, without partiality, not as an ideal but as a commandment to be obeyed by all His followers. Yet how often is His commandment thwarted or distorted in the defense of the doctrines, commandments and traditions of men, which may or may not be born out of segments of Scripture, (and may in of themselves be harmless, as the Pharisees hand washing ritual was) but in application take on a totally non-Scriptural significance, and thus are contrary too the Scriptures, since in practice they only supplant the Scriptures, and or thwart the unity of the Spirit, with and for their own ideals. How many churches or brethren have parted company on things like hymnal singing, hair length, military or police service, pacifism, acoustic only instruments, Bible translations, art, or a whole host of other things that when regarded as fundamental to the faith, in practice, only supplant the grace and gospel of God with the legalistic ideals of man, because they are trying to be right in the sight of God by adhering too (or not) those non-essential things (Consider Rom. 10:3-4). Thus the visible church is often divided not based on believers obedience or disobedience to the gospel of God, (which is the only true grounds for separation) but more often than not on the traditions and decrees of men. Who seek to conform the Scriptures to their own ideals, rather being sanctified and conformed to the Scriptures, which alone have authority. And thus finding acceptance in certain segments of Christian dome sadly is governed by whether one accepts and adheres to their traditions and man-made ideals, and not if one has come to put their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and are seeking to obey Him through the gospel and N.T. writings.
Now from verse eight to thirteen Jesus explains how their elders traditions undermine the commandments of God, there He says “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” 9 He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition. 10 “For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’ 11 “But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is Corban”—’ (that is, a gift to God), 12 “then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother, 13 “making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” vs. 8-13

Now Jesus is citing from the Ten Commandments where God commands that we honor our father and our mother both with giving due respect for their person; but also financially as well. Yet the scribes and Pharisees through their traditions laid aside God’s commandment to do so for their own greed. Essentially they taught the people that whatever financial blessings their parents might have received from them if they had committed that money to God instead (i.e. “corban”) of which the priests under the Law received a portion; than they were released from their moral obligation to finically honor or support their parents in their time of need. Thus through their tradition they made the commandment of God of no effect (vs. 13). Now in the New Covenant believers though not under the Law are still bound by its moral stipulations. For consider what the Apostle Paul says in regards to this; "But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever." 1 Tim. 5:8
Therefore we are to honor God and our parents financially for we do not “tithe” to God and neglect our responsibilities to honor our parents. Or if we have wives and children we provide for them as well, since that is a man’s primary responsibility, to provide for his own. Now Jesus will go on to say something that is very important for us to grasp for at it's heart, is the heart of the problem, the sinful heart of man. Again picking up the text it says: 14 When He had called all the multitude to Himself, He said to them, “Hear Me, everyone, and understand: 15 “There is nothing that enters a man from outside which can defile him; but the things which come out of him, those are the things that defile a man. 16 “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” vs. 14-16 

Jesus than lays aside all notions of defilement as coming from the non observance of the ceremonial regulations of men. Therefore we are not defiled by what we eat, nor are we made pure by what we don't eat. Neither food nor the cleanliness of the hands that eat it, is the issue. For as Jesus says what defiles us is the things that come out of us, that is what defiles us. For the words that we speak often reflect the desires of our hearts, and thus reveal who we are, whether good or bad (Prov. 27:19; Matt. 12:35). Jesus graphically illuminates that fact when He explains the parable to the disciples when they did not understand. 18 So He said to them, “Are you thus without understanding also? Do you not perceive that whatever enters a man from outside cannot defile him, 19 “because it does not enter his heart but his stomach, and is eliminated, thus purifying all foods?” 20 And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. 21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, 22 “thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. 23 “All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”

Again Jesus is making it clear that what we need is something far greater then mere ritual cleansing of either our hands, foods, or bodies. What we need is washing and renewal by the Holy Spirit which transforms our heart and soul and thus begins to transform our entire person. Yet that is something only God can do in us, which He freely does when we believe in Jesus Christ the Lord (Titus 3:4-7). For that is the issue, the sinful heart of mankind which can only be rectified through the cross of Christ (John 3). That is the whole gospel's emphasis not on the individual changing their lives, but rather on God's glorious Work through the Incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of His Son Jesus Christ in fulfillment of the Scriptures by which He saves and transforms all who believe in Him (John 6:47). For it is through Jesus Christ's Life that God brings revelation of Himself and the Kingdom of Heaven by Jesus' Words and Works by which God is glorified and by which we may come to know Him personally and obey His will through grace and truth (John 1:17). For ceremonially religious practices though having an appearance of religion do nothing for the soul to make atonement for it before God, for without the shedding of blood there is no remission." Heb. 9:22 That is why Jesus Christ the Son of God was crucified to pay the penalty of our sins. Than on the third day Jesus rose from dead which is manifest proof to all of His election before God the Father that He is the One whom God has appointed to be Judge of all things. So that He might be glorified before all and that we might be brought into a relationship with God the Father by our faith in Him. That is how we are justified or declared righteous before God; not by our own obedience to the Law of God, or laws of man, but by our faith in Jesus Christ who then makes us heirs of His Kingdom and the Scriptures Promises. As the Apostle Paul said: “I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” Gal. 2:21

Therefore neither Jew nor Gentile will be saved apart from the saving grace of God (Jer. 23:4-5; 33:14-16; Eph. 2:8-9). In regards to Jesus Christ's resurrection and ascension back to the Father when He did so He made the way for the Holy Spirit's outpouring into people's lives when we believe in Him. That is the transforming power of God that not only regenerates us (i.e. transforms us) but gives us the power to live out the gospel.


Scripture Quotations
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc.) 1982.

KJV Bible Commentary Consulted on Verses 3-4
Jerry Falwell, executive editor; Edward E. Hinson and Michael Kroll Woodrow, general editors, KJV Bible commentary [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1994.