FAVORITE JESUS STORY: A WOMAN OUT-ARGUES JESUS

 When you are asked about your favorite Jesus story, what is it?  I have an answer that most people do not expect.  It is the only time a person tops Jesus in an encounter: the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman in Mark 7:24 – 30.

Background:
First, this story seems deliberately juxtaposed to the proceeding story of 7:1 – 23 and invites a comparison.  The two stories share: the motif of that which is “inside” a person, a comprehension (or lack) of understanding Jesus rabbinic style of teaching through analogies, a disposition of reception (or lack) of Jesus person and authority, and the apposition of male, Jewish, Israelite teachers and disciples versus an unclean, non-Jewish, woman from outside Israel whose daughter is possessed.  Note that in the first story not even Jesus’ disciples understand his point about that which is within a people makes them “unclean.”
Second, I see Jesus’ encounters with people as often demonstrating what what would be God “testing” his people in the OT.  Such a test is not for a grade or condemnation.  Rather, it brings the heart of the person out in the open, as in the story about the rich young man (Mark 10:17 – 22).  In the first story, the hearts of the pharisees, the crowd, and his disciples are “without understanding” (18).

Our text:
When this woman, who is the antithesis of Jesus’ audience in the first story asks for help, Jesus responds with an analogy,

“Let the children be satisfied first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and to throw it to the house dogs” (27).

Whew!  Jesus not only rejected her plea, he also called the woman a dog!  However, she does not walk away in anger and shame.  The text says she “answered” Jesus.  She accepts the slur with humility and comes back with a rabbinic-type argument that not only works with Jesus’ analogy and counters his argument, but also recognizes Jesus’ identity,

“Lord (kurios), even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs.” (28)
[Note: In Mark, "Lord"/kurios is used of God/Yahweh and of Jesus.*]

Wow.  I can think of no other encounter that Jesus has in the Gospels in which a person defeats his argument.  And Jesus loves it, “Because of this reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter.”^  I am pretty sure that Jesus said that with a big grin.  Jesus’ sharp reply tested her.  It brought to the surface what I believe Jesus knew was there: humility and faith in him.

Application:
A couple of points strike home to me.  The first is the rather dreadful recognition that Jesus absolutely knows my heart.  I cannot project, deflect, dissemble, or any way escape his penetrating gaze.  I think the woman recognized that gaze, such that she humbled herself and accepted being called a dog.  The second point is also troubling, but good.  I should welcome the “tests” that reveal my heart.  They are not there for Jesus’ sake.  He already knows.  They are there for my sake, so that I might more fully embrace him as Lord.
May it be so, Lord, Amen.

*There are two apparent exceptions to this point.  “Lord” can be used of a master like a landowner.  Jesus uses the term twice this way in two parables (12:9 and 13:35) but makes it clear in the contexts that the master is used as an analogy to God (12:10 – 11 and 13:32 – 37).

^NET commentary notes: “This is the only miracle mentioned in Mark that Jesus performed at a distance without ever having seen the afflicted person, or issuing some sort of audible command.”