Crumbs from His Table
Mark 7: 24-30
As we continue our study in Mark’s gospel, we come to a passage that reveals a mother with a desperate need. As much as she would have liked to handle this situation, she was unable to bring about a resolution. While little information is given regarding the identity of the woman, we do find that she was a woman of great faith. She faced a tremendous need and was determined to get to Jesus to receive the help she desperately needed. She was content to receive the crumbs that fell from the Lord’s table.
While our circumstances may be much different today, no doubt we have all faced a great need at some point in our lives. We have been confronted by a situation that was beyond our ability to resolve. During these situations, we need to come in faith as the woman in our text. When we lack ability, and are unsure what to do, Jesus can provide for our need. He possesses great power, and cares about our need. He is more than able to provide for us. With these thoughts in mind, I want examine the challenges in the text as we consider: Crumbs from His Table.
I. The Mother’s Petition (25-26) – Following his encounter with the Pharisees and instruction of the disciples, Jesus departed into the area around Tyre and Sidon, apparently seeking some rest and solitude, V.24. Although Jesus desired to remain hidden, it didn’t take long for word to spread that He was in the area. He is quickly approached by a mother in desperate need. Consider:
A. Her Dilemma (25) – For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet. This mother had a young daughter possessed of an unclean spirit. The text doesn’t reveal how long she had been in this desperate situation, but the mother recognized the great need. Clearly she had no control over the spirit and stood in need of the Lord’s help.
Often these spirits were difficult to cast out. While Jesus had no problem with them, the disciples faced difficulty at times with unclean spirits. Following an encounter when they were unable to cast a spirit out of a young boy, they questioned Jesus about the difficulty, and He revealed the solution. Mark 9:29 – And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting. We all face situations that require the Lord’s power and provision.
B. Her Devotion (26) – For a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of him, and came and fell at his feet. Somehow the desperate woman heard Jesus was in town and she came to Him, falling at His feet. This was an act of submission and worship. Although she was unable to handle the situation she faced, she believed that Jesus could meet her need. She humbled herself before the Lord in an attitude of worship.
This is an important aspect of faith that is often overlooked and neglected. Some view the Lord as their personal “genie in a bottle.” They assume that He is waiting for them to rub the bottle so He can appear and meet whatever request they have. While I am thankful for the Lord’s care and provision in our lives, I am also aware of His deity and my need to worship Him. Every prayer, and every request we make of Him, should be preceded by a time of worship and adoration!
C. Her Difficulty (26a) – The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation. We are not given the woman’s name, but she is identified by her race and nationality. She was a Greek, a Syrophenician. She was not a Jew, but of Canaanite descent. While the Jews may have tolerated her existence within the city, she would not have been welcomed or wanted among the Synagogues or within their fellowship. The Canaanites had rejected Jehovah in the Old Testament, and continued to live in rebellion and idolatry. She was not welcomed among the Jews because of her identity.
As I thought of her difficulty, I was reminded that each of us were in a similar situation. We were all born into a condemned race through Adam our father. We were born in sin, separated from God, and without hope. We lived according to the lusts of the flesh, having no desire for the Lord. Apart from Him we were hopeless and alone.
D. Her Desire (26b) – and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter. Although she was a Canaanite, she came to Jesus in faith, desiring Him to cast the unclean spirit out of her daughter. She needed a miracle and believed that Jesus had the power to provide for her need. It is interesting to note that the word besought reveals a continual action – she kept on begging and begging Jesus to deliver her daughter.
This passage is a beautiful picture of grace. One deemed unworthy came before the Lord, passionately seeking His touch. Like this woman, we must be people of faith, willing to continually bring our needs before the Lord. Often we face situations that require prolonged, persistent prayer. We cannot give up on our loved ones or the varied needs we face. We must be willing to continue seeking the Lord to meet our need.
II. The Mother’s Persistence (27-28) – Initially the mother did not receive the response she would have liked, but she persisted in her petition and faith. Notice:
A. The Admonition (27) – But Jesus said unto her, Let the children first be filled: for it is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it unto the dogs. On the surface this response seems harsh and somewhat out of character for our Lord. However, as we study Scripture and seek to understand this statement, we discover that Jesus was never harsh with those who came to Him in genuine faith. This was not a statement of rejection, but rather of conviction and revelation. The woman recognized Jesus as a man of great power, being willing to humble herself before Him. She may have even believed that He was the promised Messiah. It appears that Jesus is seeking to lead her forward in faith, not only recognizing that He was the Christ, but that He was the Savior for all, including her. Clearly Jesus had come to the house of Israel, but He would not reject those of genuine faith. He sought to increase her faith, and for her to embrace Him as Lord. If she was to receive, she had to believe.
The second part of His response seems even harsher, but again that was never Jesus’ intention. He is seeking to bring her to faith in Him. It would not be right to take the bread of the Gospel and carelessly cast it out to those who had no desire to serve the Lord or embrace Him as the Christ. Salvation is a work of grace through faith. All would not receive Him as the Christ, and He had no desire to carelessly deal with those, much like the Pharisees, who lacked faith and rejected His deity.
B. The Supplication (28) – And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. This desperate mother had come in faith, and she was committed to receiving her petition. As Jesus spoke of giving the children’s bread unto the dogs, she declared that even the dogs are allowed to have the crumbs that fell from the table. She knew the Lord had the ability to meet her need, and she desired to receive even the smallest portion of His grace. Her faith in the Lord realized that even the smallest touch from the Him would be sufficient.
While this woman was a Canaanite, her faith stands as a model for all. She knew the problem she faced was not beyond the Lord’s ability to handle. We need that type of faith today. We must trust the Lord to meet every need we have. Like her, we must recognize His power. He is able to do exceeding, abundantly beyond anything we could ask or think. His power is beyond our ability to comprehend, and even the smallest touch in our lives is more than enough.
III. The Mother’s Provision (29-30) – After bringing her request to Jesus, and remaining persistent in faith, Jesus provided for her need. We discover:
A. A Moment of Hope (29) – And he said unto her, For this saying go thy way; the devil is gone out of thy daughter. Jesus recognized and responded to the faith she had in Him. Her commitment to the Lord by faith compelled Jesus to grant her request. Mat.15:28a – Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. A Canaanite woman came with great faith and Jesus granted her request. Her faith was essential, and it brought the result she desired.
It is impossible to overemphasize the importance of faith in our lives. Faith is essential for salvation. We are saved by grace through faith. Faith is essential to maintain our fellowship with the Lord. We will never be able to continue in our Christian journey apart from faith. Faith is also essential as we come before the Lord in prayer. As we pray, we must believe that Jesus can and will meet our needs.
B. A Miracle of Healing (30) – And when she was come to her house, she found the devil gone out, and her daughter laid upon the bed. The woman had come to Jesus in faith, and He did not disappoint her. She returned home with the promise that her daughter would be delivered, and when she got there the devil had departed from her. Faith brought her to Jesus; faith sustained her through the trial, and faith brought deliverance.
Passages such as these offer great encouragement as we are reminded of the power and ability of our Lord. They can also create a bit of discouragement for some. We all face varied difficulties in life. Maybe you have prayed many prayers of faith and have yet to receive the answer you desired. We must remember that the woman had to remain persistent in the faith. The initial response from Jesus did not promise healing, but she persisted. While He doesn’t always answer in the time or manner we hoped, we too must remain committed to the Lord and depend on Him to meet our need in His time and according to His will. He knows what we need, and He has the ability to provide!
Conclusion: I don’t know what you are facing today, but I am certain that Jesus is aware of your need. If you are struggling in life, desperate for Him touch, come to Him in a prayer of faith. Trust Him to meet your need according to His divine will.
If you are unsaved, there is hope for you in this passage as well. A Canaanite woman came in faith and was received by Christ. He will do the same for you if you will come to Him in repentance and faith. Jesus can save you from sin, but you have to believe solely in Him.
