When a foreign woman came to Jesus asking her to heal her daughter...?

Question

and he responded it was wrong to cast the children's food to the dogs, was he being mean to her, or was he testing her, or something else?

Answer 1

Dog was a term commonly used by Jews of the time to refer to Gentiles. He was merely reflecting the how the Jew's attitude differed from his own.

Answer 2

It is important to consider the entire scripture in context. From Mark 7:26, we know that she was a Greek, and a Syrian... hence a Gentile. It was forbidden for Jews to associate closely with Gentiles, for example to share meals. Jesus had entered a house, so this Gentile in the house might have caused a disruption among the pious Jews. She begged Jesus to drive out the demon, to which He replied, "First let the children eat all they want... for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to the dogs." He is saying, that the Messiah came in fulfillment of Jewish prophecy, for the Jews to accept Him, or to reject Him. The Jews had waited generations for this event, and they were God's chosen people, so it was right that they should get the first chance to accept Him and His teachings. The time would come when the gift of salvation would be extended to the Gentiles, but this had not yet happened. Unlike Jesus' other listerners, the woman understood his parable, and illustrated her understanding by pointing out that even while the children are still eating, and not finished with their meal, the dogs are free to eat any crumbs they dropped. I choose to believe she was inspired by God to speak just these words, and that Mark was inspired by God to record them, so that we would know that God is merciful, and that the Messiah would reach out even to the Gentiles, even while He was ministering to His own people. I support this with the fact that she understood His words when other hearts were hardened and ignorant, and that she addressed Him as Lord, a very strange thing for a Gentile. Also the only time in the synoptic gospels where Jesus is ever addressed directly as Lord, by the way.

Answer 3

The woman who came to Jesus was a Syrophenician, thus one who was not Jewish or of the nation of Israel. Jesus was sent to the Jews only since that was His commission by the Father. So He said it probably to be quite honest with her but also to test her. The Church following from the Day of Pentecost would be sent to the other nations of the world. So the healing was reserved who were Jews because those outside of it were without hope and without God, as the scriptures say. Yet Jesus saw her faith (and possibly her importunity) and kindly granted it to her. After Pentecost God would have the good news spread from Judea, Samaria, to the uttermost parts of the earth.

Answer 4

Non-Jewish people were quite often referred to as "dogs". What Jesus was referring to was that His current point of ministry was to His people, the Jews. Her persistence, however, was also a test since He had healed others that were not Jewish, such as the Roman Centurian's daughter, and another time a favored slave. She kept at it, and he blessed her with what she sought of Him, because her faith was obvious. It was her faith that moved Him, but He also knew that is just a few short years, her people would be hearing of His good news from His disciples as well as the Apostles.

Answer 5

I think both. The children's food was refering to the legacy of the Jews- their inheritance (the Messiah), She however was the dog. ( I Hope I am right). In those days, the Jews seperated themselves from other nations as those nations were considered unclean.

The woman however was not deterred, in fact she is a perfect example of humility. Consequently, she past her test.

God bless

Answer 6

He did good by what he said to her, and she did good by her answer.
He rightly stated his mission:
24He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."

She knew that he could heal her daughter and recognized the master:
27"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

And he proved his compassion and care, closing off any argument some still have that salvation was just for Jews:
28Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

So anyone telling me that salvation was only for Jews can be proven wong by these verses.

Answer 7

The three greatest gifts of the Holy Spirit, faith, hope and love, are all on display in this beautiful story. Jesus, being God, knows all things. He did not need to be troubled with her persistent requests, but in her persistence, she demonstrates, not just faith in her persistence, but faith that Jesus was capable of delivering to her the response she needed. It's like if you knew that only ONE doctor in your entire city had the antidote you needed, you wouldn't bother to go to other doctors because that would be an exercise in futility. On the other hand, once you have identified the doctor with the antidote, you know precisely where to focus your efforts, and she had faith that Jesus was the answer to her problems and prayers.

Also, remember that initially Jesus, "answered her not a word." Isn't that how God deals with us? We are like children before God, and He loves us (the saved) like children. It's a little like the old, "Are we there yet?" question children ask when travelling. The parent knows they are not there, and they have this knowledge when they are 5 hours away or 5 minutes away, but it does no good to continually respond. The child will know (and will have the full measure of their excitement) when the parent says, "We're here!" and the dozens of times the "Are we there yet?" questions was asked become instantly irrelevant and forgotten. What matters is that they have arrived: what matters is that Jesus would speak her daughter back to health, not one minute earlier or later than the perfect time.

As for the "crumbs for dogs" remarks, you really need to read the entire passage carefully. Note who was with Jesus (His disciples) and who it is that asks that she be sent away (those same disciples.) Jesus doesn't ask her to go away. To me, Jesus' words are aimed, not at the woman, but at the disciples. It is very critical to remember that the Jews believed that Messiah was their Savior, and theirs alone. Jesus makes His statement, "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," I believe so that the disciples would look at each other, nod their heads in agreement, and think of themselves as being part of the "elect." Then, the woman puts them in their place with her statement that God's grace, even just the crumbs... the leftovers that the Jews would leave behind, are more than sufficient for the gentile world. What faith! That is why Jesus praises her and her faith; again, in front of the disciples, so that they might begin to see that He is the Savior of the whole world, of all who would by faith believe in Him, whether gentile or Jew, slave of free, Canaanite or Israelite - He is the same God, Lord of all, and Savior of the World for all who will believe... like she did.

One last comment: think of all the ways Jesus performed His miracles. For one blind man, Jesus spit in his eyes and laid hands on him (Mark 8:22-24); another blind man was healed with a simple touch (Matt 9:27-19;) and another He simply spoke healing to his eyes (Mark 10:50-52 ). In John 9:6, we read that Jesus made mud of the clay and His saliva to bring sight to a blind man.

Was Jesus just showing off? Was He just demonstrating His creativity? For me, I see in the various approaches Jesus uses to heal the blind (or in the case of the foreign woman needing a healing,) in all the various ways Jesus went about His life to show He is God, all these serve to strengthen my faith. Not just that Jesus is the Son of God, the Lamb sent to save the world, but that His will will never be thwarted: that He can always find a way to save the lost. He is unique in this respect in my mind, one more reason I place all my faith in Him and in His power to save me. I also see that no one (except the "son of perdition," in order to fulfill prophecy) is beyond His ability to reach, beyond His ability to save, and He can always create a way.

Answer 8

I think it was to show that we can be insistent with Him and He will honor that, as long as we ask according to God's will which is that we are in good health and prosper.

Answer 9

By her faith & humility her daughter was healed.

Answer 10

I think to test her faith. To see what she would say.