Gentile Territory (Mark 7:24-37)

In Mark 7:24-37 Jesus heads into Gentile territory for the third time, probably seeking rest. Instead he interacts with two desperate people in need.A Syrophonecian woman begs Jesus to heal her daughter, and his response seems offensive to modern ears. Jesus’ mission was to the Jews; Gentile territory was out of bounds. Mark 7:24-27The woman’s reply pleasantly surprises Jesus, humbly asking for nothing more than dog scraps. Jesus heals from a distance – the only such miracle in the gospel of Mark. Mark 7:28-30Jesus heads back to the Decapolis and heals a man with hearing loss and a speech impediment. This man represents those on the fringe; we don’t know whether he’s a Jew or a Gentile. Mark 7:31-37, Isaiah 35:5-6This section of scripture teaches us that sometimes the people furthest from God end up having the greatest faith.<br/>