What is the explanation of Mark chapter 7 verses 1-23?

Answer 1

AnswerIn this passage, the Greek woman asks Jesus to heal her daughter. At first Jesus says it is not fit to take the children's bread and cast it to the dogs. On the face of it, this is an offensively racist remark. Jesus was saying that his interest was in helping Jews, not those worthy to be considered dogs. When the Greek woman said that even the dogs must eat of the children's crumbs, she was humbly accepting Jesus' remark and placing herself at his mercy. Finally, Jesus told her that because she had said this, her daughter would be cured.

The question could be asked, whether the author of Mark's Gospel was reporting an actual event, or whether it was really an allegory intended to teach us something about Jesus. In verse 30, the author reports that the woman went home and found the daughter cured. Yet it is hard to imagine how any of the disciples could really have known whether this was so. This point to the passage not being about an actual event, and therefore perhaps an allegory. In this case, Jesus can not really be criticised for what he did not actually say or do.

Answer 2

In short, there is a scene of religious controversy. The religious Jews were finding fault with Jesus' disciples for not observing an old custom, that has become their religion and Jesus would never miss a chance to scold those religious hypocrites, who wear a pious mask, but have evil hearts and dirty minds. He then goes on to teach His disciples that it's what's on the inside that really counts.

Additonal Comment:

By the time of the 1st Century A.D., the religious leaders called Pharisees had so fine-tuned the physical aspects of the Law of God, that it became a burden to the people. Jesus was showing them the error of their ways basically showing them that it is not what enters into a person from outside of themselves, but rather what begins inside of the person - from the heart - that will defile them. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornication, murders, thefts, covetousness, widkedness, deceit, lasciviousness, and evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evils come from within and defile the man." (Mark 7:20-23).

Answer 3

Read literally, this is simply another miracle in which Jesus drove out an unclean spirit from a young girl, but also one that shows Jesus as a racist. The woman was a Greek, and when Jesus says, "Let the children first be filled, for it is not meet to take the children's bread and feed it unto dogs," he seems to be regarding Greeks as dogs, not worthy of helping. However there is a deeper meaning that better explains this passage.

After Jesus says, "Let the children first be filled, for it is not meet to take the children's bread and feed it unto dogs," the woman then adds, "Yet let the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs." At the superficial level of Jesus as a racist, this portrays the woman humbly accepting his slur, begging for help for her daughter. But the references to food are the real key. Verses 6:33-8:21 contain a series of miracles and discourses with at least ten references or allusions to food and a theme of the disciples not understanding:

• Jesus and the disciples had no leisure so much as to eat, so they went into a desert place
• Feeding the 5000
• When Jesus walked on water the disciples were amazed, for they considered not the miracle of the loaves
• Pharisees complain about the disciples eating with unwashed hands
• Discourse - what goes into a man goes into his belly and does not defile
• Greek woman metaphorically begs for crumbs from the table
• Feeding the 4000
• Disciples are hungry and have only one loaf of bread
• Jesus warns the disciples about the leaven of the Pharisees and they reason, "It is because we have no bread," showing they do not understand
• Summary by Jesus of the two feasts, asking again, "Why is it that ye do not understand?"

These twin themes are carried forward to the Last Supper through an ancient literary technique known as a parallel structure, which was used for emphasis or to develop themes not otherwise apparent. The major parallel structure in Mark includes these miracles and discourses as event R.:A . John explains the coming of Jesus(Mark 1:1-8)

B .The baptism of Jesus (1:9)

C . The voice of God from heaven, "Thou art my beloved son" (1:11)

D . The forty days in the wilderness as an allusion to Elijah and Moses (1:13)

E . The people were astonished at what Jesus taught (1:22)

F . Jesus casts out an unclean spirit (1:23-26)

G . Pharisees took counsel with the Herodians how they might destroy Jesus (3:6)

H . Demons, whenever they see Jesus, fall down and say that he is the Son of God.

-- Jesus commands that they tell no one of this (3:11-12)

I .. Jesus calls the 12 disciples (3:13-19)

J .. Jesus rejects his own family: he has a new family, his followers (3:31-35)

K . Jesus rebukes the wind (4:36-41)

L . The demoniac, wearing no clothes (5:15), cries out that Jesus not torment him and Jesus sends out the demons (5:1-20)

M . Jesus comes into his own country (6:1)
-- Where he was brought up

N . The people misunderstand Jesus and he can do no mighty work (6:2-6)

O . Jesus sends out the disciples and curses those who will not receive them (6:7-11)
-- in sending the disciples with authority and expecting all to receive them, Jesus is asserting his own authority

P . Herod thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead (6:14)

Q . Herodias and her daughter conspire to kill John the Baptist (6:16-29)

R . Feeding the thousands, and related miracles and discourses (6:33-8:21)

S . Who do people say that I am (8:27)

T . Peter affirms faith in Jesus as the Christ (8:29)

U . Whosoever shall be ashamed of me: of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed (8:38)

V . The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes (8:31a)

W . Be killed and after three days rise again (8:31b)

X . Prophecy of second coming (9:1)- Jesus tells the disciples that some of them would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God coming with power.

B' .The Transfiguration of Jesus (9:2-3)

C' .The voice of God from heaven, "This is my beloved son" (9:7)

D' . Jesus talks to Elijah and Moses then to the disciples about Elijah (9:4-13)

E' .A great multitude was amazed at Jesus (9:15)

F' .Jesus cast out a dumb spirit (9:17-27)

G' .They shall kill the Son of man and he shall rise on the third day (9:31)

H' .Jesus clarifies his divine status, saying that he is not God: "Why call me good? There is none good but God" (10:18)

I' . Peter says the disciples have left all and followed Jesus (10:28)

J' . Those who have left their family for Jesus have a new family: all Jesus' followers (10:29-30)

K'. Jesus rebukes the 'sons of thunder', James and John (10:35-45 - cf 3:17)

L' .Blind Bartimaeus cries out for mercy and casts off his clothes, then Jesus heals him (10:46-52)

M' .Jesus comes into Jerusalem (11:1-10)
-- Where he will die

N' .Jesus misunderstands the fig tree that can provide no fruit (11:13-14)

O' .Jesus casts out them that sold and bought in the Temple and curses them for making the Temple a den of thieves (11:15-17)
-- Jesus is asserting his authority

P' .Jesus asks whether the baptism of John is from heaven or of men, and the priests, scribes and elders can not answer (11:30-33)

Q' .Parable of husbandmen who conspire to kill the vineyard owner's son (12:1-9)

X' .Prophecy of second coming (chapter 13)

-- on clouds of glory, within the lifetimes of some of those to whom he was speaking

R' .The Last Supper (14:17-25)

S' .Art thou the Christ, Son of God (14:61)

T' .Peter denies Jesus three times (14:66-72a)

U' .And when he thought thereon, Peter wept (14:72b)

V' .The chief priests, elders and scribes delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate (15:1)

-- Delivering Jesus is a similar concept to rejecting him.
-- Both parts of the pair involve chief priests, elders and scribes

W' .Jesus dies and on the third day rises again (15:37, 16:6)

A' .The young man explains the departure of Jesus(16:6-8)

At the Last Supper (Mark 14:17-25, the matching event R'), the reader understands, but knows that the disciples do not. This is the real meaning of the passage.

Answer 4

Jesus is saying to a Gentile (a non-Jew) that He was sent only to the Jews and could not help a Gentile. She asks for "crumbs from the table" which shows her faith (necessary for a miracle of healing or in this case an exorcism) and that only a small portion of His power was needed (again referring to her faith in what God could do). Jesus replies that because of her answer (and her implied faith) that He would grant her request. This also set the stage for the adding-in of the Gentiles, which would be realized after the Jews rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ in the Book of Acts. It was prophesied back in Isaiah. First salvation would be offered to the Jews, then the Gentiles. What seems like a racial slur is actually an explanation in the order of God's salvation to mankind.

Answer 5

If you read on further in v36 the disciples ask Jesus to explain the 'parable of the tares' and He does.