A Syrophenician Woman - Mark 7:26

Mark wrote how, “a certain woman, whose young daughter had an unclean spirit, heard of” Jesus “and came and fell at his feet”, and in chapter seven and verse twenty-six of his book, Mark wrote how, “the woman was a Greek, A Syrophenician by nation” where we read:

The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation;

and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.

The verse reads, “The woman was a Greek, a Syrophenician by nation;” Mark began with the words, “the woman” which means “the female person” “was a Greek” or “was a Grecian and non-Jewish”, “a Syrophenician” which means “exalted palm” and was “the name of a mixed nation which was half Phoenicians and half Syrians” “by nation” or “as offspring, family, stock, tribe, nation or aggregate of many individuals of the same nature, kind and sort”. Mark shared how the “certain woman” who had a daughter with an “unclean spirit” was a “Grecian” “Syropheician” in origin.

The verse goes on to say, “and she besought him that he would cast forth the devil out of her daughter.” Mark continued with the words, “and she besought him” which means “and the woman with the possessed daughter begged, pled, entreated and requested” “that he would cast forth” or “that Jesus would drive and send with a notion of violence” “the devil out” which means “the demon or unclean spirit away and separate from out” “of her daughter” which refers to “the woman's young virgin daughter”. Mark shared how the woman “begged” Jesus that He would “drive out the demon” from her “daughter”.

When we meditate upon Mark's words in this verse, we see how this woman was not a “Jewish” woman to which Jesus came first. She was a “heathen Gentile” who had no access to Jesus by nationality or familiar connection. However, because her “daughter” was “possessed by an unclean spirit”, she went to Him for help. She believed He could cast out the “demon”within her daughter, and she paid no attention to national, religious or familial rules. All she knew was her daughter needed help she could not provide, but she believed Jesus could. God loves people to come to Him in desperation when they have needs that are beyond their ability, and when they yield their lives to His Son Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord”, He is ready to meet their need whatever it may be. Let all who read these words submit themselves to Him and discover who He really is today.

Next time Mark shares how Jesus said to the woman, “let the children first be filled”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".