Wondering about my Wanderings

On the outside looking in. Now what?

They told me they went after a second round of interviews and found the person that they wanted. I guess God wants me to stretch for a while. I will preach this Sunday and am nervous about that. I will be preaching about the Syrophoenician woman and her quest to get her daughter healed of an evil spirit. There are a lot of twists and turns to the scripture. I am currently looking at how the words at the Baptism of Jesus in the early part of Mark inform how he ministers to people like the woman who do not yet really know God. Shortly after Baptism Jesus is driven out in the wilderness by the spirit. I see this as a preparation to driving out the evil Spirits afterwards, which includes the Spirit that possesses her daughter.



It really is quite the wild ride. The religious authorities are anything but that. They want people clean in external ways. Jesus says that what comes out of us that makes us the people that we are. This scripture is sure evidence of that. It also makes the way for a new definition of Messiah. The Kingdom of God is indeed coming and yet not as people thought and therefore the crucifixion can not be far away. I think it is kind of the same today. It is much easier to write people off as condemned than raise them up from the dead.



The last interesting twist is the part about not giving to this woman food that is meant for the children of Israel. Commentators have a field day with that quote about Jesus alluding to not feeding the food to dog, which to many is the woman. Some people look at in terms of a puppy (diminutive in Greek). Others turn it into a racial issue implicating Jesus for calling her a female dog (bitch another words). I felt that was bit strong. My own take is that it becomes a matter of wanting to make sure the children are satisfied/fed and I think that this is happening in such a way that it makes way for the woman to experience God's love. I can not see dwelling on the dog part of it. It is a moot point. I can call someone a name and put them off and yet that is not what is happening here at all. It becomes an occasion for her to recover faith in what God can do (even the dogs get scraps from the masters table). The daughter is healed without Jesus even being there and the way is paved for the gospel to be spread. Mark has a way of stirring the pot. Jesus does everything in the name of God that the Pharisees refuse to do. In helping the outcast he makes way for a new definition of Messiah. One who delivers from sin and people that make sinning a way of life.

God bless.