NOVEMBER 2

Extensive Tour Throughout Galilee

Perhaps in an act of withdrawal from the Jews, or perhaps as part of a plan for wider evangelism, Jesus turns his ministry now to Phoenicia and the area around Tyre and Sidon. Here he encounters a Canaanite woman who begs Jesus to heal her daughter. As descendants of Noah's son Ham, against whom a curse had been directed, the Canaanites are looked down upon by the Jews as unworthy of God's blessings. So the woman's request is an excellent opportunity for Jesus to teach his disciples once again about the uni­versality of his kingdom. At first it appears that Jesus rebuffs the woman, but the end result demonstrates Jesus' concern for all people, and also provides an excellent example of persistent faith on the part of a believer.

Returning to the Sea of Galilee, Jesus will perform more miracles and chas­tise the Pharisees for demanding signs of his deity. After that, Jesus will con­tinue his extensive tour by going north into Caesarea Philippi.

 

CANAANITE WOMAN PLEADS. Mt.15:21-28 ,Mk.7:24-30

Ml Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. MkHe entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret. Mt A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is suffering terribly from demon-possession."

 

Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, "Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us."

He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."

The woman came and knelt before him. "Lord, help me!" she said.

He replied, "It is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs."

"Yes, Lord," she said, "but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table."

 

Then Jesus answered, "Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted." And her daughter was healed from that very hour.

 

DEAF MUTE HEALED. Mt.15:29-31, Mk.7:31-37

MtThen Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.w There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.

After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!"). At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loos­ened and he began to speak plainly.

 

Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it. People were overwhelmed with amaze­ment. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak." Ml Great crowds came to him, bringing the lame, the blind, the crippled, the mute and many others, and laid them at his feet; and he healed them. The people were amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled made well, the lame walking and the blind seeing. And they praised the God of Israel.

 

FOUR THOUSAND FED. Mk. 8:1-10  [Mt.15:32-39 ]

During those days another large crowd gath­ered. Since they had nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. If I send them home hungry, they will collapse on the way, because some of them have come a long distance."

His disciples answered, "But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?"

"How many loaves do you have?" Jesus asked.

"Seven," they replied.

He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disci­ples to set before the people, and they did so. They had a few small fish as well; he gave thanks for them also and told the disciples to distribute them. The people ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. About four thou­sand men were present. And having sent them away, he got into the boat with his disciples and went to the region of Dalmanutha.

 

PHARISEES ASK FOR SIGN. Mt. 16:1-4 Mk. 8:11-13

MtThe Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.

He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' and in the morning, Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." MkThen he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

 

WARNING ABOUT LEADERS Mt. 16:5-12Mk.8:14-21

MkThe disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. Ml "Be careful," Jesus said to them. "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." MkThey discussed this with one another and said, "It is because we have no bread."

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"

"Twelve," they replied.

"And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"

They answered, "Seven."

 

 

 

He said to them, "Do you still not understand?" MtHow is it you don't understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Then they under­stood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

 

BLIND MAN NEAR BETHSAIDA. Mk.8:22-26

They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"

He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."

Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."