THE GOSPEL OF MARK "Behold My Servant!"

                                    He could not be hid     Mark 7vv24-30

In beholding the perfect servant at work in this world for God, it is good to mark not only what He says, but how and when He moves and how He acts.   The next two sections in Mark 7vv24-37 provide us with significant responses to the situation He faced.   Firstly in vv24-29, in the context of Jewish rejection He departs to visit the Gentiles;   and in the context of a people hard of hearing to the word of God, He returns to Galilee to heal a deaf mute, no doubt symbolic of the state of the nation.   These combined stories are of great dispensational significance, as later elucidated by Paul in Romans chapter 11v25 "...hardness in part has happened unto Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in."    This is just exactly how God acts, He does not force Himself on sceptics, but will move on since His work is tod  be "for a covenant to the people (Israel), for a light of the Gentiles." Isaiah 42v6.   

"And from thence He arose and went into the borders of Tyre and Sidon...."   Tyre and Sidon have a large history recorded in the bible, and the narrative reveals just how important this visit was.   No less than 59 times the region is mentioned and, in the prophecy of Ezekiel, where many places are spoken of, a full three chapters is devoted to Tyre, making it unique in bible history.   Once a very prosperous seaport ( she was called "the renowned city"; "a merchant of the people for many isles"), she fell fowl of the wrath of the Lord when she opposed His plans for Israel, and to this day she has never arisen to anything like the same prominence.   Indeed so great was her fall from glory that it is likened to the future fall of Babylon which brings consternation to all world traders....a fall that will bring down the entire trading system of global capitalism.   When the power of Almighty God acts against a power on earth, the results are permanent.   Jesus mentions Tyre in the context of eternal judgment, but that it will be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for unbelieving Israel, because they did not receive the same light.   As Jesus crosses over the border into Tyre and Sidon He was making a huge statement that God wishes the blessing of all no matter their history.   The city may have fallen into disfavour, but it does n0ot prevent individuals from exercising faith as we are about to see.
"...and entered into the house....."     not any house, the very house He knew where the need was.   Oh how Mark blends the lowliness of service with the omniscience of deity!   Despite the history of Tyre and their opposition to Israel, there was a house in which He was welcome.   He would not have His presence published, but a wonderful aside reveals the biblical reality of Jesus Christ "He could not be hid!"  Quite simply He is the most famous person all of history, even today;   at one and the same time the most loved and the most hated, certainly the most discussed in all the world for good or bad.   His influence in human history spans all nations and transcends all time periods.

• He could not be hid in His birth        He came into the world by incarnation He was "God manifest in flesh."   Everyone else came by one of three ways, either creation(Adam), formation(Eve), or generation(the rest of us).   We were all born, He came, consciously and deliberately into the world   His coming was predicted by prophets, announced by angels, and is still celebrated 2000 years after the event.   The whole of history is chronicled in relation to His coming in the global recognition of B.C. and A.D.   There are moves afoot to erase that measure of time but it will never be erased from the minds of generations even if they change the parameters for He cannot be hid.
• He could not be hid in His childhood       At the age of 12 he stood before the religious teachers of His day.   It is recorded that "all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and His answers" Luke chapter 2v47.   He was the ultimate child prodigy of all child prodigies, declaring the He had come on His Father's business!
• He could not be hid in His life       What people said about Him..."They wondered at the gracious words that proceeded from His mouth."   outstanding in His demeanour, "the friend of publicans and sinners", gracious, humble, merciful, content, He attracted multitudes wherever He went.   He fed them, He healed them, He served them, He gave of His time, and His talents in the service of broken humanity.   Never was there a life like this, before or since, devoted to the will of God and the plight of humanity.   He could even enter the Gentile country, antagonistic to Israel and cause a stir and evoke hope in the heart of the hopeless.
• He could not be hid in His public teaching         The greatest minds were astonished at His doctrine and still are today.   Even His critics could not gainsay Him, when sent to trap Him they returned saying "never man spake like this man!"    He was as Isaiah predicted the "Wonderful Counsellor", answering all questions, and confounding all critics.   He answered their loaded questions, political, doctrinal, legal and moral.   They came, they went but they could not trap Him and His teachings stand today unchallenged.   He was the very living example of His words and His powerful words are eternal life to all who will hear them.   At the end John, who had outlined seven unmistakeable signs that proved He was the Son of God with life- giving authority said this in chapter 21v2 "There are many other things which Jesus did, the which if they be written every one, I suppose the world itself could not contain the books that should be written."   He could not be hid then, He cannot be hid now.
• He could not be hid in His death     The death of Christ was such a travesty involving so many people that it has transfixed the attention of the world until this day.   Pilate the Roman governor was involved;   the High Priest of Israel with all his subordinates;  the Pharisees and the Scribes and the Sadducees (together the ruling Sanhedrim of religious Israel)    the common people who were present in vast numbers at the feast of Passover, many visiting from every nation under heaven, according to Acts chapter 2;   the Roman soldiers;   the officers from Herod's temple.   This was such a public spectacle because on the most sacred day of the Jewish calendar the combined forces of Jew and Gentile colluded in the unlawful murder of an innocent man, and in the process bypassed 22 of 25 procedures set in stone to achieve their speedy atrocity.   The memorial of His death is proclaimed throughout the world by countless groups of people in every place, and this is because of the belief that He is coming again, that the issues of Calvary have still to be addressed, since it was at one and the same time the greatest act of treason ever committed by human beings and the greatest act of Divine love for humanity ever displayed.
• He will not be hid in His second coming      He is coming again to take His rightful place on this earth, not the cross, but the crown, not the tree but the throne, not the shame but the glory, not the injustice but the righteousness.   His coming will be very public, in the words of the apocalypse "...every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him, and all nations of the earth shall wail because of Him."  Revelation 1v7.   Paul wrote "The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels...."   The same apostle wrote "...in the name of Jesus (name above all names) every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Now we have one of the most beautiful stories in the bible, the healing from demonic oppression of the Syro-Phoenician woman's little daughter.   She came and fell at His feet in an attitude of homage and faith and fear.   Her fears sprang from the knowledge of the history.   Also she was a Gentile and at that a Canaanite upon whom God had pronounced a curse as far back as the days of Noah.   She "besought Jesus that He would expel the demon from her daughter".   Her faith was evident but Jesus wanted to put it to the test, not because He did not know, but He wanted the woman to state it in the face of objection.   He referred to the difference in relationship of Israel to God by covenant than to Gentiles.   This difference was similar to the difference between little children in a family, and little puppy dogs who lived in and around the family.   This is a fact not often considered that God had no obligation to Gentiles, the same as He had to Jews by covenant promise.   Thus Jesus places a racial barrier preventing Him from acting as He had done in Galilee.   She would not be put off and she cleverly acknowledged this discrimination, asking for the "crumbs from the family table" be her daughters portion.    Such faith, overcoming all barriers was applauded by Jesus;   He said unto her (as recorded in Matthew 15v28 "O woman great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt."   Too many people allow differences of upbringing and culture to prevent Divine blessing.   The Lord would have us overcome all these barriers and place our unfettered faith in Him.   The result was that in Gentile country a lone woman was saved by her faith in Christ, and as the Jewish nation would ultimately reject Him, the floodgates of blessing opened to the nations.   This miracle was recorded by Mark is the first of the miracles done remotely, He did not require to be in the same place for the exorcism.   Matthew records that the demon was cast out "in the same hour."   The world has witnessed the kingdom power of Jesus Christ already and will see it greater scope when He comes.