Chapter Seven

7:1-23 On tradition – On true purity: Jesus does not ignore the traditions of his people, but he confronts the legalistic attitude of those who judge, discriminate, and exclude. To the criticism of the learned and Pharisees, he replies, in the first place, with the Scriptures (6-8): the prophetic tradition condemns the hypocrisy of worship without justice and of believers of the Word without coherence of life (cf. Is 1:10-18; 29:13; 58:1-12; Jer 7:1-28; Am 5:18-25; Zech 7). Secondly, he denounces the manipulation of the Word of God in their favor (9-13). And, calling the people, he declares that nothing in creation (the external) can contaminate man; what defiles or purifies is what comes from within (14-23).

7:24-30 Faith of a Canaanite woman: Mark, who evangelizes among pagans, emphasizes Jesus' activity among non-Jews. A woman, pagan by her religion and Syrophoenician by her nationality, with a simple and firm faith, gets Jesus to change his plans to attend only to the Jews and bring the newness of the Gospel to the pagans. Let us note that the woman calls him "Lord," the only time this title appears in Mark, recognizing him not only as a miracle-worker but also as a savior. The expression "dogs" was common among the Jews to refer to pagans. Upon returning home, the mother discovers that faith and the power of Jesus' Word have restored her daughter to life. 

7:31-37 He heals a deaf-mute: The novelty of the Gospel continues in foreign territory, this time in the Decapolis. The deaf-mute symbolizes the closed attitude of the pagan world in the face of God's plan: deaf to hear him and stammering to proclaim him. The healing of the deaf and dumb man confirms the attitude of the pagans who, little by little open their ears to the Word of God.