Sharing God's Divine Food

Author: Pastor Mike Gutzler

Morning!

Great to be back, this my second week post-sabbatical. We continue this morning with our look at some Gospel of Mark passages with a reference to food.  Last week, this week, and next week, we are trying to take a moment to consider two items specifically: an awareness of our own interpretive perspective and the role food and food references play in Jesus’s teaching, ministry, or interaction with others.

Last week we started off talking about our personal background and how our past helps form meaning for how we interpret the text today. We affirmed we are all different and approach the text differently. I asked you to consider you past, your background, your heritage, and your influences as a way to not only know yourself, but to also consider how it shapes your understanding of who Jesus is.

Additionally, last week, we talked about the different purity laws, and eating habits of the first century Jewish community, and how Jesus just might be the most radical and creative food enthusiast of all time. Yes, by Jesus saying that it’s not what goes in that defiles a person, but what comes out, a whole new world of food combinations was opened to his community. In this proclamation Jesus breaks down not only food barriers – like the combination of dairy and meat incorporated into the same meal, but also social barriers between religious communities. As a result, food and shared meals become the very earthly items that brings people together, gathers diverse groups and establishes relationships.

In this week’s story, food is at the center of the conversation once again. Jesus, who just wants a break from his ministry – everyone needs a break, rest and revitalization – this is a good opportunity to pause and consider when you will take time for yourself this week. But in Jesus’ attempt to relax a woman finds him and shares her deep concern for her daughter.

Jesus then uses a food image to describe what he is up to. In short, Jesus says that like a parent he provides food to the family table for the child. It's good food and it should not be thrown to the dogs. (A couple side notes here, the child reference is to the Jewish monotheistic community, the food is all things that Jesus himself has to offer – grace, love, forgiveness, etc. – and the dogs are the other peoples of the world). The woman challenges Jesus and says that even food from the children’s plate finds its way to the floor for the dogs. This is a direct rebuff and suggestion that Jesus’s “food” that he brings to the table is far greater then what should be offered to one “child.” Jesus’ food is so grand, wonderful and abundant it should be, and can be, be offered to all.

This is the point where we intentionally pause and consider our unique interpretive take on the text and the story. Ask questions like, what do you identify with? What makes sense, what does not? What from your past helps you hear the text today?

Elisabeth Johnson is an ELCA pastor and missionary serving in Cameroon as a professor at the Lutheran Institute of Theology offers a few words of commentary, she shares her unique perspective:

I have had some interesting discussions about the story of the Syrophoenician woman with my students at the Lutheran Institute of Theology in Cameroon. They are troubled by this story because they have heard Muslims use this story — and particularly Jesus’ words in Matthew, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” — to tell people that the Christian faith is not really for Africans.

My response is that it is easy to take one verse out of context, but one has to read to the end of the story. At the end of the story, Jesus praises the woman’s faith, and her daughter is healed. She does receive the gift of salvation. We are all included in this gift, no matter what our nationality, ethnicity, or social status.

But then I realize that it is easy for me to say that, coming from a place of privilege as a white American. I sense that my students are not convinced that it is enough to have crumbs from the table. Materially speaking, that is pretty much all that they have ever had. They don’t want to be told that they should be satisfied with spiritual crumbs as well.

Not only does our past and experiences shape our perspective, but so does our location.

Let’s now consider the role of food in this passage. We know it represents all that Jesus brings to humanity (grace, love, forgiveness, etc.), but what else could we come to know from this text?

As the reader of the text, maybe this could be the point in the story where Jesus’s scope of ministry changes from a specific group of people to an earthly population. Maybe this gift of “food” is now going to be opened to all people so that everyone, regardless of their background, past or fears, gets the same gift. Maybe this one woman’s persistence and commitment to care for her daughter is the game changer that allows all to have a place at the divine table.  

Let’s assume that to be true, and we are – as Jesus’ contemporary disciples – the inheritors and distributors of this same divine food: grace, love, forgiveness etc. What is our challenge and what is our calling?

The challenge is not to be complacent. Just because we are served and have our food does mean we get to sit back and enjoy it all to ourselves. We need to be reminded the food is not just for us.

The calling therefore is to be motivated distributors of this divine food as often as possible. To be the ones who take down the walls that prevent others from getting enough to eat or the care they deserve.

Especially today, we do not have to look very far to see the need around us. “Afghan Allies” are on our doorstep and need places to stay, food, jobs and more. To the north we have many recovering from flood damage and to the west we have many who are displaced from wildfires.

There is no shortness of need, and no shortness of God’s “divine food.” What are you motivated to do? How are you motivated to respond?