The Syrophoenician Woman -- Mimetic Theory and Literary Study

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Date Posted: 19:41:07 04/07/08 Mon
Author: Kiernan
Subject: The Syrophoenician Woman

On pg. 253 of "Things Hidden," Girard attempts to explain Biblical rejection of other peoples at certain points in the narrative: "The apparent expulsion of certain peoples at this stage (or any stage) can only be temporary; it is a result of their lack of preparation." This explanation immediately reminded me of the incident in Mark 7:25-30 of the Syrophoenician woman who comes to Jesus to beg for healing. The text records what seems like Christ engaging in a cultural slur:

A woman whose little daughter was possessed by an evil spirit came and fell at his feet. The woman was a Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia. She begged Jesus to drive the demon out of her daughter. "First let the children eat all they want," he told her, "for it is not right to take the children's bread and toss it to their dogs." "Yes, Lord," she replied, "but even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs." Then he told her, "For such a reply, you may go; the demon has left your daughter." She went home and found her child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.

Christ here seems to engage in a cultural slur - calling the Syrian woman a "dog." This action, however, comes out of the desire continue to prepare the Children of Israel for the apocalypse coming to them; he wants the Children to be able "to eat all they want." Yet this woman shows evidence of faith, a greater stage of preparation than her society as a whole possessed. While Syro-Phoenician society was not preparared yet for the revelation of the mechanism, this particular woman was - she cried out even for the crumbs of healing. In return for this, Christ makes her well. Viewing this scene from the standpoint of preparation allows Christ's language to be exonerated from charges of racism, etc.

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