Continuing our look at different Bible Study methods, this week we are looking at the Discussion Method. For your aid in leading your own group, I am posting the text we used as well as discussion questions connected with the text.
Method:
- Read the Text
- Ask a question or questions to help start the conversation
- Begin discussion on the text
- Ask more questions as needed to help facilitate the conversation.
Text:
Mark 7:24-37
Jesus set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice, but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go—the demon has left your daughter.” So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue. Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Discussion:
Here are some questions to help get the conversation started or to help during help during lulls in the conversation as well. If you would prefer, please feel free to come up with your own questions as well.
· Why do you think Jesus said what He said to the Syrophoenician Woman?
o What response was He trying to elicit?
· How do you think Jesus viewed this woman?
· Was what He said cruel?
· Does Jesus always fit our conception of Him?
· What might this reading being saying to us today?