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Mark 7:28

in Mark 7

“Yes, Lord,” she replied, “even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

But she answered and saith unto him, Yea, Lord; even the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.

KJV

And she answered and said unto him, Yes, Lord: yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs.

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This verse in Mark 7

Commentary

12 notes on this verse
And she answered and said unto him, yes, Lord,.... Agreeing to, and acquiescing in, what he said; which she seemed to have understood, though delivered in a proverbial way; and very appropriately replies, yet the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs; which they leave, or let fall: signifying that she did not envy the blessings of the Jews, or desire any thing might be done injurious to them; only that this favour might be granted her, which she owned she was unworthy of, that her daughter might be healed.

This site's exposition

even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs

Her answer accepts the word Jesus used and turns it into an argument: even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs. She asks for the overflow from Israel's table and claims no place at it.

The record, by era

The Church Fathers2 voices

A commentator

Augustine of Hippo

FAITH AND WORKS 4.6 · Written before 430.

proposed

Some people, intent on severe disciplinary precepts, admonish us to rebuke the restless and not to give what is holy to dogs, to consider a despiser of the church as a heathen, to cut off from the unified structure of the body the member who causes scandal. These may so disturb the peace of the church that they try prematurely to separate out the wheat from the chaff before the proper time, and blinded by this pretext, they themselves then become separated from the unity of Christ.

A commentator

Pseudo-Chrysostom

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 500.

proposed

(Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.) For the woman did not take it ill, but with much reverence assented to what the Lord had said. Wherefore it goes on, And she answered and said unto him, Truth, Lord, but the dogs under the table eat of the children's crumbs. (Vict. Ant. e Cat. in Marc.)

The Medieval Church3 voices

Mystically however the Gentile woman, who prays for her daughter, is our mother the Church of Rome. Her daughter afflicted with a devil, is the barbarian western race, which by faith hath been turned from a dog into a sheep. She desires to take the crumbs of spiritual understanding, not the unbroken bread of the letter.

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Mark · Written before 1107.

proposed

But since the woman answered wisely and with faith, she received what she asked for. The Jews, she says, have the bread, that is, all of You who came down from heaven, and Your benefactions, while I ask for a "crumb," that is, a small …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 1107.

proposed

As if she had said, The Jews have the whole of that bread which comes down from heaven, and Thy benefits also; I ask for the crumbs, that is, a small portion of the benefit.
5 more voices on this verse

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

I ask not for a loaf, no, nor for a morsel, only for a crumb; do not refuse me that." This she speaks, not as undervaluing the mercy, or making light of it in itself, but magnifying the abundance or miraculous cures with which she heard the Jews were feasted, in comparison with which a single cure was but as a crumb.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

True also: Yet the dogs under the table are allowed to eat of the children's crumbs--the droppings from their master's full table: Give me that, and I am content: One crumb of power and grace from Thy table shall cast the devil out of my daughter." Oh, what lightning quickness, what reach of instinctive ingenuity, do we behold in this heathen woman!

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

We know nothing of the woman who is here mentioned, beyond the facts that we here read. Her name, her former history, the way in which she was led to seek our Lord, though a Gentile, and dwelling in the borders of Tyre and Sidon — all these things are hidden from us. But the few facts that are related about this woman are full of precious instruction. Let us observe them, and learn wisdom. In the first place, this passage is meant to encourage us to pray for others . The woman who came to our Lord, in the history now before us, must doubtless have been in deep affliction. She saw a beloved child possessed by an unclean spirit. She saw her in a condition in which no teaching could reach the mind, and no medicine could heal the body — a condition only one degree better than death itself. She hears of Jesus, and beseeches Him to "cast the demon out of her daughter." She prays for one who could not pray for herself, and never rests until her prayer is granted. By prayer she obtains the cure which no human means could obtain. Through the prayer of the mother, the daughter is healed. On her own behalf that daughter did not speak a word; but her mother spoke for her to the Lord, and did not speak in vain. Hopeless and desperate as her case appeared, she had a praying mother, and where there is a praying mother there is always hope. The truth here taught is one of deep importance. The case here recorded is one that does not stand alone. Few duties are so strongly recommended by Scriptural example, as the duty of intercessory prayer. There is a long catalogue of instances in Scripture, which show the benefits that may be conferred on others by praying for them. The nobleman's son at Capernaum — the centurion's servant — the daughter of Jairus, are all striking examples.
We know nothing of the woman who is here mentioned, beyond the facts that we here read. Her name, her former history, the way in which she was led to seek our Lord, though a Gentile, and dwelling in the borders of Tyre and Sidon — all these things are hidden from us. But the few facts that are related about this woman are full of precious instruction. Let us observe them, and learn wisdom. In the first place, this passage is meant to encourage us to pray for others .

Modern Voices1 voice

Today there are many children of God refusing their blood-purchased portion of health in Christ and are throwing it away, while sinners are pressing through and picking it up from under the table

The words behind it

19 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

13 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Romans 10:12For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,10 worksRomans 3:29Is God the God of Jews only? Is He not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,9 worksLuke 15:30–32But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’6 worksActs 11:17–18So if God gave them the same gift He gave us who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to hinder the work of God?”6 worksIsaiah 45:22Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.6 worksLuke 7:6–8So Jesus went with them. But when He was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends with the message: “Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy to have You come under my roof.5 works
The other 7 cross-references, with their words ▾
Isaiah 49:6He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”4 worksEphesians 2:12–14remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.4 worksPsalms 145:16You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.4 worksMatthew 5:45that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.4 worksEphesians 3:8Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,4 worksLuke 16:21and longing to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.3 worksRomans 15:8–9For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs,2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Isaiah 45:22

    Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

    it leads to

    • John 6:40

      For it is My Father’s will that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

    • Micah 7:7

      But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

    • Hebrews 12:2

      Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand…

    • Numbers 21:8–9

      Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”

    • Zechariah 12:10

      Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They…

  • Through

    Romans 10:12

    For there is no difference between Jew and Greek: The same Lord is Lord of all, and gives richly to all who call on Him,

    it leads to

    • Philippians 4:19

      And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

    • Revelation 17:14

      They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen…

    • Galatians 3:28

      There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Where this verse is studied

About Mark

Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Public domain.
Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Public domain.
Mark: the study guide →Read Mark 7 →
This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Augustine of Hippo, FAITH AND WORKS 4.6; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Mark; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Pseudo-Chrysostom, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Pseudo-Jerome, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Smith Wigglesworth, Ever Increasing Faith, Chapter 4: "Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?"; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.

Read on in Mark 7 →