The passage
      v24. Jesus moves north of Capernaum into Gentile territory for a time of rest.
      v25-26. The locals know about Jesus the healer and so they visit the cottage he is staying at. A Gentile woman, a Hellenized citizen of the republic of Tyre, prostrates herself before Jesus (a mark of respect), and seeks his aid in casting a demon out of her daughter.
      v27-28. Jesus refuses her request, using a rather colorful image. He may be saying that his ministry is limited to Israel and that it would not be proper to extend it to Gentiles at this point in time. Yet, would a Gentile understand such subtle theology? Jesus is quite possibly making the point that he is here for a time of rest before again resuming his work, ie. children finish their meal before feeding the scraps to the household pets. The woman takes no offense, as no offense is meant, but points out that her request is but a minor intrusion into his time of rest - a mere crumb.
      v29-30. Jesus is warmed by the woman's confidence, a confidence (faith) that outshines the unbelief of the Pharisees and the dull confusion of the disciples. Like the blind man, she sees "everything clearly." In later tradition the woman is called Justa, and her daughter, Bernice.
      v31. Jesus moves across to Decapolis, a Gentile area with a sizable Jewish community.
      v32. A person, who has lost his hearing and can hardly speak, is brought to Jesus "to lay his hand on him", (presumably for healing, but possibly blessing). The man's condition images Isaiah 35:5-6. When the messiah comes he will unstop the ears of the deaf and give a clear song to the man with inarticulate speech.
      v33-35. Jesus uses interesting sensory symbols with the man, although they are obviously not necessary elements for effective healing. Both the actions of Jesus and his command, "Ephphatha!", serve to heighten the symbolic nature of the miracle. Like this man, the disciples are beginning to hear and can now confess "plainly", "he has done everything well."
      v36-37. Although the healing is in private, it is most likely that the disciples witness the sign and then seek to proclaim it, but the sign is for them, not the crowd. So, Jesus commands them not to preach ("do not proclaim"). His preaching mission is constantly disturbed by the popular idea that he is a wonder-worker. The confession of the disciples is a messianic illusion to Isaiah 35:5-6. In Jesus is the promised intervention of God. "He has made the lame whole, and he makes the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak", cf. Matt.15:31.

God is good
      "All the works of the Lord are exceedingly good", cf. Genesis 1:31.
      In witnessing the miraculous signs of Jesus, the disciples judged them as a reflection of divine good. To the eye of faith, the creation is good, and Jesus' deeds reflect that good. For Mark, and those with the secret knowledge of Jesus' person, a knowledge that comes through faith, these good deeds evidence Jesus' messianic credentials. Here is the one who renews God's creation, who restores Eden lost.
      God is good and his creation is good; life is a wonderful experience. We cannot deny that there is sadness and hurt, but good far outweighs the evil. For most of the time we are at peace, and only sometimes do the circumstances of life overwhelm us. Of course, without the negative circumstances we would never properly appreciate the good. Those who have never touched the darkness of grief will never be "overwhelmed with amazement" at the wonder of God's good creation.
      It is true that some people don't quite see the good. They tend to be overwhelmed by their troubles. It's like waking up in the morning and looking out the window at a cloudy sky. We can focus on the dark clouds and feel somber, or we can focus on the blue beyond, and feel glad. It's all a bit of a mind game - "accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative."
      How we perceive reality is the crucial factor for a positive outlook on life. If we are in a third world village tending our vegetable garden, unaware of the affluence of the West, contentment will rest with the good earth and its fruitfulness. In comparison, the contentment level of those living in an affluent society is often lower due to unrealistic expectations. Constantly corrupted by media marketing, we easily end up expecting too much from God's good creation. The good is then overwhelmed by our perceived wants.
      As God's hand in creation is good, so is the hand of Jesus. "He has done all things well."

v25
      euquV "[in fact], as soon" - [but] immediately. Possible a general sense, "so then", although with the participle, "having heard", some sense of time is being indicated; "almost at once", REB.
      akousasa (akouw) aor. part. "she heard" - [immediately] having heard. The participle, with "immediately", forms a temporal clause.
      qugatrion (on) "little daughter" - diminutive of daughter expressing a state of affection between mother and daughter.
      eicen (ecw) imperf. "was possessed" - was having. The imperfect tense indicating the ongoing state of the possession.
      elqousa (ercomai) aor. part. "came" - having come. The participle is one of attendant circumstances, "when she heard, she came."
      prosepesen (prospiptw) aor. "fell" - fell down before. An action expressing deep respect, "prostrated herself before him", Phillips.

v26
      tw/ genei (genoV) dat. "born in" - by birth, race, people, kind [a syrophonician (ie. "Gentile / pagan")]. The dative is instrumental.
      hrwta (erwtaw) imperf. "she begged [Jesus]" - she was asking [him]. The imperfect indicating ongoing action, so "begged", NIV.
      iJna + subj. "to [drive out] - that [he might cast out]. Probably introducing an epexegetic noun clause serving to identify the content of what she asked. "She begged Jesus to force the demon out of her daughter", CEV.

v27
      prwton adj. "first" - The sense is that possibly "the first", the children, the children of Israel, have precedence over Gentiles. The problem with this interpretation is that it requires a high degree of theological understanding on the part of the woman. A more natural sense may be intended: Jesus is here for a rest and needs to recuperate. "Let the children first be fed", Taylor.
      afeV (afihmi) aor. imp. "let" - allow, permit.
      cortasqhnai (cortazw) aor. pas. inf. "eat" - to be satisfied. The infinitive functioning as the direct object of the verb "allow"
      labein (lambanw) aor. inf. "to take" - to take. The infinitive is epexegetic, explaining what is not right.
      kunarioiV (on) "dogs" - The Jews often referred to Gentiles as "dogs". Whatever is intended, it is unlikely that the words are insulting, even though, to our ears, they are. Diminutive, so possibly small pet dogs are implied. "Puppy", Taylor.

v28
      nai "yes" - yes, even so. This variant reading is not adopted by all translations, eg. NRSV.
      kurie (oV) voc. "Lord" - "Sir".
      kai "but even" - and. A contrastive, even adversative sense, is probably not intended. The woman is simply progressing Jesus' argument, so "even", REB. The intent of Jesus' words, and of the woman's reply, is hard to gauge. As noted above, it is possible that this is a very natural exchange. Jesus has said he is here for a rest and she adds that her request will not trouble him much. If this is the case, her faith is indeed mighty. Casting out demons is no ordinary task, but she obviously believes that Jesus is up to it; for him, it is but a crumb. "True sir, and still the dogs under the table eat what the children leave", Goodspeed.
      apo + gen. "[eat the children's crumbs] - [eat] from [the crumbs]. Not in the sense of eating "from" some of the crumbs, but rather eating "from" this particular food source, namely, crumbs.

v29
      dia + acc. "for" - because of [this word]. "In view of what you have just said."
      uJpage (uJpagw) imp. "you may go" - go. Command, "go", Barclay.

v30
      apelqousa (apercomai) aor. part. "she went" - having departed [to the house]. The participle possibly forms a temporal clause, "and when she returned home", REB; or a consecutive (consequence) clause, "so she returned home", Moffatt.
      beblhmenon (ballw) perf. pas. part. "lying" - having been placed, thrown. The sense is a little unclear. Is the girl lying exhausted, as if thrown upon her bed, but now resting at peace? "She found her child exhausted on the bed."
      exelhluqoV (exercomai) perf. part. "gone" - having gone out. The perfect tense indicating a past action with ongoing consequences. The little thing for Jesus involved overcoming dark powers with a word, and this from a distance. "The demon had gone", CEV.

v31
      exelqwn (exercomai) aor. part. "then Jesus left" - [and again] having come out. The participle possibly forms a temporal clause, as NIV, "when / then / after Jesus left."
      dia "through [Sidon]" - Seeing Sidon is North of Tyre it is unlikely that Jesus went "through" Sidon to get to the Sea of Galilee. Possibly Mark has not expressed himself well and intended to say: Jesus left "the region of Tyre and Sidon", Schmidt.
      ana meson + gen. "into" - up in the middle. "Right through the region of Decapolis", Moule.

v32
      ferousin (ferw) pres. "brought" - they bring, carry. Historic present, so rendered in the past tense, as NIV.
      mogilalon adj. "could hardly talk" - mute. A very rare word, the meaning of which is unclear; "speaking with difficulty / having an impediment in speech", Cranfield; "stammered", Moffatt.
      iJna + subj. "to [place]" - Here introducing an epexegetic clause explaining what they begged. "They begged Jesus just to touch him", CEV.

v33
      apolabomenoV (apolambanw) aor. part. "after he took [him] aside" - having led off, taken away, taken aside. The participle probably forms a temporal clause, as NIV. Here we have another example of the messianic secret where Jesus restricts his signs for those with eyes to see. Of course, a more pragmatic argument may be posited: Jesus maintains a low profile so as to reduce popular messianic expectations which could prompt a reaction from the authorities.
      ptusaV (ptuw) aor. pas. "then he spit" - having spit [he touched]. The participle probably forms a temporal clause. The action here is unclear. What does Jesus do with the spittle and what is the point of such actions? Taylor notes that "such actions are common to the technique of Greek and Jewish healers", but obviously Jesus is in no way dependent on such actions. It is often argued that these actions are performed for the sake of the deaf and mute man in that they serve to encourage his weak faith, but is Jesus restricted by the weakness or strength of a person's faith? France suggests that the actions are symbolic, reinforcing the sign nature of the miracle, a miracle which serves to illustrate the opening of the spiritual ears of the disciples. This symbolism is similarly reflected in the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida, 8:22-26, a miracle which served to illustrate the opening of the spiritual eyes of the disciples. Similar actions are used in both miracles, and both miracles are followed with a command not to speak of what has happened. Possibly, "he put his fingers into the man's ears, touched his tongue with saliva", Moffatt.

v34
      anableyaV (anablepw) aor. part. "he looked up" - having looked up. Probably as in an act of prayer. "Looking up to heaven", Moffatt.
      estenaxen (stenazw) aor. "with a deep sigh" - he sighed, groaned. Probably an emotional outburst, but what emotion? Possibly the actual prayer recited quietly and quickly, so Lagrange.
      dianoicqhti (dianoigw) aor. pas. imp. "be opened" - The use of the original Aramaic indicates that the word of command made an impact on the original hearers. The command is directed to the offending parts, ear and tongue. "Open up thoroughly", "open completely", Cranfield.

v35
      euqewV "at this" - immediately. The weight seems to be on this being a later addition to the text, although emphasizing the immediacy of the healing suits the symbolic nature of this miracle. "At once the man could hear", CEV.
      elalei (lalew) "he began to speak" - he was speaking. Probably an inceptive imperfect, as NIV.
      orqwV adv. "plainly" - rightly, clearly, normally, correctly. Supporting the argument that he only had a defect in his speech.

v36
      autoiV "them" - Unidentified, but it is likely to refer to the disciples rather than the crowd, given that Jesus had withdrawn from the crowd to perform the healing.
      iJna + subj. "[not] to [tell]" - that. Forming an epexegetic clause explaining the content of what Jesus commanded. Further underlining the symbolic significance of the miracle. Was this a command to the disciples, and if so, does this mean the disciples got to witness the miracle?
      ekhrusson (khrussw) imperf. "they kept talking" - were proclaiming. Probably an iterative imperfect expressing repeated action. The more Jesus told them to be quiet, "the more they broadcast the news", Phillips.