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Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them. At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You." But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth." And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons.
Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them. However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction.
- Mark 1:29-45
Yesterday, we read that after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel." And as He walked by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then Jesus said to them, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." They immediately left their nets and followed Him. When He had gone a little farther from there, He saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending their nets. And immediately He called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after Him. Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, saying, "Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are -- the Holy One of God!" But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet, and come out of him!". And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him. Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, "What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him." And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. But Simon's wife's mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them. At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him. There are several things we notice in these verses. The first is that Peter is married; these are gatherings of families, and sets of brothers are disciples and friends known to one another. Christ has come into the world to enter into our daily lives. The overall theme here is one of healing, and right away we're given an indication about Christ's ministry: overall, as a whole, it is for healing -- on so many levels and in so many different ways. Not only is Peter's mother-in-law brought "upright," so to speak, and restored back to her place in the life of the family (and ministering to the disciples), but a "whole city" is gathered at the door. My study bible notes the diversity of the healing miracles of Jesus: some are immediate, some are gradual or require the cooperation of the person healed, or perhaps their loved ones. But, it says, "all of Christ's miracles manifest His redemptive ministry on behalf of an ailing humanity." Redemptive is a key word here, because the presence of the demons indicate something He has come to liberate us from, to save us from -- an alien, "occupying" power He will conquer as "stronger man." The final thing we notice is His desire that His full identity not be disclosed; this Messianic intervention is one that is a mystery, in secret. It's not time to confront all the expectations of "Messiah" that do not apply here.
Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. And Simon and those who were with Him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to Him, "Everyone is looking for You." But He said to them, "Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because for this purpose I have come forth." And He was preaching in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and casting out demons. My study bible says, "Mark is the only gospel which gives us a full 24-hour day in Jesus' life, a day built around prayer and ministry. Jesus is the model for both, and He does not separate them. Jesus' priority is prayer to His Father: prayer before service. He goes to a solitary place to be free from distraction, despite the multitudes' need of Him. His ministry comes out of His relationship with His Father, not foremost out of people's need. Here He moves along to the next towns. He knows His task, and performs it although the crowds clamor around Him."
Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, "If You are willing, You can make me clean." I think it's important to note here that there is great faith in the leper, before Jesus' healing takes place.
Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, "I am willing; be cleansed." As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. And He strictly warned him and sent him away at once, and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them. However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter the city, but was outside in deserted places; and they came to Him from every direction. My study bible tells us: "As the dialogue between the leper and Jesus demonstrates, Jesus heals from compassion -- not from duty or a need to prove Himself, or in order to gather a following. Jesus' authority is comprehensive: (1) in teaching, (2) over demons, and (3) over sickness -- powerful testimony to His divinity. But He wishes this and His messiahship to be kept a secret."
In attending a bible study class, one pastor spoke about Christ and His connection to the Old Testament, as fulfillment. The name "Yeshua" or Joshua is the name that we know for Christ as Jesus. (This comes from the Greek form for Yeshua as Iesous/Ἰησοῦς, coming to the West via Latin, and making its way into English as "Jesus.") This name is often translated as "God saves" or, in a familiar form, "Savior." But the pastor suggested the name -- especially in connection with Old Testament Scripture -- means "Conqueror." I was rather intrigued by this, as to my ears as an English-speaker, it sounds contradictory to the meanings I'd always understood. But what he explained to me was that the meaning is the same, but is understood as meaning one who saves or rescues a person (or people) held hostage. This name, then, in its proper context indicates also Redeemer (as one who "ransoms" a person who is held somewhere against their will). I think that Conqueror, in this light, gives us a very good idea of how Messiah finds meaning and form through Jesus. In today's reading, His work takes on a few forms: the first is the relationship to the Father (and also to the Spirit, if we take into account His first act of 40 day isolation and temptation right after baptism in the Jordan). He prays. Before all things, He prays. He preaches the gospel of the Kingdom: His kingdom has come into this world. That is surely the work of someone who could be called "Conqueror." But it is a spiritual kingdom, one that affects every level of our being, and not just the physical or material. His conquering takes the form of casting out demons, and of healing, setting right, freeing people from what binds them, in so many ways. We read today about Peter's mother-in-law. We read about all those -- "the whole city" -- gathered at the door for healing, and being freed from demons. Finally, there is the issue of the leper, and we have to understand that leprosy was considered a direct punishment for sin, so lepers were cast out of community -- and dealing with this disease was strictly regulated by the Mosaic Law (as indicated in our text today). Within this framework, Messiah comes and isn't subject to the Law but over it. The Conqueror fulfills the Law by bringing a power to heal and to reclaim one put out of the community, for the community. Again, the secret of His identity must be kept, because one can simply imagine the connotations of Messiah as conqueror, and the popular ideas about what conquerors were, what military might would be necessary, say, to overthrow the Roman rule of Israel. Our conqueror invites us to understand and to consider what His kingdom is all about, what its power is for and what it does, and just who is included and excluded here. He rules by compassion -- that is made clear in the text. But if we are dealing with a spiritual reality at the root of everything connected to what we live, then we must also understand the power of faith that connects us, really, to this conqueror, and thereby we become subjects, the subjects of His Kingdom, in His name. I invite you to consider what Jesus conquers here, and how this happens.
