Third Pass at This Weekend's Bible Lesson: Mark 1:29-39

In my first two looks at this passage, I've given a general overview and then considered the seemingly intractable issues of healing and God's sovereignty. (You can see those posts here and here.)

Here, I want to briefly look at another important issue in the lesson. Very few personal reflections here...mostly a few quotes from other commentators.

The passage: Mark 1:29-39

The issue: Jesus' reason for leaving, as mentioned in v. 38:

He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.”

Brian Stoffregen writes that when Simon and company approach the praying Jesus, asking Him to return to healing the throngs gathered at Simon's house and Jesus refuses, "we have the first dispute between Jesus and his disciples." He goes on to write:

This dispute might be characterized as the disciples' (and people's) desire to have Jesus go back to where he was vs. Jesus' (and the Father's?) desire to move ahead to new areas. Jesus did not come to keep the gospel hidden in Capernaum, but to spread it throughout Galilee and Judea and the world.

How many "church fights" are over similar issues? To try and become what we used to be vs. stepping out into an unknown and different future? pleasing the "people back home" vs. seeking to be faithful to God's call? keeping the treasure of the gospel (and healings) for our selves vs. spreading it throughout our communities and the world? centering only on our members vs. centering on the unchurched, dechurched, unbelievers?

What is so enticing about "going back" is all the successes back in Capernaum. Miracles were happening. People were being cured. The entire city was at the door. There has been no opposition to Jesus and his ministry. Who wouldn't want to continue such "successes" in ministry. Who of us clergy wouldn't wish to have everyone in town fighting to get into the church? Who of us clergy wouldn't wish to have no one criticizing us for our ministry? Returning to Capernaum seems awfully attractive.

In contrast to that wonderful past in Capernaum, the future, roaming around Galilee was uncertain -- but that is what Jesus has been called to do. He will not walk the safe and seemingly successful way, but follow the way God has set before him. It will not always be what his disciples want. It will not always be with the people want. It will be what God has determined.

Related to this: As often as we say: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb 13:8), we also need to quote the words of the one seated on the throne: "See, I am making all things new." Congregations need to live in the tension of the eternal sameness of Jesus Christ and God's power which is always leading us into something new...

...A family systems approach stresses the fact that much of the unhealth in systems (and congregations) is caused by being stuck in past successes -- continuing to do the same old things when they are no longer appropriate or no longer effective. In order for Jesus to fulfill his mission, he had to leave behind his successes in Capernaum.

Another commentator--I apologize, but I can't now find who it was--has written this:

Jesus now makes himself widely available in a wide sweep, reaching into a lot of corners, teaching & 'casting out demons.' God's good news is never mere theory. There always needs to be some expectation that 'something will happen'! Else, where is the Good News?...

Finally, my own observation about this aspect of the lesson: Jesus says that He has come to proclaim His message. That interests me because He doesn't say, "I've come out here to heal and cast out demons," although He clearly will be doing that.

This, I think, underscores the place of healing in Jesus' ministry and in the ministry of His Church. Its role is a subordinate one. The power of Jesus to bring physical healing or liberation from demonic possession are simply signs pointing to His authority, authenticating the truth of His teaching.

From the beginning of Mark's Gospel, it has been the message of Jesus that has been central to His ministry. We read that message in Mark 1:15:

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”

While others will routinely misunderstand Jesus, it seems that the worshipers at the Capernaum synagogue who witnessed Him cast out the demon from a possessed man understood the subordination of the miraculous sign to the good news of eternal restoration of our relationship with God that Jesus brings:

They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, “What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” (Mark 1:27)

They saw the healing as an element of Jesus' teaching.

Jesus knew that He had only a short time to let as many people as He could that He was the bearer, the bringer, the embodiment of God's Good News for the human race. It was to prepare for the continuation of that mission that He went out in the pre-dawn hours to pray. (Notice that for this new wave of ministry, Jesus returns to a wilderness place, the very sort of place from which He emerged following His baptism so that He could first begin His ministry.) It was also to continue that mission that He ignored the siren song of popularity and easy success in Capernaum to face opposition and certain death for us.