This morning I am spending some time reflecting on a few verses from Mark's Gospel. Mark tends to cram a bunch of stuff into a few verses, and these are no exception. Here are the verses - Mark 3:1-12 NIV:
[1] "Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. [2] Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. [3] Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”
[4] Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
[5] He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. [6] Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus."
[7] "Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. [8] When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. [9] Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. [10] For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. [11] Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” [12] But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him."
The first part of this story is repeated in all three of the synoptic Gospels, so it was seen as a significant event in the Life of Jesus, and was remembered as such. My first thought on reading this was if the man with the shriveled hand was allowed into the synagogue? The Levitical law had several things in it about those that were deformed, etc.
Here is what it says - Leviticus 21:16-19 NIV:
[16] "The Lord said to Moses, [17] “Say to Aaron: 'For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God. [18] No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; [19] no man with a crippled foot or hand,"
Now that is specific to the priesthood, and would not bar entry to the synagogue. It does introduce thinking about the way people would think about a man with a shriveled hand, as possibly being rejected by God. We also know that a common thought was that anyone who was crippled or blind was likely that way due to their or their parents sin (See John 9). Thus, this man was likely used to feeling like a second class citizen, or someone that was viewed with contempt or distrust.
As I was doing some research, I came across a time when King Jereboam's hand shriveled when he called for a "Man of God" to be seized for prophesying against the sacrifices being made at the altar. The man of God interceded afterwards and the Kings hand was restored (See 1 Kings 13:1-6). The pharisees and scribes would have been aware of this story too, and were likely uncomfortable with parallels that could be drawn.
Regardless of all the issues and their stubborn hearts, Jesus had mercy on the man who He had asked to stand in front of them all, and healed him in front of them by simply having the man stretch out his arm! Talk about a life-changing event!
Jesus, aware of the efforts to trap Him, didn't even do any work on the Sabbath this time (as compared to John 9, when He made mud and applied it to the eyes of the man born blind). He just gave a command and when the man obeyed he was healed. This must have driven the Pharisees and Herodians crazy, for there was not a single thing they could say that Jesus did wrong, and yet they were clearly the object of Jesus' anger, and saddened heart, for they clearly didn't understand the Father's heart, yet were representing Him (my take on why Jesus was angry).
Finally, this event so captured the attention of the people, that news of Jesus spread like wild-fire to all the surrounding areas, and people came from over 100 miles away. We really can't fully grasp the significance of Jesus ministry. The Jews had been waiting for hundreds of years for their Messiah, a man sent from God to set them free and restore them! Their had been no real prophet for 300+ years, and certainly no one that did miracles since ancient times. The news about Jesus, spread, I think, because of the hope that still existed in the people's hearts. They hoped that God hadn't abandoned them! They hoped that God's word was true, but for the last several generations, that was all they had to hold onto. Suddenly, in Galilee of all places, rumors start flying of a man who heals, and who heals everyone! I imagine the crowds were made up of young people who could make the journey easily, sent to see if the rumors were true; the sick and lame and those that could find someone to help them find Jesus; and those whose hearts were stirred by the Holy Spirit, who felt called to follow this one.
Mark, in his concise description, says that Jesus needed a boat to keep the crowds from pressing in on Him. The reason was simple, He had healed so many that everyone that was sick or disabled was trying to ouch Him, and receive their healing! It wasn't that Jesus didn't want to heal them, it was that He didn't want to be trampled or crushed in scramble One assumes that at some point they all figured out how to handle the crowds in a more orderly fashion. In today's ministries that gather hundreds and thousands they have figured out different approaches, and God in His goodness blesses them so that the majority of people can be touched.
Oh, to see Jesus Glorified in such numbers, to see the Holy Spirit move in power and healing on hundreds and even thousands! That we might once again hear good rumors of God visiting His people, touching and healing, setting them free and delivering them! We long to see Your Name Glorified Jesus! We long to be a part of the advancing of the Kingdom! We long to see Your Name spread like wildfire! Come and set us free from the box we want to put You in, the limitations we want to place on You! Come and show us Your Heart for Your people!
Amen!
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