The Gospel of Mark
PREACHING AND HEALING: Mk 1,32-45
Evening and Morning: 1,32-39
Sunset is the beginning of the new day for Judaism - even today, Jews have to know the exact time of sunset wherever they are so that they can know the minute the Sabbath begins. Further, the evening also begins the day after the sabbath, the time when activity can begin again. Hence the stress in verse 32, we are told not only that it was evening but also that it was after sunset.
The focus of the first part are the demons, and we have already met their reaction to Jesus in 1,21-28.
I suggested "hyperbole", exageration, as appropriate because there is so much emphasis in this summary on "all": all who were sick, the whole city. Verse 33 is unique to Mark (which is why I suggested comparing with Mt 8,19).
Moving on to early morning in verse 35, this is the traditional time to withdraw for prayer, before others are around, as in the next verse. Deserted places are also traditional places for prayer. A comparison with Luke (Lk 4,42) shows Mark's emphasis on prayer.
References to the prayer are infrequent in Mark (as compared with the Gospel of Luke) and it is only Mark who makes the point explicit here. The evangelist makes it clear that Jesus needed time and space in which to be with God whose beloved Son he was (1,11).
Onto the scene then comes the disciples, pursuing or hunting out Jesus; Mark uses a strong verb which occurs only here in the New Testament. The hyperbole continues into verse 37 "Everyone is looking for you", they say. Already we see how little the disciples understand Jesus - they are focused on the task in hand, the needs of the people. They do not understand Jesus' need for to withdraw for prayer.
We can now return to the main page
Jesus and the Leper: 1,40-45
Right at the end of this first chapter we have healing of the leper, the first person in the Gospel to take the initiative in approaching Jesus. He is the first of the little people of this Gospel who are so important for the story. Later we will meet the woman with a hemorrhage (5,25) and the blind beggar Bartimaeus (10,46). These are the people who show true faith in Jesus.
Breaking down barriers and boundaries was at the heart of Jesus' ministry. That is why he was so unpopular with the Jewish authorities as will soon be seen.
The stages of a typical miracle story which this incident shows well are:
- A request for healing (verse 40)
- Jesus responds (verse 41)
- Jesus cures (verse 42)
- Wonder follows (verse 45)
Inserted into this outline are verses 43-44 which are Jesus's instructions to the healed leper.
The comparison with Elisha (2 K 5,8-14) is important because Jesus heals on his own authority whilst Elisha has to call on the name of the Lord his God (2K 5,11).
Looking now more closely at the verses, what is notable is how both the leper and Jesus break boundaries. The leper actually approaches and speaks to Jesus. Jesus not only replies but takes the risk of touching the man. Boundaries and taboos are being broken as Jesus does so frequently. The boundaries of the Church have always been remarkably open
Most translations speak of Jesus being "moved with compassion" or something similar. Some though (including the Revised English Bible) speak of Jesus being "moved with anger". That is a more challenging reading which is found in a number of manuscripts. It is a general principle that scribes were more likely to change to an easier reading. Jesus "moved to anger" is therefore quite likely to be original, even though it is not clear what Jesus' anger was about. We can see Jesus being angry at the evil power of leprosy and the stigma attached to it. Yet Jesus' strong feelings continue. He does not simply dismiss the leper in verse 43, he "casts him out".
It may be a surpise that Jesus had such strong feelings as anger. Yet they would be an important part of his humanity.
We have already met Jesus commanding demons to silence (1,34), now in verse 44 the same command is given to one whom he has healed: we are not told the disciples are present at this healing. The command to silence can be seen as a means of preventing Jesus being taken for no more than a miracle worker. Only on the cross will his true identity be revealed to the whole world (15,39).
Jesus is keeping strictly within the Law (Leviticus 14) by sending the healed leper to the priest. As a result, the man is restored to the community of Israel and Jesus is shown to be observant of the Law. His healing is so important for the leper that he cannot resist telling everyone (verse 45).
This first chapter of Mark therefore ends with success for Jesus as he makes his first impact on the crowds, as the evangelist notes in both 1,28 and 1,45. This episode rounds off the chapter; there will be another cycle beginning in chapter 2 with a notable change of atmosphere. (Interestingly, we can to note that Luke has so edited this episode that it is connected with those epsiodes that follow (Lk 5)).
Quite clearly Jesus has established his authority in this chapter. The first four disciples called just drop everything to follow him (1,16-20). Throughout the chapter, Jesus shows his power over demons and fevers (1,32). The chapter sets the scene but without any conflicts.
Yet hints of trouble and conflict to come are there. Jesus is constantly breaking boundaries, touching the untouchables, in his ministry of healing. Already he is healing on the sabbath and the next stage of the story will bring out reactions to that.
The final message of this chapter is however the increasing popularity of Jesus, "people came to him from every quarter".
5th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Mk 1,29-39
The reason for the choice of the passage from Job is not obvious. The italics at the top of the reading say: "Restlessly I fret until twilight falls", seemingly a reference to verse 32. Job was a rich and just man whom God allowed Satan to tempt. At that point Job's life fell apart and he asked many questions about his fate. His friends insisted on the traditional teaching that he must have been a sinner. Job steadfastly rejected that and never blamed God. In fact, whereas the friends never do so, Job continued to speak directly to God. To that extent he is a model for Jesus who suffered unjustly during his Passion but spoke to his Father from the cross. With regard to this Sunday's Gospel, he can be seen as an example of all who seek meaning and purpose in life especially at the times when everything is going wrong around them.
Now return to the main page or move on to my comments about the healing of the leper.
6th Sunday of Ordinary Time: Mk 1,40-45
The book of Leviticus is little read by Christians but its existence is important for us. The details of the sacrifices it gives are part of the background to our Eucharist.
Perhaps the most important concern of the book is to protect the community and with that to protect cleanliness. Animals for sacrifice were to be unblemished, so too must be human beings if they were to be full members of the people of Israel.
Someone with a skin disease was a threat to the community if the disease was infectious. They were also blemished and unable to join the community worship.
For lepers, the phrase most commonly associated with them is "unclean, unclean" (Lev 13,45)
The protectiveness of the Israelite community is understandable when we realise how precarious was life with both natural and human threats never far away.
Jesus by contrast breaks boundaries as we have seen. Whereas the ancient community puts up barriers, Jesus by his contact with the leper reaches across the barrier.
Yet Jesus also respects the barrier by telling the leper to show himself to the priest so that he can be properly admitted once again to the community.
Now return to the main page.