Jesus Praying, Preaching & Exorcising
1:35-39
Evidently the next day, Jesus got up before dawn and went off by himself and prayed. Peter was thinking of everyone who wanted Jesus with them. He may also have been thinking of making him more famous.
But, Jesus wanted communion with the Father before taking on the tasks of the day, specifically preaching. And Jesus affirmed that preaching the gospel was the Father’s will for him when he says “that is why I came out”.
So, he continued traveling around in Galilee, preaching in the synagogues, and casting out demons. He was bringing in the kingdom of God.
Healing Even Lepers
1:35-45
In this passage, Mark tells the story of a leper who came to Jesus. Lepers were people to be avoided in Jewish society. Lepers were ceremonially unclean. (Leviticus 13:45-46) Being unclean, they had to live outside out the cities and towns, living alone. They had to wear torn clothes and call out “unclean, unclean” if anyone came near him.
For this man to come to Jesus was a bold move. It was also a move of faith, believing that Jesus would have compassion on him and that Jesus had the power to heal him. He had likely heard of other people being healed of various diseases by Jesus. He said “if you will, you can make me clean”.
And the man was correct in his beliefs. Jesus had pity on him and healed him. He even touched him, which no one else would have done.
Jesus told the man not to say anything about this, but to obey the law and show himself to the priest and make an offering.
The man did not obey this part, however. He talked to everyone about it. It caused people to come from all over to see Jesus. It was so bad, Jesus had to avoid the towns for a while and stay out in the desolate places.
The Authority of the Son of Man
2:1-12
I have heard many sermons on this passage. Many of them interpret it as a call to evangelism, bringing friends to Jesus. However, that is not the point of the story. This story continues in the line of Mark showing us the authority of Jesus. The words of Jesus also lead us to that conclusion.
Jesus was living in Capernaum at the time, having moved there from his hometown of Nazareth. Mark writes that Jesus was “at home”. He has returned there from his retreat to the desolate places, where he went to get away from the crowds that followed after he healed the leper.
Many people gathered at the house. The house was completely filled. At the beginning of the story, Jesus was preaching the word to them. (2) As Jesus preached, four men came bearing a fifth man on some sort of bed. They wanted Jesus to heal this man who was paralyzed, but they could not get to him because of the crowd.
So, they went up on the roof, dug through the mud and thatch, and lowered the paralyzed guy, on his bed, down in from to Jesus. You do have to admire their determination, although their action is disrespectful to the homeowner and to those on whom the dirt and thatch fell.
We know the four guys had faith. Jesus saw their faith. (5) They had faith that Jesus could heal this man. They had likely seen Jesus heal or heard about him healing people.
Jesus responded in an extraordinary and unexpected way. Instead of healing the man, he said “Son, your sins are forgiven”. Addressing the man as “son” is the address of a superior acting with authority, but also benevolence or good will.
The relationship between sin and illness is an issue here. It was a belief among Jews at the time that serious illness was caused by sin. We see this in John 9:2, where the disciples ask if a man was born blind because of his sin or his parents’ sin. Jesus responded that the blindness was not caused by sin.
Here, however, the man’s sins are an issue. Jesus is aware of the man’s sins. Jesus did not say “your sin”, meaning his spiritual condition, but “your sins” indicating particular sins.
So, rather than say “you are healed”, he says “you sins are forgiven”. This caused the Scribes in the crowd to be troubled in their hearts. They thought this to be blasphemy because only God can forgive sins. (7) They were correct in their knowledge of the law.
In Exodus 34:6, God identifies himself to Moses as the one who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin. Psalm 103:3 identifies God as the one who forgives iniquities.
Since the Scribes believe Jesus is only a man, and was making a claim to be God by forgiving sins, he must be a blasphemer. Blasphemy was a serious charge - punishable by death under the Jewish law. (Leviticus 24:16)
Jesus perceived their thoughts and asked them why they questioned these things. That seems to be a rhetorical question that he will answer with his next statement. He told the man to rise and go home, which he did, indicating he was healed.
But Jesus prefaced that statement by showing it would show the truth of who he is by saying “But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…”
The proof of Jesus’ invisible authority to forgive sins was demonstrated by his visible authority to heal.
The response of the crowd is appropriate: they glorified God.
We also glorify God because he has forgiven our sins through Jesus Christ.
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