Reading 8: The Gospel According to Mark A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere. Context & Questions: Jesus is making bold announcements (about God’s kingdom come) and doing dramatic things (healings, casting out demons, etc.). In a world where people were desperate to get out from under an oppressor (Rome), there was a danger that people would misinterpret him. If they see Jesus as the new king, the whole movement might turn into an attempt at violent overthrow of Roman overlords. So Jesus tells both the demons he casts out and the people he heals to keep it quiet. Jesus has to first change Israel’s understanding of what kind of rule God is bringing to earth, and the kind of victory Jesus will win, before he can be openly announced as Messiah and King. Next up: Healing, sins, and authority
Posted on: Mon, 05 May 2014 20:01:34 +0000
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