Early Christians knew nothing of personal Bible studies. They wrestled with scripture together publicly in the context of synagogues and of the church body. In an effort to continue that tradition here at Kicking at the Darkness I want to begin a weekly discussion of passages in scripture that are difficult or that are thought-provoking. Hopefully the handful of you that read this site can benefit from healthy discussions and insights that we share with one another.
I’ll offer up the first passage for us to talk about.
I have been on Mark 1:38-45 for quite some time.
“Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
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.”
Here is something I’ve been thinking about. For most of my life I assumed that the reason Jesus was unable to enter towns again was because the man blabbed and that the authorities were angry with Jesus for healing (as they often were). Obviously there is an element of “now the secret is out” but I wonder if my modern day understanding of celebrity has colored that way I envision people mobbing Jesus for attention. I think that there is another reason why Jesus was unable to enter public areas besides ruling authorities and rushing crowds.
I am now wondering if it was assumed that Jesus was now infected with leprosy because he touched the man in order to heal him and that is why he was relegated to “the lonely places.” Lepers were not able to live or even enter into cities.
It is the phrase “lonely places” that has driven me to this conclusion. The Greek word is “eremos” meaning solitary, desolate, lonely, wilderness, unpopulated. This would definitely describe the areas where lepers were forced to live.
If this is correct, what impact does it have on us in 2007? If Jesus was identified with the very people he rescued what does that mean for our reputations with the world?
Discuss.
I’ve never thought of it like that.
I’ve always thought Jesus couldn’t return because of the huge crowds, like a celebrity, like you mentioned. The other thing that I thought kept Jesus from returning was the mobs wanting to kill him before it was time for him to go.
I think you’re newly discovered idea makes much more sense when you actually think about the WHOLE context rather than just the “Jesus was born in a manger, Jesus healed miracles, Jesus died on the cross, Jesus rose again”. I think we just try to make sense of what Jesus did in the pre-packaged story of what we already know, rather than in the time it actually happened.
Whew.
Sorry if that was confusing.
I thought about this alot this weekend at the DMB concert. We sat in the field, three guys to the left lit up a blunt, two girls behind smoking some good kind. And I’m sitting there thinking, I used to be that guy.
But this time I met them, I shook their hand, talked a little about the finer things in life. The hole that comes from the “party” scene, and how nothing filled it.
Often in “church” we don’t accept these people, or love them, like the lepers of christian community. I’ve found that I love them more because they are in that community, I love the pot-head hippies, more than the people I sit next to in church, and again, I know not why.
Christ is there somewhere. I know not where, or why. But I know he loves them, and desires for their souls to know him intimately.
Lepers or Pharisees… you choose. Which would you wanna be friends with?
Brandon,
We have got to talk to one another about our concert schedules! This is two concerts we were at now. Communication!!!!
Great thoughts. I’d pick the lepers any day of the week!
it is interesting take on the issue, but if you take that approach then you have to explanation that the truth (that Jesus did not have leprosy) came out. Mark places Jesus in too many towns and public situations after this, and certainly the priests would not have brought him into their courts if Jesus was suspected of being a leper. what i do find to be really interesting though is the role that touch plays in the gospel of Mark especially, see: the passage above, 3:10, 5:27-31, 6:56, 7:33, 8:22, and 10:13.
it’s interesting the time that Jesus took in order to touch people.
I disagree on the leporsy issue.
I thought about it alot.
but christ was a lamb, without blemish.
I guess leprosy would only make him ritually unclean, but he CANNOT sin. So i guess today, i wonder boundaries there, i know christ was willing to walk all over man’s tradition to make God’s will known, stories about the samaritan, the woman at the well, etc.
one touch from Jesus would heal one COMPLETELY. Imagine that. is that a miracle? Do miracles happen today?
Going to Crowder at HOB, going to Ben Harper, Going to Chris Cornell at HOB… Don’t know what else to tell ya.
Brandon, I’m not saying the Jesus contracted leprosy. I’m saying that people might have been willing to label Jesus as a leper because of his contact with the man. Beacuse of their fear Jesus was unable to enter the cities. Fear pushed the Lamp away. However, it didn’t stop those who were desperate from chasing after him for healing.
JD, You’re right that touch does play a huge role in Mark. Wonderful challenge for us as we seek to serve. We can’t do it from a far. It’s real and hands on.
As for the rest of Mark. obviously the truth came out but I am still intrigued whether or not at this particular time the people of this particular area were afraid that Jesus touched a leper and then became one himself.
Who knows?