Mark 1:40-2:12 (Week 4) Study Notes and Questions



Mark 1:40-2:12 (Week 4) Study Notes and Questions

Individual study: Jot down observations and any questions that arise

In this section, we start a series of stories called pericopes.

Stylistically, what's different?

Up to now, Mark has been very fast-paced, with lots of information covered in little space. Now we have lots more detail and focus on individual events.

The Leper Cries Out For Help

This story takes place in Galilee.

How does the leper approach Jesus? What is he not sure of? What does he ask?

He has faith, is humble yet bold. He knows Jesus is able to heal him, but is not sure if He's willing. He asks to be made clean, thinking that he's asking for physical cleansing. Why should he be unsure that Jesus will heal him? Because Jesus is a holy man – he probably feels that he isn't worthy. Treatment by his family and friends had probably reinforced his sense of unworthiness.

What is leprosy? Why the incubation period?

The leper is an outcast, untouchable junk, can't worship in the temple, separated from society, sometimes had to wear bells to warn others.

Leviticus 13:45-46: "The person with an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out "Unclean! Unclean!". As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp".

Basically, lepers were looked upon as though they were dead, others would become unclean by touching them. Why did God command isolation of lepers? Because the disease is very contagious and would quickly have swept throughout the camp.

This leper has probably been rejected by everyone who knows him, and denied any human touch. He risks further rejection by coming to Jesus.

How does Jesus respond?

Jesus has great compassion for the man and touches him. Jesus was willing to become unclean to care for the man, identify with him and show physical care for him.

On what levels does Jesus minister to this man?

Physical: healing, spoken word

Emotional: touched him

Social: public, proof to the people

Spiritual: commands him to show himself to priest so he can re-enter temple life

Jesus' Warning: Go at once, say nothing

Very few people were healed of leprosy in the Old Testament – only Miriam (healed by God: Numbers 12) and Naaman (healed by God through Elisha's command: 2 Kings 5).

What does Jesus command the man? Why?

Leviticus 14:1-32 Whole process of how an unclean person becomes clean. Jesus commands the man to visit a priest. There were synagogues (with rabbis) in Galilee, but to get to a priest, the man would have to go to Jerusalem and the temple, which was 40-50 miles away.

Jesus' goal:

• to restore the man to society

• to restore him to worship

• to obey the law

• to give evidence to priests in Jerusalem – provides much more validation than a mere rumor emerging from Galilee.

What's the result of the man if the man had obeyed and gone to Judea?

By going to Judea, he will make the healing and Jesus' work public, and links Jesus to God (only God heals leprosy). Shows that Jesus is upholding Mosiac law – not abolishing uncleanness, but instead healing. The leper's journey would bring the debate to the religious centers of Israel.

How does Jesus break and uphold the law at the same time?

By touching the leper, he broke the law. But by telling him to re-enter the community and worship, he upholds the law. See also Leviticus 14:1-32 – the process by which a leper becomes clean in accordance with the law.

The Leper's Response

What does the leper do after his healing?

He disobeys Jesus -- goes and talks freely and spreads the news.

What is the result?

Jesus is hindered – he can no longer go into towns because of the crowds, but must instead stay in the countryside. Jesus had to change his whole strategy of ministry.

Why is it significant that Jesus couldn't go into towns? What happens if 4-5 thousand people go to a small town of 1,000?

The town will be trashed, the authorities will be angry.

What happens to Jesus?

He becomes a celebrity and a spokesman rather than have personal contact with individuals.

This is an act of disobedience. Paradoxically, Jesus has more authority over demons than over the responses of men.

The Paralytic

Describe the scenario.

They are in Capernaum, in a home. There are so many people, there is no room even at the door. Four men bring a paralytic, tear apart the mud room and lower the paralytic down.

Some background on the words used:

• Heart: OT: leb, inner man, seat of desire, inclination or will. Seat of emotions, wisdom, knowledge and as synonym of mind, seat of conscience and moral character. Seat of rebellion or pride.

NT: kardia: entire mental and moral activity, both the rational and emotional elements, used figuratively for the hidden springs of a person's life.

• Forgive: aphiemi: to send forth, send away, remit or forgive debts or sins. Remission of punishment due to sins, divine deliverance of sinner from penalty.

• Faith: pistis: firm persuasion, a conviction based upon hearing. Where used in NT always about faith in God or Christ or things spiritual: (1) a firm conviction; (2) a personal surrender to him; (3) a conduct inspired by such surrender.

What was Jesus doing in all this? What was he preaching?

Jesus was preaching the word – the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, the gospel of God (see 1:4).

How do you think the paralytic and his friends responded when Jesus said his sins were forgiven?

Expecting physical healing. Likely response to the sin statement: "What??? We didn't come here for this".

Why do the scribes show up? What's wrong with their rhetorical questions?

They're checking Jesus out. Nothing’s wrong with their question. They ought to be there asking the right questions, as protectors of the law. Only God has authority to forgive sins.

Which is easier to do – heal a paralytic or forgive sins?

Pronouncing forgiveness of sins is easier to say, harder to actually do. Healing the man physically is harder to say, easier to do. But both are impossible in a human sense – see Deut. 18:17-22 – a prophet will be proved by whether what they say comes to fruition.

Why does Jesus heal? What does he heal?

That you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins: "In order that you may know that I can do what is harder to do, I will say what is harder to say". Jesus heals with his words – again, his words have authority.

What do the scribes need to ask now?

The scribes now know that Jesus is claiming to be God. Jesus knew what the scribes were thinking because he can see the unseen – faith, questioning in hearts.

What is the scribes' logic about Jesus' "blasphemy"?

They know that only God can forgive sins, and they're assuming that Jesus isn't God. Therefore he's a blasphemer.

What is the alternative way of looking at it – Jesus' way of looking at it?

God alone can forgive sins, I (Jesus) have authority to forgive sins, therefore I am God. Jesus calls himself the Son of Man, which is his favorite title for himself. Daniel 7:13-14: In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

What was needed on the part of the paralytic?

Obedience – Jesus told him to rise, take his pallet and go home. He did.

How do the people respond to the healing?

They are amazed and give glory to God. They never saw anything like this – healing and the forgiveness of sins. Sickness and sin were intertwined in this culture. Jesus began to separate sin and sickness.

Who are the citizens of God's kingdom in these stories?

(Poor, needy, outcasts). What are the images of God's people in our day? (Nice people, people like us). The good news is that the citizens of God's kingdom are outcasts. But we're often like the Pharisees, wanting to keep the messy people away. Who are the people who know they're needy? The unlovely people around us. How do we tend to view needy people? Uncomfortable, difficult.

How is faith demonstrated in Mark so far?

Action: both the leper and the paralytic came to Jesus in difficult circumstances, paralytic stood up.

Reflection Questions:

Thus far in Mark, faith in Jesus is demonstrated by action and by verbs: leaving, following, kneeling, beseeching, tearing apart the roofs of houses that don’t belong to you. Intellectual assent seems to have little to do with faith thus far. How do you respond to this view of faith? What would faith through action look like for you right now?

The leper approaches Jesus loudly and boldly, kneeling and beseeching, yet his language betrays his fear of rejection “If you will.” How do you approach Jesus, if at all? What are your hopes/fears as you approach Him?

Jesus desires to heal the leper on a variety of levels: emotionally, physically, spiritually and socially. Where do you need a healing touch? How could you beseech Jesus for your needs?

After Jesus heals the lepers, he gives him a stern command, which involves a bit of work and sacrifice (traveling 40-50 miles), yet it is a command which will result in further healing for the man. What commands of God have felt stern and unnecessary to you? How could they be part of your healing?

The four friends of the paralytic faced daunting crowds in getting to Jesus. What crowds get in the way of you getting to Jesus, both personally and for your friends? What steps can you take to circumvent those crowds?

What needy people do you know that might benefit from being introduced to Jesus? What would it look like to bring them to him?

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