Explore the Bible: September 10

Proclaimed! • Mark 1:35-45

By Rick Henson

The writer of the Gospel of Mark moves quickly from one scene to the other. In this scene Jesus goes to a deserted place to pray. Both Matthew and Luke also wrote about Jesus’ going off alone to pray. If the Son of God who knew no sin needed to get alone and pray, how much more do we need to do the same?

Simon Peter and the other disciples searched for Jesus to inform Him that everyone was looking for Him. Jesus told the disciples they would go to the next towns so He could preach; that is why He came.

The disciples may have wondered what was the mission of Jesus and His purpose. Since Jesus was casting out demons and healing as well as preaching, one can see why the disciples may have been confused about His goal. In Mark 1:17 Jesus says to the disciples, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men (KJV). He was there to preach the Gospel and teach them the same.

While the people in Capernaum wanted Jesus to return, He told the disciples they were going to the next town. There Jesus had healed the sick, cast out demons, and even delivered Simon and Andrew’s mother from a fever, which could be a dangerous interaction in terms of Jesus’ health in those days.

No wonder they wanted Him to stay. Others, however needed to hear that the Savior, the Messiah Son of God, had come.

Somewhere in Galilee a leper approached Jesus and fell at His feet. He emotionally stated that Jesus could heal Him if He wished to do so. We can only imagine the reaction of the crowd, particularly the religious leaders.

A leper was unclean and not to be touched. Few would engage a leper at all, and here was one in front of Jesus pleading for healing. The Bible tells us Jesus felt compassion for him. The Greek word used in this text relates to deep feeling so intense that one feels it in one’s stomach.

We would say His heart ached with compassion. The same word is used describing how the father of the prodigal son felt when his son returned.

Jesus touched the man – another dangerous interaction — which surely caused some of His disciples to gasp aloud. They knew that touching a leper would make one unclean until after sundown, yet Jesus touched him and healed him. This man may have not been touched by another human in years, but Jesus did not hesitate to touch and heal him.

Jesus told the healed leper not to tell anyone about his healing, but to go to the priest as required in Leviticus 14:1-32 (KJV). Instead, the man joyfully told everyone about how Jesus healed him of leprosy. While his joy is understandable, the consequence was that Jesus could no longer just enter a town. He had to preach outside of town and the disciples brought the people to Him.

As all believers, we may not understand God’s leadership in our lives but God knows all. We can trust Him as He guides us, even when we cannot see the reason. British theologian Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) wrote, “God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”

People from all over Galilee came to see Jesus, for the word spread about His healing and casting out demons. Jesus did these because He loved people and had compassion for them, though His purpose was to preach the Good News to all. Luke quoted Jesus in Luke 19:10, for the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (KJV).

Following the example and teaching of the Master, we should each retreat to pray from time to time. Jesus rose before sunup to pray. Again, if the Savior needed prayer, how much more do we?

We also should feel compassion for those in need and do what we can to help. Acts 10:38 reminds us that Jesus, went about doing good (KJV).Each of should obey the teachings and leadings of the Lord. Through Scripture, He leads us all, and through His Spirit, He leads us individually.

We may not always understand His leading, though we must trust His heart. 

Henson is minister of outreach and evangelism at Bethel Church, Brandon.