QT 10/19/2023 Mark 1:40-45, He is moved by our needs

Mark 1:40–45 (ESV) —

40 And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” 42 And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. 43 And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, 44 and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” 45 But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.

 

NOTE: This is the first of the Messianic miracles Jesus performs. The very next passage shows the result. The "sighting" of the Messiah initiated a rabbinic process of Observation, Interrogation, and Determination. The religious leaders show up in Capernaum to observe. At this point, the leaders were in the "Observation" phase and did not say anything as Jesus healed the paralytic, but they all question in their hearts how Jesus could forgive sins. In Leviticus, God lays out two chapters on the procedures for handling leprosy and the healing of leprosy. Jesus repeats those instructions by telling the man to go and show himself to the priest. The actual healing of leprosy had never occurred in Israel, which is why the religious leaders over time decided it must be a miracle that only the messiah could do. Hence, the excitement. In the past occurrences, Naaman was not a Jew, and Miriam's healing was prior to the application of the law since she was not told to follow the instructions. Her leprosy was almost immediately after the giving of the law so I'm not sure why they did not use the law. Anyway, while Jesus knew it would not be kept a secret, I don't think he wanted the "Messiah" attention yet. Later, he would heal the ten lepers, and later he would perform the other two Messianic miracles, the healing of a man born blind, and the healing of a dumb demon-possessed man (The Three Messianic Miracles by Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum. (messianicassociation.org)). And the leaders would question him and ultimately be forced to make a determination (because the people knew the prophecies).

 

Matthew 12:22–24 (ESV) — 22 Then a demon-oppressed man who was blind and mute was brought to him, and he healed him, so that the man spoke and saw. 23 And all the people were amazed, and said, “Can this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.”

 

All of that is interesting theology, but what is the message from the passage. I like the phrase, "moved with pity" and "he touched him" -- Jesus touched a person who probably had not been touched in years by another human. In the movie Ben Hur, Judah, upon finding his family, hugs Miriam (his mother) and Tirzah (his sister), full of leprosy. It is a very moving moment, and even more so when during the crucifixion, Judah's faith in Jesus heals his family. The message in the passage today is that God cares for us. His love is not academic, but real, emotional, and infinite.

 

PONDER:

1. Do I really believe God cares about me personally? Or do I only see him as a big picture for moving world events to his will?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the reminder of your care and love. You do care and real faith is believing that you are aware of what is happening in my life and you are working for my good. Thank you.