Gospel of Mark

Mistaken Identity: Mark 6:1-6

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A visit to Nazareth leads to a case of mistaken identity.

1 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Mark 6:1-6a

This visit to Nazareth gives us a very personal glimpse into Jesus’ family relationships. In Nazareth, everyone knows Jesus. They know his brothers, James, Joseph, Judas and Simon. They know his mother and his sisters. We can assume that Joseph had died at some time and Jesus had spent some of his time heading the family business. I’m noticing that we think we know Jesus, but we don’t always recognise that first thirty years, spent living in a large family in a small, rural village in northern Israel.

We have seen his family, or at least some of them,  before. Do you recall that earlier in Mark’s gospel we saw his mother and some of the brothers travelling to Capernaum to bring Jesus home (Mark 3:20-21). Stories about him had been circulating – some people thought he had lost his mind. Some people in Nazareth had heard all about his teaching and healing work, but it seems that perhaps they were unconvinced by the stories. Jesus, after all, did not grow up as a rabbi – he was the village carpenter!

Recently, I met up with some good friends for a barbecue. Their kids ( who I hadn’t seen for ages) were there. The oldest is nearly 30, and the youngest is 21. They all used to be in the Church youth club of which I was one of the leaders, and I realized that there’s a part of me that still thinks of them as teenagers. Of course, they’re not! They are all mature, responsible adults – two of them are married and one of them has two children. Since I last saw them, they have grown and become different people. I would completely misunderstand who they are now if I still thought of them as teenagers.

Something similar is going on here. Maybe it’s not surprising that many of the villagers had difficulty understanding who Jesus really was. To some, he was their boyhood friend. To others he was Joseph’s boy – the one who went missing twenty years ago during a Passover trip to Jerusalem. (Luke 2:21-42). He was the man who was always there to help you to mend a cart or sort the leak in their roof. They thought they knew who Jesus is. He was a nice guy – a man of integrity.  But on that Sabbath day when he visited the synagogue, everybody saw Jesus for who they thought he was rather than who he actually is. This is a case of mistaken identity.

This Jesus is the same person who left Nazareth some time earlier, yet he returns a different man. By God’s grace and power the humble carpenter has been transformed. Like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, Jesus has become what God designed him to be. He is a travelling rabbi, with his small group of disciples. He is speaking at the synagogue, teaching about a Kingdom of God in a way which is fundamentally different from that which most other rabbi’s described. He is claiming a level of spiritual authority which is completely out of step with their expectation of Jesus of Nazareth. Some of them, at least, took offense at him.

The previous verses have told of the faith of Jairus, the synagogue leader in Capernaum, and the lady suffering from chronic bleeding. Their faith resulted in dramatic and transformational healings. Here, we see a scarcity of faith, and we read that there was a problem. Whilst we should not overlook the point that Jesus did lay his hands on a few people and heal them, he was unable to achieve as much as he should have been because the people had no faith.

It seems to me that every one of us comes to Christ with misconceptions about who Jesus actually is. Even as Christians, we are at risk of mistaking his identity. We only begin to understand when we trust – when we have faith. We need to want to see Jesus as Jesus! Where there is faith, there is healing and transformation. Where there is no faith, there are opportunities missed.

‘There is laid upon us a tremendous responsibility that we can wither help or hinder the work of Jesus Christ. We can open the door wide to him – or we can slam it in his face.’

William Barclay, New Daily Study Bible, The Gospel of Mark, Kindle Edition, Loc 3000

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Jairus (Part 2): Mark 5: 35-43

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Jairus was the leader of the synagogue in Capernaum, a fishing port on the coast of the Sea of Galilee. He was an important and well known figure in the local community. Capernaum is also the town where Jesus had made his home. This is the second part of the story of Jairus. You can read the first part, when Jairus asks Jesus to come to his house urgently here. You also need to read about an incident which occurs when Jesus is on his way to Jairus’ house. You can read about it here.

35 While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” they said. “Why bother the teacher anymore?” 36 Overhearing[a] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him.

After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.

Mark 5: 35-43 (NIV)

Horsham, 9th July 2024

This is an awesome story. It speaks of the humanity and deity of Jesus. I just want to tell this story in the way I believe it happened. You can read it in Matthew 9:18-26 and Luke 8: 40-56.

Jairus had a daughter who was about to turn 12 years old when she became gravely ill. Jesus had agreed to come to his house and lay his hands on the daughter. They made their way through the narrow streets, accompanied by the disciples and a growing crowd of people, eager to be close to Jesus. On the way, a life changing miracle takes place, in the healing of a sick lady in the crowd (read about it here). Almost before that incident is over, here are members of Jairus’ household. The news is blunt and horrific. ‘Your daughter is dead.’  I can’t begin to imagine how devastating this news was for Jairus. Jesus knows this man. He is a man of compassion. In my mind I see Jesus physically reaching out to this broken man, perhaps putting his hand on him, perhaps even embracing him. Barely loud enough for anyone to hear except Jairus and one or two of the disciple, Jesus says ‘Don’t be afraid. Only believe.’

I think that they kept the crowd in the street, outside the courtyard of Jairus’ house. Only Peter, James and John went on and into the house. Peter and John are fishermen in the town (Mark 1:16-20). As Jewish men, they probably know the family. Perhaps James does too. Are they familiar faces to Jairus’ family?

Jesus silences the mourners. ‘ The child is not dead. She is asleep.’ No wonder they laugh at him. They know death when they see it. They know the girl is dead. He throws them out into the courtyard – perhaps into the street. Sense the moment. Feel the stillness in the room. Smell the incense. Sense the grief Mum and Dad. Three disciples. One little girl. A precious daughter. And Jesus.

Talitha. Koum!

This is not Jesus casting out a evil. This is not Jesus teaching or raising his voice before a crowd. Look at the compassion on his face. The gentleness in his manner.

‘Little one’. In some dialects, ‘Talitha’ can mean ‘Little Lamb’. Jesus is on his knees by the bed, holding the child’s hand. Whispering to the child. Luke tells us that in that moment the child’s spirit returned (Luke 8:55). In my mind, I see the child stirring – stretching – as if awakening from the deepest sleep. It’s possible that she knows who Jesus is.  She sees her Mum and Dad, kneeling beside her, overwhelmed by emotion. Slowly, she rises from the bed. She gets to her feet and straight into the arms of her parents.

‘Give her something to eat.’

I was surprised that Jesus tells the parents not to tell anyone what happened. After all, this is a massive miracle and surely most of the town already know! Those who didn’t hear the wailing mourners will have seen Jairus in despair out in the street. There’s a huge crowd in the street outside. It’s difficult to explain, except, if you imagine you were there, it seems so obvious. It’s not that no-one is to know anything about this. After all, the story brings huge glory to God.

That gentle voice of Jesus. ‘Take a moment. You need some time. She needs peace and quiet, and so do you. Don’t rush outside and tell people. All that can wait. Keep everyone outside. Just allow what has happened to sink in – become real.’

This is a powerful story. Few moments in the gospel so plainly show the humanity and compassion of Jesus, and in the same moment his power and authority. As I try to contemplatively walk through this scene from the Gospel story, I find myself in awe of the one whose still, small voice, calmed and encouraged a father in despair, and called back the spirit of a much loved dying child, gently restoring her to her parents.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

 

 

Gospel of Mark

Who touched my clothes?: Mark 5:24-34

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In the midst of a crushing crowd, pressing against him from all sides, Jesus asks ‘ Who touched my clothes?’

24 So Jesus went with (Jairus). A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25 And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26 She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27 When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” 29 Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.

30 At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”

31 “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”

32 But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33 Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Mark 5:21-34 (NIV)

Horsham 8th July 2024

As part of our study of Scripture, I like to encourage people to imagine that they were there, walking the walk with the disciples, looking and listening to their world – sharing their experiences. I’d love you to engage in that way with this story. One mistake we can easily make when we read Scripture is to imagine that Jesus lived in a sort of holy, silent, peaceful bubble. Here’s a story which emphasises that wasn’t the case.

Everyone wanted to catch Jesus’ eye or see what was going on. This would not have been a silent crowd. Along with the disciples, the crowd included a man called Jairus, and a woman who had been suffering bleeding for twelve years.

On the fore-shore, Jairus, leader of the local synagogue, in desperation and humility threw himself to the floor at Jesus’ feet. He tells Jesus that he is desperate for his help. In the midst of the bustle and confusion of the crowd Jairus tells Jesus that his 12 year old daughter is dying. He begs Jesus to come and lay hands on her to restore her to health. Jesus agrees to go with him and they set off towards Jairus’ house, with this crowd in tow. (see more about this meeting here)

So, this modestly large crowd follows Jesus, Jairus and the disciples into the town. Two things quickly happen. In the dusty, narrow streets, the crowd becomes compact and very noisy as people clamour around Jesus. Secondly, the crowd grows in size as people become curious, attracted by the noise and excitement. In my mind,  I see the disciples, acting like ‘minders’, close to Jesus, struggling to make space for him to progress through the increasingly dense crowd.

In a previous post I suggested that Jesus, the celebrity healer and preacher living in Capernaum, and Jairus, the synagogue leader in the same town, were almost certainly well acquainted. In the same way, I wonder whether they both already knew or recognised the woman who is about to take centre stage.

We don’t know her name We don’t know where she was from. We know nothing about her, except part of her medical history. We do know that for 12 years this woman had suffered some kind of chronic haemorhaging. Just think about the horror of her position. She was constantly losing blood. That renders her and her home unclean. She cannot visit the synagogue or play any normal part in the community. She is a virtual outcast. Her condition is enough to make everyone keep their distance and to make her life fall apart. But it’s not just the blood. Untreated, and with poor diet, her condition would have caused the crushing symptoms of chronic anemia.  Utter exhaustion. Constant weakness.  She would have been pale. This lady was visibly sick. Very sick.

Do you sense the courage of this lady. In spite of her poor health, she is so determined, so convinced that Jesus can help, she sets aside all the inhibitions which society has placed on her and somehow forced herself to the front of the crowd. She gets close enough to reach out and touch the edge of Jesus cloak (see Matthew 9:20). Jesus stops in his tracks.

‘Who touched my clothes?’, says Jesus. Not surprisingly, the disciples, currently focused on their role as security guards, want to say ‘In the middle of this pandemonium, when we’re all getting pushed and bumped in all directions are you seriously asking who touched your clothes?‘

In this moment I want you to notice the anxiety of Jairus, desperate that Jesus reaches his daughter without delay? I want you to notice the fear which is gripping this woman who realises that Jesus’ accusatory question is directed at her?

Now as with Jairus a few minutes earlier, we see this lady, throwing herself at the feet of Jesus, in humility and despair. In the midst of the bustle and noisy confusion of this busy street, she quietly tells Jesus why, after 12 years of suffering, she was so desperate to touch his cloak.

Pause and look at this scene, this moment of direct personal contact in the midst of a noisy crowd. Do you sense the compassion of Jesus? Do you see him moved by the faith of this ordinary and long suffering woman? ‘Daughter,’ says Jesus. (That’s a word Jesus doesn’t often use.)  ‘Your faith has healed you.‘

It occurs to me that Jesus could have simply let the moment pass. He knew that the power had left hm. He almost certainly already knew who had received that power. He could have simply allowed the woman to go on her way to rebuild her life. Yet something incredibly important happens in this moment. Her words, and her actions, testify to others that she knew that Jesus could help her. She did all that she could to connect with Jesus. Kneeling before Jesus, she told everyone, including Jairus and the disciples, including you and me, what Jesus had done for her.

His words show that he knows her suffering and is ready to help. He recognises her humility, her despair, and her faith. Doctors – all of them men – had taken everything she had and given her nothing.  Jesus takes nothing from her and gives her everything.

A few verses ago, Jesus turned to his disciples, those who knew him most and had witnessed his power in so many ways, and said ‘Where is your faith?’ Now, he turns to this afflicted, frightened, and incredibly brave lady woman  and says ‘Daughter. Your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.’

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Jairus (Part 1): Mark 5:21-24

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Jairus. A familiar face in the crowd?

21 When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22 Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. 23 He pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” 24 So Jesus went with him.

Mark 5:21-24

Shiptonthorpe, 30th June 2024

Jesus relationship with leaders of the Jewish community is always interesting. We rather assume that by default the leaders would have been antagonistic to Jesus. Clearly there were times when this was the case, and ultimately, the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem were responsible for the circumstances leading to his death. However, do you remember Jesus had something that feels rather like a clandestine meeting with Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin(i) in Jerusalem? You can read about it in John 3. The indications are that some leaders, some of the time, were interested in speaking to Jesus.  We saw in Mark 2 that some of the local Pharisees were close witnesses to Jesus teaching and healing activities. They were watching. They were sceptical. But they were not always openly hostile.

Jairus was leader of the synagogue in Capernaum, one of the most high profile leaders in the town which Jesus had, for the time being, made his home. In my mind I see the crowd parting as this senior member of the local community steps forwards to meet Jesus.

By our standards, Capernaum is a small town (about 1500 people). To me it is unthinkable that these two men had not met before. Jairus must have been very familiar with the healing and teaching ministry of this young rabbi, going on in his own town. We know that Jesus visited and was sometimes allowed to speak in synagogues. In public at least, it may be that Jairus would keep Jesus at a distance. It may be unlikely that he would publicly support Jesus’ ministry, but Jairus surely knew who Jesus was. This scene shows that he believes in the power of Jesus’ healing ministry. It is likely that when Jairus mentions his daughter, Jesus will know exactly who they are talking about. He will have have seen and perhaps even met the girl. Did these two men greet each other as strangers, or as friends?

Yesterday, in conversation, a friend of mine told me that he was agnostic. He is not sure whether or not he believes in God. However, he told me, if he was on a plane which was at risk of crashing, he would be the first to pray. He would try anything. Something similar is happening here. Jairus probably does not approve of Jesus, but in a desperate situation – his beloved daughter is dying.

Jairus’ daughter is sick. Very sick. Any animosity or differences which might have existed between the two were set aside. In a desperate and powerful gesture, Jairus, the synagogue leader, throws himself to the floor at Jesus’ feet. At this moment, Jairus would do anything, try anything. Anything at all. Even publicly throw himself at the feet of the celebrity preacher. Even publicly declare his confidence that Jesus, by laying his hands on his daughter, could rescue her from the jaws of death and restore her to health.

We will never know the truth of the relationship between Jesus and Jairus, but we do well to notice that confronted by desperation, Jesus does not turn anyone away. There seems to be no hesitation. Jesus goes with him. And where Jesus goes, the crowd follows.

You can read the second part of the story of Jairus’ daughter here.

(i) The Sanhedrin was the Council of Jewish Leaders in Jerusalem, responsible for interpreting and applying the Law

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

How Big was that Crowd?: Mark 5:21

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This morning, I found myself wondering about crowd sizes. When Jesus got out of that boat, how big was that crowd?

Horsham, 27th June 2024

‘When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake.’

Mark 5:21

On this occasion, Jesus is returning from an eventful overnight trip across the lake. The trip started at the end of what had been a busy day, teaching and healing a crowd of people. At first, this looks like Jesus taking an opportunity to escape the crowds to get some rest and downtime. We know that he was very tired, and doubtless his disciples were too. In fact, he was fulfilling a divine appointment with a man on the far side of the Lake who believed himself possessed by a legion of spirits. After this encounter, the exhausted group came back across the Lake, heading for Capernaum. The disciples must have been looking forward to getting home and some well deserved rest. Might it not be discouraging to see a noisy and excited crowd on the shore waiting for their return.

In these days of social media and mass communication, in a culture where people can travel long distances relatively easily, politicians and event organisers are notoriously good at exaggerating the size of the crowd. For them, the high numbers in a crowd indicate success and status.

At this point, Mark says the crowd is large(i).  This crowd is unlikely to number thousands of people. Some would have travelled a great distance to be there, but at a time when the entire population of Capernaum was probably about 1500 people, we might imagine this crowd to number at the most tens or hundreds, rather than thousands. Some are curious and interested in following Jesus and to hear his teaching. Some are intrigued by his unusual teachings. Some have heard of this young celebrity rabbi who has the power to heal. They come looking for healing, for themselves and for their friends and relatives. For many of them, the need is great and urgent, which means they will press towards Jesus. A group of even 100 such people would make a noisy and boisterous group, all trying to grab his attention. All, that is, except the few who are watching every move, hiding in the crowd, ready to pass information to the Roman or Temple authorities.

If our assumption about the number of people is right, it occurs to me as I imagine the scene that contact with this crowd is entirely avoidable. Jesus, and his by now surely exhausted group of disciples, could have quietly returned to a different part of the shore out of sight of people. Several of the disciples are, after all, local fishermen with an intimate knowledge of the coast. But he didn’t. Jesus knew that the people were there, and he went straight to them. He recognised their wide raging needs and expectations and he chose to meet them. When Jesus sees a crowd of people, he sees people in need, and his heart is moved by compassion (Mark 6:34). For Jesus and his disciples, this is not a time to rest. There are people here who Jesus needs to meet. Avoiding them is not an option. There is work to be done. Here is a lesson for the disciples, and as followers of Jesus, for us.

In this crowd there is a tall, well dressed man. He has a strong presence, and many of the crowd know who he is. People make way for him, giving him access to the front of the crowd as the boat approaches the shore. This is the leader of the Synagogue. He is such a well known and respected man in the town that we know his name, Jairus. Close by there is a poor woman who is very unwell, suffering from an issue of blood, rendering her unclean, unemployable and outcast to the Jewish community. It’s probable that these two would know each other and would have every reason to avoid being in the same place. Yet this morning, they have something in common. They both have a divine appointment with Jesus.

‘When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.’ (NIV)

Matthew 9:36

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

(i) The Greek word polys is generally translated as much or many, in this case implying a crowd of many people.

Contemplative

God looks at your heart: 1 Samuel 16:1-13

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Horsham: 12th June 2024

Some years ago, a Church based children’s worker called Trevor was leading some session at the Conference Centre where I was working. He was encouraging the young people to explore their relationship with God. He wanted them to realise that God knew them, and valued them as His people. He wanted them to understand that their age was no barrier to their faith. God knows and loves them. He sees their heart. Too often, we overlook the gifts and the faith of children. Too often we don’t notice, and therefore don’t celebrate His Holy Spirit working through a child.

Trevor led the group through the story of Samuel, at the point when he is sent by God to visit Jesse. God had told Samuel that he was to anoint one of Jesse’s sons as the new King of Israel. The first son, Eliab, is a fine, strong young man.  “Surely,” says Samuel, “his anointed is now before the Lord.” God says no. He also rejects all of the sons who follow. Surely, says Samuel, there must be another? Young David is not even presented to Samuel. He is assumed to be too young. Too insignificant. Whilst the brothers are part of the feast, David is out in the fields. He’s working. He’s looking after the sheep.

‘ “Send and bring him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.” 12 He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. The Lord said, “Rise and anoint him, for this is the one.” 13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon David from that day forward.’

1 Samuel 16:11-13

The key point is this. We look at each other and we make judgments about each other. Our judgments are made on the basis of superficial impressions. We notice things like people’s anxiety, their behaviour, their attitude, their dress style, even their age, and we sub consciously make judgments about them. The message is that God is different. God looks past the visible exterior of our appearance, our gender, our skin colour, our age.

‘The Lord does not see as men see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’

1 Samuel 16:7

In order to make the point to the young people, Trevor and his team wrote out a short sentence on lots of pieces of paper and gave a copy to each child. At the end of the session, the children put their copy of the note in their Bible and went home.

The following morning, I was having a bad day. I felt that God was moving me on from my role as Director of the Christian charity where I had worked for nine years. I wasn’t ready or able to retire. Yet I couldn’t see the next step. I felt useless. I felt discouraged. I felt old.

I walked into the conference room in which the teaching had taken place. There on the floor was a folded piece of paper. I picked it up and read the note which had been intended for one of the children.

‘God looks at your heart, not your age.’

Powerful words. Words intended for a child. I was nearly 60. They were every bit as powerful to me.

Be encouraged.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

 

 

Gospel of Mark

My name is Legion, for we are many: Mark 5:1-20

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‘My name is Legion – for we are many!’

5 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes.[a] 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. 3 This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. 4 For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.

6 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. 7 He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God’s name don’t torture me!” 8 For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you impure spirit!”

9 Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” 10 And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

11 A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. 12 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” 13 He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned.

14 Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened. 15 When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 16 Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well. 17 Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. 18 As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. 19 Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Mark 5:1-20

Horsham. 9th June 2024
‘My name is Legion, for we are many’

This story deals with a very dramatic incident of demonic possession. Such a concept was ‘quite familiar to people in Palestine in the days of Jesus but quite alien to us.’ (Barclay, Loc 2543).

Most of us are not used to thinking of our world as being populated by demons. Some people feel more comfortable approaching this story as an encounter with a man who is suffering from some kind of psychological disorder. That’s fine. You can find your own place in that conversation, but  to understand what happened, we need to accept that to the people of Jesus’ day, demons were both real and ever present. 

It was widely assumed that demons were most likely to be found in dark, deserted places, so here, probably in the early hours of the morning, is a man emerging from the tombs. The place of the dead would be an obvious place for demons. Here is a strong man, dressed in rags, and given to bouts of violence. Local people would avoid him. They would doubtless have been fearful of his immense strength and also of the risk of contamination by the powers of evil.

If he were ill, I have been asked, rather than under demonic control, why would Jesus treat him as if he was possessed. A contemporary approach to mental health would rightly abhor an intervention based on that assumption. The answer is, I think, surprisingly simple. I believe that Jesus wants us to meet people at their point of greatest need, and here He is doing just that. The man utterly believes that he is possessed by not one, but huge number of demons. That, then, is the point at which Jesus meets him, and that is the condition from which Jesus delivers him.

If we prefer to take the alternative view, that this is a case of chronic psychological disorder rather than deliverance from demons, we are witnessing an extraordinary and supernatural healing which affirms the power of Christ to respond to psychological as well as physical needs.

Christ’s first direction that the demon should leave the man was, it seems, resisted. The spirits not only remains within the man, but they beg Christ not to torture them. This affirms that the demons are in fear of Christ (James 2:19). In many cultures, there is a belief that knowing the name of a person or a demon gives one a degree of control over them. ‘What is your name?’ says Jesus. Unable to resist such a question from the One who is the Son of God, the man, or the spirits within him, reply ‘My name is Legion, for we are many.’ For me, there is something extraordinary and powerful in this name, reflecting the desperation and hopelessness of the man.

 

The Roman army was divided into fighting units. A legion comprised 6000 troops. They were a strong unit and an extremely powerful fighting force, and they were capable of great violence. Like this poor man, who believes himself to be possessed by a small army of demons, they were best avoided.

We might read think that the departure of these spirits is contingent on Christ permitting them to move to a nearby herd of pigs. However It is Jesus, not the spirits, who are in control. He has a plan for this man and for the demons. The dispatch of the demons into a herd of pigs enable the man to see that they have departed from him, and so he, and others around him, can know that he is free. In order to be healed and restored, he needed to know that he had been delivered.

The tenure of the spirits within the pigs is fleeting because they immediately fling themselves into the waters and are killed. The suffering man can be convinced that his torturers are gone, and so his mental health is restored. He is healed.

The panic of the herdsmen, and fear of the local people are understandable. The transformation of their neighbour, dressed and in his own mind, is undeniable. For them, the destruction of a herd of pigs is terrifying.  They can only understand these things in terms of the supernatural. No wonder they want this small band of men who have arrived from the far side of the Lake to leave.

Not for the first time, having witnessed his power, someone wants to physically remain with Jesus. The message to this man, as to all of us who encounter Christ, is to return to our people and tell them what he has done for them.

’20 So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[b] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.’

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

 

Gospel of Mark

After the Storm: Mark 5:1-2

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After the Storm

5 1 They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. 2 When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him.

Mark 5:1-2

Horsham, 30th May 2024

Part of my process as I move through Mark’s Gospel is to imagine I was there, watching and listening as events unfold. Sometimes I see things that I have never noticed before. I’ve spent quite a lot of time thinking about the calming of the storm over the past few days. I’ve been thinking about the chronology of the trip, following the disciples as they travel across the lake. Something which grabbed my attention. Those precious missing moments, after the storm.

You know the story. Jesus and his disciples decide to cross the Lake, so they get into a boat somewhere near Capernaum. They set off during the evening (Mark 4:35), presumably in good weather, and set out to travel the 20km to the far side of the Lake. It’s been a busy day, and Jesus falls asleep in the back of the boat. Part way into the journey, they are overwhelmed by a serious storm, and are in danger of drowning. The disciples awaken Jesus, who rebukes the storm. In an instant, the wind drops and the violent sea becomes calm. You can read the full story here.

The journey from Capernaum to Gerasenes is about 20km / 14miles. On a good day, with the wind blowing in the right direction, the boat would travel under sail power at around 4 knots (6-7kmh / 4-5 mph), so the journey should take 3-4 hours.  If there was no wind at all, the disciples would have needed to row, which would have taken much longer. If the wind was blowing from the wrong direction, the journey would have been slow, with the need to tack regularly to make progress. There’s a great post about the climate of the Sea of Galilee here.

We have no idea which way the wind was blowing, but we do know that part way through, the boat was hit by a very serious storm. That would have slowed them down considerably.

In my mind, I see the boat travelling quietly before the storm, the waves lapping gently against the wooden boards. Lulled by the gentle progress of the vessel, Jesus is asleep. The disciples in his boat would be chatting in whispers so as to not awaken Jesus. Then, out of nowhere, the sudden and incredibly powerful storm. The sail is taken down. The wind is roaring. The waves quickly build until they are crashing over the side of the boat. The well of the boat is filling with water. Everything, including the disciples, is soaked. There is fear. There is screaming. Jesus – ‘Wake Up!’ – ‘Master, don’t you care that we’re drowning!’

In an instant, Jesus calms the storm. After the raging wind and crashing waves, the silence, broken only by the waves, once more lapping gently against the wooden boards, must have been extraordinary.  The chastened disciples, filled with terror at what they have witnessed. Exchanging silent glances. Tired arms keep rowing, steering, adjusting sails. Cold, wet clothes. Exhaustion. The gentle splashing of the water.

Jesus, sitting – perhaps sleeping again – in the back of the boat. How long? How many hours of this extraordinary silence?

They left Capernaum in the evening. Now it is morning.

And then they arrive on the other side. A beach in the area called Gerasenes. And here is a man who is suffering from what appears to be serious mental illness.

And so the story continues.

After the storm.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Gospel of Mark

Calming the Storm: Mark 4:35-41

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Calming the Storm

35 That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” 36 Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. 37 A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. 38 Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

39 He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

40 He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Mark 4:35-41

Horsham, 28th May 2024

There is so much I want to say about this story.

It appears in very similar form in both Matthew (Matthew 8:23-27) and Luke (Luke 8:22-25).

We have already seen several dramatic miracles performed by Christ, all of them directed at individuals. A man has been cleansed of a spirit. A paralytic, a leper and many others have been rescued from sickness. Here we have an extraordinary account which demonstrates Christ’s power over the very forces of nature.

I want you to see the journey across the lake as symbolic of our own journey through life. We have times of calm, and we have times of unexpected and sometimes dramatic challenge. For followers of Jesus, he is present in both. In Matthew’s version, he emphasises that it is Jesus who gets into the boat first (Matthew 8:23). In our journey through life, Jesus goes before us.

In this post, I want to focus on  the three rebukes.  The Disciples, one of them at least, rebukes Jesus for being asleep during the height of the storm. Jesus rebukes the storm, which immediately becomes calm. Jesus then rebukes the disciples for their lack of faith.

I’ve been in a storm at sea, although always on a boat many times bigger than the disciples were using. It can be a very scary place. No wonder these guys, even the experienced fishermen, were frightened. The waves are crashing over the boat. The boat is filling with water. They’re losing the battle to survive. Yet somehow in the middle of this, Jesus is asleep in the back of the boat. I can hear the panic in the voice… ‘Teacher! Don’t you care if we’re going to drown…’   This is the rebuke that says, ‘don’t you care that we’re sinking! Get up and start bailing out!’.  The first rebuke.

Jesus gets up. His response comes to us in English sounding pretty gentle. ‘Peace! Be Still!’. Yet the phrase used is the same as when Jesus rebuked the demon in Mark 1:25.  It’s a strong rebuke. In a word, it means ‘STOP!’. The wind drops. That’s a miracle. An even greater miracle is the calming of the sea. When the wind stops blowing, it can take hours for the energy in the waves to dissipate.  Not here. One word from Jesus and in an instant, the wind stops and it’s completely calm. The second rebuke.

The Disciples are somewhere between absolute relief and sheer terror. Jesus turns to them. “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The third rebuke.

Let’s touch base again with our own journey through life. Scripture says Jesus goes before us. He is always with us. During the calm times, we can easily forget he’s there. We get out of practice of relying on Jesus. We get out of practice of telling him about our lives. As if he’s asleep in the back of the boat.

That becomes an issue when we hit the challenge. Our default is to try to deal with the problem ourselves. Only when we run out of options, when our boat is overwhelmed and sinking, do we remember he’s there.  Then we shout.  ‘Don’t you care that I’ve got this exam…’ ‘Don’t you care that I’m broke and I’ve got this bill to pay..’ ‘Don’t you care that someone I love is sick..’ ‘Jesus! Don’t you care?’ The First Rebuke.

Of course, we’re great at telling him what he needs to do. We’ve been dealing with the problem – we know what we need him to do.  We’re sinking – bail us out! But this is the Christ who is capable of doing much more than we would have thought or believed (Ephesians 3:20). This is the Christ of supreme power. This is the God who sees the big picture and delivers what we really need. This is the God who helps us to confront the challenge in His strength, although his solution is not always what we expect. This is the God who rebukes the wind and calms the raging storm. The second rebuke.

This the Jesus who looks  our own suggested solutions and sees far beyond them. He looks at the constraints of our perspective and smiles. Learn to trust me! Practice depending on me! Think bigger! ‘Where is your faith!’ I, the Son of God, am here with you. “Why are you afraid?” The third rebuke.

41 They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

There really is so much I want to say about this story.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK

Contemplative

Pentecost: Acts 2:1-13 (Speak your own Language)

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The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a] as the Spirit enabled them.

5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[b] 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

Acts 2: 1-13 (NIV)

Horsham: 18th March 2024

Tomorrow is the day in the Church calendar when we celebrate Pentecost. For the Jews in first century Palestine, Pentecost was a festival which celebrated the time when the Law was given to Moses. (You can read the story on Exodus 19 and 20). It also celebrated the start of the new harvest. To us, Pentecost is the time when we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. We remember the day when 3000 people committed to become followers of Jesus (Acts 2:41). We remember the day when a new harvest began, a harvest for the Kingdom of God which continues to this day.

2000 years ago, the festival of Pentecost would have attracted thousands of pilgrims from across the known world, and was taking place in Jerusalem about ten days after the Ascension of Jesus. The Disciples were all together in Jerusalem, in obedience to the last instruction of Jesus.

 Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with[b] the Holy Spirit.

(Acts 1:4-5)

When Jesus gave them that instruction, the disciples can have had very little idea of what to expect. When something did happen, it was one of the most powerful and dramatic events of Christian history.

Speaking about the Ascension, William Barclay writes ‘The Ascension must always remain a mystery, for it attempts to put into words and describe something that is beyond description.’ (i) The same, I think applies to the release of the Holy Spirit on that morning in Jerusalem. Something like a powerful wind… Something like tongues of fire… It’s one of a series of events of Scripture which defies description.

I’m not going to retell the story here – you can read it for yourself – but there is a point I want to make.

After their encounter with the Holy Spirit, this small bunch of Galileans, most of whom were not very well educated, came out full of excitement onto the bustling streets. People from far flung countries, from north, south east and west, from places we would now call Syria, Egypt, Crete and Iran, heard these men speaking about the wonders of God in their own languages. These people are all Jews or God fearing people – Gentiles who had converted to Judaism. To some extent or other, all these people would have all been able to speak Aramaic, the common language of Judaism at that time, but the fact of hearing the gospel message in their own language stopped them in their tracks. No surprise that to many of the locals, who only spoke Aramaic, these foreign languages sounds so strange that they might assume the disciples to be drunk.

I recently spent some time with the leaders of a local Church. They sense that they have become rather out of touch with their local community, but have little appetite for change. It made me reflect on the fact that some of our our Churches use practices, hymns and worship styles which would have been familiar to our Victorian forebears. Not so surprising that they are inaccessible to people around us.

The explosion of the Church started with the Holy Spirit enabling the followers of Jesus to speak to people in a language they would understand. It occurs to me that if we sought the enablement of the Holy Spirit to enable us to talk about the wonders of God using the same language as the people around us, we might find ourselves witnessing a wonderful and eternal harvest for Jesus.

Don’t be waiting for the sound of rushing wind and the visible tongues of fire. If you are a follower of Jesus, you already have the Holy Spirit within you (Romans 8:9, 1 Corinthians 6:19). Whatever your background. Whatever your culture. Speak about Jesus using the language people around you will understand. Speak about what Jesus has done for you in your own language.

Pentecost. The Holy Spirit. Now and forever. Immanuel – God with us.

Just a thought.

Richard Jackson, West Sussex: LifePictureUK