Mark 1 part 2

We left Jesus calling His first disciples.

Without delay Mark moves straight onto Jesus teaching and healing. Even at this early stage of His ministry the people knew there was something special about Jesus. "...He taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law."

Jesus then casts a demon out of a man in the synagogue. "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!" This passage is interesting for several reasons. Not only did the demons immediately recognise and rightly fear Jesus, but they were in a synagogue. Unafraid of the 'teachers of God's Law' they were defiling the 'House of God' with their mere presence. As soon as Jesus begins teaching though, they knew fear, not that they would be cast out, but that His righteousness would destroy them!

Also, in contrast to later in Jesus ministry when the Pharisees and Sadducees are against Jesus, no challenge is recorded for His healing on a Sabbath.

Again the people said "What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." This puts Jesus' teaching in direct contrast with the teaching of the religous leaders of the day. I have no doubt that they were elloquent speakers, and they also had the full weight of the Mosaic Law behind their words, yet Jesus' Authority was a new teaching. Not that any human teaching could compete with the words coming directly from the mouth of the Creator, God of the Universe, but Jesus' teaching had authority over evil spirits where it seems that the so called representatives of the Lord did not.

Jesus continues to serve through healing with Simon's mother-in-law and then all the sick and demon possessed people who were brought to Him. It is interesting that Jesus seems to be pacing the growth of His ministry as He is not letting the demons reveal His true identity as the Messiah yet, His time had not yet come to reveal Himself as the promised Saviour.

When Jesus is found missing for a morning while He is off praying a crowd has gathered. Jesus does not go to them though. In stead of answering the call of the people, Jesus spreads the Gospel elsewhere. "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come."

Jesus had not come simply to bless one area or one people. He came to convict all people of their sin and save the world. His ministry was not one of mere teaching and blessing, but one of true and lasting salvation.

This chapter ends with an interesting encounter.

A man with leprosy came to him [Jesus] and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."
Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
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.

This warning seems odd, whay shouldn't the man tell everyone he had been healed by Jesus? It is not that Jesus did not want his 'cover' blown but rather that He did not want to become a spectacle. He did not want every Tom, Dick and Harry trying to see the new attraction like some side show.

Each and every miracle performed by Jesus was to bring glory to His Father, not himself. "I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. " (Luke 8:50)