Disciples, Demons, and Mother-in-laws
Mark 1:16-31
Introduction
Now that Jesus has been baptized, tested, and proclaimed to be the Son of God, Mark introduces Jesus and his ministry in Galilee. Jesus has just proclaimed that God's kingdom is at hand. Now, Mark begins the journey of explaining what that kingdom looks like and how much the kingdom costs.
In these verses Jesus is immediately portrayed as being a teacher (some would say Rabbi) calling a group of disciples, an exorcist who has power over even cosmic forces of evil, and a healer who shows compassion to those who are ill.
Jesus, the fishermen, and the beginning of a community
Jesus begins his ministry along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. It's really not a sea at all but a fresh water lake. As Jesus was passing by, he saw Simon and Andrew, as well as James and John. He called all four to be his disciples. It does not seem that Jesus even targeted them, does it? "As he was passing by the Sea of Galilee" almost makes it appear as if Jesus chose his first disciples at random. They are not special. They are not up and coming Rabbinic students. They did not demonstrate leadership potential. They were fishermen. The lake was fed by a number of warm springs that led itself to fishing. Numerous archaeological discoveries (including a boat from the first century!) make it clear that fishing was a common industry in Jesus' day. The Son of God walked by and chose some random people to be part of his kingdom. I find this to be incredibly freeing. Christ calls us to be part of his kingdom not because of who we are but because of who Christ is!
I'm struck by the immediacy of their response. Simon and Andrew leave their nets (their livelihood) immediately and follow Jesus. James and John don't even help their father out of the boat before they leave. Most amazing is that these fisherman have no idea, at least not fully, who Jesus is. To them he is not the Son of God. He's not even a famous Rabbi. Yet there was something about Jesus that drew them close...that caused them to abandon their comfortable lives and follow him. Jesus only told them that they would be fishing for people! What in the world did that mean? Little did they know just what kind of journey they had just begun.
We too are called to drop our lives and follow Christ, even when we don't fully understand who Jesus is or what the journey means. I am wondering myself, what are my nets? What have I been willing to leave behind (what stuff, what parts of me, what people) in order to follow Jesus. You can't follow Jesus dragging along your old self.
I know who you are...the Holy One of God
Jesus first miraculous act in Mark is to cast an unclean spirit out of a man. Isn't it fascinating that Jesus does not know the disciples, the disciples do not know who Jesus is, but this unclean spirit knows exactly who Jesus is. He is the Holy One of God. Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit, and it leaves him.
The crowd, again, not knowing who Jesus is, is amazed at this teaching. Jesus, who is approximately 30 at the time, speaks with authority and not as their scribes. Jesus appears to breaking from Rabbinic tradition here in that he is not attributing his work to previous teachers. His ability to cast out unclean spirits is meant, here at least, to demonstrate his own authority. The rank and file people are amazed.
Unclean spirits, or demons, are interesting figures. From biblical times to today, people want to know who/what they are and what powers they have. Some Christian traditions are consumed with spiritual warfare, while others virtually do not engage the cosmic at all. In general, Jews from Jesus' day saw evil spirits as the emanations of spirits from the Giants (Nephalim) that were mentioned in Genesis 6:1-4 when they were killed. For more information on evils spirits in the first century, click here.
I think Mark places this as the first of all miracles to demonstrate the fact that Jesus is more powerful than evil in all of its forms. Therefore, when Jesus is killed it will not be because he was overpowered by evil. The story also comforts the disciples, and us, that there is no sin, there is no evil that Christ cannot control and conquer. It is meant to give freedom to live without fear in the kingdom of God.
Jesus, about my mother...
After this event (I wonder what the disciples were thinking), Jesus went to Simon's house. They still have no real idea who Jesus is, but, after what they just saw, they show Simon's mother to Jesus. Jesus heals her. He takes her hand and lifts her up. I love this image of Jesus as companion and uplifter. She gets up and immediately begins to serve them.
Did you notice the woman's response? Immediately she began to serve them. Her first response to healing is to be a healer, a servant, a giver. She does not hoard Jesus but rather becomes Christlike in response. And not just to Jesus either...she began to serve them. She serves not only Christ but others in the house. Her service is not simply an offering of thanks to the one who healed her but is a new way of a servant-filled life.
Questions for thought
1. What are you still holding on to that is slowing your journey of following Christ?
2. What does it mean that Christ is stronger than evil and yet there seems to be so much evil in the world?
3. How has Christ healed you? What has been your response?
Introduction
Now that Jesus has been baptized, tested, and proclaimed to be the Son of God, Mark introduces Jesus and his ministry in Galilee. Jesus has just proclaimed that God's kingdom is at hand. Now, Mark begins the journey of explaining what that kingdom looks like and how much the kingdom costs.
In these verses Jesus is immediately portrayed as being a teacher (some would say Rabbi) calling a group of disciples, an exorcist who has power over even cosmic forces of evil, and a healer who shows compassion to those who are ill.
Jesus, the fishermen, and the beginning of a community
Jesus begins his ministry along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. It's really not a sea at all but a fresh water lake. As Jesus was passing by, he saw Simon and Andrew, as well as James and John. He called all four to be his disciples. It does not seem that Jesus even targeted them, does it? "As he was passing by the Sea of Galilee" almost makes it appear as if Jesus chose his first disciples at random. They are not special. They are not up and coming Rabbinic students. They did not demonstrate leadership potential. They were fishermen. The lake was fed by a number of warm springs that led itself to fishing. Numerous archaeological discoveries (including a boat from the first century!) make it clear that fishing was a common industry in Jesus' day. The Son of God walked by and chose some random people to be part of his kingdom. I find this to be incredibly freeing. Christ calls us to be part of his kingdom not because of who we are but because of who Christ is!
I'm struck by the immediacy of their response. Simon and Andrew leave their nets (their livelihood) immediately and follow Jesus. James and John don't even help their father out of the boat before they leave. Most amazing is that these fisherman have no idea, at least not fully, who Jesus is. To them he is not the Son of God. He's not even a famous Rabbi. Yet there was something about Jesus that drew them close...that caused them to abandon their comfortable lives and follow him. Jesus only told them that they would be fishing for people! What in the world did that mean? Little did they know just what kind of journey they had just begun.
We too are called to drop our lives and follow Christ, even when we don't fully understand who Jesus is or what the journey means. I am wondering myself, what are my nets? What have I been willing to leave behind (what stuff, what parts of me, what people) in order to follow Jesus. You can't follow Jesus dragging along your old self.
I know who you are...the Holy One of God
Jesus first miraculous act in Mark is to cast an unclean spirit out of a man. Isn't it fascinating that Jesus does not know the disciples, the disciples do not know who Jesus is, but this unclean spirit knows exactly who Jesus is. He is the Holy One of God. Jesus rebukes the unclean spirit, and it leaves him.
The crowd, again, not knowing who Jesus is, is amazed at this teaching. Jesus, who is approximately 30 at the time, speaks with authority and not as their scribes. Jesus appears to breaking from Rabbinic tradition here in that he is not attributing his work to previous teachers. His ability to cast out unclean spirits is meant, here at least, to demonstrate his own authority. The rank and file people are amazed.
Unclean spirits, or demons, are interesting figures. From biblical times to today, people want to know who/what they are and what powers they have. Some Christian traditions are consumed with spiritual warfare, while others virtually do not engage the cosmic at all. In general, Jews from Jesus' day saw evil spirits as the emanations of spirits from the Giants (Nephalim) that were mentioned in Genesis 6:1-4 when they were killed. For more information on evils spirits in the first century, click here.
I think Mark places this as the first of all miracles to demonstrate the fact that Jesus is more powerful than evil in all of its forms. Therefore, when Jesus is killed it will not be because he was overpowered by evil. The story also comforts the disciples, and us, that there is no sin, there is no evil that Christ cannot control and conquer. It is meant to give freedom to live without fear in the kingdom of God.
Jesus, about my mother...
After this event (I wonder what the disciples were thinking), Jesus went to Simon's house. They still have no real idea who Jesus is, but, after what they just saw, they show Simon's mother to Jesus. Jesus heals her. He takes her hand and lifts her up. I love this image of Jesus as companion and uplifter. She gets up and immediately begins to serve them.
Did you notice the woman's response? Immediately she began to serve them. Her first response to healing is to be a healer, a servant, a giver. She does not hoard Jesus but rather becomes Christlike in response. And not just to Jesus either...she began to serve them. She serves not only Christ but others in the house. Her service is not simply an offering of thanks to the one who healed her but is a new way of a servant-filled life.
Questions for thought
1. What are you still holding on to that is slowing your journey of following Christ?
2. What does it mean that Christ is stronger than evil and yet there seems to be so much evil in the world?
3. How has Christ healed you? What has been your response?
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