David Bahn – Reflections

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Today’s readings are Mark 3-4; Psalm 2. I hope you will join me in reading these passages.

Mark 3:1-12

Again Jesus entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. ² And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. ³ And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” ⁴ And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. ⁵ And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. ⁶ The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea ⁸ and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. ⁹ And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, ¹⁰ for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. ¹¹ And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” ¹² And he strictly ordered them not to make him known.

In 12 short verses Jesus encounters people in need with dramatic results because of the encounter. When he withdraws with his disciples to the sea, great crowds follow him and he teaches them, and heals many. When he encounters the unclean spirits they fall before him and confess that he is the Son of God. He will not let them witness to his identity. The time has not yet come. The religious leaders are not yet fully united and he has not accomplished all he was destined to do before his sacrificial death.

But he has certainly gotten their attention! Why would there ever be a question about healing someone – even on the Sabbath?!? What kind of religiosity do the Pharisees hold to that would even call that into question? I shake me head in unbelief as I consider their response. Jesus heals a man with a withered hand and the Pharisees take counsel with the Herodians(!) how to destroy him.

I suppose there are those who value decorum over grace. Some would see a man in desperate need – hungry, dirty clothes, unshaven, and smelly – and not wish him to enter their house of worship. I might even be put off in such a situation. But honestly, I’d be more fearful of the responses of the church members than I would of the man so obviously in need.

Jesus is not afraid of either. He came to seek and save the lost. He is the physician of the sin-sick. He is the healer of body and soul.

God, give us the courage to receive those who you send to us so that we may be instruments of your Good News to those in need!