Marcos 1
Kent Hughes · Citado em PreceptAustin
Marcos 1
Hughes - What is important to note is that leprosy, or Hansen's disease as it is better know today (after the man who diagnosed its cause), is not a rotting infection as is commonly thought, nor are its horrible outward physical deformities imposed by the disease (See picture). In recent years, the research of Dr. Paul Brand and others has proven that the disfigurement associated with Hansen's disease comes solely because the body's warning system of pain is destroyed. The disease acts as an anesthetic, bringing numbness to the extremities as well as to the ears, eyes, and nose. The devastation that follows comes from such incidents as reaching one's hand into a charcoal fire to retrieve a dropped potato, or washing one's face with scalding water, or gripping a tool so tightly that the hands become traumatized and eventually stumplike. In Third-World countries, vermin sometimes chew on sleeping lepers. Thus, Dr. Brand, after performing corrective surgery on a leper, would send a cat home with him as normal post-operative procedure. Dr. Brand calls the disease a "painless hell," and indeed it is. The poor man in our story had not been able to feel for years, and his body was full of leprosy, mutilated from head to foot, rotten, stinking, repulsive. (Preaching the Word – Mark, Volume I: Jesus, Servant and Savior.) Hughes adds that "it was also thought that those who had leprosy had contracted the disease because of some great personal sin. People assumed this erroneous conclusion because in past history people such as Miriam, Gehazi, and Uzziah had been judged with leprosy (cf. Numbers 12:6-10; Numbers 2 Kings 5:25-27; 2 Chron. 26:19 respectively). (Preaching the Word – Luke, Volume I: That You May Know the Truth) Anyone familiar with the Law of Moses would have quickly seen the impropriety of this scene Leviticus 13:45, 46+ (cf Nu 5:2-4, 12:14, 15, 2 Ki 7:3) “As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be uncovered (let his hair be unkempt,uncombed), and he shall cover his mustache and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ “He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp. Comment: A person with leprosy, apart from the telltale malignant raw flesh and white hair, was to be otherwise identified by tom clothes, announcement of "unclean" when in the streets and was to live isolated from the community. Jesus knew the Law of Moses and yet He does not chastise this man for (1) approaching Him (recall the 10 lepers "stood at a distance" - Lk 17:12) and (2) for not crying out "Unclean! Unclean!" Jesus saw the man's heart and his intent, not his scaly disgusting rash! And Jesus looks at you and I that same way -- at our heart, ever looking for a heart of Spirit empowered loving obedience (cf 1 Sa 15:22). Every person ever born in Adam (that's everyone) is born in sin and is "unclean" and is need to imitating the leper's cry "Unclean!" When we do, we are in a good position to be touched by Jesus and cleansed forever from our otherwise eternally deadly "sin virus." Have you come to that point in your life dear reader, that you recognize you are "unclean" and need a "touch" from Jesus? If not today should be the day your cry "Unclean" and seek His healing touch! And by the way if you think you are too "leprous" for Jesus to cleanse you, then you need to test Him and you will find out your are not too far gone that Jesus cannot touch you and change your life forever! Notice that leper said "If you are willing," but now on this side of the Cross, we know He is willing for as Mark records "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:45) And you might also read 2 Pe 3:9 "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." And 1 Ti 2:3-4 "This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." So in light of these truths "leprous sinners" do not need to say "If You are willing," but "Since You are willing! Cleanse me Lord and make me whole!" NET Note - Tearing one's clothing, allowing the hair to hang loose rather than bound up in a turban, and covering the mustache on the upper lip are all ways of expressing shame, grief, or distress (cf., e.g., Lev 10:6 and Micah 3:7). Hughes adds "We can hardly imagine the humiliation and isolation of this leper's life. He was ostracized from society because it was thought at that time that leprosy was highly contagious (which it is not). He had to assume a disheveled appearance and cry, "Unclean! Unclean!" whenever he came in range of the normal population. Think about how you would feel shouting this while entering a grocery store or a mall—the pervasive sense of worthlessness and despair....By Jesus' time, rabbinical teaching, with its absurd strictures, had made matters even worse. If a leper even stuck his head inside a house, it was pronounced unclean. It was illegal to even greet a leper. Lepers had to remain at least 100 cubits away if they were upwind, and four cubits if downwind. Josephus, the famous Jewish historian, summarized by saying that lepers were treated "as if they were, in effect, dead men." There were no illusions in this leper's life as to who he was and what his condition was. The spiritual reality for all of us is that we are spiritual lepers! This is what the image is meant to teach us. But unlike the leper, we are often unconscious of our sin and the pervasiveness of our sinful condition. Once the great Christian patroness Lady Huntington invited her friend, the proud Duchess of Buckingham, to hear George Whitefield preach. The duchess replied, "It is monstrous to be told, that you have a heart as sinful as the common wretches that crawl the earth. This is highly offensive and insulting; and I cannot but wonder that your Ladyship should relish any sentiments so much at variance with high rank and good breeding." The less we know that there is anything wrong with us, the more full-blown our leprosy is! It is common to say, "Hey, I'm OK!" while we have the death of leprosy in our very souls. (See note below by Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones)(Preaching the Word) Beseeching Him - Beseeching is in the present tense which pictures the leper continually imploring Jesus. Imagine the horror and angst on the faces of the strict Jewish crowd! The leper's entreaty reminds me of Jesus' promise in Mt 7:7-8+ where all of the following verbs in bold are in the present tense = “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Beseeching (imploring) (3870)(parakaleo from para = side of, alongside, beside + kaleo = call) means literally to call one alongside, to call someone to oneself, to summon. Parakaleo includes the idea of giving help or aid. The primary sense is to urge someone to take some action. exactly what this leper is doing! And falling on his knees before Him - Luke 5:12+ has he fell on his face. Matthew 8:2+ has bowed down before Him the verb proskuneo which means to prostrate oneself in homage before another in the full sense of worship, not mere courtesy. And so proskuneo represents the most common Near Eastern act of adoration and reverence and also carries the idea of profound awe and respect, attitudes that this leper definitely manifests. Ponder the picture! An unclean person (1) approaching Jesus the Holy One and (2) kneeling down, falling on his face, bowing down! The first use of proskuneo in the NT is of the magi who asking King Herod "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship (proskuneo) Him." (Mt 2:2+, cf the magi in Mt 2:8, 11+) There it was the highest on the social scale (MAGI) bowing down to Jesus and here it is the lowest of the low, a veritable outcast bowing down to Jesus. Beloved, if you are reading this and not yet a believer and have believed the lie that your sin is too gross, too heinous for you to be accepted by Jesus, then you need to readjust your thinking and come to Him, the One Who does not even turn lepers away! THOUGHT - So here the leper's physical position (on His knees before Him) was undoubtedly also but a reflection of his heart position before Jesus - broken and humble, just the kind of heart God is looking for as David writes in Ps 51:16-17+ declaring "You do not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; You are not pleased with burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite (Lxx = tapeinoo) heart, O God, You will not despise." Notice in the Septuagint (Lxx) the word for contrite is tapeinoo which means low, not high, not rising far from the ground. And so it speaks of one who is literally, physically low (like both Peter and the leper on the ground before the Lord) but also speaks figuratively of one who is low down in their own estimate, one who is humble, a perfect picture of both Peter and the leper! And we know from James 4:6+ that "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." The leper had placed himself in the perfect position literally and figuratively to be the recipient of Jesus' gift of "grace upon grace." (Jn 1:16+) And saying, "If You are willing, You can make me clean" - The leper had undoubtedly heard of those with various diseases and how Jesus was healing them (Lk 4:40+, cf Lk 6:19+ "healing them all"). But notice that the leper did not ask to be healed but that Jesus would make him clean! The leper reminds us all that we don't just physical healing but we need spiritual cleansing (cf Ezek 36:25-27+). And as
Marcos 1
Hughes - I once counseled a lonely man who was not a Christian. He had no family that cared. He belonged to no church. In describing his loneliness, he said that he had his hair cut once a week, just to have someone touch him with no misunderstanding. Imagine that leper's longing for a touch or a caress. Time stood still as Christ touched him. As Bishop Westcott says, the word "expresses more than superficial contact." It is often translated, "to take hold of." Jesus, at the very least, placed his hand firmly on the leper. We cannot attempt to adequately describe the ecstacy that coursed through the leper's body. The onlookers were shocked. The disciples were shocked. Jesus was now ceremonially unclean—and besides he might catch the disease, they thought....We will never affect others as Christ did unless there is contact and identification. We have to be willing to take the hand of those whom we would help. Sometimes a touch, caring involvement, will do a thousand times more than our theology. This is what all churches need to do. We are great in theory. We are careful about our doctrine. But we need to lay our hand on some rotting flesh in our neighborhood, in the executive towers where we work, in the city slums. We cannot expect this to be only the job of missionaries because a church which does not regularly place its hand on the rotting humanity around it will not be sending missionaries to do so either. (Ibid) And said to him, "I am willing - Jesus is always willing to heal and cleanse the sinful soul who seeks salvation from Him! He turns no broken and contrite spirit away empty handed! Someone should make a T-shirt with the logo "JESUS IS WILLING!" It would prompt spectators to ask "Willing to do what?" And then "cleansed lepers" would have an opportunity to give a witness even as Jesus commanded this cleansed leper to do! Be cleansed was command in the aorist imperative to the leper to be cleansed and do it now! Now ponder that a moment. Could the leper even obey this in his own power? Of course not. He did not have the power. This command was evidence of Jesus' supernatural power, which the leper gladly received. Jesus' command was actually given (in a sense) to the leper's leprosy which reminds us of His commands to other natural phenomena such as the great storm of wind (Mk 4:37KJV) which immediately ceased when He commanded "Hush, be still" (Mk 4:39+) or when "He rebuked the fever and it left" Peter's mother-in-law (Lk 4:39+). I am willing (2309) thelo in present tense = continually. Indeed Jesus is ever willing and able to heal any humble soul who has been crippled by Adam's fall. Be cleansed (2511) katharizo in the aorist imperative (Do this now!) and passive voice indicating the cleansing came from an outside source (Jesus' omnipotence to heal). Katharizo is frequent in the Gospels - Matt. 8:2-3; 10:8; 11:5; 23:25-26; Mk. 1:40-42; 7:19; Lk. 4:27; 5:12-13; 7:22; 11:39; 17:14,17. Luke also uses katharizo in Acts (Acts 10:15; 11:9; 15:9). Katharizo is used 4 times in the story of Naaman (2 Ki 5:10, 12, 13, 14). Bill Gaither wrote the words of the famous song He touched Me in 1963 being inspired by Jesus' touch healing the leper in Mark's Gospel. He touched Me Shackled by a heavy burden 'Neath a load of guilt and shame Then the hand of Jesus touched me And now I am no longer the same. He touched, oh, he touched me And oh the joy that floods my soul! Something happened, and now I know He touched me, and made me whole. Since i've met this blessed savior Since he's cleansed and made me whole I will never cease to praise him I'll shout it while eternity rolls. Oh! he touched me! Oh! he touched me! He touched me! And Oh the joy that floods my soul! Something happened, and now I know He touched me, and made me whole. Spurgeon on Jesus' wonderful words "Be cleansed" - Primeval darkness heard the Almighty fiat, "light be," (Genesis 1:3) and straightway light was, and the word of the Lord Jesus is equal in majesty to that ancient word of power. Redemption like Creation has its word of might. Jesus speaks and it is done. Leprosy yielded to no human remedies, but it fled at once at the Lord's "I will." The disease exhibited no hopeful signs or tokens of recovery, nature contributed nothing to its own healing, but the unaided word effected the entire work on the spot and forever. The sinner is in a plight more miserable than the leper; let him imitate his example and go to Jesus, "beseeching him and kneeling down to him." Let him exercise what little faith he has, even though it should go no further than "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean"; and there need be no doubt as to the result of the application. Jesus heals all who come, and casts out none. In reading the narrative in which our morning's text occurs, it is worthy of devout notice that Jesus touched the leper. This unclean person had broken through the regulations of the ceremonial law and pressed into the house, but Jesus so far from chiding him broke through the law Himself in order to meet him. He made an interchange with the leper, for while He cleansed him, he contracted by that touch a Levitical defilement. Even so Jesus Christ was made sin for us, although in himself he knew no sin , that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor 5:21+, Heb 4:15+). O that poor sinners would go to Jesus, believing in the power of His blessed substitutionary work, and they would soon learn the power of His gracious touch. That HAND which multiplied the loaves, which saved sinking Peter, which upholds afflicted saints, which crowns believers, that same hand will touch every seeking sinner, and in a moment make him clean. The love of Jesus is the source of salvation. He loves, He looks, He touches us, WE LIVE. Kent Hughes - it is very clear from Mark's Gospel that the Lord delighted in touching needy people. There are no less than eight touches recorded in the Gospel of Mark. 1. When Christ healed Peter's mother-in-law, he took her by the hand and raised her up (Mark 1:31). 2. He laid his hand on the leper (Mark 1:41). 3. When he healed Jarius's little daughter, he took her by the hand and said, "Talitha koum!" (which means, 'Little girl, I say to you, get up!')" (Mark 5:41). 4. Next He "lay his hands on a few sick people and healed them" (Mark 6:5). 5. When he encountered the deaf and dumb man, the Apostle Mark says, "After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue. He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, 'Ephphatha!' (which means, 'Be opened'!)" (Mark 7:33). 6. Later he did almost the same thing for the blind man at Bethsaida (Mark 8:23). 7. In the midst of his busy ministry, he repeatedly took little children in his arms (Mark 9:36 and Mark 10:16). 8. Finally we see him raising up the formerly demonized boy (Mark 9:27). (Preaching the Word – Mark, Volume I: Jesus, Servant and Savior) Global Prayer Digest - The Dalits of India are the modern day equivalent of this untouchable leper (another article on the Dalits). Snippets related to the Dalits To be untouchable, according to Indian-Hindu tradition, is to be undesirable, or unworthy of any sort of consideration or provision by society. This translates into frequent joblessness, lack of education and lifelong poverty. The Hindu caste system is very rigid, and there is no hope of ever escaping the caste into which one is born. In India, the dalits are approximately 300 million people who are deemed “untouchable” and comprise the lowest rung of the Hindu caste system. Since the origin of this system 3,000 years ago, the Dalits have lived in bondage to the code of caste. They have been unable to escape their fate and are deprived of even the most basic liberties and privileges, including the freedom to decide where to live, work and worship. Omika finished her street sweeping early so she could begin her date with destiny. She joined three other scheduled caste women in a protest. As “untouchable” Dalits, the Haddi people are banned from Hindu temples. How can they worship their gods? How can they “gain favor” to reincarnate to a higher status? If they cannot appease the gods, their spirits are doomed to remain untouchable forever. So these four untouchable women trooped into a Hindu temple in a village of Orissa. When the upper caste villagers saw their offense, they joined with Hindu priests to beat the women. The priests shouted filthy language at them. The temple council demanded 1,000 rupees to purify the temple. That money, about $20 US, equals a full month’s income for these Haddi families. Christianity has been and still is seen by most Indians as the religion of the poor, and the “untouchable” Dalits. That’s because when missionaries from William Carey’s day came in contact with the outcastes, and they felt the love and the care of the missionaries, they were the first people to respond. Evangelists and church planters working in all parts of the world have discovered a common factor in reaching the unreached people in their target areas: usually those most receptive to the gospel are those who are the poorest. In all provinces in India the dalits (the “untouchable” communities) have been the most responsive people group when they hear the good news. For those who have nothing to lose, it’s easy to see that change is probably going to be a good thing. They know that they are needy. The Untouchables Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him. — Mark 1:41 Today's Scripture:Mark 1:40-45 Of all diseases, leprosy is the only one singled out by the law of Moses and linked with sin. It’s not that having leprosy was sinful, nor was it the result of sin. Rather, the disease was seen as a graphic symbol of sin. If we could see sin, it would look something like leprosy. In Mark 1 we read about a leper who fell on his knees before Jesus and made his request: “If You are willing, You can make me clean” (v.40). It’s the first instance in the Gospels of a plain request for healing—touching and profound in its simplicity. Jesus was “moved with compassion” (v.41). People normally felt sympathy for the sick and troubled, but not for lepers. Because they were considered in those days as “unclean” both ceremonially and physically (Leviticus 13:45; 22:4), they were repulsive in every way to most people, who stayed as far away from them as possible. Nevertheless, Jesus was “willing” to reach out to this desperate, disease-ridden man and actually touch him! At that very moment the leprosy left him and he was cleansed. Why did Jesus touch this man? He could have healed him just by saying, “Be cleansed.” But His touch illustrated His great compassion. Reflect & Pray Jesus taught when He lived on this earth How to show love to the lost; So don't be afraid to give a kind touch, No matter how much it may cost. —Carbaugh To love sinners is to be like Jesus. Power of Touch Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him.Mark 1:41 nlt Today's Scripture & Insight: Mark 1:40–45 Dr. Paul Brand, twentieth-century pioneer medical missionary to India, saw firsthand the stigma associated with leprosy. During an appointment, he touched a patient to reassure him treatment was possible. Tears began to stream down the man’s face. An attendant explained the tears to Dr. Brand, saying, “You touched him and no one has done that for years. They are tears of joy.” Early in His ministry, Jesus was approached by a man with leprosy, an ancient label for all types of infectious skin diseases. Because of his disease the man was required by the Old Testament law to live outside his community. If the sick man accidentally found himself in close proximity to healthy people, he had to call out, “Unclean! Unclean!” so they could avoid him (Leviticus 13:45–46). As a result, the man may have gone months or years without human contact. Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out His hand and touched the man. Jesus had the power and authority to heal people with just a word (Mark 2:11–12). But as Jesus encountered a man whose physical illness left him feeling isolated and rejected, His touch assured the man that he was not alone but accepted. Reflect & Pray Lord Jesus, thank You for the personal way You reached out to care for hurting people. Help me to follow Your example and extend compassion in my actions. Caring for others may include a compassionate touch. Someone to Touch Read: Luke 5:12–16 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. Luke 5:13 Commuters on a Canadian Metro train witnessed a heart-moving conclusion to a tense moment. They watched as a 70-year old woman gently reached out and offered her hand to a young man whose loud voice and disturbing words were scaring other passengers. The lady’s kindness calmed the man who sank to the floor of the train with tears in his eyes. He said, “Thanks, Grandma,” stood up, and walked away. The woman later admitted to being afraid. But she said, “I’m a mother and he needed someone to touch.” While better judgment might ha e given her reason to keep her distance, she took a risk of love. Jesus understands such compassion. He didn’t side with the fears of unnerved onlookers when a desperate man, full of leprosy, showed up begging to be healed. Neither was He helpless as other religious leaders were—men who could only have condemned the man for bringing his leprosy into the village (Lev. 13:45–46). Instead, Jesus reached out to someone who probably hadn’t been touched by anyone for years, and healed him. Please help us to see ourselves in the merciful eyes of Your Son. Thankfully, for that man and for us, Jesus came to offer what no law could ever offer—the touch of His hand and heart. No one is too troubled or unclean to be touched by Jesus. INSIGHT: The healing of this leper would have had great significance to the people. Leprosy was a major problem in first-century Israel, with clear processes outlined for diagnosis and response to the disease (Lev. 13:38–39). It would be reasonable to ask: Why did the person go to the priest instead of going to a doctor? To the people of Israel, leprosy was not simply a fatal physical illness. Leprosy was seen as divine judgment for sin—a physical disease with spiritual roots. Since the cause of the disease was considered spiritual, the priest diagnosed the illness and, if the person was stricken with leprosy, prescribed the appropriate verdict: Isolation from family, home, community, and the corporate religious life of the nation. Not only did the Rabbi from Nazareth cleanse the man of his disease, but also by touching him He welcomed him back into the community. Jesus still welcomes outcasts today. Whom can you welcome in today? Seeing Upside Down Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. —Matthew 9:12 Today's Scripture & Insight: Matthew 8:1-4; 9:9-12 In India I worshiped among leprosy patients. Most of the medical advances in the treatment of leprosy came about as a result of missionary doctors, who were willing to live among patients and risk exposure to the dreaded disease. As a result, churches thrive in most major leprosy centers. In Myanmar I visited homes for AIDS orphans, where Christian volunteers try to replace parental affection the disease has stolen away. The most rousing church services I have attended took place in Chile and Peru, in the bowels of a federal prison. Among the lowly, the wretched, the downtrodden—the rejected of this world—God’s kingdom takes root. To gain a new perspective, look at the world upside down as Jesus did. Reflect & Pray We know, Jesus, that You sought the lowly ones nwho were rejected by others. We want to be like You. Open our eyes and show us how. We long to be used by You to bless others. Do you see a needy world through the eyes of Jesus? Okello’s Story, Our Story Read: Luke 5:12-16 [Jesus] put out His hand and touched [the leper]. —Luke 5:13 My friend Roxanne has had some impressive jobs in her life. She has covered the Olympics as a reporter. She has worked in Washington, DC, for noted people and companies. For years, she has written articles about top Christian athletes. But none of those jobs can compare with what she is doing now: giving the love of Jesus to children in Uganda. What are her days like? Consider the rainy Thursday when she walked the muddy pathway to a cancer ward. Once inside, she scooped up little Okello, whose arms bore sores from poor IV care and whose body raged with a high fever. She carried him to the office of the only cancer doctor in the building and stayed with him until he got help and his condition stabilized. Jesus, our example, spent His entire ministry among the suffering, healing them and bringing them the good news of God’s love (Luke 7:21-22). God uses us to show His love To people caught in life’s despair; Our deeds of kindness open doors To talk of God and His great care. —Sper One measure of our likeness to Christ is our sensitivity to the suffering of others. F B
Marcos 1
Hughes says to untie the throng was "A rabbinic saying, dated after Christ but very likely contemporary to Christ, stated that disciples ought to do everything for their masters that a slave does, except for one thing—untie his sandals. That was simply too much to ask any Jew to do for another Jew. But John had it right in relationship to Christ. He affirmed that he was not worthy of doing the most personally degrading task for the Messiah. (Preaching the Word - Luke) ILLUSTRATION - I once heard E. V. Hill, the pastor of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, tell of the ministry of an elderly woman in his church whom they all called 1800 because no one knew how old she was. 1800 was hard on unsuspecting preachers because she would sit in the front row, and as soon as the preacher began she would say, "Get Him up!" (referring to Christ). After a few minutes, if she did not think there was enough of Christ in the sermon, she would again shout, "Get Him up!" If a preacher did not "Get Him up!" he was in for a long, hard day! Here John the Baptist's response to misplaced adulation was to "get Him up"—a noble task because it is the chief purpose for our existence....John was the greatest of all men, he was having the greatest of all ministries to date, multitudes were at his feet, but he knew that he wasn't worthy to perform even the humblest act for Christ. If we aim to "get him up," we need to "get ourselves down." (Kent Hughes) Mark 1:8 "I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." I baptized you with water: Mt 3:11 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit: Pr 1:23 Isa 32:15 44:3 Eze 36:25-27 Joe 2:28 Ac 1:5 2:4,17 Ac 10:45 11:15,16 19:4-6 1Co 12:13 Tit 3:5,6 Mark 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JESUS' GREATER BAPTISM I baptized (see baptizo) you with water - "John could only drench them externally with water; but One was coming that could drench them internally with the Spirit. In water baptism every part of your body is completely soaked. Thus when we are baptized/immersed into the body of Christ at salvation we are drenched head-to-toe with Him." (Bell) But He will baptize (see baptizo) you with the Holy Spirit - John was a prophet for here he gave a prophecy summarizing the ministry of Jesus. See commentary describing the fulfillment of this baptism by the Spirit in Acts 2. John baptized them in the Jordan River symbolizing their outward confession of repentance. One can be water-baptized without being baptized with the Holy Spirit, and vice versa. Thus John's baptism would only be external if it were not accompanied by faith in Jesus. The Messiah's baptism however would be mightier, the result of supernatural power which could only be performed by God. Messiah's "baptism" would be internal, for when one entered the New Covenant in Messiah's blood (Lk 22:20+), they would receive the gift of the permanently indwelling Holy Spirit (see Paul below). This had been promised in the OT in Ezekiel 36:27+ “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes (God's part), and you will be careful to observe My ordinances (Man's responsibility, only possible as enabled by God's Spirit).. Paul writes For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. (1Co 12:13+) And to be clear, as Paul also taught EVERY believer today has received the Holy Spirit and is indwelt by the Holy Spirit contrary to what some falsely teach. Here is what Paul taught, so it is best to believe Paul then to believe false teachers! Romans 8:9+ However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. Comment: Could Paul be any clearer? If a person does not have the indwelling Spirit, he or she is absolutely not a genuine believer in Jesus Christ. This should settle all arguments about who has and who does not have the Holy Spirit! In Matthew 3:11+ John adds that "He (JESUS) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." Comment - See commentary on Luke 3:16+ for interpretation of the phrase "with fire." J C
Marcos 1
Hughes - One summer recently my wife, Barbara, and I and our boys spent a week fishing in northern Maine. In the final hour of the final day my boys caught the biggest smallmouth bass I have ever seen—five pounds, one ounce! Those are cosmic dimensions for a smallmouth bass! That old bass, the best I can tell, was over ten years old. For 3,650 days he had resisted every ploy known to man around Grand Lake Stream, Maine—until August 1989. On that fateful afternoon my boys were slowly trolling a salmon-colored, soft plastic, spinner-bladed jig, innocuously named “Little Fishy,” when it passed by the lair of the monster bass. The combination of the speed of the lure, its depth, the slant of the sun, and the refraction of the light ineluctably dragged the old bronze-backed bass away from his lair, just as the Greek words “dragged away” (Ed: "carried away" in NAS) in our text describe. Then he began to follow the lure, “enticed,” as our text has it, by its peculiar wiggle and the delicate fibrillations, so that he opened his mouth wide and in a sudden burst engulfed the jig. My boys’ shouts echoed across the lake, and today that fish’s grand, painted, mummified form graces my sons’ wall. It was a remarkable experience, but not unique, for it is universal among fishermen. The ancient Greek Oppian used these same words to describe drawing a fish from its original retreat under a rock, so that it succumbs to the bait. James, in using these words, has graphically painted a picture of how we are tempted by our own illicit desires (lusts). (James : Faith that works. Preaching the Word. Crossway) And He was with the wild beasts - Only Mark mentions wild beasts were with" Jesus. Have you ever heard wild animals in a deserted place at night? Wolves and coyotes howling? The sound of those wild animals piercing the darkness of the night is enough to stop the heart. In this sense Jesus would have experienced the test of fear. But perfect love casts out fear (1 Jn 4:18+). There was no fear in Jesus because in Him was perfect love. Brian Bill - It would have encouraged Christians in Rome to know Jesus was with the wild animals because they were being fed to the lions. And the angels were ministering to Him - Note the fascinating juxtaposition of wild beasts on one hand and ministering angels on the other. Ministering is in the imperfect tense picturing the angels ministering to Jesus over and over. He was fully Man and as such He was in a sense demonstrating for us the truth in Hebrews where the writer asks "Are they (ANGELS) not all ministering (leitourgikos) spirits, sent out to render service (diakonia) for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?" (Hebrews 1:14+) Matthew 4:11 says "Then the devil *left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him." Luke 4:13 omits the angels and simply says "When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time."
Marcos 1
Hughes says "Typically, those under the sway of demons descend to filthy living, both physically and morally. It is not at all incidental that the rise of occultism and Satanism in recent years has been accompanied by increasing drug abuse, pornography, and obscenity." (Preaching the Word – Luke) One does not have to be demon possessed to be in church dressed in your Sunday best, all the while hiding your moral worst! How many pastors have preached with filthy hearts! The number of pastors falling into immorality is just the tip of the "morally depraved iceberg" for the sheep are usually not following behind the shepherd! (See Tim Challies For the Pastor Knee-Deep in Immorality) DEMONS DREAD THE DIVINE! And he cried out - The demon controls the man's vocal cords and shrieks out in panic and fear. Why did he all of a sudden shriek? What is the context? Jesus is teaching! The Word of God from the lips of Jesus acted like a sword that pierced the demon (Heb 4:12-13+, Eph 6:17+). While we know the Word of Truth pierces human hearts, it also "pierces" unclean spirits (how that occurs in the invisible world I do not know). Jesus, the Living Word (Jn 1:1+, Jn 1:14+) was speaking the supernatural living and energetic Word (Heb 4:12+) and it produced a direct confrontation with the unclean spirit, for the demons are "like father like son" so to speak! John 8:44 (OBSERVE THE STRIKING CONTRAST IN THIS PASSAGE) explains that "the devil...was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." And the one thing a liar (whether human or demonic) cannot stand is the Truth of God. So the demon shrieked when he heard the Word of God from the God of the Word! As Edwards says "Indeed, as supernatural powers themselves the demons recognize the mission and authority of Jesus before humanity does (Mk 1:24; 3:11; 5:7). Nevertheless the encounter is a no-contest event." (The Authority of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark," JETS 37:2 - 1994) Wuest on cried out - The demon cried out, using the man’s vocal organs. It was a deep, throaty, terrible cry. It had in it the fear of impending doom. It was from a member of one race of beings, speaking through and by means of a member of the human race. The piercing effect of the Word of Truth reminds me of the spiritual weapons available to Paul (and to us) "in the word of truth (cf Ps 119:43, Col 1:5, 2 Ti 2:15, Jas 1:18, Jn 17:17), in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left." (2 Cor 6:7) So we see the effect of Jesus' teaching was clear demonstration that He had absolute authority over "the rulers...the powers...the world forces of this darkness...the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Eph 6:12+) Earlier in Mark 1:12-13+ Jesus demonstrated His authority over Satan (the ruler of the demons) an encounter which is more fully described Luke 4:1-12+ (cf Mt 4:1-11), where He defeated the Adversary as a Man empowered by the Spirit of God and armed with with Word of God. Beloved, don't miss this -- Jesus demonstrated His authority over the Satan and over this unclean spirit as Man Who was filled with the Spirit and filled with the Word. What am I saying? I am NOT saying go out and try to find demon possessed men to confront, but simply realize that you are being bombarded by invisible demonic forces all day long and you have access to the same Spirit of Truth (Jn 14:17, 15:25, 16:13) and the same Word of Truth to wage a victorious war in Christ! To paraphrase a commonly heard ad slogan "Don't leave home without them (Spirit filling, Word filling)!" THOUGHT - Don't miss the irony! Who knows how long this demon possessed man had been sitting in the synagogue, listening to the droning on of the rabbis, all the while remaining calm and completely undisturbed by what he heard. Why was he not disturbed? Because the rabbis were not preaching the Word of God! But when Jesus preached the Word, the demon reacted immediately, screaming out through the man’s vocal cords! Of course, the unclean spirit also recognized Jesus' authority to send him to eternal punishment and that truth clearly contributed to his screeching! Here's the point - it is very difficult for unbelievers (not possessed by evil spirits, but their own selfish, self-centered evil flesh) to sit week after week under a Spirit anointed preacher, powerfully proclaiming the Word of Truth! Little wonder, that in one of his final exhortations to Timothy, Paul commanded him to "Preach the Word!" (2 Ti 4:1-2+). Dear pastor, do you make unbelievers and demons uncomfortable? If not, you have a problem now and in the future when you have to give an account to Jesus and find that your entire life's work may be burned up (see 1 Cor 4:1-2, 1 Cor 3:10-15)! John
Marcos 1
Hughes reminds that “Though Jesus was God, He did not live His life as God apart from the Father, but rather as a man in dependence upon God.” David Thompson on Jesus...praying - There are three times in the Gospel of Mark where the private prayer of Jesus is stressed: 1) At the beginning of His Galilean ministry (Mk 1:35); 2) After the feeding of the 5000 (Mk 6:46); 3) In the Garden of Gethsemane (Mk 14:32-39). Now this was important to Jesus, but it was also a critical lesson to those who will fish for men. They need to be men of prayer. Many times in this book Jesus will challenge His disciples to pray (Mk 9:29; 11:24; 13:18; 14:38). One naturally wonders what Jesus was praying about. He certainly is not confessing sin because He does not have any sin. By the response He gives to His disciples when they find Him, He was certainly praying about the will of God, specifically in His Divine Assignment, which primarily was preaching (Mk 1:38). We will not ever know God’s specific will for our lives if we do not spend time in prayer. Jesus, by His own example is teaching us that. If prayer was a necessity to Him, how much more is it to us? No matter how hectic our schedule, we need personal time spent with God in prayer. (Sermon)
Marcos 1
Hughes - The healing was sudden and complete. His feet—toeless, ulcerated stubs—were suddenly whole, bursting his shrunken sandals. The knobs on his hands grew fingers before his very eyes. Back came his hair, eyebrows, eyelashes. Under his hair were ears and before him a nose! His skin was supple and soft. Can you hear a thundering roar from the multitude? Can you hear the man crying not, "Unclean! Unclean!," but, "I'm clean! I'm clean!" That is what Jesus Christ can do for you, for anyone in an instant, in a split second of belief. The healing of Christ in salvation from sin is instanteous and complete ("the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from every sin)." (Preaching the Word – Mark, Volume I: Jesus, Servant and Savior) Leprosy (3014)(lepra from lepis = a scale) is used only 4x in the NT (Matt. 8:3; Mk. 1:42; Lk. 5:12; Lk. 5:13) and always means leprosy. Bock adds that "lepra appears to be a broad term for a whole series of skin diseases, rather than referring just to Hansen's Disease (Mycobacterium leprae pix), as it came to be known in the nineteenth century." Play Ray Boltz's Here Comes a Miracle... Here Comes A Miracle Words and Music by Ray Boltz and Steve Millikan They followed Him on dusty roads Wherever He would lead Multitudes would gather As He healed each disease With eyes of wonder they would watch As He would stop to pray And when He spoke the word of faith You could hear them say CHORUS: Here comes a miracle Here comes a miracle Can't you feel it in the air? That look is on His face His glory is in this place And I know a miracle is near The lame could walk The deaf could hear Blinded eyes could see And those who had been Bound for years Were suddenly set free They came in desperation The hurting and the poor But when they saw Him Through the crowd They knew what was in store CHORUS And still today we follow Him We claim His Word is true And nothing is impossible What He says He will do And though this world may doubt us And though they laugh and stare Someday all men will see the Truth When we see Him in the air CHORUS Here comes a miracle Arnold Fruchtenbaum has an interesting note on leprosy in his article entitled "The Three Messianic Miracles".... Some time prior to the coming of Yeshua (Jesus), the ancient rabbis separated miracles into two categories. First were those miracles anyone would be able to perform if they were empowered by the Spirit of God to do so. The second category of miracles were called "messianic miracles," which were miracles only the Messiah would be able to perform. Yeshua did miracles in both categories: general miracles and also messianic miracles. So because of the rabbinic teaching that certain miracles would be reserved only for the Messiah to do, whenever He performed a messianic miracle it created a different type of reaction than when He performed other types of miracles. The first messianic miracle was the healing of a leper....From the time the Mosaic Law was completed, there was no record of any Jew who had been healed of leprosy. While Miriam was healed of leprosy, this was before the completion of the Law. Naaman was healed of leprosy, but he was a Syrian Gentile, not a Jew. From the time the Mosaic Law was completed, there was never a case of any Jew being healed of leprosy. Leprosy was the one disease that was left out of rabbinic cures; there was no cure for leprosy whatsoever. Yet Leviticus 13-14 gave the Levitical Priesthood detailed instructions as to what they were to do in case a leper was healed. On the day that a leper approached the priesthood and said, "I was a leper but now I have been healed," the priesthood was to give an initial offering of two birds. For the next seven days, they were to investigate intensively the situation to determine three things. First, was the person really a leper? Second, if he was a real leper, was he really cured of his leprosy? Third, if he was truly cured of his leprosy, what were the circumstances of the healing? If after seven days of investigation they were firmly convinced that the man had been a leper, had been healed of his leprosy, and the circumstances were proper, then, on the eighth day there would be a lengthy series of offerings. All together, there were four different offerings. First, there was a trespass-offering; second, a sin-offering; third, a burnt-offering; and fourth, a meal-offering. Then came the application of the blood of the trespass-offering upon the healed leper followed by the application of the blood of the sin-offering upon the healed leper. The ceremony would then end with the anointing of oil upon the healed leper. Although the priesthood had all these detailed instructions as to how they were to respond in the case of a healed leper, they never had the opportunity to put these instructions into effect, because from the time the Mosaic Law was given, no Jew was ever healed of leprosy. As a result, it was taught by the rabbis that only the Messiah would be able to heal a Jewish leper.... (From fascinating article entitled The Three Messianic Miracles - read the entire article) Charles Ryrie on Leprosy and the Law of Moses - “Those things which Moses commanded” are recorded in Leviticus 14. Briefly, the ritual of cleansing was as follows: two clean living birds, a cedar rod, scarlet, and hyssop were taken; one bird was then killed in an earthen vessel over running water; the hyssop was then tied to the rod with the scarlet band and it and the living bird were dipped in the blood of the dead bird; next the blood on the rod was sprinkled over the leper seven times, and the living bird was loosed. At this point the leper was pronounced clean, but more was still required of him. He had to wash his clothes, shave, bathe, stay away from his house for seven days, repeat the ablutions and shaving, and finally on the eighth day offer at the temple a sin offering, a trespass offering, a meal offering, and a burnt offering. It is evident that the law was very detailed about this procedure, and doubtless, because it had seldom if ever been used, there would have been a lot of scratching of priestly heads had the leper obeyed the Lord and gone to them. Instead, he chose to disobey and publish his miracle abroad so that it actually hindered his benefactor’s ministry. The power of the law. Certain important doctrinal facts about the relation of the Savior, the sinner, and the Mosaic law are illustrated in this miracle. The first is that the Mosaic law was powerless to cleanse. It could after a length of time pronounce as true the fact that a man was cleansed, but it could not perform the cleansing itself. The nature of the law has not changed; it still cannot cleanse the sinner no matter how admirably he may try to keep its commands. “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justffied in his sight” (Rom 3:20). It was never given as a means of spiritual salvation, and great is the error of those who so use it today. The purpose of the law. The Lord’s reason for commanding this leper to go to the priests was that the Mosaic law might be used as a testimony to them. In the process of performing the ritual of the law they might have been led to the Savior. Such is a legitimate purpose of the preaching of the law today. It may be used to lead a man to Christ. It is for the unrighteous (1 Ti1:9), to shut him up to faith in Christ (Gal 3:23–24). Our Lord used it this way (Luke 10:25–37) and so may we. Although the law may be used to show a sinner his hopeless condition, only Christ can save. What then is the place of the law in the life of the redeemed? Being saved does not exempt one from lawful living, but the law involved is no longer the law of Moses but the law of Christ. So it was for the cleansed leper (Mark 1:44), and so it is for the cleansed sinner in this age (1 Cor 9:21). He is no longer under any part of the Mosaic law (including the Ten Commandments, 2 Cor 3:7–11), but he is to live by the commandments of Christ under grace. But, someone will say, Are not many of the requirements of the law (and especially the principles of the Ten Commandments) repeated substantially in the teachings of grace? The answer is obviously yes. Then, one will say, Why insist that the Christian is not under the Mosaic law (including the Ten Commandments)? We insist on it for the evident reason that the Scripture says so (2 Cor 3:7–11; Rom 10:4; Heb 7:11–12), and for the very practical reason that even though some of the standards may be similar under law and grace, no one will ever possibly reach any of those standards in his life if he tries to do so by keeping the law. The law can only motivate to sin (Rom 7) and never to sanctification. Legalism is the greatest enemy of sanctification; thus to connect the believer’s sanctification with the law is to defeat him before he starts. Love is the only workable motive for sanctification, but love does not mean license. No doubt, the leper was so overpowered with love for his deliverance and his deliverer that he thought he was doing right by telling everyone else of Jesus. But that was not real love, for if he had had genuine. thoughtful love he would have obeyed. The law of Christ is tailor-made and perfect in every detail. The love of Christ brings perfect obedience to each and all of those details. May, the lessons of this miracle be practiced in a life of obedience motivated by the love of the one who loved us and gave Himself for us. (Dr Ryrie's Articles) Mark 1:43 And He sternly warned him and immediately sent him away, NET Immediately Jesus sent the man away with a very strong warning. GNT καὶ ἐμβριμησάμενος αὐτῷ εὐθὺς ἐξέβαλεν αὐτόν NLT Then Jesus sent him on his way with a stern warning: KJV And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; ESV And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, NIV Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: Mk 3:12 Mk 5:43 Mk 7:36 Mt 9:30 Lu 8:56 Mark 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Parallel Passages: Luke 5:14+ And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them. Matthew 8:4+ And Jesus *said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” And He sternly warned him - NET = "with a very strong warning." He admonished him strictly, which gives clear emphasis on what was forbidden to do. It is a strong verb indicating that Jesus was very clear to the leper, which makes the leper's subsequent disobedience even more culpable! As Bruner wrote “Jesus will not storm Israel with his messianic claim”; instead he will “knock quietly at its door, leper by leper, little by little." (Matthew: A Commentary. The Christbook) Sternly warned (1690)(embrimaomai from en = in + brimaomai = to roar, storm or snort with anger) one sources says literally means "to snort" in classical Greek of the sound that horses make (see Liddell-Scott). The idea is to be moved with anger, to admonish sternly. It is used emphasizing what is forbidden to do sternly warn, admonish sternly, charge strictly, threaten indignantly for disobedience. (Mt 9:30, Mk 1:43, Isa 17:13). It could express intense agitation of one's mind as in grief and so to be deeply moved or to groan (Jn 11.33). Lastly, it meant to be enraged and to express indignation against someone, expressing anger or displeasure as in scolding (Mk 14:5). In a fragment attributed to Euripides it was also used in a sense meaning “to admonish urgently” or “to rebuke.” Used 5x in NT translated "deeply moved (2), scolding (1), sternly warned (2)" = Matt. 9:30 = "Jesus sternly warned them"; Mk. 1:43; Mk. 14:5 = "scolding her"; Jn. 11:33 = "he was deeply moved"; Jn. 11:38 = "being deeply moved" Once in the Septuagint of men fretting or being angry (Da 11:30). And immediately sent him away - Sent away is ekbállō the same verb Mark used when the Spirit impelled (ekballo) Him to go out into the wilderness t(Mk 1:12) of when Jesus cast out (ekballo) many demons (Mk 1:34). Immediately (2117) see preceding discussion on euthus used 11x in chapter 1 - Mk. 1:10; Mk. 1:12; Mk. 1:18; Mk. 1:20; Mk. 1:21; Mk. 1:23; Mk. 1:28; Mk. 1:29; Mk. 1:30; Mk. 1:42; Mk. 1:43 (One other use in Mk 1:3 means "straight"). Related Resource: Daniel Akin on the "Messianic Secret" - why Jesus was prohibiting speaking Why did Jesus command people to not tell others of the miracles He performed? Mark 1:44 and He 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, as a testimony to them." NET He told him, "See that you do not say anything to anyone, but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." GNT καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Ὅρα μηδενὶ μηδὲν εἴπῃς, ἀλλὰ ὕπαγε σεαυτὸν δεῖξον τῷ ἱερεῖ καὶ προσένεγκε περὶ τοῦ καθαρισμοῦ σου ἃ προσέταξεν Μωϋσῆς, εἰς μαρτύριον αὐτοῖς. NLT "Don't tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed." KJV And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. ESV 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." NIV "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." show yourself to the priest: Lev 14:2-32 Mt 23:2,3 Lu 5:14 17:14 offer: Lev 14:4,10,21,22 as a testimony to them: Ro 15:4 1Co 10:11 Mark 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries GO AND SHOW AS A WITNESS Parallel Passages: Matthew 8:4+ And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest and present the offering that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." Luke 5:14+ And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” And He said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone - See (horao) is in the present imperative calling for him to continually keep quiet about his healing.