Tuesday 19 November 2024
Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. (v. 36)
Background
This passage is one of the rare ones in Mark's Gospel that does not appear in either Matthew or Luke's Gospels. It would be interesting to know why they did not include it.
It’s worth noticing that the route Mark mentions in verse 31 is not an obvious route for Jesus. Possibly he went that way to avoid the area ruled by Herod Antipas or to avoid people who wanted to try to force him to become king (or their understanding of that). It shows both the urgent, rapid style that Mark is well known for, and the deliberate way that Jesus navigates his ministry to achieve the timing and impact he was called to.
As we often see, Jesus shows great respect for the deaf man's privacy and moves away from the crowd so he can respond to his needs in private. Is the manner of the healing in terms of actions and words important or simply a description that would have felt familiar to people of that time? It does not seem that Mark is trying to imply that the way Jesus touched the man is a form of 'magic spell' for us to copy today. Instead, we see Jesus behaving in the way he felt was best to respond to the man’s situation.
As in many other situations, Jesus isn’t seeking publicity or sensationalism but people are so amazed, so excited at what he is doing that they can’t help telling everyone about it.
To Ponder:
- It can be hard to find the right balance between sharing and privacy, particularly when it comes to prayer and healing. Does the behaviour of Jesus help us find that balance?
- When was the last time you were so excited about what Jesus has done that nobody could shut you up?
Bible notes author: The Revd Dave Warnock
Dave is the Methodist minister in Wythenshawe, part of the Bramhall and Wythenshawe Circuit. From September 2025 he will be sailing around the world for five years encouraging connections between sustainability and faith. See Sustainable Sailing.