:: in.a.mirror.dimly ::

Continuing my series on the Gospel of Mark…

After Jesus healed a leper, declared himself equal with God in his ability to forgive sins, associated himself with sinners, rejected the fasting system of his time, and violated a common form of Sabbath observance while declaring himself Lord of the Sabbath, the teachers of the Law had seen enough. Mark identifies them as Jesus’ enemies in chapter three.

They couldn’t compete with Jesus. Jesus taught with more authority and wisdom, healed with more power, and broke more of their laws and traditions than they would have ever imagined possible with a Messiah. They saw him as a threat to their beloved theology, traditions, and positions. The Kingdom of God set itself up against these things and they chose to reject God’s new work among them.

It was convenient for these powerful leaders without a physical defect to set up such boundaries and to try to control God’s power and mercy when offered to those in need. Jesus refused to bow to their power and healed the man with a crippled hand, exasperated at their inability to show mercy or to rethink the nature of the Sabbath. Their imagination and curiosity had hardened into unbending dogma. After so spectacular a miracle these religious leaders went so far as plotting to kill Jesus.

Even with such plots brewing, Jesus remained popular with the crowds. the scene by the lake that follows strikes me as a bit chaotic with sick people crowding around Jesus. It is interesting to think that so many people wanted Jesus to do something for them or were simply curious about his teaching. They came to receive from him, not necessarily to offer themselves to him as disciples.

As Jesus grew in popularity, the opposition that would lead to the cross was solidifying. In the midst of this swelling of support, Jesus chose a small group of followers to become his constant disciples who would travel with him, preach, and cast out demons. He knew that many coming to touch his garment would not be willing to touch his cross as well. Though Mark continues to focus on Jesus, he is careful to point out that at this very early point in his public ministry Jesus has already empowered and sent out followers to spread his work. That’s what true disciples do in contrast to the crowds who receive from Jesus and return to life as usual.

As crowds surrounded Jesus at his guest house in Capernaum, matters seemed to be getting out of control. He could hardly find time to eat, and at this point the family of Jesus showed up trying to stop him. With the teachers of the law showing up at a similar time, it is possible that the teachers of the law pressured his family to intervene. When they failed, the religious professionals from Jerusalem attacked with a heavy hand, hoping to crush this rising prophet who threatened their theology, traditions, and positions.

These Pharisees hit Jesus hard with accusations that his power came from Satan, a shocking allegation that could have stopped Jesus from performing future miracles on the Sabbath or any other day. However, in trying to cast Jesus out of the Jewish community by putting him in line with the devil, Jesus said that they had cast themselves out of God’s Kingdom by blaspheming against the Holy Spirit who empowered his miracles. Those who presumed to be in were out of the Kingdom and those presumed to be out were in the Kingdom.

By the end of chapter three Jesus had redefined who’s in the Kingdom: those who do God’s will. Such criteria made God accessible for all who obey without the rigorous standards of the religion scholars. Jesus gives us a goal of being in God’s family in relationship with God, but the requirement is obedience.