How is it that we always seem to pay attention to the
wrong things? Here in these chapters, Jesus demonstrates extraordinary
compassion – first to the man living among the tombs who was “always howling and
bruising himself with stones” (5:5). After Jesus heals him, the man begs Jesus
to let him go with him. Yet for once, Jesus tells him to share his story
instead. (Meanwhile, he raises a young girl from the dead and swears the family
to silence!) By encouraging him to go back to his people, Jesus gives the man a
purpose and restores him to his community.
Soon after, we read about a woman “who endured much under
many physicians, and had spent all that she had; and she was no better, but
rather grew worse” (5:26). She was used to hiding and making herself invisible;
yet Jesus insists on seeing her. He holds up her faith and, in addition to
healing her, makes her visible to her own community again.
Later, at the feeding of the 5000, when all Jesus really
wants is to be left alone to rest and pray, we’re told that he sees the crowds
and that “he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a
shepherd” (6:34). He sees their need and addresses it.
What more do the disciples need to see? Even after having
some success on their own teaching and healing others, they still can’t see
Jesus clearly. Mark tells us that “their hearts were hardened” (6:52).
If their hearts were still hard even after witnessing
Jesus’ compassion firsthand, what hope is there for us? The people of Jesus’
hometown grew up with him. Yet they reject him because they think they know
everything they need to know; they know his family. Talk about misplaced focus.
Perhaps the death of John the Baptist in chapter 6 best
illustrates our focus on the trivial and the devastating effect of our
selective sight. King Herod knows from his own experience that John is “a
righteous and holy man” (6:20). Yet he allows palace intrigue to override his
conscience and judgment. What kind of world do we live in when prophets end up
on platters?
How do we respond? Writer Barry Hannah* offers these
suggestions in a poem inspired by the Gospel of Mark:
Do not think so much.
Surrender. Believe.
Unprepared, move out to the world and testify.
The words will come. Serve.
From now on service is kingly.
There are no more kings.
Serve. Help. Love. Others as thyself.
This is impossible but do it.
You have seen enough…
*Introduction to The Gospel According to Mark. New
York: Grove Press, 1999.
I am sitting here in Adath Israel's Social hall Proctering a College Board Exam. The school where I teach, The Bridge Academy, rents space from Adath. It was weird, as I sit next to the kitchens to read in Mark 7 that nothing that goes into the body is unclean. Adath maintains a dairy and a meat kitchen and has separate dishes and utensils for each to keep kosher!
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying reading Mark and pondering it. I want to give everyone a tip that has helped be keep up and even get a little ahead! I must confess that I don't usually carry around a bible with me but when I have downtime at work (like now) or when checking my email, I can just pop onto http://www.biblegateway.com and catch up with the Gospel reading schedule online. I love technology!
:) Lucia Smith
Another online resource - satucket.com/lectionary - scroll down to "daily office". It has the daily Bible readings suggested in the Book of Common Prayer (starting on p. 933) - a few psalms, an Old Testament reading, an Epistle reading from the New Testament, and a reading from one of the Gospels. Right now, the Daily Office is focusing on the Gospel of Mark - go figure!
ReplyDeleteChapter six (51-52) has one of the great surprise lines in the gospels -- "They were completely amazed [that the wind died down when Jesus got in the boat] for they had not understood about THE LOAVES; their hearts were hardened." My emphasis, of course. What does walking on water have to do with the feeding of the five thousand? I would understand if it said they didn't understand Jesus or that he wasn't a ghost or something like that. It seems that one thing they don't understand is that if Jesus says its going to happen then it will. When he tells the disciples to give the crowd something to eat -- it happens even though there are only five loaves and two fish. When he sends them to the other side, it happens even though a wind comes in that is enough to strain experienced fishermen. This echoes the idea of focusing on how God will provide what is needed rather than focusing on the difficulties ahead.
ReplyDeleteI just noticed that detail myself (about the loaves) while reading for this project and was similarly intrigued. Your interpretation makes sense to me!
ReplyDeleteAgree with the loaves comments too.
ReplyDeleteThe unclean spirits begged him, "send us into the swine!" and Jesus does, and the pigs go rolling off the cliff into the sea. Why harm those poor pigs? I thought. And think of the loss of $$$ for the swineherd. I recently read this take on it in the Aquarian Gospel that I took a shine to:
A man obsessed was brought to him. The wicked spirit that possessed the man was full of violence and lust, and often threw his victim to the ground.
3. And Jesus spoke aloud and said, Base spirit, loose your hold upon the vitals of this man, and go back to your own.
4. And then the spirit begged that he might go into the body of a dog that stood near by.
5. But Jesus said, Why harm the helpless dog? Its life is just as dear to it as mine to me.
6. It is not yours to throw the burden of your sin on any living thing.
7. By your own deeds and evil thoughts you have brought all these perils on yourself. You have hard problems to be solved; but you must solve them for yourself.
8. By thus obsessing man you make your own conditions doubly sad. Go back into your own domain; refrain from harming anything, and, by and by, you will, yourself, be free.
9. The wicked spirit left the man and went unto his own. The man looked up in thankfulness and said, Praise God.
BTW, I do like Barry Hannah's poem...
I don't know if pigs can be herded like cattle, or stampede like cattle, and I doubt that Jesus wanted to hurt animals or get a swineherd fired or impoverish a pig magnate. Also don't know if there was a cliff or a sea at that place. The story can be read like a parable: what does it mean, what is it trying to tell us, about Jesus'compassion and power and indeed divinity.
ReplyDelete