(This is supplement 2 to the #mkbiblechat study taking place every Friday morning at 9:30 a.m. Eastern, 6:30 Pacific USA. Pastor Mike is teaching the Gospel of Mark on Twitter. Click here for class schedule and links to the notes. Click here to follow Pastor Mike on Twitter.)
MANY HEALINGS
“And the whole city had gathered at the door [of Peter’s house].” (Mark 1:33) Wow! This is crazy! This is wild! This is unheard of! Think of the whole of your city (mine is Sonora, California ~ about 15,000 including the surrounding areas) at your church’s home Bible study. And this man named Jesus is doing things that have never happened before.
These are Christ’s credentials. The healings/miracles show He is the Messiah. No one else prior to Him and no one else after Him has been able to produce such wonders. (John 15:24a)
SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE OF HEALINGS
One author points out the spiritual significance of each healing: “The healing of Peter’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31) tells of the stilling of the restless energy of the flesh, of the feverishness of mortal life. The healing of the leper (Mark 1:40-45) tells of the removal of sin’s loathsome defilement. The healing of the paralytic (Mark 2:1-12) tells of the removal of sin’s helplessness and disability.” (Scroggie 205) Only Christ can still the fever of sin and remove its loathsome defilement, helplessness and disability.
CALL OF LEVI / MATTHEW
The story of the call of Levi (his Hebrew name) / Matthew is a healing passage, too! (Mark 2:17)
Matthew’s story is a story similar to our stories. We were living life – weren’t we? – and then all of a sudden, for some of us seemingly out of the wild blue, Jesus Christ, M.D., decided to enter in and heal us of our sin-sick spiritual condition and call us to the wonderful life He had in mind of salvation and serving and following God and promoting His cause on the earth. (Parallel passages: Matthew 9:9-13; Luke 5:27-32)
QUESTIONS ON FASTING
My paraphrase: “Why aren’t they like us?” (Mark 2:18) Don’t measure other people’s “spirituality” by whether or not they live up to “yours.”
There will be different seasons in your relationship with Christ. (Mark 2:19-20) There will be days when He seems close and other days where you ask, “Where are You, God?” and/or “What are You doing?”
Jesus speaks of the violence of His death in Mark 2:20 for the first time. (Scroggie 591) He was born to die. It is an amazing thing as you read the Scriptures and realize He, Christ, knows exactly what’s coming.
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. In the hustle and bustle of a busy life and schedule, Jesus takes time to pray. (Mark 1:35) How’s your prayer life? Is it a priority? Why or why not? How might you take prayer to the next level? Take your answer to that last question and “just do it.”
2. One author stresses the twofold value of the healings in Mark’s Gospel. Sure, there was a physical benefit for the person involved, but there was also a spiritual aspect/teaching as well. What do you think the spiritual aspect was in the healing of the paralytic? (Mark 2:3-12)
3. After healing the leper, Jesus commands him to not tell a soul about what happened. (Mark 1:43-45) The man doesn’t follow Christ’s instructions. Why do you think that is?
4. Are the types of healings seen in Jesus’ ministry long ago available today? Explain your answer.
About Pastor Mike
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