Thursday: Can You Keep a Secret?
Daily Lesson for Thursday 11th of July 2024
Read Mark 1:40-45. What does this teach us about Jesus and how He related to the marginalized in society?
Leprosy as described in this passage, and throughout the Old Testament as well, did not refer only to what is known today as Hansen’s disease (bona fide leprosy). The biblical terminology would be better translated as a “dreaded skin disease” and could include other epidermic ailments, as well. Hansen’s disease may have come to the ancient Near East about the third century B.C. (see David P. Wright and Richard N. Jones, “Leprosy,” The Anchor Bible Dictionary, vol. 4 [New York: Doubleday, 1992], pp. 277–282). Hence, the leper referred to in this passage could well have had Hansen’s disease, though we don’t know for sure exactly what the man suffered from, only that it was bad.
The leper places faith in Jesus that He can cleanse him. According to Leviticus 13:1-59, a leper was ritually unclean and had to avoid contact with others (see Leviticus 13:45-46).
Image © Pacific Press at Goodsalt.com
Jesus, however, is moved with compassion toward the man and touches him. “Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I am willing; be cleansed’ ” (Mark 1:41, NKJV). This action should have defiled Jesus until the evening, when He would be required to bathe to become ritually pure again (compare with Leviticus 13:1-59; Leviticus 14:1-57; Leviticus 15:1-33). But Mark is clear that Jesus’ action of touching the sick man cleanses him of his leprosy. Thus, Jesus was not defiled by touching the man.
Jesus sends the man to a priest with the instruction to offer the sacrifice Moses commanded for such cases in Leviticus 14:1-57. Throughout the Gospel of Mark, Jesus stands as a defender and supporter of what Moses taught (see Mark 7:10; Mark 10:3-4; Mark 12:26,29-31). This view stands in sharp contrast to the religious leaders, who in the passages in Mark 7:1-37; Mark 10:1-52, and Mark 12:1-44 are subverting the original intent of the teachings given through Moses. These details explain Jesus’ command in Mark 1:44 to silence the man. If he were to tell of his cure by Jesus, it might prejudice the decision of the priest in bias against Jesus.
But the cleansed leper does not seem to understand this, and in disobedience to Jesus’ command, he spreads the news far and wide, making it impossible for Jesus to enter towns openly for His ministry.
How can we be careful not to do things that could hamper the spread of the gospel, no matter how good our intentions?
(22)
Did the leper hamper the spread of the gospel, or did he help it?
When something (super) good happens to you, do you usually hide it, or spread the news?
Let's say you have cancer and because of a touch you simply become cured, what would you do? Wouldn't tell others?
Jesus came to solve our problem with sin, forever! Why would I keep this to myself if I accept this in my heart?
JC, If for no other reason than that Jesus told him to be quiet about his healing.
I encounter many who try to rationalize their way around specific commands of God. God said to keep the 7th day sabbath holy. They say the day doesn’t matter as long as you have a day of worship. Or I worship on Sunday in honor of the resurrection.
I personally have two problems with the man being asked to be quiet. For one thing, some Bible scholars suggest that Jesus knew he would not do so. As JC suggests, being cured of something like that is something to celebrate, not to hide. Secondly, in those days, everyone connected with this man would have known that his condition was serious. He would have gone through the ritual process from Leviticus 13 and been declared unclean since his disease did not subside in the 7 - 14 days he would have been sequestered when it first showed up. The fact that he would have been cured after being declared unclean and having to wander around as a beggar is not easily overlooked. I don't think it as simple as you say it is.
Do you really believe that Bible scholars have better information on the mind of Jesus than you or I can have?
You replied to Myron answering the question as to
.. and Myron wrote
The Bible tells us this:
Is that not enough to do as He said? If we wait to obey God until we see good reason to do so, we are not obeying God, but we are following our own reasoning. That's how Adam and Eve lost Eden, and we will not regain it until we learn to trust God implicitly, even when we do not understand why He asks us to do something we do not understand.
The lesson writer suggests one reason for Christ's command - namely that the priest would issue an honest report. But there's more. Mark tells us that the healed leper's unwise proclamation hindered Christ's ministry:
We may argue that it was impossible to hide such a miracle, and that is true, of course. But we are hardly in a position to argue with Mark about the impact of this indiscretion on Christ's ministry. He clearly saw that the man's spreading the matter further than it would naturally have gone made things more difficult for Christ.
And Ellen White provides further insight:
Dear JC Zielak, your question is a pertinent one, and begs a response. The issue of the man spreading the news of his healing can be looked at from many perspectives. It is understandable that the man was happy for his healing and he found it difficult to contain his enthusiasm. However, the man's actions may have prevented or made it harder for other people in that city from being similarly blessed by Jesus. As a result, Jesus left the city and went elsewhere.
A careful reading of this incident in the bible doesn't reveal the intent of the man that was healed. Was he boasting about his healing, or was he encouraging people to meet Jesus? We do not know. But Jesus' advice to him was not to spread the news of his healing. God knows the future. Even though something may appear right and pleasing to us, God's way is always the best.
I consider Jesus' instruction to the healed leper: “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them”, to be straight forward.
I do not think that Jesus acted underhandedly when instructing the healed man to show himself to the priest. As He preached and taught regarding the Truth of the New Way/Covenant - Salvation by faith in the Word of God -, Jesus still respected the requirements of the Law of Moses, and the priest certainly needed to hear about God's power to heal vested in Jesus 'straight from the horses mouth'.
It appears to me that these instructions for the leper to show himself to the priest are meant as a testimony to the power of Jesus to be able to heal the body and the soul – Mark.1:44. What is interesting, though, is that Jesus seemed to be concerned that the fame of His power to heal people would overshadow His preaching and teaching the Word of God capable of healing the whole man.
As I see it, He wanted to continue to be able to enter cities unincumbered by throngs of physically needy people clamoring to be healed in body only by Him. Was He not hoping to meet freely with them and explain the full Gospel – to comprehend the Word of God's Truth in the New Light – , explaining to them that it will heal the body and the soul? Mark 1:45
I believe you're right on, Brigitte. The priests needed to understand that Cbrist had power over leprosy, which was symbolic of sin. They were not sjllosed to know how this healing came about, so they would render a true judgment before discovering Christ's involvement.
Christ also knew that he needed more things to complete his mission, and the excitement ober dramatic miracles would hinder his mission. Unfortunately that's what happened, and Christ could no longer minister in the cities because the healed leper did not consider it important to obey.
Do we sometimes think that it's not important to obey some of God's directives?
With sincere respect- my opinion---
the man was NOT disobeying the Lord.
It is Not always about behavior.
-God doesNot see what man sees, I am so glad the HE looks unto our hearts.
-he was Not rebelling against Jesus, he was for Jesus !
-sometimes it's because of our misunderstanding or immaturity
but HE knows that our hearts yearn to uplift the Lord.
Adv Happy Sabbath ( JuLy 11, 2024)
When Christ came back to visit the disciples after His death, He instructed them not to go out and preach, but to pray and wait for the Holy Spirit to guide them. The man that Jesus healed had enough faith to believe that Jesus could heal him, but was not a mature Christian who was guided by the Spirit. There's no way to know what he might have said in his excitement to all that he met. Likewise we need to be careful that we pray for wisdom and guidance.
How can we be careful not to do things that could hamper the spread of the gospel, no matter how good our intentions>>
Some of us are not knowledgeable nor equipped with biblical information to spread the gospel. We are all flawed and come short of the glory of God. We need to reflect and evaluate ourselves as to how we present ourselves to others. I would point them to the minister or bible worker.
These thoughts came to my mind pondering about the so called Messianic Secret based on Mark 1:25 and Mark 1:44.
Jesus did not want the healed leper to spread that news. (Mark 1:44) Previously, an unclean spirit had confessed Christ to be the Holy One of God. (Mark 1:24) Rebuking the demon Christ ordered the him to be silent and come out of him. (Mark 1:25) Jesus did not want the healing to spread abroad. A false messianic movement would be inaugurated. At the birth of Christ the angel pointed out that the ministry of Christ consisted in salvation from sin. (Matthew 1:21) But the common expectation was directed towards salvation from the Romans. Even the disciples shared that false hope. (Luke 24:21) Jesus had to instruct them from Scripture that the Messiah had to suffer first before entering into his glory. (Luke 24:26-27) After his resurrection Christ reminded the disciples of the true gospel message consisting in repentance and forgiveness of sin. (Luke 24:47) Not until the outpouring of the Holy Spirit was the true messianic movement under way to be spread all over the world, described in detail by Luke in the book of acts. (Luke 24:49)
After the transfiguration event Christ had told his disciples not to tell the vision until after the resurrection of the son of man. (Matthew 17:9) God had revealed to Peter that Jeus is the Messiah, the son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16-17) The discples had a long way to go until they understood the true meaning and mission of Christ.
It is hoped that we today understand the true meaning and mission of the salvatory Three Angels` Messages: the climaxing event of that mission proclaimed after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Experiencing the continual early rain now, we are praying for the additional latter rain to accomplish the saving intent of that world wide message today.
Winfried Stolpmann