That evening at sundown they brought to him all who were sick or oppressed by demons. And the whole city was gathered together at the door. And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons. And he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. Mark 1:32-34
I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark. Today, I focus on an unassisted review of Mark 1:29-34, which is the text for the next chapter of the commentary. Using ScriptureMARK (part of Blue Letter Bible), I highlighted:
- Vv29-30 describes how both Jesus and His new disciples acted with urgency, implying that Jesus' ministry was urgent - there are many who are lost, need the Good News of Jesus and healing, including both physical and spiritual healing. To be clear, all of humanity needs spiritual healing and salvation because we all sin and are in need of a Savior. Jesus is this Savior. V31 describes how Jesus took Simon's (Peter) mother-in-law by the hand and healed her.
- Vv21-28 - covered by my previous three posts, shares how Jesus healed a man with an unclean spirit. Vv29-34 builds on this healing, as not just Simon's mother is healed, but also as vv32-34 describes Jesus healed "many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons."
- As I posted yesterday, sin, evil, and brokenness (including disease and death) have existed since the Fall, and Jesus' death on the cross meant that people can have eternal life (John 3:16) once they confess (Romans 10:10) with their tongue that Jesus is their Savior. Without salvation, there is no hope - because if you are not saved, you continue to be slave to sin and condemned for eternity. Again, we all need salvation and Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) - lostness encompasses both physical and spiritual healing and both are described in Mark 1:29-34.
- V34b, where it shares how Jesus did not "permit the demons to speak, because they knew Him," implies that Jesus did not want others to know His true identity (as the Messiah) just yet because His time to go to the cross had not yet arrived. It seems that Jesus was OK for others to see that He had power and authority, yet it seems that He was not OK that many others (i.e beyond people such as John the Baptist) did not know the extent of His identity. Timing is often a subject in scripture as Solomon, the wisest person who ever lived wrote that (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) "[f]or everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven[.]"
- Timing is a topic in the New Testament as well as Matthew 24:36 shares that "concerning [the] day and hour [when Jesus returns] no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only[.]" Believers are often frustrated waiting - for example, we pray often for loved ones to be healed or saved, and our frustration mounts when we don't see prayer answered. Believers can take comfort that God has a plan and that plan is good - see Romans 8:28. We must trust God.
Comment and discuss this post.
My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God that loves me, saved me, and who is constantly at work for me, providing mercies that never cease and that are new every morning, and whose plan is perfect and good. Thank You Jesus! I am not deserving of how You save, how You provide mercies, and how Your plan is good and perfect. My sin is great and it continues...daily. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please continue to heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
