He does all things well

 

Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears!  All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble.  Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things?  Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, it is true.  --Isaiah 43:8-9

When my kids were small we took them to see Toy Story On Ice.  I know, I know--as an adult, you think of any Ice Capades type show and roll your eyes.  But when the dancers were out on the ice in perfect rows performing in unison, in their sparkly costumes with colorful lights shining on them from above, my daughter pressed her hands to her cheeks and exclaimed, "Mommy!  I can't believe my glasses."

There are few things that can cause us to stand in slack-jawed amazement.  Few things in this world render us speechless.  We have become so jaded by the things of this world that we have ceased to be amazed.  Imagine, though, if we had been alive when Jesus was alive and on this earth.  We would be like the residents of the Decapolis in Mark 7:37 who were "astonished beyond measure"--literally "hyperastonished" (Greek hyperperissos ekplesso, translated "thoroughly astounded and completely overwhelmed" in the Amplified Bible).

But I'm getting ahead of myself.  Let's look at the passage:

Then He returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.  And they brought to Him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged Him to lay His hand on him.  And taking him aside from the crowd privately, He put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.  And looking up to Heaven, He sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened." And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.  And Jesus charged them to tell no one.  But the more He charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.  And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well.  He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."  --Mark 7:31-37

Jesus and the Disciples had just left the seaside area between the cities of Tyre and Sidon on the Mediterranean coast.  They traveled on foot to the Sea of Galilee to the east, and then went to the east side of the Sea of Galilee to the Roman outpost of ten cities known as the Decapolis.  Huge crowds gathered around Him; some to be healed, some to hear His teaching, but all of them wanted to be near Him.

And unidentified man was brought to Him, one who was deaf and could not speak clearly.  The fact that he could speak at all probably meant that he was not born deaf.  The Greek word mogalilos indicates that he was speaking with difficulty, but was not mute.  Perhaps you have heard a hearing impaired person speak publicly--you can understand him or her, but sometimes it takes a bit of concentration.

Jesus took him away by himself, to a more private and secluded place.  You must remember that Mark, the author of this Gospel, was not one of the disciples; he likely heard about this second- or third-hand from others who were there, but even those who were there could only observe from afar, because Jesus took the man aside.  They saw Him put His fingers in the man's ears.  They saw what looked like Jesus spitting, maybe on His own hands but maybe into the man's mouth.  The Greek verb ptuo is used just 3 times in association with Jesus, and each time it dealt with healing.  John 9:6 says Jesus spat on the ground and made mud or clay with His saliva.  Mark 8:23 says He healed a blind man by spitting in his eyes (this may have been two accounts of the same healing).  In our passage, however, it was not the eyes that were opened, but the tongue that was loosened.  I tend to think (and I could be so wrong here) that although it appeared from afar that Jesus spat into the man's mouth, He actually expelled air in a puff that looked like He was spitting, but no saliva was expelled.  This would correlate with the Creation story where God breathed life into Man. Here, Jesus was breathing life into the man's tongue, so that he could not only speak, but speak clearly.

Next, Jesus looked to Heaven and sighed.  I think He saw more than just the sky when He looked up.  I think He saw God smiling down on Him, and the angels who ministered before His throne.  I think He was homesick, longing for God's presence.  I think that if we looked less at the world and all the evil therein, and turned our attention to God, we would begin to be amazed.  If we walk daily with Jesus, we can see supernatural things, things that are out of this world, and we will be happier for it.  I think if we spend any time at all outside of God's presence, not walking with Jesus, we become a little homesick, too.

When Jesus spoke, He said to the man, "Ephphatha."  According to Strong's Definitions, this word has Chaldean roots.  It is the only time the word appears in Scripture, and I can find no significance to it, other than the story that precedes this one in the book of Mark, when Jesus spoke with the Syro-Phonician woman, who also had Chaldean roots.  Maybe Mark was trying to tie the two stories together, or maybe the term had significance to someone who was present there in the Decapolis (which was not a Jewish region, and was outside of Israel proper).  

The word means, "Be opened," and that's just what happened.  The man could hear, and he spoke plainly.  Those around were amazed, even astounded.  They couldn't believe their eyes and ears.  The words they spoke were profound:  He has done all things well.

Think about this: we speak of people as flawed--"Nobody's perfect," we say.  He has done all things well.  We look at our lives and sometimes it seems everything is spiraling out of control.  If we look to Jesus, though, we know He has done all things well.  There are many times when things are so out of control, we don't believe that even God can fix the situation we are in.  What does Scripture say?  Say it with me boys and girls: He has done all things well.  We listen too much to those who are not called according to His purpose, the atheists and agnostics and those without faith, who say Jesus was just a man, a prophet maybe, but surely not without sin.  Then that still, small voice says in our hearts, He has done all things well.

If we set our hearts on things above (Colossians 3:2), we can be blown away by the power and majesty of God, and overwhelmed by the grace and mercy of Jesus.  We can be hyperastonished by what the Lord is doing, and has done, and will do.  If we live in His presence daily, and walk with Him moment by moment, we, too, can be a little bit homesick for Heaven.  Even now, Lord Jesus, come!  But until that day, let me sit at Your feet, hear Your voice, do Your will in this earth as long as I live.

Not the magic word, but the blessed attitude

 

And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] who cry out to Him day and night?  Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf?  I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly.  However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [this kind of persistent] faith on the earth?  --Luke 18:7-8 (Amplified)

Have you ever found yourself in a pressure situation where it seemed like you kept talking, talking, talking--hoping you don't sound stupid but feeling like you couldn't shut up?  Inevitably, at the end of it you are sure that you made an absolute fool of yourself.  Sometimes you are pleasantly surprised when someone in the audience says you made a good point, even though in all of your blathering you can't imagine that any of it made sense, much less made a good point.

If this situation happened in an academic setting, and the professor still passed you, you would feel humbled.  If it happened in a job interview, and they still offered you the job, you would have felt so grateful.  This situation actually happened to a Greek woman who brought her concern to Jesus.

And from there He arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon.  And He entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet He could not be hidden.  But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of Him and came and fell down at His feet.  Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophonician by birth.  And she begged Him to cast the demon out of her daughter.  And He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."  But she answered Him, "Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."  And He said to her, "For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter."  And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.  --Mark 7:24-30

The woman was really unworthy

In the male dominated Jewish world in which Jesus ministered, this lady had three strikes against her.  First, she was female.  For a woman to approach a Jewish rabbi without a husband or chaperone was unseemly.  Her gender placed her at a disadvantage, but to her mind her need was greater than the social strictures in place at the time.  Her daughter (also a female) was being tormented, physically and spiritually.  The woman's need to intercede for her daughter outweighed the need to conform to any social norms.

Second, she was not Jewish.  In fact, her Greek heritage (and probably language) was a huge barrier, but not nearly as big as her religious and cultural background.  Politically and historically, the Syrians were not friendly to Israel.  Some scholars equate the Phonicians with the ancient Canaanites, recalling that when God led His people into Canaan He commanded that all of the native tribes should be killed.  (It was out of disobedience that Israel did not successfully eradicate her enemies, and the consequences of that sin continue to affect the Jewish people to this day.)  I have also heard a preacher say that the Phonecians in her family tree were known as people who practiced black magic and astrology.  I don't know about that, but I do know that she was not Jewish, and not even a Samaritan (whose family background would have had some Jewish influence).  She was a Gentile in every sense of the word.

Third, she was being obnoxious.  In Mattew's account of this story, she continuously cried out, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!"  It was so annoying that the disciples begged Jesus to send her away, "for she is crying out after us." (Matthew 15:23)  The woman was making a scene, was garnering attention, and was not giving up.  She was not just being bold; she was being brash.

Jesus seemed really unresponsive

At first glance, Jesus's response seems out of character.  We know that Jesus was not chauvinistic, only ministering to males.  He had healed the woman with the flow of blood, was friends with Mary and Martha, and healed a young girl who was the daughter of Jairus.  We know He was not nationalistic, only ministering to Jews.  He had healed the demoniac, who lived near pig herders in the Decapolis.  John chapter 4 indicates that early in His ministry, Jesus ministered to a Samaritan woman at the well.  We know He did not associate only with the wealthy and elite (who would presumably be well-mannered), as He called a man named Simon the Zealot as one of His disciples.  The Pharisees accused Him of consorting with tax-collectors and "sinners".  How gauche.

When this woman came to Him crying out, "My daughter is severely oppressed by a demon", Matthew's account says He answered not a word.  When He did speak, it was rather condescending.  He said to her, "Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."  Dogs were scavengers.  They were considered unclean animals in Jewish tradition, and so most Jews would not even touch them, let alone feed them.

In what we now call the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus had made a point about being careful to guard what is holy and set apart (like His blessing and forgiveness).  He said, "Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you." (Matthew 7:6).  I think that Jesus was testing this woman, making sure that her reverence of Him was not just words.  The same Sermon on the Mount contained this warning: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven." (Matthew 7:21).  I think He wanted to make sure that her devotion was true, and that she was not just using Him like some magician or healer who would perform for her and then she would forget and go her own way.

Her words showed her heart

This woman did not have an attitude of entitlement.  She was not looking for her basic human rights.  She had come to Him humbly asking His help when no one else could help her.  She recognized the reference to dogs, and ran with it.  Instead of getting huffy and exclaiming, "I'm not a dog!  How dare you insinuate that I'm a dog," she humbly accepted the metaphor.  Taking it one more step, she answered, "Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs."  I believe she was humbly admitting that she was not worthy, but she recognized that He was merciful.

Jesus recognized her heart because of her words.  "For this statement," He said, "you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter."  The Greek word translated "statement" is logos, literally "word."  What word had she spoken that got Him to respond?  There was no magic word.  There was, however, a humble heart that was evident in her words.

In 2017 there was an American game show called Divided, based on a British game show of the same name.  Four contestants would try to come to a consensus while answering questions, but the prize money would reduce the longer it took them to reach a consensus.  At the end, the final prize money was divided into unequal amounts, and the contestants would try to convince the others that they deserved the higher amount while the others deserved the lower amounts.  This final division of spoils would be the most telling part, as it revealed the true character of each contestant.  Most of them would argue as to which one of them deserved the biggest share.  Almost never did any contestant voluntarily take the lowest amount; some would be talked into it, while others were so adamant that they would rather none of the contestants got anything rather than them accepting a lesser amount.  You would hear them shout, "I deserve this, I don't deserve that."

Jesus gives abundant blessing to the undeserving, if we come to Him with a humble heart.  The Bible says, "Out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." (Luke 6:45b)  One of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is Micah 6:8, which says, "He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."  Our humility needs to come out in our words and in our actions in order to show that although we are unworthy, we have been adopted into the family of God, to dwell among the Chosen Few.

But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches.  If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you.  --Romans 11:17-18

This woman was counted among the elect, and was blessed.  She did not raise a ruckus demanding her rights; she faithfully continued in prayer and humility until her prayers were answered.  So should we, my friends; so should we.

 

"For God's sake, wash your hands"

 

And the Lord said: "Because this people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment taught by men, therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden."--Isaiah 29:13-14

We hear a lot about health and safety these days.  "Wear a mask and wash your hands to stop the spread of the Virus," is a message that is being pounded into our brains incessantly.  Most people hear it as one would accept a message from a nagging mother, and begrudgingly comply.  Some, however, are making it like a mantra, a religious edict, and anyone found not in compliance are branded heretics.  It is very much like idolatry, this sect that worships at the feet of Hygieia, the goddess of health (from which we get our word "hygiene").

Taken to ridiculous extremes, this cult of fear has mandated that some churches be shut down and that church leaders be fined or imprisoned, or at the very least publicly ridiculed and shunned.  The people who bow to this idol of public health do not believe they are being religious, but they are worshiping at the altar of Asclepius, the Greek god of medicine whose serpent draped staff is the symbol of medical practice today.  They preach with the fervor of revivalists, and condemn any non-believers to hell.

Such has it always been.  Even in Jesus' day we see that religious leaders known then as scribes and Pharisees were publicly criticizing Jesus and His disciples for, of all things, not washing their hands.

Now when the Pharisees gathered to Him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of His disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.  (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash.  And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.)  And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?"  --Mark 7:1-5

To be clear here, the Pharisees were not faulting the disciples for poor hygiene. They observed that Jesus did not teach His disciples to do the ceremonial or ritual hand washing that had been handed down in Jewish tradition for generations. In fact, the tradition may have begun as a hygienic measure, but was ritualized over time. Exodus 30:17-20 required the priests to wash their hands and feet before offering sacrifices or entering the Tabernacle. Remember, this was before people knew about germs and microorganisms that can bring disease and even death; God's law was given so that they would not defile the altar of sacrifice. The practice evolved into a cleansing ritual followed by all practicing Jews. According to myjewishlearning.com/article/hand-washing,

Traditionally, Jews are required to wash their hands and say a blessing before eating any meal that includes bread or matzah. The ritual, known as netilat yadayim, is typically done using a two-handled cup, but any vessel will do. There are various customs regarding how the water should be poured, but a common practice is to pour twice on the right hand followed by twice on the left (this is reversed for those who are left-handed). Hasidic custom is to pour three times on each hand. 

Using the non-dominant hand to pour first can feel unnatural or awkward, highlighting that the washing is done for ritual rather than pragmatic purposes. The tradition is unrelated to personal hygiene, and a person is still required to perform this ritual even if his or her hands are clean. It is also customary not to speak following the recitation of this blessing until reciting the blessing for bread and partaking of some.

After washing, the following is recited in Hebrew: "Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments, and commanded us concerning the washing of the hands."

 The Pharisees were making a big deal out of the fact that Jesus and His followers did not follow this custom.  Jesus shot back with a scathing attack on the Pharisees relying on tradition rather than Scripture, and on their hypocrisy of twisting that tradition when it suited them.

And He said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'  You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."  And He said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!  For Moses said, 'Honor your father and mother"; and 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'  But you say, 'If a man tells his father or mother, "Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban" (that is, given to God), then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you may have handed down.  And many such things you do."  --Mark 7:6-13

Jesus says that tradition should not take the place of true devotion to God, because traditions can be manipulated by the leadership.  Leaders are human, and they may not always do everything 24/7 for the glory of God or the furtherance of their religious beliefs.  We must go back to worshiping God in spirit and in truth, not by traditions.  Friend, if you attend a church or denomination that elevates Church teaching to the level of Scripture, then you are practicing heresy.  Whether you attend a Catholic church, a Mormon tabernacle, or a "health and prosperity" preaching evangelical denomination, if they preach anything other than faith alone imparted by grace alone through Christ alone as taught by Scripture alone to the glory of God alone, then that teaching is defiled.

Matthew 15:13-14 says, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.  Let them (the Pharisees) alone; they are blind guides.  And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit."

Jesus went on with His teaching that the Pharisees had interrupted.

And He called the people to Him again and said to them, "Hear me, all of you, and understand.  There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him."  And when He had entered the house and left the people, His disciples asked Him about the parable.  And He said to them, "Then are you also without understanding?  Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?" (Thus He declared all foods clean.)  And He said, "What come out of a person is what defiles him.  For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness.  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person."  --Mark 7:14-23

You can follow all of the CDC recommended guidelines and still come down with the coronavirus.  In the same way, you can follow all the religious traditions to the letter, but if your heart is hardened you will still be stuck in sin.  James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded."  Wash your hands, yes, but make sure you set your hands to do the will of God.  When we stand before God with clean hands, it does not mean that we have washed under our fingernails; rather, it means that our hearts are pure and we have set out to do good, that the work of our hands may bring glory to God. 

Never give up doing good

 

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.  --Hebrews 13:16

There is a somewhat apocryphal story about British Prime Minister Winston Churchill delivering a very short commencement speech.  The story goes that in the middle of World War II, Churchill stood up and admonished the students, "Never give up.  Never give up!  Never, ever give up!!"  We have all had that one teacher or coach or other strong influencer in our lives who has encouraged us to keep going, to not give up, to continue striving for the goal.  The Bible is full of such encouragement, as well.  Revelation 3:21 says, "To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne."

In our study of Mark chapter 6 we see five separate stories of the ministry of Jesus and the disciples, wrapped around the story of John the Baptist, who was faithful to the end.  Jesus was able to give encouragement to John even after he was imprisoned.  Matthew 11:2-5 says, "Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, 'Are You the One who is to come, or shall we look for another?'  And Jesus answered them, 'Go and tell John what you hear and see; the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them'."

We have seen Jesus rejected in His hometown of Nazareth even as He was trying to preach good news to them and lay His hands on them and heal them (Mark 6:1-6).  We have seen Jesus commissioning his twelve disciples, authorizing them to go out two by two and preach the good news and heal the people (Mark 6:7-13). We have seen Jesus feed the 5000, preaching good news to them and feeding them miraculously (Mark 6:30-44).  And we have seen Jesus send the disciples in a boat into the storm while He spent time in prayer, culminating in Him walking on the water (Mark 6:45-52).

Today we are going to look at a fifth and final story in the sixth chapter of Mark, where Jesus and the disciples continued their ministry, continued preaching the good news, and continued to heal the sick.

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore.  And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized Him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard He was.  And wherever He came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored Him that they might touch even the fringe of His garment.  And as many as touched it were made well.  --Mark 6:53-56

He did good wherever He went

Some Bible scholars wonder about His location in this passage.  Tradition says that Jesus fed the 5000 near Capernaum, on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee.  After that, Mark says Jesus told the disciples to get in a boat and go before Him to Bethsaida (Mark 6:45), which is east of Capernaum.  However, in Mark 6:53 it says their boat ended up on Gennesaret, which is west of Capernaum.  Either the storm blew them in the opposite direction of where they were going, or there is a gap in the story.  Perhaps Jesus and the disciples did go to Bethsaida where they got some much needed rest, before sailing west to Gennesaret.

The point is that wherever Jesus went, "in villages, cities, or countryside," He continued his ministry of preaching the good news and healing the sick.  We should take note of this, and do the same in our own lives.  Wherever life takes us we should go about teaching the good news of Jesus, and meeting people's needs as we are gifted--if not healing, then giving to the poor, feeding the hungry, seeking justice for the oppressed.

His reputation preceded Him

Verse 65 says when He got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized Him and ran to bring sick people to wherever He was.  They knew Jesus by His works--He consistently did the same thing, preaching the Gospel and healing the sick, so they had every expectation that He would continue to do that same ministry in their town. 

Oh that we were as consistent in our lives!  When I was in college, I got a reputation among the co-eds for being a kind of Casanova.  Looking back, I wish that my reputation was better.  Now that I am older, I hope that when people see me coming and recognize who I am, that they would expect to see my obedience to God, consistent teaching of His Word, and good works according to the gifts He has given me.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

Perhaps the people there had heard the story of the men who brought their paralyzed friend to the house where Jesus was preaching, and cut a hole in the roof so they could lower him to where Jesus was, because verse 55 says they "began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard He was."  Perhaps they had heard the story of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue who begged Jesus to come and heal his daughter.  They, too, implored Jesus to heal their friends and family.  Perhaps they had also heard of the woman who said if she could only touch the hem of His garment she would be made whole, because they begged to be allowed to touch the fringe of His garments.

Jesus comes to us just as we are.  There is nothing holy about the hem; it is the proximity of His presence that is important.  The point is not repetition of religious acts, it is only in humbling ourselves and lifting Him up.  "And I," Jesus said, "when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." (He said this to show by what kind of death He was going to die.)--John 32-33.

Lift up the cross, carry
The light of the gospel
Always proclaim GOD's
Holy unchangeable WORD
Weep for the lost, pray they
Will heed to the SPIRIT's call
Preach to all men, until
Every ear has heard

Lift up the cross, share
The good news of salvation
Multitudes long to know there
Is hope for their souls
Give of your best, fervently
Seeking the kingdom
Over all else, know CHRIST
And make HIM known

Lift up the cross, high above
The clouds of deception
Doubt and confusion
Tell the world GOD so loved HE gave
Us HIS Son, HE gave us HIS Son

Lift up the cross, scorners
And skeptics are watching
Don't be afraid, there's
Power in JESUS' name
Stand for the faith, having
No need for apology
Speak forth the truth
Boldly and unashamed

Lift up the cross, high above
The clouds of deception
Doubt and confusion
Tell the world GOD so loved HE gave
Us HIS Son, HE gave us HIS Son.

Lift up the cross, there
Is no greater honor
Than to obey the call no matter the cost
Lay down your life, fully
Devoted to serve the LORD
Live all the rest of your
Days to lift up the cross

Lift up the cross,
Lift up the cross,
Lift up the cross,

 

Far From the Maddening Crowd

 

And He said to them, "Come away by  yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while." For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.  --Mark 6:31

Exhaustion can be a ministry killer, and Satan knows it.  The devil can fill your days with so much busy work that you become ineffective.  The daily grind can dull your senses and harden your heart.  Sometimes God has to get our attention to make us take a rest.

Jesus knew the importance of rest when He was here on Earth in bodily form.  You will remember that before the feeding of the 5000, Jesus and His disciples were trying to get away to a desolate place to rest.  They got in a boat, and people saw it; the crowds watched which direction the boat was going, and met Him there.  Instead of a day of rest, the disciples witnessed a day of Jesus teaching and meeting needs in miraculous ways, ways they could not have imagined.

But now it was time for rest.

Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd.  --Mark 6:45

If we read between the lines a little bit, we can see Jesus was trying to create a diversion of sorts, but the disciples were a bit resistant.  The phrase translated "He made them" literally means to compel, drive to, or constrain by force, threats, entreaties, or other means.  Jesus knew that if the crowd saw the disciples get in a boat and sail to the other side to Bethsaida, then the crowds would follow them there.  His idea was that He would stay behind, steal away, and get some alone time for Himself.

I can imagine the disciples voiced opposition to this plan.  "Don't make us leave.  We want to stay with You," they may have said.  Or they may have whined, "We're tired, too.  We need rest just like You."  The fishermen among them, who were accustomed to sailing, may have seen a storm over the Sea, and objected even more.  "It's dangerous" they might have said.  "Let's wait for the storm to pass."  Whatever their objections, I am sure they were reasonable and well thought out arguments from a human perspective.  Nevertheless, Jesus ordered them to take the boat out into the night.

And after He had taken leave of them, He went up to the mountain to pray.  And when evening came, the boat was out to sea, and He was alone on the land.  --Mark 6:46, 47

Jesus told the disciples that He would dismiss the crowd.  I'm sure many in the crowd saw the disciples launch the boat and started to walk around the Sea of Galilee on foot to meet them on the other side, assuming that Jesus was with them.  I'm not sure whether Jesus had to say goodbye to others in the crowd who may have been closer to Him, but it says He immediately went up on the mountain to pray.

Jesus needed time with the Father more than He needed sleep.  We, too, should place a priority on prayer.  Luke 18:1 says that we "ought always to pray and not lose heart (some translations say "faint")."  We also see that Jesus was persistent in prayer, praying a long time.  Notice the time lapse between verse 47 and 48.

And He saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them.  And about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea. --Mark 6:48

Jesus had sent them out during the first watch of the night, during the late evening, probably after 7 or 8 pm.  The second watch of the night, between 9 pm and midnight, Jesus was praying and the disciples were sailing hard.  The third watch of the night, between midnight and 3 a.m., Jesus continued praying, and the disciples continued straining against the sea.  For six hours Jesus prayed.  When He was done praying, He could still see the boat from the shore, because of the severe headwind.

I have read that the Sea of Galilee is only about 13 miles across.  Under normal circumstances, it would only take about two hours to get to the other side.  For this trip, they had been straining for six hours and they still weren't anywhere near where they wanted to be.  In the companion passage in John 6:16-20, it says they had only gone about three or four miles.  If they were trying to sail against a headwind, they would have tried to tack one way and then the other, in a zig-zag pattern.  They may have tried that for a time.  They could have taken down the sails and tried to row, but the headwind was so strong that they would not have made any progress at all.

The word translated "making headway" (or "rowing" in some translations) literally means "to drive."  That is not to say it was an easy task; driving for us means sitting in a car and letting it do the work.  Many of us have tried to drive in inclement weather, and know how a two-hour trip could be extended like this.  However, the driving that they were doing was much more labor intensive.  It was fighting against a driving wind and rain, straining with all of their might, exhausted by the physical exertion.  

And about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.  He meant to pass by them, but when they saw Him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, for they all saw Him and were terrified.  But immediately He spoke to them and said, "Take heart, it is I.  Do not be afraid."  And He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased.  And they were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.  --Mark 6:48-52

They thought that they were doing the will of God, because Jesus had commanded them to get into the boat.  Six hours later they were not even halfway there.  I'm sure they were about to give up.  Faith gave way to physical and mental exhaustion, because when they saw a human figure appearing to walk on the water right past the boat, they immediately resorted to old superstitions.  "A ghost!" they thought.  Jesus heard their terrified screams above the sounds of the storm, and exhorted them to not be afraid.  When they  pulled Him into the boat, the storms calmed.

Mark makes a little commentary there at the end, saying that their hearts were hardened, because they didn't understand the miracle of the loaves and fishes.  This could mean that God had hardened their hearts so that He could perform additional mighty works for His glory, as He had done with Pharaoh in Egypt.  I don't know why God would harden all hearts of all the disciples (later we will learn that Judas' heart was hardened because of his disbelief) if they were believers.  I believe this may mean their senses were so dulled by physical exhaustion and mental fatigue that they did not equate God's provision of food for the 5000 with His ability to save them from the storm.  Even if they did not feel they were making headway, as long as they kept doing what Jesus told them to do, they would be blessed, and their physical needs would be met--including the need for rest.

Let's look at a few lessons from the passage in conclusion.

• When Jesus asks you to do something impossible (or illogical, or even foolish), He will show up in a big way if we are obedient.
• Be like Jesus; make prayer a priority.
• When it seems like we are making no progress, Jesus sees us.
• Don't be afraid when Jesus shows up.
• Don't let fatigue steal your faith.
• Remember Jesus' prior provision, where He showed up in a mighty way in the past, and take heart.

Walter Winchell said, "A real friend is one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out."  We have no greater friend than Jesus.  Augustine said, "You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until we find our rest in You."  Jesus is a friend who can walk on water when we are adrift, and we can rest is His blessed assurance of our salvation.