June 19-25, 2022

Compiled by Dr. "Joey" Alan Le, Ph.D.

The Man with a Withered Hand

How do vv. 1-6 reveal Jesus’s priorities? Was Jesus right or wrong to heal this man on the Sabbath? Explain.

v2 They watched him to see whether he would cure him on the sabbath, so that they might accuse him.

Ironically, the Pharisees did not doubt Jesus’ power to heal. They were only interested on whether he would heal on the Sabbath, which would undermine their own teaching authority (Smith 2007, 85).

v3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.”

Jesus could have easily ignored the man with the withered hand. Or he could have healed the man in privacy. Why did Jesus decide to heal the man in public view of the religious leaders? Why would Jesus undertake this healing, knowing the trouble it was cause for himself? Jesus’ aim was to confront their notion of how to be properly religious: Is God for health or for death? If God is for health, how can God condemn the healing of a sick person even on a holy day? (Garland 1996, 115-116) Which is more important, rules or people?

v4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the sabbath, to save life or to kill?”

What makes Christians unique from non-Christians? Christians should not distinguish themselves from non-Christians by how they refrain from working on the Sabbath. Rather, Christians should stand out by their good deeds. Treating the Sabbath as holy means doing good for others (Garland 1996, 124). To refrain from doing good is to abet evil and to pick death over life (Garland 1996, 108). If we ignore injustice, oppression, and suffering, we are complicit in its continued existence. Jesus is angry over the perpetuation of suffering and the lack of compassion. How do you try to good in your life? How do you actively confront evil and death?

v5 He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart

“Hardness of heart” here means “stubborn unwillingness to learn, closed mind” (Louw and Nida 1996, 332). They were unwilling to see and celebrate what God was doing in front of them (Wright 2004, 30). How have you seen this hardness of heart play out in your life?

Why was Jesus angry? Isn’t it wrong to be angry? God meant for Israel to be a blessing to the nations (Gen 22:18). But the Jewish leaders of his time abandoned that mandate in favor of fierce and exclusive nationalism. Instead of being a light and blessing, they lorded their superiority over others (Wright 2004, 30). Their piety ignored people’s pain.

v6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

Truth upsets people (Perkins 1995, 560). When Jesus performs a miracle, some people have faith; other people are offended (Twelftree 1999, 66). Why does the truth upset people sometimes?

Jesus’ mission involves shaking up the strongly held religious and social convictions of his time (Perkins 1995, 560). Why do God’s ways so often conflict with human convictions?

The Pharisees are too self-interested to see that Jesus does not break God’s laws. If God were not in support of Jesus, Jesus would not have been able to do or say any of the things he did or said. Ironically, they want Jesus to not save life on the sabbath, and they themselves plot to kill on the sabbath (Garland 1996, 109). Can you create a “rule of thumb” by which to know if you are on God’s side or against him?

The Herodians supported Herod Antipas, and eventually arrested and beheaded John the Baptist. They sought to maintain the social and political status quo and used religion to prop up their power. Neither the Herodians nor the Pharisees wanted the truth; they simply wanted to maintain their power, and so plotted behind the scenes to eliminate anyone who would threaten their dominance (Garland 1996, 109). Is power, in itself, bad? Why should Christians resist the temptation to hoard social and political power?

Jesus Appoints the Twelve

v13 He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him.

Why is it significant that Jesus “went up the mountain” to appoint his apostles? Mountains held particular significance as places of prayer (Mk 6:46) and divine revelation (Mk 9:2; 9) (Perkins 1995, 561-562).

Jesus attracted a huge following. Some people only wanted his healing. Others just wanted to see a spectacle. Now, Jesus thins out the crowd, selecting “those whom he wanted.” He was looking for disciples who would serve him and his mission (Garland 1996, 128). What made you follow Jesus in the first place, and what keep you going?

v14 And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message,

This group represents the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus has come to restore Israel. The apostles’ mission makes the kingdom of God present as effective as Jesus’ ministry (Perkins 1995, 562).

The Gospel of Matthew ends with Jesus’ promise to be with the disciples. In contrast, Mark stresses the disciples’ task to be with Jesus. What does it mean “to be with” Jesus? There’s a difference between hanging around Jesus and truly being with him. We must follow wherever he leads, share the toil of his ministry, the harassment of the crowds, and suffer the Cross (Garland 1996, 129). How has following Jesus impacted your personal life? Where has he taken you?

Jesus’ followers do not merely receive his power; they are to become channels by which he touches others. God requires human cooperation to touch, enlighten, and heal others. Christian service extends Jesus’ work of preaching and casting out demons. Our companionship with Jesus flows to service that benefits others (Garland 1996, 129). How has God gifted you to bless others?

v15 and to have authority to cast out demons.

Jesus gives his disciples authority over evil. He sends his disciples out to tackle evil that is larger than personal evil. He wants them to deliver people from whatever enslaves them (Garland 1996, 142). In what ways have you see Christians confront evil that is larger than personal evil? The church is still empowered to exorcise the demons of nationalism, bigotry, intolerance, parochialism, chauvinism, racism, and sexism—all the prejudices that imprison humankind and impel them to devote themselves to inflicting pain on others (Garland 1996, 144). What prejudices are at play in your life and neighborhood? The work of social justice nowadays is about confronting structural, systemic evil. It is not enough to merely tackle private, individual sin/evil. We also must address how victims are sucked into the demonic system of domination and oppression, and work towards God’s liberation. How might systemic, structural evil be related to the demonic?

v19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Then he went home;

We do not know why Judas Iscariot joined Jesus’ group. Perhaps he was attracted to the spectacle, or to the exciting prospect of having authority over demons. Judas eventually deserted Jesus and his ethic of vulnerable love and sided with those who rule by brute force (Mk 14) (Garland 1996, 138). What do you learn about Christian discipleship from Judas Iscariot’s story?

The True Kindred of Jesus

v34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!

Neither Jesus nor any of his followers belong among the powerful of their society. Jesus does not have the religious credentials of the scribes and Pharisees. He lacks any ties to the powerful aristocrats associated with the king. Instead, Jesus draws on the proverbial wisdom and religious instincts of very ordinary persons. Every day, normal peasants learn their own value in the sight of God. They may understand God and his will more than experts (Perkins 1995, 567). What does Jesus’ social status and the status of his companions reveal about God’s values?

v35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus rejects the exclusiveness and selfishness that is often whipped up by biological bonds. Even strangers can be family when there are committed to God (Garland 1996, 140). The goal for Christians is to love everyone like they are part of God’s family…because they are. How close are you to seeing every human person as a sibling?

It's not that Jesus believes family is unimportant. Mark’s readers likely experienced persecution from their families. Sometimes, following Jesus involves abandoning one’s natural family for a new, larger family. The blood of Christ takes precedence over family blood. If doing the will of God involves the incomprehension and even the hostility of one’s own family, as it did for Jesus, then it is a price worth paying (France 2009, 178). Why is God worth losing one’s family?