Random Thoughts: Mark 2

Thoughts from Mark 2:

• One of my favorite passages of Scripture over the years (Mark 2:1-13). Have preached it often back in my pulpit days and have thought much about it. Bottom line? 4 people who willingly set aside their own need to compassionately intervene for the betterment of another. They labored. They persevered. They refused to be deterred by the initial obstacles. And in the end their faith, as expressed in action, was rewarded. All key ingredients in the recipe of true compassion. True faith will (must) find form in action, in selfless service on behalf of others.

• Forgiveness and healing… The two ends of the spectrum for the paralyzed man, i.e., what he “needed” and what he “wanted.” Jesus saw beyond his dysfunctional body to see his broken spirit. He first offered grace. Then He offered healing. Our needs are no less specific. We need reconciliation and restoration even as we long for healing and wholeness. The two broad concerns are not inseparable but intimately connected in the mind and heart of our God.
• I find it interesting that this passage begins and ends with essentially the same situation, i.e., Jesus teaching. The people were looking for miraculous intervention in their personal lives. Jesus was focused on spiritual growth. All of which begs the question. If He is so focused on teaching, am I equally concerned with learning? Even after all these decades it is crucial that I remain “teachable,” open to hearing His voice and receiving instruction and correction. The great need in my life on the “other side” of the Cross is to learn and thereby, to grow.
• New and fresh… The idea in my mind is one of remaining pliable and open to change, i.e., growth and being “stretched” in particular. In both cases there is an inherent conflict between the new and the old. Not that one is particularly bad in and of itself. The old clearly still has value. But the challenge is in attempting to intermingle the two strains successfully. They will not mix. The new will both “pull” and “push” on the old as it matures. Is there room in my heart to accommodate the new in my life? That is the real question here, I think (certainly in terms of my own personal application). Am I open to growth and to being “stretched” when and where necessary? Or have I become so fixed in my ways of thinking that growth becomes a destructive rather than a constructive process?
• Why? Why? Why? Why? 😊 4 times in this chapter the religious leaders present the “why” question to Jesus. In each instance Jesus and/or His disciples were doing something that stood in stark contrast to their understanding of custom, or more specifically, the manner in which one correctly interacted with the Divine will. I think in this case, it is incumbent upon us to be fair to them. Traditionally, we love to read malicious intent into their questions, as if they were always trying to trap Jesus in some religious snare. And while there are specific instances of that motive at work in the NT, perhaps we should also be honest about their own potential confusion. They had learned and taught a prescribed tradition as the correct means of interacting with God. They had inherited it from years and even centuries of accepted religious practice. These were the ways in their minds that someone lived if they were “holy.” And yet, Jesus repeatedly challenged their assumptions through His own behavior. Little wonder that they repeatedly asked “why.” To the degree that they were sincere in their faith, they had to be thoroughly confused. I also find it interesting that in each of these 4 instances Jesus did not rebuke but instead used the question as an opportunity to teach. He didn’t criticize or condemn. He simply spoke “truth” to their perceptions. On a personal level, I see at least three applications: (1) I should always be open to the possibility that my interpretations could well be misaligned religious customs. Just because we have always done something a certain way doesn’t mean it is either right or necessary. And it certainly doesn’t mean it should continue if wrong. (2) I should learn to exercise grace when responding to others and what I perceive to be their own ill-founded interpretations and practices. In addition to the fact that I may well be wrong in the matter, I need to maximize the opportunity as a “teaching moment” rather than a chance to prove my knowledge, etc. Just because someone disagrees that doesn’t mean they are an “enemy.” Besides, teaching truth is founded on humility not arrogance. (3) In those times when what I understand (i.e., interpret) regarding the nature of Jesus conflicts with common religious practice, I should always aim to err on the side of following His example. Again, in humility and grace. God looks at the heart. Always. If I aim to follow the still, small Voice of His spirit, even when I have completely misconstrued the message, I follow the right path.