It is critical to realize Jesus was a fulfillment of ancient prophecies. Mark's Roman audience was familiar with Eastern Mystical religions, and would recognize the importance of predictive prophecies. In this case, even the royal herald was prophesied. John the Baptist is described in terms anyone could see made him a man who had nothing to gain by selling snake oil. He was an ascetic, a man focused on principles, not on material gain. He was the messenger come to declare the approach of one far more important than himself. His message was of repentance, symbolized by ritual washing. Huge crowds went out to this man because his message found traction with the people. They came confessing their sins. He warned those who might be phony in their confession. Water wasn't much of a challenge, but passing through the cleansing fire of God's holiness would search the very hearts and souls of men; from Him nothing could be hidden.
To show His support for this message, Jesus traveled the long distance from Galilee to participate in the ritual washing of John. This was in obedience to His Father's command. Thus, upon coming up from the water, a powerful omen appeared: an opening between this world and the Spirit Realm permitted the Holy Spirit of God to appear, descending upon Jesus like a dove. The Voice of Heaven itself proclaimed Jesus His beloved Son. Further, the Voice proclaimed He was pleased with the obedient choice the Son made. Then the same Spirit commanded Jesus go out into the wilderness and fast, to pass one more test of His fitness. He faced a hostile environment. Not only was the place forbidding, but so were the creatures haunting the place. Worst of all, He faced Satan, the enemy of God. After passing His temptations, Jesus was served by angels from God. Could there be any doubt the authority of this Jesus?
The imprisonment of John the Baptist hardly intimidated Jesus. Returning to Galilee, Jesus began preaching the same message, and more. He announced the time of the Kingdom had come, that a change was demanded of the world. Those who refused to turn and embrace this Kingdom would face the wrath of God.
The ancient heart of Galilean economics was the sea. It was a massive fresh water lake, drawing thousands yearly to the shore for recreation and for livelihood. As one might expect, the Lord found fishermen there. He chose His first disciples from those fishermen: Peter and Andrew, and James and John, fraternal pairs. Upon His first calling to them, they left their worldly pursuits and followed Him. His challenge would be they could fish for souls of men. Whatever it might have cost the family business, this business of the Kingdom was far more important.
In His travels around Galilee, Jesus went into the synagogue at Capernaum. When He was permitted to teach, He spoke in manner wholly unaccustomed to His audience. Instead of quoting dozens of previous teachers, He spoke from His own authority. His native expertise in the material was all too obvious. The Romans had seen enough Jewish rabbis to be familiar with how shocking this would be. To back up His claims to authority, Jesus faced down a challenge from someone there who was quite obviously demonized. Speaking through the man, the demon begged Jesus to leave. The demons were afraid, for they knew Him to be the anointed One of God, with authority to destroy them. With but a word, Jesus dispatched the demon. This demonstration of authority in their sacred meeting place was beyond their experience, and their traditions offered no explanation. Thus, His fame spread quickly in that region.
Jesus' authority extended over all things on earth. When the stopped by Peter's home, the five men found Peter's mother-in-law ill. Upon hearing about it, Jesus went to her bed and healed her. So completely was her recovery she immediately resumed her domestic duties. This power of Jesus was inexhaustible. As the Sabbath came to a close at sundown, people from the whole city brought their sick and demonized relatives to Jesus for healing. Because the demons were not fit to acknowledge Him, He ordered them silent.
An austere man, Jesus rose before dawn to commune with His Father in prayer. His four followers searched until they found Him out away from all human habitation. They asked if He would continue helping the people in Capernaum. But He had no plans to confine His ministry to such a small scale. Instead, He told them He had been out in prayer, preparing to take His message into all the cities and towns in Galilee. It was already time to be going. Thus, He preached in the synagogues of that whole region, demonstrating His authority, particularly by dispossessing demons.
Yet by no means was His authority a challenge to the established Covenant of Moses. His message and authority was clearly in line with that ancient Law. At one point, a leper knelt before Him. Rather than order the man to leave, as most Jews would, Jesus allowed the man to plead for healing. This man clearly knew the Lord's authority. Jesus exercised that authority gladly on the man's behalf, and the leprosy disappeared. In obedience to Moses, Jesus instructed the man to obey the Law regarding cleansing from leprosy, and that he do so right away. For joy at his salvation, the man failed to obey, and broadcast his story to everyone. The resulting news of someone having power over even leprosy, a message spread by a well known former victim of that disease showing to all and sundry his obvious proof of healing, caused a commotion in the region. From then on, Jesus had to stay outside the towns and cities. So dense and large were the crowds coming to Him, there was no way to accommodate them without disrupting daily life and having people hurt in the rush of the mobs coming from all directions.
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By Ed Hurst
09 February 2008
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