Mark 6:53-7:13 | Session 26 | Mark Rightly Divided
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Mark 6:53-56 | Healings in Gennesaret
Verse 53 -
Jesus and the twelve traveled from the northern end of the sea southward, then to the western shore, in the "land of Gennesaret." This is a fertile plain on the Sea of Galilee known then and now for its rich farmland. Today the village of Nof Ginosar is there, with its famous ancient boat (often called the "Jesus Boat") museum, gift shop, restaurants, and kibbutz hotel.
In the book of Joshua 19:35, there's mention of a town named Chinnereth in the land of Naphtali, which is almost undoubtedly in the same region, if not the town now known as Ginosar.
Verses 54-55 -
Once again, the fame of Jesus is displayed in these verses. Not only his fame, but what he was famous for: healing. His reputation for miraculous healing had spread, drawing crowds wherever he went.
With all the fame and notoriety that Mark has testified of Jesus, it is hard to believe that he was considered to be anything less than the Messiah himself.
Verse 56 -
The Scripture lays an emphasis on the act of touching Jesus, or even the hem of his garment, for healing. The association between the physical act of touch and healing is clear. It raises questions about why the religious community has almost invariably chosen to spiritualize this physical connection between the physical body of Jesus and healing.
The incarnation of God in the human form is a physical manifestation of God, including divine power. We have observed this through miracles such as Jesus walking on water. While Jesus certainly possessed the ability to heal from a distance, there was often a "touch" factor involved in His healings. At times, healing occurred through touch alone, as in the case of the woman with a flow of blood in Mark 5:21-36. This reiterates the important connection between the physical body of Jesus and the act of healing.
I believe that Jesus possessed a physical power beyond our current scientific understanding, enabling him to heal instantaneously by touch. This concept extends beyond attributing the healing to a mere “miracle”, suggesting that God's creation, in the absence of any curse and in the presence of God, will not permit sickness or disease.
My working theory is that Jesus could cause a flow of electrons from his body, neutralizing free radicals and supplying cells with the necessary elements such as electrons and oxygen. This would allow cells to rapidly heal themselves almost instantly according to their DNA code. While this is theoretically possible, it exceeds our current scientific knowledge and practical abilities. We understand how to do this gradually, but not instantaneously. Furthermore, we will likely not have this knowledge or capability until the Lord returns.
Mark 7:1-23 | Challenging Tradition
Mark 7:1-5 | The Pharisees Challenge Jesus
Verse 1 -
It is noted that the Pharisees and certain of the scribes "came from Jerusalem," alerting the reader that the regional response to Jesus was very different. If a "table of response" was made, it would clearly be seen that Judea responded to Jesus much differently than Galilee.
Verse 2 -
Mark speaks of the Pharisees accusing the disciples of Jesus of having "defiled" hands. This phrase is interpreted by Mark as a criticism of the disciples having "unwashen" hands. Later English changed the spelling and pronunciation with the common -ed ending we have today, but the word is the same as “unwashed.”
The issue wasn't that the hands were unclean, but that the disciples hadn't followed the ceremonial handwashing ritual, a part of post-exilic rabbinical Judaism. It's even probable that this practice wasn't widespread in Galilee. However, because the disciples didn't observe the stricter Judean tradition, they were criticized. This criticism reflects the tension between adhering to the tradition of the elders and the teachings of Jesus, who challenged the Pharisees' emphasis on external rituals over the inner purity and intention of the heart.
Verse 3 -
Mark mentions that "the Pharisees, and all the Jews," followed this handwashing tradition, which might lead modern readers to believe that only the disciples failed in this "tradition of the elders." However, it's crucial to note that in the context of the New Testament, the term "Jew" is almost always a reference to "Judean." During the time the New Testament was written, there was no word for "Jew" in an ethnic or religious sense. Therefore, this tradition may not have been as universally practiced among all Jewish people as this passage might suggest.
Verse 4 -
While these traditions were written into the Mishna in the 2nd Century AD, and into the Talmud in the 4th-6th Centuries AD, what we know of Jewish traditions in the first century is only through the interpretation of Scripture, Dead Sea Scroll documents, and Josephus.
Verse 5 -
The question from the Pharisees is not out of place. Rather, in one sense, it is just a question of cultural or social behavior, “Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders…?” Knowing the frame of reference of the Pharisees, however, we know that this is much more than a question for cultural understanding, but rather an attack of sorts.
Mark 7:6-13 | Jesus’ Response: Tradition -vs- Commandment
Verses 6-7 -
Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13, adapting it to be directed to the Pharisees and their traditions.
While the wording of the last half of the verse is not identical to Isaiah, the essence of the message is consistent between the two passages. Both passages critique the substitution of human traditions for divine commands and the resulting superficial, ineffective worship.
Verse 8 -
Jesus leaves the Isaiah passage and comes directly to His message to the Pharisees: they are more interested in the “tradition of men” than the “commandment of God.”
This direct accusation does not stem solely from the question, as implied by the commentary of verse 6. It also arises from Jesus' experiences with the Pharisees, coupled with his understanding of their hearts.
Verse 9 -
Jesus continues His direct accusation, sarcastically praising the Pharisees for how skillfully they "reject the commandment of God" in order to keep their own tradition. The phrase "full well" is an adverb, describing how they reject God’s command, not suggesting that it is commendable to do so.
The Lord's characterization of the Pharisees in verses 8-9 provides an excellent summary of "pharisaical" religion.
Verses 10-12 -
Jesus provides a specific example of the accused's disregard for God's commandments, first citing the fifth commandment by merging Exodus 20:12 and 21:17. He contrasts this with the Pharisees' tradition of "Corban," a Hebrew word that Jesus translates as "a gift," specifically, a gift given to God. It appears that the Pharisees had a practice of dedicating their resources to God, which, in turn, resulted in neglect of their parents.
Despite its noble appearance, it was in clear violation of one of God's most explicit commandments.
Verse 13 -
Summarizing his thoughts, Jesus claims that the Pharisees make the Word of God void through their teaching.
It's noteworthy that Jesus referred to the Torah as "the word of God." During the era of German rationalism, such a stance was outrightly rejected. This rationalism led to religious liberalism and, even more detrimentally, to the tradition of the Critical Text.
