for the most part, mark 6 is a continuation of recounting the miracles of jesus. the chapter opens with jesus visiting his home town of nazareth. here is resented by the people of the town. they think he is putting on airs, that he has forgotten his roots. they remember him as a carpenter, a member of a local family, some of whom are still there. mark says that jesus "could do no deed of power there" except for curing a few sick people, because the townspeople "took offense at him." several questions arise from this: what other deeds of power might he have performed there? the principal "deeds of power" that mark has mentioned so far in his gospel is healing the sick. the only other such acts that mark has described to this point in the narrative is the quieting of the storm in mark 4 and the resurrection of jairus' daughter in mark 5. if jesus is God incarnate, why would his ability to perform miracles be dependent on his acceptance by the people of nazareth? when jarius' daughter was raised from her deathbed, the house was filled with doubters and that didn't prevent jesus from acting. when he stilled the storm, the disciples lacked faith in his ability.
leaving nazareth, jesus sends his discples out in pairs to heal and proclaim the people's need to repent. he tells them "to to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in their belts, but to wear sandals and not to put on two tunics." additionally he instructs them that "wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the place. if any place will not welcome you and they refuse to hear you, as you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.” there is no explanation of jesus' intentions in sending the disciples out in this way, nor does mark explain the negative tone of jesus' instructions regarding those who will not welcome or listen to the message of jesus' disciples. does jesus feel no compassion for those who are wary of these itinerant preachers who come to them as beggars? didn't his earlier parable of the sower suggest that the seed of his message needed time to take root in order to flourish?
when the disciples return from their preaching/healing mission, jesus suggests that they "come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” crowds anticipate their arrival as the disciples and jesus come ashore from their boat, and they flock to jesus. seeing that the people "were like sheep without a shepherd," jesus teaches them "many things." the disciples are concerned that the people are far from home and need food, so they encourage jesus to send them away to seek food in the surrounding villages. jesus says to the disciples, "you give them something to eat.” the disciples ask where they are going to find the money to feed such a large crowd, and jesus asks, "how many loaves have you" and tells the to "go and see." only five loaves of bread and two fish are found, but, after jesus blesses the food, there is enough to feed everyone with twelve baskets left over. mark says that "five thousand men" were fed. how could jesus address that many people at once? how could all have heard him? why weren't the people awestruck as they watched a few loads of bread and a couple of fish multiply before their eyes? mark mentions no reaction from the crowd at such a miracle. did the twelve baskets for the remaining food just appear when they were needed?
at the end of the day, jesus sends his disciples away in the boat. as the disciples row the boat against the wind, they see a figure walking towards them on the water and are terrified, believing that they are seeing a ghost. jesus says, "take heart, it is i; do not be afraid.” to the astonishment of the disciples, jesus climbs into the boat and continues on with them. if the doubt of others prevents jesus from performing miracles in nazareth, how is this miracle possible? mark refers back to the miracle of the loaves, saying that the hearts of the disciples "were hardened," thereby preventing their understanding of the earlier miracle. what does jesus walking on the sea have to do with the feeding of the five thousand? what is mark suggesting by saying the disciples' hearts were hardened? are they great doubters like the people of nazareth?
the chapter closes with jesus and the disciples landing at gennesaret, where they are mobbed by people seeking cures from jesus. as jesus continues traveling from village to village, people bring the sick, and, mark says that all who as much as touched the fringe of jesus' garments are healed, as the woman in mark 5 was healed earlier.
the continuing descriptions of the miracles of jesus give us few clues about the man behind these miracles. for the most part, one sees a compassionate man who is regarded more highly for his healing than his teaching. jesus shows concern for the disciples, as he encourages them to come with him to rest after their mission of teaching and healing, and as he reassures them after they are frightened when he walks to them on the sea. he feels concern for the people who come to him, despite his desire for time to rest with his disciples, and he never turns away anyone who comes to him for healing.
mark's emphasis on the miracles may have been intended to bolster the belief that jesus was more than a mortal man, that he deserves to be worshiped as a god. i wish that mark had spent as many words telling his readers what jesus taught the crowd of "five thousand men" as he did recounting the miracle of the loaves and fish. if compassion for them prompted him to teach them, did he encourage them to show others the same compassion? did he tell them that even their enemies and oppressors were people deserving their love?
may we continue to seek the whole man that jesus was, not just the miracle worker. may we take the miracles for what they were, attempts to transform a charismatic roving teacher into a god. may we, like jesus, have compassion for those around us. shalom.
No comments:
Post a Comment