The Galilee ministry; Part 2
Written by Rev'd John Poole | Mar 12th, 2021
A Walk with Jesus through the Gospel of Mark. (Read or Watch the Video above)
Week 4: The Galilee ministry, part 2: Parables and events that give cause to wonder
At the beginning of the Gospel of Mark, John the Baptizer is introduced as a fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy: ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way. A voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare a way for the Lord, make his paths straight.’ (from Malachi 3: 1 and Isaiah 40: 3)
There are two major themes in these chapters: Jesus the teacher, and Jesus the performer of mighty deeds, which we usually call miracles. A miracle is a word which literally means ‘cause to wonder.’
Jesus taught his disciples and the crowds who flocked to hear him using a form of story known as parable. Although a parable is a made-up story, it means an account that is ‘thrown alongside’ an actual event or experience, usually something the hearers can identify with from their own lives. The parable has a meaning and a moral which enables the hearers to see something they might not otherwise see. There is little doubt that the parables recorded in the Gospels were remembered and eventually written down because they were repeated often. Jesus, as an itinerant teacher probably used a story many times, perhaps in longer or shorter versions and with variations, and what we have is probably the general gist and essential message. Parables would initiate thought, imagination, invite the listeners into the story, and provoke questions and debate. Parables would be surprising, even shocking some or all of the audience sometimes. For example, the parables of the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son recorded in the Gospel of Luke would have been extremely challenging to many in view of the religious and social sensitivities and boundaries of the time.
Mark reports that Jesus journeyed from Nazareth to where John was baptizing in the Jordan, a little to the north of where the river meets the Dead Sea. It would have been a journey of about 100 miles on foot. It is hardly likely that Jesus walked there to be baptized straightaway. ‘Mark’s account suggests that Jesus’ decision to be baptized indicates an acceptance of John’s call to repentance and an identification with John’s message and vision.’¹ It is widely thought in scholarly circles that before his baptism, Jesus spent time in John’s community and even may have been one of his disciples. The evangelists writing as they were long after the event and in the knowledge of Jesus’ true identity obviously found such a possibility difficult to articulate, and even embarrassing. The superiority of Jesus over John right from the start is something they felt necessary to stress, but Mark alone is silent on the matter. With him there is no hint of a ‘rank issue’ between John and Jesus.
The parables are not usually explained; they are left to the people to work out the meaning for themselves, but Mark records that Jesus explained them to his disciples when they were alone together. The disciples’ frequent lack of understanding (and faith!) is a feature of the Gospel. The first parable recorded by Mark is the familiar Parable of the Sower or Soil. It explains why only a relatively few people are able fully to respond to the message of the kingdom of God. The parable prompts the hearers and readers to consider: ‘What kind of ‘soil’ are we? How well rooted or shallow has our faith become? Is it possible to become a different kind of ‘soil,’ one that yields a harvest in terms of faith?
After relating a number of different parables about the kingdom of God, we read that Jesus crossed the lake (the Sea of Galilee) with his disciples. On the way we have an account of the first of a number of ‘nature miracles.’ A storm suddenly erupts, and the disciples are frightened but Jesus remains asleep. Having crossed the Sea of Galilee by boat several times I can certainly attest to the speed in which a squall or storm can arise. It happened on one occasion and most of the people on our boat got a thorough soaking as well as feeling quite scared. But the storm subsided as quickly as it came. Like the captain of our fairly robust vessel, did Jesus simply understand that the storm was normal and would be brief, and so was able to reassure the disciples. As there were fisherman among them who would known the lake and its habits well. So their fear seems surprising.
With this story, it would be useful to look at a further incident on the lake (see Chapter 6: 45 – 52). We read that having been delayed, Jesus walked over the water to catch up with his disciples in the boat. Is there more going on here than a straightforward and remarkable story of the human Jesus performing spectacular works over nature?
If the parables of Jesus are not about factual events but nevertheless provide true stories, perhaps we can also discover the meaning of these nature miracles as lying beyond or deeper that what appears on the surface. Or, to put it another way, whatever we may believe actually happened, let us move on to think about what the stories mean.
In the Hebrew Bible the sea, as well as being a huge body of water, is a symbol of power and fear. It is sometimes associated with evil; it is the place of monsters (for example, see Isaiah 51 and Daniel 7). The sea could be destructive to life. But God is shown as having power over the sea (for example, see Psalm 107). In the Exodus story God parts the sea so the Israelites can pass through safely, then immediately sends the waters back to engulf the pursuing Egyptian army.
Jesus then called his hearers to ‘believe’ (to commit to, to love, to live by) the good news of God, and God’s vision of a very different kind of life and world than the one we have now. Mark’s introduction or prelude concludes with Jesus calling his first disciples to ‘follow me,’ to learn and grow to live by his vision of how God wills that life should be for humanity, and for these disciples to be ‘fishers of people,’ who draw others to this good news of God.
The language of parable or metaphor is also involved as we reach the next scene, following the crossing of the lake. Jesus heals another man with an evil spirit, but there is more going on here. The presence of pigs suggests that Jesus and his disciples have arrived in Gentile territory. The Gerasene demoniac, as he is called, is possessed by ‘an unclean spirit’ and he lives in close proximity to corpses and tombs, all indicating a person and a place that are ‘impure,’ a definite no-go area for Jews. But this is not, and never is, an obstacle for the healing, saving work of Jesus. A further meaning to the story is suggested by the name of the demoniac, ‘Legion.’ A legion was a large Roman military unit. It is possible that the demoniac is being presented here as a symbol of the impure and pagan power that ruled the Jewish homeland. If this is the case, the casting out of the demons into a herd of pigs that then rush headlong into the lake could be a sign, a declaration that the kingdom of God, a kingdom of love and peace will in due course overcome and replace the violent power of Rome, and indeed of all the unjust kingdoms and empires of this world. The casting out of Legion becomes a sign of the path of liberation that brings about the healing and transformation of the individual and of the whole world. This is certainly an interpretation of the story which has as much impact for us today as it would have in the time of Jesus.
This story in chapter 5 is followed by an account of Jesus healing two females, the twelve- year-old daughter of Jairus, a local synagogue leader, and a woman who had suffered with a non-specified flow of blood for twelve years. The one story is sandwiched in the other. While Jesus is on his way to the home of Jairus, the woman in the crowd reaches out to touch his clothes in the faith that she would be healed. Jesus is aware of her touch and declares to her that her faith has saved her, and he tells her to go in peace and be free of her sickness.
Like the Gerasene demoniac, the woman’s condition made her ritually ‘unclean’ and socially isolated. Impurity was not considered a sin and it was sometimes unavoidable, as in menstruation, sexual relations, the burying of the dead or even stepping on a grave. But it was regarded as contagious. Both stories show Jesus also being made impure by his physical contact with the sufferers, but in healing them he breaks down this imposed social and religious barrier. And if Jairus’ daughter was actually dead, rather than sleeping or in a coma as Jesus describes it, he would again be officially subject to the condition of impurity, but yet again he shows his mastery over it. As far as the family and the crowd are concerned, he has brought a dead child back to life.
From the story of the stilling of the storm on the lake to the healing or raising of Jairus’ daughter we find two major themes. Firstly, the importance of faith and confidence in Jesus and his power to heal and save. The faith of Jairus and of the woman with the flow of blood is shown in contrast to the fear and lack of faith of the disciples on the stormy lake. Secondly, there is the clear message of the power and authority of Jesus over forces that are opposed to God. He rebukes and silences the destructive power of waters and demons; his rule is greater than whatever ‘Legion’ represents; he has power over impurity, a complete disregard for such alienating prohibitions due to the religious mentality of the time. He even has power over death, and the power to awaken living people to new life. We have now covered the central themes of the whole Gospel and we will meet them again as we continue.
Some Questions to ponder and pray about (there may be others!):
- Parables have many layers of meaning. How do these stories continue to speak to you today? Can you think of a modern-day parable that calls into question accepted norms?
- How does the metaphorical meaning of ‘the sea’ as outlined here enhance or challenge your understanding of the stories recorded by Mark? What are the storms in your own life, and how has your faith in Jesus calmed them?
- What do the stories of the healing of the woman with the flow of blood and the raising of Jairus’ daughter tell us about faith? What part does your faith play during sickness (your own or of someone close to you) and in living through the current pandemic?