Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“He is the one who alone stretches out the heavens and who tramples on the waves of the sea.” (Job 9:8)

“Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your footprints were not seen” (Psalm 77:19)

Chapter five shows why the devil might have wanted to prevent Jesus from arriving in the region of the Gadarenes by taking advantage of a natural storm (Mark 4). Here Jesus encounters a man possessed by many evil spirits. Though Jesus seeks to speak to the man, the demons won’t shut up. They know Jesus is going to heal the man because Jesus ALWAYS healed those who wanted to receive healing. They ask to be cast into some pigs instead of out of the region, where they felt they had some claim. Jesus gave them permission and they went into them. The pigs, showing more sense than people, rebelled against the possession and drowned themselves. The man was free and clear. The people who witnessed the pigs’ suicide and witnessed the man who had been a terror to the area now docile and in his right mind, spread the story and the locals begged Jesus to leave. Jesus agreed – He respects our decisions made in free will – and the man begged to come with Jesus. But Jesus asked him to stay and witness of all God had done for him.

Arriving back, Jesus is immediately accosted by a local ruler of the synagogue – this is in Capernaum where Jesus’ home was and the home of Peter and Andrew, so this ruler would be well-known to them. The ruler (Jairus) had a twelve-year old daughter who was dying. He asked Jesus to come and heal her – he had total trust that if Jesus got into the same room as his daughter, his daughter would be well. He was risking everything (Pharisees were excommunicating those who claimed to follow Jesus) for his daughter. Jesus agreed and off they went, the crowd following them. In that crowd was a woman who should not have been there. She had suffered from an ‘issue of blood’ for twelve years. If she was bleeding, she was ceremonially unclean and so was anyone who touched her. The crowd was packed and jostling. She could have been stoned for being there and not declaring her ritual uncleanliness. But she had suffered for twelve years, spent tons of money, and no doctors could help her. She was convinced that if she touched the hem of His garment, she would receive healing – this was the same thing people had been doing back in Mark 3:7-10. She had heard about it, thought about it, and spoken out her trust in that report of His power. Now she was acting on it. She touched Him and she was IMMEDIATELY healed – Holy Spirit responds to trust in Jesus. Jesus wasn’t even involved. He didn’t know who touched Him. Neither did anyone else. Even though she was terrified, she answered His repeated questions and told Him the whole story. It must have taken some time.

Meanwhile, Jairus was commendably not saying anything. He was fine because he trusted that when they got there Jesus WOULD heal his girl. But servants came up and said she was dead. They told him not to bother Jesus anymore, because it was pointless. Before Jairus could say anything, Jesus turned to him and told him to KEEP TRUSTING. They went to the house and mourning was already in full swing. Jesus loudly told them the girl was not dead, only resting. They laughed in His face. But He stood firm on that. He went into the house and kicked everyone out except the parents and went into the room where the girl was lying. He took her hand and told her to wake up. She did. She not only opened her eyes, but she stood up and walked around. Jesus told them to give her something to eat. He also strictly told them not to publish the miracle widely. To keep it to themselves. Again, Jesus wanted the focus on the TEACHING, not the MIRACLES themselves.

Chapter 6 shows Jesus returning to Nazareth. They’d heard all about Him. The hometown son was famous. But when He taught them, they couldn’t understand the teaching. They couldn’t get rid of their memories of Him as a child – like every other child. They could not SEE Him as who He really was and they rejected His teaching. Because THEY would not trust, JESUS could NOT do miracles. Their unbelief limited Him (Psalm 78:41). Next, Jesus sent out the Twelve, empowered to teach, preach, and perform miracles. They went and did it – including Judas. Next is the account of the death of John the Baptist. Manipulated by his wife, who was ticked because John pointed out she and Herod were committing an abomination according to the Law (Leviticus 20:21), king Herod had John beheaded.

When the disciples returned from their missionary journey, they told Jesus about everything that had happened. He took them to a remote place for privacy to hear it all, but the crowds followed. Jesus saw the people, like sheep without a shepherd wandering around, and He had compassion on them. He taught them many things. It got late. There were no nearby villages and five thousand men there (not counting wives, women, or children – so possibly more than ten thousand humans). Jesus had them all sit in the grass (Psalm 23:1-2). He took what they had, was grateful for it, thanked God for it, and blessed it. Then they fed all the people until they were full AND gathered up twelve baskets of leftovers. Jesus told His disciples to go over tot her other side of the lake to Bathsaida (in the same way He had told them to go preach, teach, and perform miracles). They went and Jesus climbed a mountain to pray. A storm came up, and the devil again took advantage of it. The disciples didn’t hold to what they had been told. They didn’t stand on what Jesus’ had said. They didn’t take the authority He had given them that they had previously used and command anything to get in line with Jesus’ words. They panicked, struggled, and were in real trouble.

Jesus could see this from where He was, and He started across the water to Bethsaida. He was showing them what they should be doing: going to where they had been told to go. In fact, Mark 6:48 tells us that He would have passed by them without stopping, but they saw Him and thought He was a ghost – only GOD could walk on waters (Job 9:8; Psalm 77:19). They panicked. They cried out. Jesus IMMEDIATELY spoke to them – He was close enough to speak loudly to them – and said I AM, don’t be afraid. Then He came and got into the boat. The storm immediately stopped. Remember, this is PETER’s account and he doesn’t mention walking on the water. Peter walking on water wasn’t the big lesson in Peter’s eyes. JESUS walking on the water WAS. For Peter, the lesson they had NOT learned from the loaves being multiplied to feed the thousands of people was the important thing. Why? “And he went up with them into the boat, and the wind abated. And they were extraordinarily astounded within themselves, because they did not understand concerning the loaves, but their hearts were hardened” (Mark 6:51-52). THAT was the big lesson. Jesus was demonstrating that HE WAS GOD. Jesus had demonstrated that the power of God was available to those who acted in accordance with His will and His character. Their needs – hunger or physical protection – COULD be met by God through the authority He gave to believers, but they had hardened their hearts to it. THAT was the lesson Peter saw that night.

When they got to Bethsaida, they were greeted by CROWDS of people in this, the Gadarene region. Why the difference from the last time when they were begged to leave? The man who had been witnessing about Jesus. He had done such a good job, their hearts were HUNGRY for Jesus. Jesus went through the countryside and through villages. Wherever He went they brought their sick to be healed and begged Him to touch them. He did and He healed many. But again, the people’s focus was on the physical. It does not say that many were eager for His teaching. But Jesus met them where their trust was. Not one was turned away. “And wherever he would go, into villages or into towns or to farms, they would put those who were sick in the marketplaces and would implore him that if they could touch even the edge of his cloak. And all those who touched it were healed” (Mark 6:56).

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Disciples, Pharisees, Jews

Key Verse(s): Mark 5:37-43; 6:45-52