Introduction
This week we get an all-encompassing transition scene. This is between two powerful moments, the exorcising of a demon and the healing of a man with leprosy, two circumstances that radically pushed people away from God and community at this time. So, in this transition, Jesus heals Peter’s mother-in-law (so yes, Peter is married and that means Peter has left his family to follow Jesus), he heals and exorcizes many in the community who are brought to him, and finally he retreats away for some time for himself. So, what do we do with this transition scene? I think there are few interesting pieces that could lead us into some preaching possibilities.
Hometown Peter – Journey Away
While we know that Jesus calls Simon (Peter), Andrew, James and John, we haven’t heard all that much about them. Where are they from? Do they have any family (outside of Zebedee)? Are they married with kids? But in this introductory scene, we hear that Jesus heals Simon’s (Peter) mother-in-law. And so, we can presume to know that they are still in Simon and Andrew’s hometown. We now know that Simon is/was married and cares for his mother-in-law. This is the first place that they go. Whether Jesus took the four disciples to Capernaum or Simon and Andrew encouraged it, the very first place they go is the hometown of at least two of his disciples. And it is meaningful that Jesus immediately heals Simon’s mother-in-law, taking care of those closest to him. Maybe this eases any extreme guilt that Simon would have felt in leaving his home.
Now the Greek is vague here in verse 32, “they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons.” It could just mean that “people” from around town brought them. And from the verse 30 above, “and they told him about her at once,” has the same vagueness. It could be the people of the town. I’m inclined to think that both of these ‘they’s’ seem to be referring to the four disciples: Simon, Andrew, James, and John. They now this town. They live in this town. Why wouldn’t they be the ones showing Jesus around and bringing everyone to him. I think it would be a great narrative image if the four are now going around and gathering every person who they know/remember is sick or in need. Knowing their hometown, seeing Jesus in action with the fist demon and with Simon’s mother-in-law, they are now excitedly and frantically going around the whole village and getting everyone and bringing them to Jesus. Mark uses ‘city’, but it would not have been that large. That being said, Mark is exaggerating to explain the quantity of healings that Jesus is performing. One after another after another. Narratively we could dream a little here. Maybe it started with the sickest and those possessed but then started to move to those who have chronic back pain, those who have broken a finger or toe, those who have a nagging cough, or those who have arthritis and tendonitis. Everyone is being brought to him. Even the Son of God might get tired from these four bringing every single person in the town to him.
This is important because Jesus needs to take some time away that next morning. After so much the day before, he just needs a moment to himself to pray. But Simon and the others “hunt” for him. They try to track him down. Afterall, they were called to fish for people, and now the people are fishing for Jesus. Everyone in the town is searching for him. And Simon and the others, being from this town, are trying to bring him back so they can see him again.
But Jesus responds, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” This is a big moment. We don’t hear how Simon and the others take this information. We only get Simon Peter’s statement later on of “Look, we have left everything and followed you” (10:28). First, they drop their nets. Now they are leaving everything, including their families. But again, when you hear the authority and calling of Jesus, there is no response other than to “Go” in Mark. And so, they go. Leaving everything behind.
The Worst kept Messianic Secret
This is one of those weeks where folks may ask, why does Jesus tell people to keep quiet? Why wouldn’t he want people to know who he is?
Scholarship is all over the map on this. Some scholars hate the Messianic Secret title altogether because it’s so misleading. But I think Eduard Schweizer has a good write-up of it. Schweizer begins by talking about in the Old Testament, New Testament, in the Qumran community, there is often a mysterious aspect attributed to God. He writes, “The people from Qumran as well as Paul and his followers know that God’s activity can never be comprehended fully in words, but can be understood only as a miracle which, in the final analysis, cannot be grasped by the human mind.”[1]
He goes on to say,
“Mark, to be sure, wants to say more than this. He makes no sharp distinction between those who are in on this secret and those who stand outside, as is done in all these passages. Even the disciples themselves prove to be blind (cf. 8:17-21). To Mark it is significant that Jesus’ command to be silent is broken again and again (1:45; 7:36; cf. 5:20; 7:24), because the authority of Jesus is actually the authority of God and therefore it cannot remain hidden. Ultimately, the declaration of the demons (3:11) or that of Pater (8:29), or even of God (9:7), is not wrong or unsatisfactory in any way. Why, then, the secrecy? Mark’s answer is that the time for proclamation has not come, since the secret of Jesus will become really apparent only on the cross, and on must follow him in the way of the cross to be able to really understand it (see 8:34). For this reason, the proclamation of the demons, the healed, or even the disciples, however exact it may be, can only do harm until Jesus’ path to the cross makes it possible for [people] to follow and even makes that an irrevocable requirement.”[2]
What I love about the first part of this quote is it helps illustrate the absurdity of the attempt. What Jesus is doing is miraculous. The authority with which Jesus commands is entrancing. And it again sends us into the cosmic nature of Mark. Nothing can contain the authority and captivating nature of God. Not a command. And not even being in human form. The Good News of God must get out to the world. However, the second part of this is critical. If we only focused on the miracles, the exorcisms, the healings, then we miss to importance of where all of this is really heading. Where we as disciples are called to follow: the cross. All of this means little without the ending of this story. To know Jesus is not just to know him in this place. To know Jesus is to bear witness to him on the cross.
Preaching Possibilities
Drop Everything and Go
Similarly to what we preached about dropping the nets two weeks ago, I don’t think we need to drop everything in our lives (jobs, family, friends) to be disciples of Jesus. But I do think that we sometimes see ministry in the silo of our hometown and comfort zones. We can always find the next thing that has to keep us where we are. We can always find a reason to stay in our respective circles. But sometimes, what we’ve done is enough. Our voice and callings could be more beneficial elsewhere.
I think as pastors, we can see that very clearly in our calls to congregations and organizations. But what does it mean for our people in the pews? Is it time to step away from one committee and serve another? It is time for the church to move on or move focus away from one community partner towards a wider lens? Is it time for the church to consider who it is trying to attract versus the people that are actually in the community? Is it time to revisit the Mission and Vision and see where Jesus is calling us for this time?
We can always find more things to do that we are already doing. We can always “work more on ourselves before we can help and serve others.” But what can we learn from Jesus here when people are searching for him but instead, he moves on?
Messianic Secret
There will be plenty other texts to preach on this this year. But if the above isn’t resonating, here are a couple questions to ponder.
What does it mean for us to really only know Jesus in the midst of the cross?
What does it mean that we cannot contain or even fully understand all of who Jesus/God is?
What does it mean if we feel more comfortable with the Jesus of miracles than Jesus of the cross?
[1] Eduard Schweizer, The Good News According to Mark, 55.
[2] Schweizer, 55-56.
Micah Krey 
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