Sunday, 3 Jan 2021, TGBC, Mark 1:21-45

For me, Sundays will be interesting days of our Epiphany 2021 The Good Book Club study of Mark, because there’s double-up with preparations for Sunday School class. What I do for TGBC is as if we’re having Sunday School every morning, an hour of discussion.

That’s what this, Day Three, will be as well.

We have a great passage to close out Mark Chapter One: Mark 1:21-45. It’s about half the chapter, and it’s several different stories, or traditions, or pericopes, each one wanting comment.

Before I get into how I enjoy reading and discussing it (which is not and may never be a devotional style, but more an elementary seminar Mark-101 examine of Mark himself/itself), here it is in the popular (and authorized by the Episcopal Church) New International Version of today's passage.

Mark 1:21-45

New International Version

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit

21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an impure spirit cried out, 24 “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

25 “Be quiet!” said Jesus sternly. “Come out of him!” 26 The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.

27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, “What is this? A new teaching—and with authority! He even gives orders to impure spirits and they obey him.” 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee.

Jesus Heals Many

29 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they immediately told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.

Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place

35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”

38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

43 Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning: 44 “See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

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Second to the NRSV, the NIV probably is the most popular English translation approved for liturgical use and used for Bible study in the Episcopal Church. And, in this particular case, it seems more faithfully than the NRSV to render a difficult passage (Mark 1:41 above). Back to that momentarily.

But here’s our Sunday School type lesson about Mark 1:21-45, with special attention to things that don’t necessarily show up in most English translations of Mark’s NT Greek, even the NIV. So this morning, I’m copy and pasting what is to me the best literal translation, DLNT. Note the words, verses and phrases marked in UPPER CASE or pink or red colored type for commenting.

Mark 1:21-45

Disciples’ Literal New Testament

21 AND they proceed into Capernaum. AND immediately, having entered into the synagogue on the Sabbath, He was teaching. 22 AND they were astounded at His teaching, for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 AND IMMEDIATELY there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. AND he cried-out, 24 saying “What do we have to do with You, Jesus from-Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know You, Who You are— the Holy One of God!” 25 AND Jesus rebuked him, saying “Be silenced and come out of him”. 26 AND the unclean spirit, having convulsed him and called-out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 AND they were all astonished, so that they were discussing with themselves, saying “What is this? A new teaching based-on authority! He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey Him!” 28 AND the report about Him IMMEDIATELY went out everywhere into the whole surrounding-region of Galilee.

29 AND IMMEDIATELY, having gone out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 AND the mother-in-law of Simon was lying-down, being sick-with-fever. AND IMMEDIATELY they speak to Him concerning her. 31 AND having gone to her, He raised her, having taken-hold-of her hand. AND the fever left her AND she was serving them.

32 AND having become evening, when the sun set, they were bringing to Him all the ones being ill and the ones being demon-possessed. 33 AND the whole city was gathered-together at the door. 34 AND He cured many being ill with various diseases. AND He cast-out many demons, and was not permitting the demons to speak, because they knew Him. 35 AND having arisen early-in-the-morning, very late at-night, He went out and went away to a desolate place, and was praying there. 36 AND Simon and the ones with him hunted-for Him, 37 and found Him. AND they say to Him that “Everyone is seeking You”. 38 AND He says to them, “Let us be going elsewhere, into the next towns, in order that I may proclaim there also. For I came-forth for this purpose”.

39 AND He went proclaiming in their synagogues in all Galilee and casting out the demons. 40 AND a leper comes to Him, appealing-to Him and kneeling, and saying to Him that “If You are willing, You are able to cleanse me”. 41 AND having felt-deep-feelings [of compassion / indignation], having stretched-out His hand, He touched him. AND He says to him, “I am willing. Be cleansed”. 42 AND IMMEDIATELY the leprosy departed from him and he was cleansed. 43 AND having sternly-commanded him, He IMMEDIATELY sent him out. 44 AND He says to him, “See that you tell no one anything. But go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them”. 45 But the one, having gone forth, began to proclaim greatly and widely-spread the word, so that He was no longer able to enter openly into a city, but was outside at desolate places. AND they were coming to Him from-all-directions.

For those of us who grew up with the King James Version, a faithful word for word translation, the above if you step back from it,“marks” of Mark’s remarkable storytelling style show clearly:

“And”. kai. Almost every sentence begins with “and”, in fact, 410 of Mark’s 678 Greek verses begin with “and”, which Britannica calls a stereotyped connective. A remarkable practice, but reflecting writing inexperience, lack of education and polish? IDK.
“And immediately”. kai euthos. Mark uses it 42 times in his short gospel. Some scholars take it as indicating he’s rushing to get his story told and wants it to show impatience and stir a sense of urgency. One writer calls it a "discourse marker”. I wish English translations didn't feel compelled to polish Mark up and hide it, because it helps us know Mark himself.
Historic present. I count it seven times in today’s passage. A scholar in whom I have confidence says it’s a natural conversational style, and that translators who want to be true to the writer, his personality as well as his message, should not edit out. I agree with that. And whether Mark uses it intentionally for effect or just naturally for telling his story, seeing it helps us know Mark better.
Compassionate or Indignant? ὀργισθεὶς or σπλαγχνισθεὶς? (Mark 1:41) In copying and editing early manuscripts, someone seems to have been incredulous, or even offended, that Mark said Jesus could be orgistheis, indignant, angry, enraged, annoyed by a leper coming up to him and asking to be made clean; and so the editor or copier changed it to splagchnistheis, compassionate, a much better public image. I think the NIV has it right: Jesus was annoyed. Why? Well, read the text! He’s a man, he's tired, he’s being hounded to exhaustion, he’s got up before daylight to go out and find a private place to rest and pray; and still they chase him down, they are coming to him from all directions. He’s human and I think Mark was showing that characteristic before some piously naive editor thought "that just can’t be said, not about dear Jesus, we can’t let this get out, I’ll change just this one word of Mark’s story and fill Jesus with compassion”. Anyway, this is one of my favorite verses for stirring outrage in Sunday School class! People are stunned and naively, indignantly deny that Jesus had normal human feelings, wasn't always smiling sweetly, could be impatient, angry, annoyed, cross, irritable, indignant, sarcastic. Do we try to understand our God as he reveals himself to us, or do we mold and fashion our God as we wish him to be?
Messianic Secret, or Markan Secret. Jesus tries to shut up the unclean spirit who is announcing who he is. It starts this early in Mark’s story of Jesus’ ministry, and is a marker of Mark’s gospel, Jesus shushing people, ordering people (and demons) to keep quiet, not to tell anyone who he is. This has been a puzzle for millennia - why does Jesus want to keep himself secret? Or equally to the point, why does Mark make such a blatant subtlety of this? Was it really Jesus, if so, why? Or is it Mark's literary device for having Jesus modestly affirm what is being said about him?

Here, right from the beginning, Mark quotes Jesus telling why he came. He came to teach and to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God. He does not seek out miracles to perform, but while he’s here, he lovingly (until he is overwhelmed**) heals as he encounters the need, he works miracles as he encounters the need.

Mark leaves it to us to perceive, in such power, the presence of God. Jesus does things that, to us Mark’s readers but not to Jesus' friends, make his identity obvious (or is that because we already know?). We do already know why, in Mark, Jesus’ friends seem so naive about who he is (Mark’s literary technique to build our frustration), but again, why would Jesus make such a big secret of it? A common scholarly issue.

I like that in the above passage, Jesus insists on not being distracted by the needy, grabbing, clutching crowds and on getting on with Proclamation (of God's kingdom), saying that is why he came.

Does Jesus’ message change over the course of Mark's story? We’ll have to see.

Does Paul change Jesus’ gospel completely from Jesus encouraging us to see, perceive, realize, understand the kingdom of God spread upon the earth and live into it - - to Justification by Grace through Faith (accepting the faith of Christ with forgiveness of sins and salvation into the imminent kingdom on earth) - - and does the Church evolve that, Paul’s gospel of Justification, into a theology of Accepting Christ as Your Personal Saviour with forgiveness of sins for the personal objective of salvation into life after death, making you “as sure for heaven as if you were already there”? Consider such an evangelical church theology (soteriology) with our own theology of a living into our baptismal covenant in this life. Again quoting my father, We don't have a religion to die by, we have a religion to live by.

T+

** pics from "Jesus Christ Superstar" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWcytOSDodE