Mark 1:35 Then Jesus got up early in the morning when it was still very dark, departed, and went out to a deserted place, and there he spent time in prayer. 36 Simon and his companions searched for him. 37 When they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” 38 He replied, “Let us go elsewhere, into the surrounding villages, so that I can preach there too. For that is what I came out here to do.” 39 So he went into all of Galilee preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons. NET
So far, Mark has stressed the authority of Jesus as the Son of God. Here, the departure of Jesus to a secluded place to regroup seems to show a different side as this is something we, as humans, would do when life gets hectic and out of control. Simon and the others search for Him since they want to get back out there and heal more people.
The temptation is for Jesus to keep drawing crowds by performing these spectacular displays of healing but there is something more fundamental to His mission than just healing. We still have that same type of push/pull today as some say the church exists to meet people’s needs while other say it is to bring people to Christ. Social help is certainly part of loving our neighbor but bringing people to God, as Jesus demonstrates here, is still the higher priority. With that said, this really shouldn’t be an either/or situation as we can do both.
John 6:11 Then Jesus took the loaves and the fish, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted……14 When the people saw the sign that Jesus had performed,b they began to say, “Truly this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Then Jesus, realizing that they were about to come and make Him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by Himself. BSB
If all Jesus did was heal and feed people then it wouldn’t have led Him to the cross as He would have been popular and left alone. Things are about to change. In the five stories that Mark is going to relate (starting at verse 40 and continuing through 3:6), we that some questions will start being asked and plots begin to be hatched against Jesus.
Mark 1:40 Now a leper came to Him and fell to his knees, asking for help. “If you are willing, you can make me clean,” he said. 41 Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing. Be clean!” 42 The leprosy left him at once, and he was clean. 43 Immediately Jesus sent the man away with a very strong warning. 44 He told him, “See that you do not say anything to anyone, but go, show yourself to a priest, and bring the offering that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them.” 45 But as the man went out he began to announce it publicly and spread the story widely, so that Jesus was no longer able to enter any town openly but stayed outside in remote places. Still they kept coming to Him from everywhere. NET
Mark 1:40 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!” NIV
Lepers are outcasts because it is a communicable disease that cannot be treated in the first century, A.D. This particular leper is rather bold to actually approach Christ and kneel close to Him.
The vast majority of texts use “pity” or “compassion” in verse 41 but there are ancient texts that use “indignation” rather than compassion. On the one hand, Jesus feels the agony of others and engages them on that basis. On the other hand, “sent the man away” in verse 43 is essentially saying that they threw the man out which would tie in with Jesus being indignant. Interesting that this man shows up right at the very time Jesus is on his way to start preaching and as a result of this encounter, He is limited in terms of locations that He will be able to go.
The idea of Jesus acting in anger is a little problematic, especially since we don’ know why He is angry. (We see Jesus angry later in Mark 3:5 and Mark 10:14). The majority opinion is that Jesus is angry at the state of the world. He knows how things are supposed to be but He keeps bumping up against the brokenness of the world, such as the leper we see here. Others may say that the approach of the leper toward Jesus by saying “if you are willing” annoyed Him because it shows a lack of faith but this is also a man who has been constantly turned away by people so he is likely a little afraid to ask. With the importance Jesus has just placed on preaching, it wouldn’t be surprising if Jesus was irritated when this man shows up given the impact He knows it will have on His ministry.
Regardless of where you come down on the translation of the verse, note that Jesus tells the man to observe the law in verse 44. Also note that Jesus does not refuse to heal the leper. The story also appears in Matthew and Luke but both lack the details that Mark provides.
Mark 2:1 And when He entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that He was in the house. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and He spoke the word to them. 3 And four people came, carrying a paralytic to him. 4 And when they could not bring him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on. 5 And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.” 6 But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you reason these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven;’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?’ 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”, he said to the paralytic, 11 “I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house.” NHEB
Most interpreters consider this to be Peter’s house that they have returned to. Ordinarily we think of faith being in the person being healed but here, the person is healed because of the faith of his friends.
Like Job, first century thinking is that you were blind or paralyzed because of sin. Rather than simply healing the man’s spirit healing his body, Jesus does both by starting with forgiveness and then moving on to healing. The scribes are looking for violations and decide that this forgiveness is blasphemy. Jesus turns this around on them by asking the question of whether it is easier to tell the man he is forgiven or to tell him to get up and walk demonstrating that He has the power to do both.