Epiphany 6th week
HIDING AND REVEALING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Mark 1:40-45
Healing a man with leprosy
The synoptic gospels all deal with the incident of healing a man with leprosy. The fact each gospel positioned this incident at the first half of their books tell us it happened at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. It also means this story might be well known to early Christian community. Mark sets in place in chapter 1-3, a series of story that deal with Jesus’ messianic character. For example, Mark 1:21-28 deals with the story of healing a evil-possessed man, 1:29-34 healing of Simon’s mother-in-law, 1:35-39 preaching at synagogue and driving out demon, 2:1-12 healing of a paralytic, 3:1-6 healing of a hand shriveled man. Likewise Mark’s gospel chapter 1-3 mainly deals with incidents of healing disease and driving out evil spirits.
the story of healing leprosy is takes place in the center of these incidents. The story goes as follows. A man with leprosy came to Jesus and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." (40) We wonder by what reason the leper visited Jesus. Leprosy remains a miserable, cursed disease event today. We call it the Hansen's disease or a disease punished by God. Israel people regarded it as the dead. The lepers were completely isolated from society. As we can see a movie “Benhur”, they were isolated from others and were forced to live in abandoned, unapproachable places. When they had a chance to enter a village they had to wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' (Lev. 13:45, 46) No need to narrate any more why such tradition was established in Israel for the disease itself was so dreadful. Though it was a fearful disease the patients still had their friends and family members. So they couldn’t completely cut off their social relationships. When they (who are they?) it put the entire village at risk with disease. Whether the disease is contaminable or not is not much of an important issue. They were not able to distinguish leprosy and a malignant skin disease. It was the most dreadful disease.
A man with leprosy putting under such isolated situation came to Jesus. He might have heard news about Jesus from his friends or family. He came to Jesus, knelt down before him and asked for mercy. It was not natural that a man with leprosy came near to Jesus. As we discussed earlier he isolated himself from others. Was there no one nearby Jesus? According to Matthew’s gospel many crowds followed Jesus. The situation of Mark’s gospel was also not much different from that. His approaching to Jesus under such situation even to be stoned by the crowds signifies his urgency. Though he wasn’t allowed to contact with others, he boldly appeared at a public place and begged for Jesus’ healing.
The content explains Jesus’ response as follows. His response is divided into three steps. First, Jesus took pity on him. Second, he touched him. Third, he said, “Be clean!” This is the movement of heart, body and speech, or identification of heart, body and speech. However, Jesus fully responded to the leper’s request. According to Jesus’ speech, his leprosy was finally healed and cleaned.
Jesus’ demand for silence
We don’t know exactly what happened at that moment. Among scholars some say the healing incident practically had happened and others hadn’t (?). Of course we believe today’ that his leprosy was clearly healed. However, the Bible text doesn’t concern on the healing fact itself and so we don’t need to argue with the healing activity itself. But do not misunderstand. It doesn’t mean that healing incident didn’t happen. These sorts of incidents were used to deliver certain fact. What was it? We have to pay attention on the following story after healing.
To the person healed from leprosy Jesus said, “"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." (44) Mark described that Jesus said it with a strong warning. First, Jesus warns him not to tell this to anyone. Second, he instructs him to show himself to the priest. Third, he was to offer the sacrifices for his cleansing as testimony to them (them=who?). After healing disease it was a rare case for Jesus to give instruction in detail like this. This is just similar to a doctor who explains the detail regulation to keep after diagnosing and prescribing or surgery.
.
At this paragraph a wonder occurs in our mind (?). Why did Jesus want to hide this incident? Think of it. The incident to heal a leper was a remarkable incident. Such healing often happened in the Old Testament too. The healing of Miriam was the representative case. Moses prayed to the Lord for Miriam who became a leper as she rebelled against Moses’ authority. Her leper healed after a week. (Num. 12:4-6) Healing of Naaman the Syrian general’s leprosy by Elisa was another case. Naaman was healed after seven times bathing in the Jordan River. (2 King 5:8-14) The scholars explain that Jesus’ leper healing incident should be considered at the background of Elisa tradition. It is to say that Jesus is an eschatological prophet with a charismatic healing power. Then should it to be informed to everybody if this incident reveals Jesus’ power (Should this incident be revealed to everyone?) However, Jesus told him with a strong warning not to tell anyone. Why did he do that?
The following explanation is possible. First, Jesus might have done so for the leper’s sake. Though his leprosy was healed the more important thing was official recognition from his society. After that he could return to his village and live a normal life. So he should be confirmed by a priest about his complete healing according to Mosaic Law. Jesus sent him to the priest. If he wags his tongue noisily about his healing before official recognition there could be possible disgraceful consequences.
.
Second, a little more reasonable reason was that Jesus’ time hadn’t come yet. Though Jesus healed the leper under the unavoidable situation there could be a possibility of hindrance of Jesus’ work that should be done.
According to today’s contents, he disobeyed Jesus’ warning and began to talk freely, spreading the news. From that time on Jesus didn’t enter to the villages publically. Was what relation between the spreading news of a leper’s healing and the fact Jesus didn’t enter the village? Was it tiredness due to people’s gathering? (was he tired because he was surrounded by people all the time?_ Or was he wandering to avoid being put on the blacklist from the Pharisees and the priests? We can’t clearly confirm now what the real truth was but it was clear that Jesus didn’t want to be known for the incident of healing a leper now.
Hiding character of the kingdom of God
Yes. The character of the kingdom of God exists in such hiding manner. The kingdom of God doesn’t show off its existence. The kingdom of God doesn’t complain though others don’t recognize it. Rather the kingdom of God tries to hide itself. Jesus identified himself with the kingdom of God who came to this world in this hidden way. The fact Jesus was born in a manger at unknown place, time unknowingly signifies this fact. Nobody became aware of his birth. Of course Matthew tells us the story of three Magi and Luke the shepherds. However, we should understand these stories as a sort of beautifully decorated legend by early Christian community. Nobody in the world knew Jesus’ advent to the world.
Not only Jesus’ birth but also Jesus’ crucifixion and his resurrection is the same cases. When Jesus was crucified on the cross nobody knew the cross was unique way for the salvation of mankind. The resurrection incident also is similar to this. Likewise the kingdom of God and its incident originally has an attribute of hiding. This is rightly an attribute of truth too.
Even today we need to regard the real thing exist as hidden form (what thing?). Many artists are recognized by their artistic talent but there are also many unrecognized artists at their own contemporary. In more serious cases, there are many artists and writers who died before becoming famous. Science world also might be the same. Outwardly it seems great but practically it can be nothing. The ability of the scientist who invented an atom bomb is great but it is far from the truth at the point of destroying millions of lives. In fact there is high possibility that the world of life is still hidden in the science world.
Now what do we desire for and live for? How is the kingdom of God testifying to us? We now struggle to be recognized by others even in our faith. Church also pursues the things to be revealed to others. Contrary to Jesus who tried to hide the messianic incident that had happened to him, we are concentrating on revealing ourselves.
What is the reason for our concentration to reveal ourselves? We already got the answer indirectly from the above. The answer is that we are living totally unaware of the kingdom of God that works by the way of hiding. When we don’t identify ourselves with the kingdom of God we cannot but reveal ourselves instead. Otherwise people are overwhelmed by the sense of emptiness. If the power of joy, love and peace that comes when the kingdom of God meets us doesn’t rule us then we eventually cannot but live with the way of revealing ourselves (examples of revealing ourselves).
The revelation of the kingdom of God
The kingdom of God exists basically in hidden form. Like treasure hidden under the earth it can’t be seen. However, though it is hidden it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Though treasures are hidden under the earth it remains a treasure. Someday it crops out. It is known to people by the discoverer. This revelation is another attribute of the kingdom of God.
Though Jesus strictly warned the leper do not tell anyone he disobeyed. Look at verse 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.” Was it wrong that he disobeyed Jesus’ warning? Or right? This sort of question doesn’t have any meaning. The author of the Bible also doesn’t want to say this. His disobedience was wrong but it was inevitable result. He couldn’t resist to say what had happened to him. Finally, the healing incident of this leper was known to many people.
According to the content, Jesus escaped outside to lonely places. The lonely place was the place where the lepers should stay. Now a leper was advertising everywhere but Jesus went to the lonely place. The situation had changed. Yet the people still came to Jesus from everywhere. From here too we can find out the character Jesus’ hiding and revealing.
You may think after hearing the message, then so what? Remember the point that our life is situated between the hiding and revealing of the kingdom of God. As we can see from today’s content, Jesus was living as the form of hiding and revealing the kingdom of God. Likewise, the kingdom of God will involve your life sometimes as hidden form and sometimes visible form. The distinction of it is our work. It is our duty to recognize and participate in the world of real joy, peace and love that visits us by the way of sometimes invisible form or sometimes visible form. At this point, your entire life is the deepening process of spirituality to distinguish it (distinguish it from what?).
HIDING AND REVEALING OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Mark 1:40-45
Healing a man with leprosy
The synoptic gospels all deal with the incident of healing a man with leprosy. The fact each gospel positioned this incident at the first half of their books tell us it happened at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. It also means this story might be well known to early Christian community. Mark sets in place in chapter 1-3, a series of story that deal with Jesus’ messianic character. For example, Mark 1:21-28 deals with the story of healing a evil-possessed man, 1:29-34 healing of Simon’s mother-in-law, 1:35-39 preaching at synagogue and driving out demon, 2:1-12 healing of a paralytic, 3:1-6 healing of a hand shriveled man. Likewise Mark’s gospel chapter 1-3 mainly deals with incidents of healing disease and driving out evil spirits.
the story of healing leprosy is takes place in the center of these incidents. The story goes as follows. A man with leprosy came to Jesus and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." (40) We wonder by what reason the leper visited Jesus. Leprosy remains a miserable, cursed disease event today. We call it the Hansen's disease or a disease punished by God. Israel people regarded it as the dead. The lepers were completely isolated from society. As we can see a movie “Benhur”, they were isolated from others and were forced to live in abandoned, unapproachable places. When they had a chance to enter a village they had to wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, 'Unclean! Unclean!' (Lev. 13:45, 46) No need to narrate any more why such tradition was established in Israel for the disease itself was so dreadful. Though it was a fearful disease the patients still had their friends and family members. So they couldn’t completely cut off their social relationships. When they (who are they?) it put the entire village at risk with disease. Whether the disease is contaminable or not is not much of an important issue. They were not able to distinguish leprosy and a malignant skin disease. It was the most dreadful disease.
A man with leprosy putting under such isolated situation came to Jesus. He might have heard news about Jesus from his friends or family. He came to Jesus, knelt down before him and asked for mercy. It was not natural that a man with leprosy came near to Jesus. As we discussed earlier he isolated himself from others. Was there no one nearby Jesus? According to Matthew’s gospel many crowds followed Jesus. The situation of Mark’s gospel was also not much different from that. His approaching to Jesus under such situation even to be stoned by the crowds signifies his urgency. Though he wasn’t allowed to contact with others, he boldly appeared at a public place and begged for Jesus’ healing.
The content explains Jesus’ response as follows. His response is divided into three steps. First, Jesus took pity on him. Second, he touched him. Third, he said, “Be clean!” This is the movement of heart, body and speech, or identification of heart, body and speech. However, Jesus fully responded to the leper’s request. According to Jesus’ speech, his leprosy was finally healed and cleaned.
Jesus’ demand for silence
We don’t know exactly what happened at that moment. Among scholars some say the healing incident practically had happened and others hadn’t (?). Of course we believe today’ that his leprosy was clearly healed. However, the Bible text doesn’t concern on the healing fact itself and so we don’t need to argue with the healing activity itself. But do not misunderstand. It doesn’t mean that healing incident didn’t happen. These sorts of incidents were used to deliver certain fact. What was it? We have to pay attention on the following story after healing.
To the person healed from leprosy Jesus said, “"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." (44) Mark described that Jesus said it with a strong warning. First, Jesus warns him not to tell this to anyone. Second, he instructs him to show himself to the priest. Third, he was to offer the sacrifices for his cleansing as testimony to them (them=who?). After healing disease it was a rare case for Jesus to give instruction in detail like this. This is just similar to a doctor who explains the detail regulation to keep after diagnosing and prescribing or surgery.
.
At this paragraph a wonder occurs in our mind (?). Why did Jesus want to hide this incident? Think of it. The incident to heal a leper was a remarkable incident. Such healing often happened in the Old Testament too. The healing of Miriam was the representative case. Moses prayed to the Lord for Miriam who became a leper as she rebelled against Moses’ authority. Her leper healed after a week. (Num. 12:4-6) Healing of Naaman the Syrian general’s leprosy by Elisa was another case. Naaman was healed after seven times bathing in the Jordan River. (2 King 5:8-14) The scholars explain that Jesus’ leper healing incident should be considered at the background of Elisa tradition. It is to say that Jesus is an eschatological prophet with a charismatic healing power. Then should it to be informed to everybody if this incident reveals Jesus’ power (Should this incident be revealed to everyone?) However, Jesus told him with a strong warning not to tell anyone. Why did he do that?
The following explanation is possible. First, Jesus might have done so for the leper’s sake. Though his leprosy was healed the more important thing was official recognition from his society. After that he could return to his village and live a normal life. So he should be confirmed by a priest about his complete healing according to Mosaic Law. Jesus sent him to the priest. If he wags his tongue noisily about his healing before official recognition there could be possible disgraceful consequences.
.
Second, a little more reasonable reason was that Jesus’ time hadn’t come yet. Though Jesus healed the leper under the unavoidable situation there could be a possibility of hindrance of Jesus’ work that should be done.
According to today’s contents, he disobeyed Jesus’ warning and began to talk freely, spreading the news. From that time on Jesus didn’t enter to the villages publically. Was what relation between the spreading news of a leper’s healing and the fact Jesus didn’t enter the village? Was it tiredness due to people’s gathering? (was he tired because he was surrounded by people all the time?_ Or was he wandering to avoid being put on the blacklist from the Pharisees and the priests? We can’t clearly confirm now what the real truth was but it was clear that Jesus didn’t want to be known for the incident of healing a leper now.
Hiding character of the kingdom of God
Yes. The character of the kingdom of God exists in such hiding manner. The kingdom of God doesn’t show off its existence. The kingdom of God doesn’t complain though others don’t recognize it. Rather the kingdom of God tries to hide itself. Jesus identified himself with the kingdom of God who came to this world in this hidden way. The fact Jesus was born in a manger at unknown place, time unknowingly signifies this fact. Nobody became aware of his birth. Of course Matthew tells us the story of three Magi and Luke the shepherds. However, we should understand these stories as a sort of beautifully decorated legend by early Christian community. Nobody in the world knew Jesus’ advent to the world.
Not only Jesus’ birth but also Jesus’ crucifixion and his resurrection is the same cases. When Jesus was crucified on the cross nobody knew the cross was unique way for the salvation of mankind. The resurrection incident also is similar to this. Likewise the kingdom of God and its incident originally has an attribute of hiding. This is rightly an attribute of truth too.
Even today we need to regard the real thing exist as hidden form (what thing?). Many artists are recognized by their artistic talent but there are also many unrecognized artists at their own contemporary. In more serious cases, there are many artists and writers who died before becoming famous. Science world also might be the same. Outwardly it seems great but practically it can be nothing. The ability of the scientist who invented an atom bomb is great but it is far from the truth at the point of destroying millions of lives. In fact there is high possibility that the world of life is still hidden in the science world.
Now what do we desire for and live for? How is the kingdom of God testifying to us? We now struggle to be recognized by others even in our faith. Church also pursues the things to be revealed to others. Contrary to Jesus who tried to hide the messianic incident that had happened to him, we are concentrating on revealing ourselves.
What is the reason for our concentration to reveal ourselves? We already got the answer indirectly from the above. The answer is that we are living totally unaware of the kingdom of God that works by the way of hiding. When we don’t identify ourselves with the kingdom of God we cannot but reveal ourselves instead. Otherwise people are overwhelmed by the sense of emptiness. If the power of joy, love and peace that comes when the kingdom of God meets us doesn’t rule us then we eventually cannot but live with the way of revealing ourselves (examples of revealing ourselves).
The revelation of the kingdom of God
The kingdom of God exists basically in hidden form. Like treasure hidden under the earth it can’t be seen. However, though it is hidden it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Though treasures are hidden under the earth it remains a treasure. Someday it crops out. It is known to people by the discoverer. This revelation is another attribute of the kingdom of God.
Though Jesus strictly warned the leper do not tell anyone he disobeyed. Look at verse 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.” Was it wrong that he disobeyed Jesus’ warning? Or right? This sort of question doesn’t have any meaning. The author of the Bible also doesn’t want to say this. His disobedience was wrong but it was inevitable result. He couldn’t resist to say what had happened to him. Finally, the healing incident of this leper was known to many people.
According to the content, Jesus escaped outside to lonely places. The lonely place was the place where the lepers should stay. Now a leper was advertising everywhere but Jesus went to the lonely place. The situation had changed. Yet the people still came to Jesus from everywhere. From here too we can find out the character Jesus’ hiding and revealing.
You may think after hearing the message, then so what? Remember the point that our life is situated between the hiding and revealing of the kingdom of God. As we can see from today’s content, Jesus was living as the form of hiding and revealing the kingdom of God. Likewise, the kingdom of God will involve your life sometimes as hidden form and sometimes visible form. The distinction of it is our work. It is our duty to recognize and participate in the world of real joy, peace and love that visits us by the way of sometimes invisible form or sometimes visible form. At this point, your entire life is the deepening process of spirituality to distinguish it (distinguish it from what?).
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