In response to those who are unable to attend my
weekly Bible study on the Gospel According to MARK (Sunday’s at 10 am at
Hollywood United Methodist Church), I share my thoughts and notes from previous
sessions. While I’m not a scholar, I am an enthusiast. Enjoy!
MARK 1:21
So here we are. Capernaum. Jesus’ new
home base.
Stop the presses! “New” home
base? What do you mean, “new”?
It has all sort of flowed
place-to-place to this point: Jesus was in Nazareth,
journeyed to Galilee to be baptized by John, then after arriving lakeside at
the Sea of Galilee, he chose four “fisher of men”
to be by his side. But was there something missing in the telling of the tale
by Mark? Yes, at least according to Luke – just before he reached Capernaum.
Homeboy Jesus had created
quite a stir in Nazareth
as laid out in Luke 4:16-30. Jesus went all “oh, no he didn’t” when he stated there
were times God decided to reach out to Gentiles instead of Jews. Along with,…
“Jesus implied his hearers were as unbelieving as the citizens of the northern
kingdom of Israel in the days of Elijah and Elisha, a time notorious for its
great wickedness.” [i]
It’s not surprising to know “all the people in the synagogue were furious when
they heard this. They got up, drove Jesus out of town,….” [ii]
Why skip this seemingly
important bit of information – the “real” reason for a relocation? I’m not
entirely certain but it seems Mark’s tact as a writer was to focus on the
positive aspects of Jesus’ ministry (the “nit and grit”) and what he did to
change lives. I find though this shift in locale for Jesus insightful and dare
I say, strategic, on his part.
First, Jesus was stirring the
pot by what he had to say – and the opposing forces grew in their dislike for
him. His welcome had outworn his stay in Nazareth
so it was time to hit the road.
Second, a move to Capernaum –
about 20 miles north of Nazareth – was actually very wise. Additional resources
were more readily available in this thriving city of wealth. Some might bristle
that I’m trying to diminish Jesus’ works and actions (again with the mystical
aspects of his ministry and being). Yet wouldn’t it be prudent to maximize
support to further his true purpose in an area of greater opportunities?
Third, “several major highways
intersected Capernaum, with merchants passing
through from as far away as Egypt
to the south and Mesopotamia to the north.” [iii]
The city was also the headquarters for quite a number of Roman troops. [iv]
Jesus was on the ball by turning his focus on this region to reach as many
people as possible, within an extremely diverse population (religious and
otherwise), and by doing so, his message would travel far and wide – beyond the
boundaries of the city – and much quicker.
Smart, smart, smart.
For those wanting to hang
their hat on prophecy… look no further than Isaiah 9:1,2. In the land of Zebulun
and Naphtali (where Capernaum was located), the
Messiah “will honor Galilee of the Gentiles”
as “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light.” [v]
And with all of this, we’ve
only covered the first four words in verse 21 of MARK!
Continuing… “when the Sabbath
came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.” [vi]
Question MARK
Why would Jesus teach in a
synagogue? Isn’t a synagogue a place of worship?
A point of history takes us
back to around 450 B.C. When the Jews were in exile and no longer had their
temple – a place of worship and sacrifice – they established synagogues (where
there were at least ten Jewish families in a town) as places of worship on the
Sabbath and as schools for young boys during the week. Later, when the temple
was rebuilt, synagogues continued to exist. [vii]
So, did Jesus just walk into
the synagogue as stated by Mark and share the message? Not without an
invitation. At this teaching institution, the ruler of the synagogue – not so
much a preacher as an administrator – would seek visiting rabbis like Jesus to
speak. [viii]
“There was no professional ministry whatsoever. That is why Jesus was able to
open his campaign in the synagogues.” [ix]
The synagogue would be where God’s people would gather together.
Why not share the “Good News”
at the centers of learning? It makes perfect sense.
NEXT…
The synagogue rocks with
amazement at this “Teacher”; and there’s some serious healing taking place.
[i]
Life Application Bible, NIV, p. 1801
[ii]
NIV, Luke 4:28,29a
[iii]
Life Application Bible, NIV, p. 1730
[iv]
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV, p. 1459
[v]
NIV, Isaiah 9:1,2
[vi]
NIV, Mark 1:21b
[vii]
Life Application Bible, NIV, p. 1800
[viii]
Life Application Bible, NIV, p. 1651
[ix]
The Gospel of Mark, Barclay, p. 22
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