Mark: The Compassionate Christ: Lesson 4

Compassion: Chapters 2-3

The compassion shown in Mark is not different that can be seen throughout the O. T.  The principal healing in the O. T. was spiritual due to Israel’s continued sinning and ignorance of the True God.  Israel’s mood is labile, i.e. up and down – flowing like the tides of the sea.

Let’s examine just a few sources of healing.  Go to Psalm 6 and read David’s plea.

Psalm 6 is the first of David’s penitential psalms.  David admits his weakness (faint) and begs for mercy from a loving God.  “Be merciful to me,” is his plea.  He continues, “Heal me for my bones are in agony.”  And, “My soul is in anguish.”  David’s plea is not just for his physical ailments but his spiritual well-being and the weight of his sin on his conscious.  How does David end his psalm?  Yes, his confidence in God has heard his prayer of supplication.

Go back to Moses’ book of Deuteronomy chapter 32 entitled, “The Song of Moses.”  Verses 36 and following records Moses’ acknowledgment that God will judge, but will have compassion on His servants.  Then he reminds us of God’s all-powerful and all-knowing nature.  Read verse 39.  What does Moses remind God’s people of the nature of God?

This God-Man Jesus is no different than the Yahweh of old that Moses and David speak about.  He alone is powerful and is the only source of healing both spiritual and physical.

Mark 2 begins with another compassion story.  Read Mark 2:1-12.  Here again we see both spiritual and physical healing nature of Christ.

1. Where does Jesus call home now?
2. What needs did Jesus fulfill first? What does this say about what’s more important in life?
3. Jesus marvels at the efforts to get the paralytic inside. How is that made plain in verse 5?
4. Pharisees and other Jewish leaders were already very curious about this Jesus and were found here. What was their perception of this healing?

Jesus anticipated their crooked thinking and said, “So that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . take up your mat and go home!”

What was the reaction of those present?  Mark reminds the readers that no one has ever seen anything like this before!

What do you think drives Jesus’ compassion?  Explain your position.

Let’s review Jesus’ healing so far.  First there’s the demon-possessed man, then Peter’s mother-in-law, then the leper and now the paralytic.

Chapter 3 begins with yet another example of our Compassionate Christ.  Read 3:1-6.

1. What day of the week did this occur? This is one of seven Sabbath Day healings recorded in Scripture.  (see table below)
2. Do you think Jesus knew of their thoughts about healing and the Sabbath? (Refer to John 7:21-24)
3. How did Jesus address the man with the shriveled hand?
4. Jesus shows some anger here and is “deeply distressed” at their stubbornness. Did Jesus ever touch the man? What caused the healing?
   1. Refer to chapter 2:23, Lord of the Sabbath and O. T. for Sabbath guidelines

The Gospels record seven Sabbath healings.  The list in included in the table below.

Questions for the Day

1. Like David, do we ask God, “Be merciful to me a sinner?” If so how?
2. David was very concerned over his sin and its devastation. How assured are you that your sin is covered and forever blotted out?
3. The healing events recorded in Mark are all a little different: Which event(s) are most impressive to you?
   1. Demon possessed
   2. Fever
   3. Multiple – “sick and demon-possessed”
   4. Leprosy
   5. Paralytic
   6. Shriveled hand
4. Jesus continues to show that spiritual sickness is most important. Faith heals our spiritual sickness and transforms our eternal mortality to life with Him in all His glory.  How does this motivate you to show the love of Jesus to others?
5. On your own, read the other four Sabbath healings in Luke and John