A New Doctrine February 5
Mark 1:27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
The crowd is amazed. People are seeing reality in a new way.
The doctrine, or teaching, of the scribes is literal. The words read are the words a person receives when the scribes speak. There is no clarification, no understanding beyond the literal words.
The doctrine, the teaching that characterizes the thoughts of leading rabbis at that time, such as Hillel and Shimmai, is their own interpretation of the Scriptures. For instance, Shimmai teaches that divorce is allowed only for very serious offenses while Hillel teaches the justification can be as trivial as a burnt meal. Jesus does not quibble over the details, but questions the very concept of divorce (Matthew 19:1-9).
Jesus does not cast the man out of the synagogue as would normally have occurred. Rather than condemn the man, judge him, and cast him into the darkness outside of the synagogue and God’s realm of heaven, Jesus saves the man from himself. He removes what is unholy so that the man is able to stand in the presence of God, and therefore stand in the synagogue among the people.
This act is a startling new doctrine. Rather than remove the sinner, the one who rebels against God, remove the sin, the rebellion itself.
Fame and Infamy February 6
Mark 1:27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
That a person is salvageable, can shed their sin like a scab and be made whole, is good news. For those focused on the sin, this new teaching is a reversal of the common teaching of the day.
Some hear words of hope and see divinity accomplishing the miracles of Jesus.
Others hear the same words as heresy and either do not accept the miraculous works, or call them the work of the devil.
The conflict between focusing on Jesus’ identity, His words, and His works versus focusing on His breaking tradition creates a division between the people and the religious authorities.
Jesus is sought by the people to receive the blessings of the kingdom of God, but He is anathema to the authorities.
For those willing to allow in the light of new understanding, the new doctrine is a shining hope. His fame spreads.
For those focused on the law and tradition, the man and His doctrine are offensive. His infamy spreads.
Fame and infamy are reverse images, like looking in a mirror and the left side is seen on the right side.
Fame that spreads among the common people of Galilee is the infamy that spreads among the members of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Fame and infamy are both mirages, fleeting illusions of perspective. They blow with the wind and are irrelevant to truth. This is one of the lessons of the wilderness experience.
The Symptom February 7
Mark 1:29 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
Jesus goes with His disciples to the house of Simon’s mother-in-law. She is laying sick with fever.
“So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.” That the fever leaves is a miracle by any definition of the word. Mark uses miracles as proofs of Jesus’ divinity, and here we have another extraordinary event to bolster this claim.
Did He use anything more than the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the mortal resources available to us all to heal Simon’s mother?
To look at His miracles from another perspective is not to lessen the miraculous nature of what He accomplishes. The manner in which Jesus addresses the obstacles people find in their path is unprecedented. These events stretch the limits of the witnesses’ imagination so that they might even question what their eyes have seen.
Fever is only a symptom, an early line of defense, so we really must look at the cause.
Why do our first lines of defenses fail and allow the invaders to enter? Lack of water, nutrition, rest and other basics are obvious. Less obvious, but perhaps at least equally important, are our emotional and spiritual states. We ignore these at our own peril.
We treat the symptom. Jesus looks more deeply.
The Healing February 8
Mark 1:31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
As in the casting out of the evil spirit, Jesus does not dwell on symptoms. He addresses the root cause, the primary unresolved issue.
Jesus takes her hand and lifts her up. Think on this for a moment, and picture the woman being lifted up. Note that the Greek word translated as “lifted” is the same word used when Jesus tells the dead girl, Tabitha, “arise” in Mark 5:41.
Miraculous healings change lives, and those who are witnesses are among the changed lives. We must realize that His healing is more than the removal of symptoms.
Did the woman here need rest, or attention, or a new perspective on an old problem? We do not know, but it seems unlikely that Jesus would remove a symptom without removing the cause. Otherwise, He must repeat His healing miracles endlessly.
Hippocrates said that all disease begins in the gut. That is probably true, but only if we first remove the diseases that begin in the heart, mind, and spirit.
The physical body is the sum of innumerable complex interactions. There are several organ systems working together. And there are trillions of cells whose joint effort is what we call the life of the body. Beyond this we hold a much larger number of bacteria, viruses, and other contributors to what we call life.
Jesus heals Simon’s mother. He lifts her up – spiritually, emotionally, and then physically. He restores order to the basics of life.
Many Healed February 9
Mark 1:32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door.
The word translated as “sick” here is two words in the Greek. They might be translated as “grievously diseased.” The implication is they are very sick.
There are also the “demon-possessed,” a term different from the “unclean spirit” from earlier. This stronger term is a terror because the evil is beyond the control of the one possessed. I do not speak more of this demon except to say that there is a stronger force in heaven, above us in God, beside us in Jesus, and within us as the Holy Spirit.
The image that springs to mind of masses of people being healed is of something like a herd being funneled through a chute for their inoculations. But we cannot imagine Jesus interacting with nameless, faceless masses. He desires a personal relationship for Himself with His Father, and for Himself with those who will allow His spirit to enter them.
Healing is personal. More than a science or an art, it is the mending of relationship – within the body, among people, and with God into wholeness.
As mentioned previously, healing symptoms without removing the cause leads to repeated illness. Jesus delves into the root causes of diseases: abandonment, hunger, fear, overwork, anger, abuse, and so much more.
He pours Himself out into the needy crowd. He fills up where there is emptiness.
Casting Out Demons February 10
Mark 1:34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
Unclean spirits are different from demons, or devils in the KJV. An unclean spirit co-rules the body, an uneasy division of power. The demonic spirit is dominant, however, the undisputed ruler of the body.
And we must allow for two types of the demon possessed. The epileptic and demented would have been put in the demon possessed category at the time of Jesus. There are many diseases that are beyond the control of the individual, simply the result of living in a fallen world.
In the second type of demon possession, the person no longer has control of themselves. The most extreme forms of what we call mental illness may apply here.
Unclean spirits are the individual fruit of the flesh, such as anger, or discord or jealousy. This unhealthy spirit causes disruption but is held somewhat in check by fruit of the Spirit, such as gentleness, kindness, and patience.
The demon possessed individual is more thoroughly compromised with little, if any, fruit of the Spirit.
The demons cast out by Jesus cannot speak, for all that they would be able to say would be from the flesh, and that falls silent in the presence of the Holy Spirit as manifested through Jesus.
The cure for either type of demonic possession is miraculous. Restoration, a return to God’s original intention, is celebrated though it surpasses all human understanding.
Miracles remind us of God and His power.
Jesus says of the demon possessed, “this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:21). Divine assistance is required.
Solitude February 11
Mark 1:35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
There are needs that must be satisfied to keep us alive, and needs that must be satisfied to keep us whole. If we are not whole, by definition we are not fully alive.
Jesus goes out to a solitary place alone. The day before had been filled with people, all with demands upon His human time and energy. Such a day is draining on body and soul, and restoration is required.
He leaves the food, water, rest, and shelter necessary for life. And in exchange for these and the company of people, He seeks the company of God.
As the source of life, God is also the restorer of life.
A solitary place is not a place of loneliness. Solitude is not loneliness. Used correctly, it is a place to be alone with God.
As the Messiah, Jesus is set apart from others. Although He does have friends, for so He called the disciples, they are not His equal. Frequently, they cannot understand His purpose or His sorrows. Ultimately, His burden is His alone and cannot be shared with them.
In solitude, He seeks the company of His Father. The company of God is our refuge, also. He is the One who listens, even shares our silence
Jesus does not trust in His own abilities alone. His Father is the one He trusts as the source of both His own and His followers’ power.
This solitude is the antidote for loneliness. He prayed.
Next day
Mark 1:27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
The crowd is amazed. People are seeing reality in a new way.
The doctrine, or teaching, of the scribes is literal. The words read are the words a person receives when the scribes speak. There is no clarification, no understanding beyond the literal words.
The doctrine, the teaching that characterizes the thoughts of leading rabbis at that time, such as Hillel and Shimmai, is their own interpretation of the Scriptures. For instance, Shimmai teaches that divorce is allowed only for very serious offenses while Hillel teaches the justification can be as trivial as a burnt meal. Jesus does not quibble over the details, but questions the very concept of divorce (Matthew 19:1-9).
Jesus does not cast the man out of the synagogue as would normally have occurred. Rather than condemn the man, judge him, and cast him into the darkness outside of the synagogue and God’s realm of heaven, Jesus saves the man from himself. He removes what is unholy so that the man is able to stand in the presence of God, and therefore stand in the synagogue among the people.
This act is a startling new doctrine. Rather than remove the sinner, the one who rebels against God, remove the sin, the rebellion itself.
Fame and Infamy February 6
Mark 1:27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” 28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
That a person is salvageable, can shed their sin like a scab and be made whole, is good news. For those focused on the sin, this new teaching is a reversal of the common teaching of the day.
Some hear words of hope and see divinity accomplishing the miracles of Jesus.
Others hear the same words as heresy and either do not accept the miraculous works, or call them the work of the devil.
The conflict between focusing on Jesus’ identity, His words, and His works versus focusing on His breaking tradition creates a division between the people and the religious authorities.
Jesus is sought by the people to receive the blessings of the kingdom of God, but He is anathema to the authorities.
For those willing to allow in the light of new understanding, the new doctrine is a shining hope. His fame spreads.
For those focused on the law and tradition, the man and His doctrine are offensive. His infamy spreads.
Fame and infamy are reverse images, like looking in a mirror and the left side is seen on the right side.
Fame that spreads among the common people of Galilee is the infamy that spreads among the members of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Fame and infamy are both mirages, fleeting illusions of perspective. They blow with the wind and are irrelevant to truth. This is one of the lessons of the wilderness experience.
The Symptom February 7
Mark 1:29 Now as soon as they had come out of the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick with a fever, and they told Him about her at once. 31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
Jesus goes with His disciples to the house of Simon’s mother-in-law. She is laying sick with fever.
“So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her.” That the fever leaves is a miracle by any definition of the word. Mark uses miracles as proofs of Jesus’ divinity, and here we have another extraordinary event to bolster this claim.
Did He use anything more than the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the mortal resources available to us all to heal Simon’s mother?
To look at His miracles from another perspective is not to lessen the miraculous nature of what He accomplishes. The manner in which Jesus addresses the obstacles people find in their path is unprecedented. These events stretch the limits of the witnesses’ imagination so that they might even question what their eyes have seen.
Fever is only a symptom, an early line of defense, so we really must look at the cause.
Why do our first lines of defenses fail and allow the invaders to enter? Lack of water, nutrition, rest and other basics are obvious. Less obvious, but perhaps at least equally important, are our emotional and spiritual states. We ignore these at our own peril.
We treat the symptom. Jesus looks more deeply.
The Healing February 8
Mark 1:31 So He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and immediately the fever left her. And she served them.
As in the casting out of the evil spirit, Jesus does not dwell on symptoms. He addresses the root cause, the primary unresolved issue.
Jesus takes her hand and lifts her up. Think on this for a moment, and picture the woman being lifted up. Note that the Greek word translated as “lifted” is the same word used when Jesus tells the dead girl, Tabitha, “arise” in Mark 5:41.
Miraculous healings change lives, and those who are witnesses are among the changed lives. We must realize that His healing is more than the removal of symptoms.
Did the woman here need rest, or attention, or a new perspective on an old problem? We do not know, but it seems unlikely that Jesus would remove a symptom without removing the cause. Otherwise, He must repeat His healing miracles endlessly.
Hippocrates said that all disease begins in the gut. That is probably true, but only if we first remove the diseases that begin in the heart, mind, and spirit.
The physical body is the sum of innumerable complex interactions. There are several organ systems working together. And there are trillions of cells whose joint effort is what we call the life of the body. Beyond this we hold a much larger number of bacteria, viruses, and other contributors to what we call life.
Jesus heals Simon’s mother. He lifts her up – spiritually, emotionally, and then physically. He restores order to the basics of life.
Many Healed February 9
Mark 1:32 At evening, when the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those who were demon-possessed. 33 And the whole city was gathered together at the door.
The word translated as “sick” here is two words in the Greek. They might be translated as “grievously diseased.” The implication is they are very sick.
There are also the “demon-possessed,” a term different from the “unclean spirit” from earlier. This stronger term is a terror because the evil is beyond the control of the one possessed. I do not speak more of this demon except to say that there is a stronger force in heaven, above us in God, beside us in Jesus, and within us as the Holy Spirit.
The image that springs to mind of masses of people being healed is of something like a herd being funneled through a chute for their inoculations. But we cannot imagine Jesus interacting with nameless, faceless masses. He desires a personal relationship for Himself with His Father, and for Himself with those who will allow His spirit to enter them.
Healing is personal. More than a science or an art, it is the mending of relationship – within the body, among people, and with God into wholeness.
As mentioned previously, healing symptoms without removing the cause leads to repeated illness. Jesus delves into the root causes of diseases: abandonment, hunger, fear, overwork, anger, abuse, and so much more.
He pours Himself out into the needy crowd. He fills up where there is emptiness.
Casting Out Demons February 10
Mark 1:34 Then He healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.
Unclean spirits are different from demons, or devils in the KJV. An unclean spirit co-rules the body, an uneasy division of power. The demonic spirit is dominant, however, the undisputed ruler of the body.
And we must allow for two types of the demon possessed. The epileptic and demented would have been put in the demon possessed category at the time of Jesus. There are many diseases that are beyond the control of the individual, simply the result of living in a fallen world.
In the second type of demon possession, the person no longer has control of themselves. The most extreme forms of what we call mental illness may apply here.
Unclean spirits are the individual fruit of the flesh, such as anger, or discord or jealousy. This unhealthy spirit causes disruption but is held somewhat in check by fruit of the Spirit, such as gentleness, kindness, and patience.
The demon possessed individual is more thoroughly compromised with little, if any, fruit of the Spirit.
The demons cast out by Jesus cannot speak, for all that they would be able to say would be from the flesh, and that falls silent in the presence of the Holy Spirit as manifested through Jesus.
The cure for either type of demonic possession is miraculous. Restoration, a return to God’s original intention, is celebrated though it surpasses all human understanding.
Miracles remind us of God and His power.
Jesus says of the demon possessed, “this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matt. 17:21). Divine assistance is required.
Solitude February 11
Mark 1:35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.
There are needs that must be satisfied to keep us alive, and needs that must be satisfied to keep us whole. If we are not whole, by definition we are not fully alive.
Jesus goes out to a solitary place alone. The day before had been filled with people, all with demands upon His human time and energy. Such a day is draining on body and soul, and restoration is required.
He leaves the food, water, rest, and shelter necessary for life. And in exchange for these and the company of people, He seeks the company of God.
As the source of life, God is also the restorer of life.
A solitary place is not a place of loneliness. Solitude is not loneliness. Used correctly, it is a place to be alone with God.
As the Messiah, Jesus is set apart from others. Although He does have friends, for so He called the disciples, they are not His equal. Frequently, they cannot understand His purpose or His sorrows. Ultimately, His burden is His alone and cannot be shared with them.
In solitude, He seeks the company of His Father. The company of God is our refuge, also. He is the One who listens, even shares our silence
Jesus does not trust in His own abilities alone. His Father is the one He trusts as the source of both His own and His followers’ power.
This solitude is the antidote for loneliness. He prayed.
Next day