All within 24 hours

In these days of lockdown, 24 hours feels an age. So it may be surprising to find that Mark appears to record Jesus’ activity all within 24 hours!

Here, we are looking at Mark 1:29-39. Jesus has previously entered a sacred space, the Synagogue, during a sacred time, the Sabbath, and healed someone with a demon (Mark 1:21-28). This could prove problematic to those who are a tadge concerned at this ‘outsider’, this Nazarene. Just who is this?

Simon, Andrew, and James and John, the two pairs of fishermen whom Jesus had met on the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee are with Jesus. They go to Simon’s house, and seemingly then explain to Jesus that his Mum-in-Law isn’t well.

Is all about power?

This time, it isn’t a demon but a fever. Such a fever might leave us powerless. We just think of those who have suffered, are suffering from #Covid this time, who are out of breath, powerless. It might be that for many fevers it isn’t the disease that is the problem but that lack of power. For some bedridden, it might not be that they are ill, but that they are unable to act by themselves, they are ‘without power‘.

I wonder whether we might see illness in Scripture as being powerless rather than trying to examine it – especially in the 21st C – as a medical illness. I read that leprosy was an illness that threatened the integrity of the community, described by its holiness.

It’s very much like Covid today, with the isolation. What’s needed is that the community link is still there despite the physical isolation.

Jesus, having been told of her fever, meets with her. Without any word whatsoever, he just takes her hand, and “lifts her up“. In the Greek this is described as ἤγειρεν, seen on many occasions when Jesus is raised from the dead. Simon’s Mum-in-law then gets on with serving them – wow, that’s is some release:
from powerless to be enabled again. That’s quite a transformation.

Deacon

Was Simon’s Mum-in-law the first ever Deacon?

She certainly started to serve others….on the Sabbath. This breaks from the ‘following of rules’ but serves as it is needed. Does this ask us questions of what rules do we follow? and what we need to do?

There’s that line (Mark 1:32) and ‘that evening‘ – ah so the Sabbath is complete now. Might have missed that. Two healings – one of demons, one of disease – all within 24 hours. The people have come out but – the whole city (polis) came to the house. Surely some exaggeration here?

Given the time that Mark wrote the Gospel, listening to Peter, much has happened to the people in this area. Prior to the Roman-Jewish war (66AD) many have suffered from the economic upheavals, dispossessing many of the Palestinian population in the Galilee area. This was also evident in the spread of disease and physical disability Brough through the emerging poverty. Being out of work meant instant impoverishment.

There are moments when today’s loss of employment seems some similar. I wonder whether Mark was trying to draw our attention to this economic hardship which isn’t so evident in the rest of the text?

Jesus Cures

It’s interesting that Jesus cures many with diseases and casts out many demons – does that mean all? Importantly he does not permit the demons to speak – this is the Messianic Secret. Here it may be interesting to ponder on the selection of Thaddaeus (also known as Jude, son of James), Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, reportedly known supporters of the overthrow of the Roman Empire through a political Messiah.

The Morning

In the dark of the morning Jesus returns to a deserted place, a wilderness perhaps. Here, he can recharge, be rejuvenated, in speaking with God. That’s quite a model to follow. Maybe not if morning is not you, but a time we could give to God, just to pause, and be.

Simon and the others go hunting for Jesus, and then tell him that everyone is looking for Jesus – why the exaggeration again? Here, they get told the next stage in their journey of following Jesus. We are off to the neighbouring towns, so Jesus can proclaim.

All within 24 hours

Over the next day, I wonder if we could reflect on some key aspects here:

• Jesus didn’t have any smart phrases for Simon’s Mum-in-Law. It was about engaging with her. That was healing.
• The healing didn’t occur on Facebook Live, recorded on Insta, but was done in a house – not even in a church. Perhaps healing is contextual to where we are, whom we are, not location. We can meet God anywhere.
• Women are there first! Serving when the men are looking around wondering just what is happening!