Disciples Digital Library

The literary unit in chapters 1 and 2 of the Gospel of Mark includes five stories highlighting the authority of Jesus as the “ Son of Man .” It also shows the growing conflicts between him and the religious authorities based in the Jerusalem Temple, especially over issues of ritual purity and Sabbath regulations. There are parallels between the present story and the preceding one about the cleansing of the leper.

Jesus cleansed a leper by touching him contrary to the regulations governing ritual purity, and his actions did not render him “unclean” in God’s eyes .  The touch of Jesus cleansed a leper from ritual impurity, thus restoring him physically AND religiously. Remarkably, he touched the man BEFORE he was cleansed, and before the required ritual by a priest. Any concern over contracting “uncleanness” did not stop the Messiah from healing one of the sons of Israel.

Jesus is the ‘Son of Man’ foreseen by Daniel, the Messiah with absolute authority over the peoples and nations of the Earth . After defeating Satan in the wilderness, Jesus began proclaiming “ the Good News ” of the Kingdom in Galilee – “ The season is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel! ” The term “ Kingdom of God ” is a summary statement that links Christ’s mission to the glorious “ Son of Man ” figure described in the  Book of Daniel .

Mark highlights the unbelief behind the inability of both his opponents and the disciples to perceive exactly who Jesus was  -  Mark 8:1-21 .  Despite all they had seen, the disciples remained dull of hearing and ran the risk of submitting to the same unbelief that characterized the opponents of Jesus, especially the unbelief and hostility of the Pharisees. Regardless of his many miracles, they still could not comprehend who he was, the Messiah of Israel and the savior of the world.

Jesus did not allow scruples over purity regulations to keep him from healing the sick and delivering the oppressed from demonic spirits. Neither Sabbath restrictions nor Levitical rules on ritual purity were intended to prevent human needs from being met, at least, not if the Messiah of Israel was present and implementing the Kingdom of God.

Despite his miracle of calming a storm on the Sea of Galilee, Christ’s disciples still could not recognize who he was  – Mark 4:35-41. After teaching the multitude, Jesus left the area to cross the Sea of Galilee, but a violent storm descended suddenly on the lake, frightening the disciples. Storms were common enough on that body of water, and several of the men with Jesus were fishermen familiar with the region’s weather. Their terror indicates this was an especially severe storm.

Jesus restored the sight of a blind beggar while he was “on the way” to his death in the city of Jerusalem  -  Mark 10:46-52 .  This is the last recorded healing miracle in Mark’s account. And here, Jesus is called the “ Nazarene .” Previously, he was only so identified when he exorcised demons, thereby delivering someone from demonic oppression. And in the  Gospel of Mark , the name “ Nazarene ” frames his first and last healing miracles.

A blind man’s eyes were opened, and he was “saved” as Jesus continued “on the way" to Jerusalem  -  Mark 8:22-26 .  The preceding three stories highlighted the  spiritual blindness  caused by unbelief, especially the inability to perceive what God was doing in Jesus, as well as recognize who he was. Next, he restored sight to another Israelite so he could begin to see clearly. And his blindness was removed by the savior’s touch, the “ Son of David ” and the Messiah of Israel.

The feeding of 5,000 men was a spectacular witness to Israel, yet most Jews continued to reject Jesus as Israel’s Messiah  -  Mark 6:31-56 .  The  feeding of the five thousand  is the only miracle story recorded in all four gospel accounts, which demonstrates its importance to the early church. In John’s gospel, it occurred near the Passover season. In  Luke , only the twelve disciples participated in the distribution of bread and fish.  Mark  places the story after the account of the execution of John the Baptist.

Jesus healed two women, restoring both to a state of ritual purity  –  Mark 5:21-43 . Mark  presents two stories about women in need of healing. The theme that links the two accounts is that of a woman in need of physical healing and restoration to a state of ritual purity. Both were “unclean” due to their physical condition; the first was because of a flow of blood, and the second due to her recent death.