13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
REFLECTION
We know a few of the more famous (and infamous) disciples of Jesus, but there are many in this list we know nothing about at all. Though they were also with Jesus for more than three years, received teachings and care from Jesus, were commanded to preach, heal, and cast out demons. However, they remained to be the unnoticed in the Bible and in the church history.
In our own discipleship, we may be asked to do some work or to take a stand that gets noticed by others. But often discipleship consists of faithfulness in the small, even mundane acts of Christian service perhaps unnoticed by all except God.
Are you aware of any unnoticed servers at church, home, the office or any other places? Look for an opportunity to show appreciation, a smile, or a thank you to these people.
Are you willing to be an unnoticed disciple of Christ? Is there any behind-the-scene work that needs to be done? Ask the Lord to give you the willingness to do the not-easily-noticed services faithfully even without people’s recognition or appreciation.
2 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
REFLECTION
The four men were deeply concerned about their friend and wanted to see him helped. They had the faith to believe that Jesus could and would meet his need. They did not simply “pray about it,” but they put action to their prayers; and were not discouraged by the difficult circumstances. They worked together, and Jesus rewarded their efforts by healing their friend.
Jesus chose to do what they considered harder to show that He could also do what they considered easier. He did the miracle which they could see that they might know that he had done the other one (forgiving sins) that they could not see.
God has called us not only to single disciples, but to be formed into communities of faith too. We pray for one another and work for the healing and wholeness of others, just as this paralytic’s four friends help him receive the healing he needs.
Prayer: Dear Lord, how I desire the mutual love, care and sacrificial support between this paralytic and his friends. I hope that there will be similar relationships between me and my cell members so that we may all receive healings in our body, emotion, spiritual life, daily life……
Mark appears to be written for an audience in Rome. A Roman centurion’s declaration near the end of the book — Surely this man was the Son of God!—models the witness to Jesus this gospel calls for.
The opening half of this fast-moving drama keys on the question: Who do you say I am? An episode at the end of the first half shows Jesus healing a blind man in two stages, so that he slowly comes to see. In the same way the disciples have only gradually come to recognize who Jesus is. Then in a key moment in the story, between its two halves, Peter confesses that Jesus is the Messiah.
Now the conflict moves out into the open. Jesus has come to introduce a radical new way of life that will undercut existing power relationships. The second half of the drama depicts this in three acts:
First, Jesus and his disciples travel to Jerusalem.
Next, Jesus teaches in the temple and clashes with the established leadership.
In the final act, that leadership executes its plan and has Jesus arrested and crucified, seemingly overturning all he has done. But then God overturns their deed and raises Jesus to life. So Mark’s readers are called to be faithful to Jesus, even in suffering, because this is how God continues to overturn the existing order and establish the way of life that Jesus taught.
1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,
“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
The Baptism of Jesus
9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
The Temptation of Jesus
12 The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.
REFLECTION
This opening section of Mark sets the stage for the presentation of Jesus Christ as the unique Servant of the Lord, Mark identified as the Son of God.
Mark recorded two events that preceded Jesus’ public ministry, His baptism and His temptation. Jesus underwent John’s baptism to identify with man and man’s sin, not because He needed to repent of person sins, for He had none. His baptism showed that He is the Son of God, the One approved by the Father and empowered by the Spirit, He is the Messiah.
God allowed Satan to tempt Jesus for two reasons: to show that He would not draw away from the Father’s will, and to demonstrate His qualification for His mission. During the time of testing by Satan, “angels were ministering to him”. God did not leave His Son alone, but provided grace to help in this time of need.
What temptations are you currently struggling with? What encouragement do you find here for facing your own temptations?
Ask God to help you find the encouragement and strength you need to face temptation.
