Lent Gospel is a campaign for people to read through the whole of Mark’s Gospel during Lent, in 40 short readings. Helpful notes on each day's reading are available from www.usefulbible.com/lent-gospel; and you can download the whole series in PDF or Kindle format (it's free - just right-click on the links then select ‘save as...’ to download). Of course, it doesn’t have to be for Lent... why not begin now?
Last part: Demons Day 11 Mark 5:1-20
· Read: Mark 5:21-43
These two miracles are not just linked by the fact that they happened on the same occasion. Both of them also demonstrate the same principle.
In the Jewish religion, certain things are considered unclean for religious purposes. Examples include a bodily discharge and a dead body. In order to participate in most acts of worship, a person must separate himself from unclean things. And although a person might touch someone or something unclean perhaps as an act of necessity or mercy that contact makes the person unclean for a period of time. The unclean always pollutes the holy. It is never the other way round or is it?
When the woman with the unclean discharge touched Jesus, we would expect him to become unclean. But clearly and demonstrably, the opposite happened. The womans bleeding stopped. Her unclean state had ended.
And then Mark expressly records that Jesus held the hand of the dead girl. Such an act ought to make him unclean. But once again, power went from Jesus and the girl was raised to life.
When God is at work, we might have to rethink our religion.
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Next part: Rejection Day 13 Mark 6:1-29 |
© 2012, Keith Simons.