A question about our Gospel on the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost (Mark 7:31-37)

[MJDorry]

I just have a question about how Jesus’ approach to healing the man in Decapolis. To quote the KJV:

“And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit , and touched his tongue”

Please have patience as I tend to get hung up on nitpicks about the way certain events and action are described, but it seems very witch doctor-esque to me. Can anyone explain to me the significance of this, or if there is none, how it’s fitting and why it shouldn’t be cause for concern? There are other incidents during which Jesus performed apparently witch doctor-esque miracles and it makes me wonder why Christ would have been remotely compelled to put on what seems like a magic show. Raising Lazarus was great because he just willed it, but why would He not have done the same for some of His other miracles?

 

[Huiou_Theou]

I just have a question about how Jesus’ approach to healing the man in Decapolis. To quote the KJV:

Please have patience as I tend to get hung up on nitpicks about the way certain events and action are described, but it seems very witch doctor-esque to me. Can anyone explain to me the significance of this, or if there is none, how it’s fitting and why it shouldn’t be cause for concern? There are other incidents during which Jesus performed apparently witch doctor-esque miracles and it makes me wonder why Christ would have been remotely compelled to put on what seems like a magic show. Raising Lazarus was great because he just willed it, but why would He not have done the same for some of His other miracles?

Jesus’ actions here appear to have multiple purposes. It’s clear Jesus didn’t want people to know the full extent of what he had done, or was capable of doing Mark 7:36.

The people of this time had ideas about what “normal” doctors would do; and Jesus is fulfilling their expectations. Consider: Even though it gives you the creeps – even if you were to see a witch doctor in action – even a witch doctor get’s put to death if they fail to cure certain people. Just so, not even their trickery can be totally without at least some healing abilities. Observing them closely where they “DO” succeed in healing someone will show at least rudimentary medical knowledge.

I don’t know the specific details about what Jesus did – but I do know that he draws everyone’s attention to God the Father: Mark 7:34/35.

The scriptures also state that where faith is lacking, Jesus could not perform “many” miracles; That does really mean that belief itself is the healer – but it does mean that God’s willingness to heal someone is contingent on their Faith. (The Reasons are beyond the scope of my discussion.).

In this passage, then, Jesus is doing what these people expect in order that their faith be maintained at a sustainable level. St. Ingatius, I think, in the spiritual exercises makes an astute observation; When God gives a person consolations – the devil attempts to raise the mania or ecstasy a person receives so that they begin to think even the slightest positive thought they have “must” be right;

His observation is something I have witnessed – this ecstasy seduces them into jumping to conclusions too fast (and IMO probably making wildly cavalier public proclamations – Pentecostals are constantly in danger of this); These people are, in a word, imprudent. Their mistakes, then, eventually hit them like a brick wall – and they begin to question everything they ever believed, and wonder if they were deluded or crazy… (or perhaps they really WERE crazy!)

That itself is an opportunity for the devil to take their faith away from them.

When Jesus finds someone of strong Faith; such as the Centurion – who KNOWS and professes that Jesus is able to heal even at a distance; even without physical signs; Jesus is amazed (In his human experience).

But those events, those which are most amazing – such as throwing a demon out of a mute man, for the demon’s name is never spoken – are the things that bring about the most violent hatred toward Jesus. People disbelieve because they don’t understand how he did it – according to their own simplistic rules.

Jesus was not yet ready to be crucified at this point in Mark. He was still attempting to grow people’s faith in small increments – trying to save as many as possible.

This is, of course, my own take on the Gospel and it’s reasoning… but I hope it is useful to you.

 

[sllhouette]

Catena Aurea - Gospel of Mark

He takes the deaf and dumb man who was brought to Him apart from the crowd, that He might not do His divine miracles openly; teaching us to cast away vain glory and swelling of heart, for no one can work miracles as he can, who loves humility and is lowly in his conduct. But He puts His fingers into his ears, when He might have cured him with a word, to shew that His body, being united to Deity, was consecrated by Divine virtue, with all that He did. For since on account of the transgression of Adam, human nature had incurred much suffering and hurt in its members and senses, Christ coming into the world shewed the perfection of human nature in Himself, and on this account opened ears, with His fingers, and gave the power of speech by His spittle. Wherefore it goes on, “And spit, and touched his tongue.”

That He might shew that all the members of His sacred body are divine and holy, even the spittle which loosed the string of the tongue. For the spittle is only the superflous moisture of the body, but in the Lord, all things are divine.

Further, he who obtains healing is always drawn aside from turbulent thoughts, disorderly actions, and incoherent speeches. And the fingers which are put into the ears are the words and the gifts of the Holy Ghost, of whom it is said, “This is the finger of God.” [Ex 8:19; Luke 11:20] The spittle is heavenly wisdom, which loosens the sealed lips of the human race, so that it can say, I believe in God, the Father Almighty, and the rest of the Creed. “And looking up to heaven, he groaned,” that is, He taught us to groan, and to raise up the treasures of our hearts to the heavens; because by the groaning of hearty compunction, the silly joy of the flesh is purged away. But the ears are opened to hymns, and songs, and psalms; and He looses the tongue, that it may pour forth the good word, which neither threats nor stripes can restrain.