Is God Paying Attention?
It happens a lot at our house. The TV is on but it’s nothing more than background noise while we do something else (Okay, I admit that we watch WAY too much television). We’re not really paying attention. Sometimes I turn it on as white noise while I take a Sunday afternoon nap. Come on, is there anything more soothing than a whispering golf announcer?
That’s the picture many of us have of God when it comes to what’s going on down here on our little third rock from the sun. He might be watching but He’s not really paying attention. He’s got the volume turned way down.
Maybe He’s doing something else, something more important. Or maybe He just doesn’t care. It doesn’t take much for us to picture our Creator catching a few Zs in a His heavenly throne that kicks back like a divine La-Z-Boy.
The Compassion Reaction
There’s only one little problem with all that. It’s not true. Not even close. God IS paying close attention. He DOES care and cares deeply. Better yet, He not only cares but is so deeply moved and invested in what’s going on that He’ll do something about it. That’s what happens when God is moved in the gut by what He sees.
God is paying attention. He cares with every fiber of His eternal being. He’s fully and passionately involved whether we know it or not. He not CAN do something about our pain and suffering…He WILL do something about it!
God’s gut reaction is compassion.
Buckle Your Seat Belt
This is exactly the point of a story Mark tells near the end of the opening chapter in his bio of Jesus (Mk 1:40-45). Man, these opening pages are action packed! There’s a LOT going on in just a few short paragraphs. Don’t open the second Gospel of the New Testament without buckling your seat belt. This rascal is the original Fast and Furious!
The story begins with holy road construction (Mk 1:1-3). Jesus’ weird bug-eating cousin John gets the crowd ready for the coming Messiah (Mk 1:4-8). When the Son of God gets baptized, the Father and Spirit join Him to make a rare public appearance by the Trinity (Mk 1:9-11).
Christ is probably still dripping with river water when He heads off to a forty-day duel with the devil in the desert (Mk 1:12-13). After staring down Satan, it’s go time for the Son of God in Galilee (Mk 1:14-15). He then begins drafting the team He’ll use to save the world by picking four commercial fishermen (Mk 1:16-20).
One Slamming Sabbath
Next thing you know, Jesus shocks the crowd at the Capernaum synagogue on the Sabbath, not only with amazing teaching but a rather raucous exorcism (Mk 1:21-28). After church, He heads to Simon and Andrew’s house and heals Simon’s mother-in-law (Mk 1:29-31).
Later that evening, the Lord transforms the humble home into crowded urgent care clinic as people show up hoping Jesus will heal them (Mk 1:32-34). Instead of sleeping in the next morning, our Savior gets up at o-dark-thirty for some alone time with His Dad and to get laser-focused on His upcoming mission and message (Mk 1:35-39).
Kind of a Big Deal
Which brings to a little story we see not just in Mark but Matthew (Mt 8:1-4) and Luke (Lk 5:12-14) as well. Here’s a little tip. When three of the four biographers of Jesus include the same event, that’s a clue that this is kind of a big deal.
Matthew gives us the “when” while Luke gives us the “where.” Matt says this happens right after Jesus preaches His most famous message, the one we call the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 8:1). According to Luke, the location is one of the local Galilean villages (Lk 5:12).
The Big L
As we pick up the action back in Mark, we see someone going out of his way to get to the Son of God. “A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. ‘If You are willing, You can heal me and make me clean,’ he said” (v40).
Let’s face it, we don’t exactly see a whole lot of leprosy in 21st Century America. A little plaque psoriasis maybe. A nasty case of eczema possibly. Or teenager embarrassed by their complexion. That’s about it. We don’t see commercials from a pharmaceutical company encouraging us to ask our doctor about the latest and greatest leprosy wonder drug.
But leprosy in ancient times was a HUGE health problem. First Century Jews called leprosy “the Finger of God” or “the Stroke.” While there were a long list of skin disorders that fit the label of the Big L, the worst kind was chronic, incurable, and eventually fatal. One Bible commentator calls it “the living death.” It’s known today as Hansen’s disease.
Outcasts from Society
A quick check of Scripture tells us that leprosy turns the skin white as snow (Ex 4:6; Num 12:10; 2Ki 5:27). A victim doesn’t expect any healing or relief (2Ki 5:7). Like the spiritual disease of our own sin, there’s no cure without from God’s involvement. Similar to folks with HIV/AIDS today, lepers were outcasts from society that no one wanted anywhere near them.
We don’t know this guy’s name that Mark describes but we do have a pretty good handle on his condition when he comes to Christ. Dr. Luke diagnoses the dude with “an advanced case of leprosy” (Lk 5:12). It’s bad. REALLY bad. This awful disease has probably cost him a finger or two and maybe even a foot. Let’s just say he wasn’t looking to Jesus for a little relief from a pesky rash.
A Gut Feeling about Jesus
The guy “came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed” (v40). From our perspective, it makes sense. The Rabbi/Carpenter is blowing up after that crazy day of healing in Capernaum. Surely He’s the answer. He goes all in on the Son of God. He doubles down on his belief that Christ could heal him too. He’s got a gut feeling about Jesus.
But what we may not realize is that in his desperation, the poor man totally breaks all the rules. According to the Old Testament, any sign of leprosy means quarantine and isolation (Num 5:1-4; 12:10-15). To make matters worse, someone with this dreaded disease has to warn anybody not to come near them (Lev 13:45-46).
Hopeless and Homeless
We don’t know how long he’s suffered. But put yourself in his sandals for a second. You’re body is literally and slowly rotting away. You’re forced to live outside the city. You can never hug your kids again. You can never kiss your wife again. You’re utterly lonely and completely hopeless…until you hear about Jesus!
Basically living homeless outside the city limits, you’ve come to believe that God isn’t paying attention. That He doesn’t care. He may be the Creator but He must have better things to do than spend time listening a leper’s prayers in the backwater boondocks of Galilee.
Rules, Schmules!
But that all changes when you hear the news about the miracle working Messiah making rounds in the neighborhood. You don’t realize it at the time, but your potential source of healing is actually THE Son of God. God DOES care. He cares SO much that He’s left the luxury of the heavenly palace to come on the ultimate rescue mission to heal us and save us.
And now you hear He’s headed your way. Rules, schmules! You’re going to find a way to see Him. You don’t give a hoot whether you’ve got an appointment or not. You’re hoping against all hope that Jesus is taking walk-ins! You’ve got a gut feeling He’s your best and last chance.
It doesn’t take much to picture the man stumbling as fast as he can and throwing himself on his knees before the Lord. In worship. In complete submission. In total dependance. In utter desperation. He’s out of options. The scene reminds me of what Corrie Ten Boom said. “You never know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.” At this point, Jesus IS all he has.
Ain’t Too Proud to Beg
Once he has Christ’s attention, he pulls no punches on his request. “If You are willing, You can heal me and make me clean” (v40). He knew Jesus could. He didn’t know if He would. He knew Christ had the power. He didn’t know if He had the want to. But one thing was for sure, the man was going to ask. He was going to plead. He had absolutely nothing to lose. As the Temptations like to say, he ain’t too proud to beg!
This comes back to that core question. Do I REALLY believe He can heal me? And if I do think the Son of God’s got the goods to cure me, do I believe He’ll deliver? Do I NOT ask Him because I don’t think He can or, even worse, don’t think He cares? Is Jesus even paying attention to little ol’ me? Doesn’t He have better things to do? More important items on His divine to-do list?
A Cathartic Moment
Mark tells us that the man knows that IF Jesus wants to, “You can heal me and make me clean” (v40). The author uses a Greek word here (Gr. καθαριζο/katharizo) that the NLT translates as “heal me make me clean” which means to purify, clean, purge, rid of disease, or even make acceptable to God.
It’s where we get our word catharsis, a cleansing or purging that brings about a renewal. John Mark uses it three times in three verses in this passage. Here in verse 40. Again when Jesus responds “be healed” in the next verse. And one more time in verse 42 at the end of the treatment. But let’s not get ahead ourselves.
Splag-what?
So back to the big question. Not could Jesus, but would Jesus? We get our answer in Mark’s description of our Savior’s response. Christ is “moved with compassion” (v41). Excuse me while we drill down a bit in the original language again. This is the word σπλαγχνιζομαι/splagchnizomai, which means to feel sympathy for, experience great affection for someone, or take pity on someone.
How deep is this emotion? Check this out. The term comes from another Greek noun (Gr. σπλαγχνον/splagchnon) which actually means bowels, intestines, or internal organs. Back in ancient times, your innards were thought to be the seat of deep love and all passionate emotion.
Moved to His Core
The man’s disease and desperate request punches Jesus in the gut. The Lord has a visceral reaction to his situation. He’s moved to His holy core. His stomach turns at the sight.
God’s gut reaction is compassion!
The Compassion of Christ
It’s important to note that the only time we see it in the New Testament is when the writers are talking about Jesus or when He’s telling a parable describing His Heavenly Dad. Here are a few examples.
The Son of God has a gut reaction when the people are harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd (Mt 9:36; Mk 6:34). It happens when He sees the massive crowd coming to Him from the surrounding cities (Mt 14:14). One more time when another huge audience is starving after a three-day lakeside Bible study (Mt 15:32; Mk 8:2).
It doesn’t take a big crowd to rock Christ to His core. It happens when he meets two visually impaired men near Jericho who desperately want to see again (Mt 20:34). There’s the time when a heartbroken dad pleads with Jesus to do something to help his demon-tortured son (Mk 9:22). Once again when He sees a widowed mother in a funeral procession for her recently deceased son (Lk 7:13).
Compassion in the Parables
When Jesus tells the story of the unforgiving employee, the worker’s original boss “was filled with pity (Gr. σπλαγχνιζομαι/splagchnizomai) for him, and he released him and forgave his debt” (Mt 18:27). In the parable of the kindhearted Samaritan, this despised foreigner is the only one whose heart breaks for the man who had been mugged and left for dead on the side of the road (Lk 10:33).
Then there’s the famous story of the faithful father and his two knucklehead sons. The dad is overwhelmed with compassion that he sprints off the porch to meet the one son who returned in repentance (Lk 15:20). The big idea? There’s no one more deeply moved by our situation than God Himself.
Sympathy, Empathy, and Compassion
Don’t get compassion confused with sympathy or empathy. Sympathy is pity for somebody else’s problems. Empathy is the ability to relate to somebody’s situation vicariously. But compassion is both an understanding of someone else’s pain AND the desire to do something about it in someway.
Our Savior certainly understands and relates to our situation. That’s what His incarnation is all about. It’s the point of Jesus being our priest. “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin” (Heb 4:15).
But Christ doesn’t simply care. He has the desire to do something about it. On some level, the man understands the truth we read in Hebrews. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Heb 4:16).
God’s gut reaction is compassion.
Jesus Reaches out
Which brings us back to the leper’s dermatological appointment with the Great Physician in Galilee. Jesus’ instinctively responds to him with love and care. As a result, He’s moved to do something. “Jesus reached out and touched him” (v41). Yeah, that’s right, Jesus reaches out and touches him!
For someone in the first century with a diagnosis of leprosy, this is the last thing you would expect to happen. Reach out and touch? No way. More like turn around and run. Lepers commonly had to dodge rocks from from folks trying to scare them away. Jesus reaching out to touch was totally unexpected.
It’s My Pleasure
But the radical Rabbi/Carpenter did just make loving contact with him, He responds to his request. “‘I am willing,’ He said. ‘Be healed!’” (v41). Jesus not only wants to heal, He’s going to heal! I love how the Bible in Basic English translates the Lord’s reply. “It is My pleasure; be made clean” (v41 BBE).
In other words, we’re not wasting Jesus’ time when we ask. He looks forward to helping us. He’s SO glad when we ask! We’re not bothering Him. It’s no inconvenience. It’s not a hassle. He loves when we come to Him and invite Him to be involved. Why?
God’s gut reaction is compassion.
Immediate Healing
Jesus wastes no time getting down to business. “Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed” (v42). The Son of God doesn’t write the guy a prescription for a topical ointment and tell to apply twice a day for two weeks. He heals him. Immediately. On the spot. Christ liberally applies the love of God and miraculously cures him.
For the tenth time in his opening chapter, we see Mark use favorite adverb ευθεος/eutheos. It describes something that happens immediately, at once, straightaway, next, and indicates the immediate event in a sequence.
The author uses a form of this word eleven times in chapter one for a grand total of more than 40 times the second Gospel. That’s more than the rest of the New Testament combined! Think the Bible is boring? Then you need to read Mark’s bio of Jesus. It’s more like a non-stop action flick.
He WANTS Us to Ask
Will Jesus give you and me instantaneous healing like the leprous man in Mark? I honestly don’t know. But here’s what we DO know. He cares and He can. We don’t know until we ask Him. He WANTS us to ask. He loves when we invite Him to get involved.
There are times when He has a reason to delay our healing. Take Paul for example (2Cor 12:5-9). He begged God repeated to rid him of an unnamed pain. But Jesus told him this particular pain has a specific purpose. The Lord allowed it in order to keep the apostle humble. Each time Paul asked, Jesus’ response was the same. “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2Cor 12:9).
Delayed Response
In other words, sometimes Jesus’ compassion is actually the reason His response is delayed. Say what?!?! As with Paul, the Son of God is more concerned with my holiness than my happiness. His healing is anything but a one-size-fits-all kinda deal. Christ probably won’t do for me what He’s done for you. Maybe He will. One thing that is for sure is His compassion.
God’s gut reaction is compassion.
Where’s MY Compassion?
Here’s where I need to press “pause” and ask myself some hard questions. Do I have sympathy and empathy for those who are suffering? Does my heart break for those in pain? What’s more, do I have compassion for others? I may not be Jesus but there are plenty of times when I can do something to help. That’s what being the church is all about, isn’t it? Isn’t it?
Working through Established Channels
At this point, Jesus tells the guy how he should spread the word to anyone and everyone about the miracle. Not. Pretty much the opposite. Christ warns him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed” (v43-44).
Jesus has a very specific audience He wants to hear the news. The local priest. He’s telling the man to follow the instructions God gave Moses about being cleansed from leprosy (Lev 14:2-32). The Son of God wants the word of the healing to get out through His Father’s established channels. It’s important that the priest knows Jesus’ ministry is legit!
Staying on Schedule
There’s another important reason for our Savior to keep a lid on what’s going on in Galilee. He has a three-year timetable. He needs to stay on schedule. If word gets back to the religious leaders and Roman politicians that the REAL King of the Jews has made the scene, things are going to get messy in a big hurry.
“But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened” (v45). Well, so much for keeping things on the down low. It just goes to show you that everything in the Bible isn’t all buttoned up. It’s not all smooth sailing.
This is what happens when God interacts with imperfect people like you and me. Too many times, we ignore His instructions. We think we know better than the One who knows everything. We make the mistake of getting ahead of God and forcing our agenda on Him. FYI, that never works out well for you and me.
Going Gaga in Galilee
The next thing you know, Galilee’s going gaga over the Son of God. “As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and He couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to Him” (v45).
Christ has to change His game plan. He calls an audible. There’s a lot more camping involved because of the buzz. But that certainly doesn’t dampen His demand. Folks flock to find the Lord wherever He is. Despite it all, Jesus doesn’t turn anyone away.
That’s because God’s gut reaction is compassion.
It happens a lot at our house. The TV is on but it’s nothing more than background noise while we do something else (Okay, I admit that we watch WAY too much television). We’re not really paying attention. Sometimes I turn it on as white noise while I take a Sunday afternoon nap. Come on, is there anything more soothing than a whispering golf announcer?
That’s the picture many of us have of God when it comes to what’s going on down here on our little third rock from the sun. He might be watching but He’s not really paying attention. He’s got the volume turned way down.
Maybe He’s doing something else, something more important. Or maybe He just doesn’t care. It doesn’t take much for us to picture our Creator catching a few Zs in a His heavenly throne that kicks back like a divine La-Z-Boy.
The Compassion Reaction
There’s only one little problem with all that. It’s not true. Not even close. God IS paying close attention. He DOES care and cares deeply. Better yet, He not only cares but is so deeply moved and invested in what’s going on that He’ll do something about it. That’s what happens when God is moved in the gut by what He sees.
God is paying attention. He cares with every fiber of His eternal being. He’s fully and passionately involved whether we know it or not. He not CAN do something about our pain and suffering…He WILL do something about it!
God’s gut reaction is compassion.
Buckle Your Seat Belt
This is exactly the point of a story Mark tells near the end of the opening chapter in his bio of Jesus (Mk 1:40-45). Man, these opening pages are action packed! There’s a LOT going on in just a few short paragraphs. Don’t open the second Gospel of the New Testament without buckling your seat belt. This rascal is the original Fast and Furious!
The story begins with holy road construction (Mk 1:1-3). Jesus’ weird bug-eating cousin John gets the crowd ready for the coming Messiah (Mk 1:4-8). When the Son of God gets baptized, the Father and Spirit join Him to make a rare public appearance by the Trinity (Mk 1:9-11).
Christ is probably still dripping with river water when He heads off to a forty-day duel with the devil in the desert (Mk 1:12-13). After staring down Satan, it’s go time for the Son of God in Galilee (Mk 1:14-15). He then begins drafting the team He’ll use to save the world by picking four commercial fishermen (Mk 1:16-20).
One Slamming Sabbath
Next thing you know, Jesus shocks the crowd at the Capernaum synagogue on the Sabbath, not only with amazing teaching but a rather raucous exorcism (Mk 1:21-28). After church, He heads to Simon and Andrew’s house and heals Simon’s mother-in-law (Mk 1:29-31).
Later that evening, the Lord transforms the humble home into crowded urgent care clinic as people show up hoping Jesus will heal them (Mk 1:32-34). Instead of sleeping in the next morning, our Savior gets up at o-dark-thirty for some alone time with His Dad and to get laser-focused on His upcoming mission and message (Mk 1:35-39).
Kind of a Big Deal
Which brings to a little story we see not just in Mark but Matthew (Mt 8:1-4) and Luke (Lk 5:12-14) as well. Here’s a little tip. When three of the four biographers of Jesus include the same event, that’s a clue that this is kind of a big deal.
Matthew gives us the “when” while Luke gives us the “where.” Matt says this happens right after Jesus preaches His most famous message, the one we call the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 8:1). According to Luke, the location is one of the local Galilean villages (Lk 5:12).
The Big L
As we pick up the action back in Mark, we see someone going out of his way to get to the Son of God. “A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. ‘If You are willing, You can heal me and make me clean,’ he said” (v40).
Let’s face it, we don’t exactly see a whole lot of leprosy in 21st Century America. A little plaque psoriasis maybe. A nasty case of eczema possibly. Or teenager embarrassed by their complexion. That’s about it. We don’t see commercials from a pharmaceutical company encouraging us to ask our doctor about the latest and greatest leprosy wonder drug.
But leprosy in ancient times was a HUGE health problem. First Century Jews called leprosy “the Finger of God” or “the Stroke.” While there were a long list of skin disorders that fit the label of the Big L, the worst kind was chronic, incurable, and eventually fatal. One Bible commentator calls it “the living death.” It’s known today as Hansen’s disease.
Outcasts from Society
A quick check of Scripture tells us that leprosy turns the skin white as snow (Ex 4:6; Num 12:10; 2Ki 5:27). A victim doesn’t expect any healing or relief (2Ki 5:7). Like the spiritual disease of our own sin, there’s no cure without from God’s involvement. Similar to folks with HIV/AIDS today, lepers were outcasts from society that no one wanted anywhere near them.
We don’t know this guy’s name that Mark describes but we do have a pretty good handle on his condition when he comes to Christ. Dr. Luke diagnoses the dude with “an advanced case of leprosy” (Lk 5:12). It’s bad. REALLY bad. This awful disease has probably cost him a finger or two and maybe even a foot. Let’s just say he wasn’t looking to Jesus for a little relief from a pesky rash.
A Gut Feeling about Jesus
The guy “came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed” (v40). From our perspective, it makes sense. The Rabbi/Carpenter is blowing up after that crazy day of healing in Capernaum. Surely He’s the answer. He goes all in on the Son of God. He doubles down on his belief that Christ could heal him too. He’s got a gut feeling about Jesus.
But what we may not realize is that in his desperation, the poor man totally breaks all the rules. According to the Old Testament, any sign of leprosy means quarantine and isolation (Num 5:1-4; 12:10-15). To make matters worse, someone with this dreaded disease has to warn anybody not to come near them (Lev 13:45-46).
Hopeless and Homeless
We don’t know how long he’s suffered. But put yourself in his sandals for a second. You’re body is literally and slowly rotting away. You’re forced to live outside the city. You can never hug your kids again. You can never kiss your wife again. You’re utterly lonely and completely hopeless…until you hear about Jesus!
Basically living homeless outside the city limits, you’ve come to believe that God isn’t paying attention. That He doesn’t care. He may be the Creator but He must have better things to do than spend time listening a leper’s prayers in the backwater boondocks of Galilee.
Rules, Schmules!
But that all changes when you hear the news about the miracle working Messiah making rounds in the neighborhood. You don’t realize it at the time, but your potential source of healing is actually THE Son of God. God DOES care. He cares SO much that He’s left the luxury of the heavenly palace to come on the ultimate rescue mission to heal us and save us.
And now you hear He’s headed your way. Rules, schmules! You’re going to find a way to see Him. You don’t give a hoot whether you’ve got an appointment or not. You’re hoping against all hope that Jesus is taking walk-ins! You’ve got a gut feeling He’s your best and last chance.
It doesn’t take much to picture the man stumbling as fast as he can and throwing himself on his knees before the Lord. In worship. In complete submission. In total dependance. In utter desperation. He’s out of options. The scene reminds me of what Corrie Ten Boom said. “You never know Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.” At this point, Jesus IS all he has.
Ain’t Too Proud to Beg
Once he has Christ’s attention, he pulls no punches on his request. “If You are willing, You can heal me and make me clean” (v40). He knew Jesus could. He didn’t know if He would. He knew Christ had the power. He didn’t know if He had the want to. But one thing was for sure, the man was going to ask. He was going to plead. He had absolutely nothing to lose. As the Temptations like to say, he ain’t too proud to beg!
This comes back to that core question. Do I REALLY believe He can heal me? And if I do think the Son of God’s got the goods to cure me, do I believe He’ll deliver? Do I NOT ask Him because I don’t think He can or, even worse, don’t think He cares? Is Jesus even paying attention to little ol’ me? Doesn’t He have better things to do? More important items on His divine to-do list?
A Cathartic Moment
Mark tells us that the man knows that IF Jesus wants to, “You can heal me and make me clean” (v40). The author uses a Greek word here (Gr. καθαριζο/katharizo) that the NLT translates as “heal me make me clean” which means to purify, clean, purge, rid of disease, or even make acceptable to God.
It’s where we get our word catharsis, a cleansing or purging that brings about a renewal. John Mark uses it three times in three verses in this passage. Here in verse 40. Again when Jesus responds “be healed” in the next verse. And one more time in verse 42 at the end of the treatment. But let’s not get ahead ourselves.
Splag-what?
So back to the big question. Not could Jesus, but would Jesus? We get our answer in Mark’s description of our Savior’s response. Christ is “moved with compassion” (v41). Excuse me while we drill down a bit in the original language again. This is the word σπλαγχνιζομαι/splagchnizomai, which means to feel sympathy for, experience great affection for someone, or take pity on someone.
How deep is this emotion? Check this out. The term comes from another Greek noun (Gr. σπλαγχνον/splagchnon) which actually means bowels, intestines, or internal organs. Back in ancient times, your innards were thought to be the seat of deep love and all passionate emotion.
Moved to His Core
The man’s disease and desperate request punches Jesus in the gut. The Lord has a visceral reaction to his situation. He’s moved to His holy core. His stomach turns at the sight.
God’s gut reaction is compassion!
The Compassion of Christ
It’s important to note that the only time we see it in the New Testament is when the writers are talking about Jesus or when He’s telling a parable describing His Heavenly Dad. Here are a few examples.
The Son of God has a gut reaction when the people are harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd (Mt 9:36; Mk 6:34). It happens when He sees the massive crowd coming to Him from the surrounding cities (Mt 14:14). One more time when another huge audience is starving after a three-day lakeside Bible study (Mt 15:32; Mk 8:2).
It doesn’t take a big crowd to rock Christ to His core. It happens when he meets two visually impaired men near Jericho who desperately want to see again (Mt 20:34). There’s the time when a heartbroken dad pleads with Jesus to do something to help his demon-tortured son (Mk 9:22). Once again when He sees a widowed mother in a funeral procession for her recently deceased son (Lk 7:13).
Compassion in the Parables
When Jesus tells the story of the unforgiving employee, the worker’s original boss “was filled with pity (Gr. σπλαγχνιζομαι/splagchnizomai) for him, and he released him and forgave his debt” (Mt 18:27). In the parable of the kindhearted Samaritan, this despised foreigner is the only one whose heart breaks for the man who had been mugged and left for dead on the side of the road (Lk 10:33).
Then there’s the famous story of the faithful father and his two knucklehead sons. The dad is overwhelmed with compassion that he sprints off the porch to meet the one son who returned in repentance (Lk 15:20). The big idea? There’s no one more deeply moved by our situation than God Himself.
Sympathy, Empathy, and Compassion
Don’t get compassion confused with sympathy or empathy. Sympathy is pity for somebody else’s problems. Empathy is the ability to relate to somebody’s situation vicariously. But compassion is both an understanding of someone else’s pain AND the desire to do something about it in someway.
Our Savior certainly understands and relates to our situation. That’s what His incarnation is all about. It’s the point of Jesus being our priest. “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for He faced all of the same testings we do, yet He did not sin” (Heb 4:15).
But Christ doesn’t simply care. He has the desire to do something about it. On some level, the man understands the truth we read in Hebrews. “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive His mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most” (Heb 4:16).
God’s gut reaction is compassion.
Jesus Reaches out
Which brings us back to the leper’s dermatological appointment with the Great Physician in Galilee. Jesus’ instinctively responds to him with love and care. As a result, He’s moved to do something. “Jesus reached out and touched him” (v41). Yeah, that’s right, Jesus reaches out and touches him!
For someone in the first century with a diagnosis of leprosy, this is the last thing you would expect to happen. Reach out and touch? No way. More like turn around and run. Lepers commonly had to dodge rocks from from folks trying to scare them away. Jesus reaching out to touch was totally unexpected.
It’s My Pleasure
But the radical Rabbi/Carpenter did just make loving contact with him, He responds to his request. “‘I am willing,’ He said. ‘Be healed!’” (v41). Jesus not only wants to heal, He’s going to heal! I love how the Bible in Basic English translates the Lord’s reply. “It is My pleasure; be made clean” (v41 BBE).
In other words, we’re not wasting Jesus’ time when we ask. He looks forward to helping us. He’s SO glad when we ask! We’re not bothering Him. It’s no inconvenience. It’s not a hassle. He loves when we come to Him and invite Him to be involved. Why?
God’s gut reaction is compassion.
Immediate Healing
Jesus wastes no time getting down to business. “Instantly the leprosy disappeared, and the man was healed” (v42). The Son of God doesn’t write the guy a prescription for a topical ointment and tell to apply twice a day for two weeks. He heals him. Immediately. On the spot. Christ liberally applies the love of God and miraculously cures him.
For the tenth time in his opening chapter, we see Mark use favorite adverb ευθεος/eutheos. It describes something that happens immediately, at once, straightaway, next, and indicates the immediate event in a sequence.
The author uses a form of this word eleven times in chapter one for a grand total of more than 40 times the second Gospel. That’s more than the rest of the New Testament combined! Think the Bible is boring? Then you need to read Mark’s bio of Jesus. It’s more like a non-stop action flick.
He WANTS Us to Ask
Will Jesus give you and me instantaneous healing like the leprous man in Mark? I honestly don’t know. But here’s what we DO know. He cares and He can. We don’t know until we ask Him. He WANTS us to ask. He loves when we invite Him to get involved.
There are times when He has a reason to delay our healing. Take Paul for example (2Cor 12:5-9). He begged God repeated to rid him of an unnamed pain. But Jesus told him this particular pain has a specific purpose. The Lord allowed it in order to keep the apostle humble. Each time Paul asked, Jesus’ response was the same. “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” (2Cor 12:9).
Delayed Response
In other words, sometimes Jesus’ compassion is actually the reason His response is delayed. Say what?!?! As with Paul, the Son of God is more concerned with my holiness than my happiness. His healing is anything but a one-size-fits-all kinda deal. Christ probably won’t do for me what He’s done for you. Maybe He will. One thing that is for sure is His compassion.
God’s gut reaction is compassion.
Where’s MY Compassion?
Here’s where I need to press “pause” and ask myself some hard questions. Do I have sympathy and empathy for those who are suffering? Does my heart break for those in pain? What’s more, do I have compassion for others? I may not be Jesus but there are plenty of times when I can do something to help. That’s what being the church is all about, isn’t it? Isn’t it?
Working through Established Channels
At this point, Jesus tells the guy how he should spread the word to anyone and everyone about the miracle. Not. Pretty much the opposite. Christ warns him, “Don’t tell anyone about this. Instead, go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed” (v43-44).
Jesus has a very specific audience He wants to hear the news. The local priest. He’s telling the man to follow the instructions God gave Moses about being cleansed from leprosy (Lev 14:2-32). The Son of God wants the word of the healing to get out through His Father’s established channels. It’s important that the priest knows Jesus’ ministry is legit!
Staying on Schedule
There’s another important reason for our Savior to keep a lid on what’s going on in Galilee. He has a three-year timetable. He needs to stay on schedule. If word gets back to the religious leaders and Roman politicians that the REAL King of the Jews has made the scene, things are going to get messy in a big hurry.
“But the man went and spread the word, proclaiming to everyone what had happened” (v45). Well, so much for keeping things on the down low. It just goes to show you that everything in the Bible isn’t all buttoned up. It’s not all smooth sailing.
This is what happens when God interacts with imperfect people like you and me. Too many times, we ignore His instructions. We think we know better than the One who knows everything. We make the mistake of getting ahead of God and forcing our agenda on Him. FYI, that never works out well for you and me.
Going Gaga in Galilee
The next thing you know, Galilee’s going gaga over the Son of God. “As a result, large crowds soon surrounded Jesus, and He couldn’t publicly enter a town anywhere. He had to stay out in the secluded places, but people from everywhere kept coming to Him” (v45).
Christ has to change His game plan. He calls an audible. There’s a lot more camping involved because of the buzz. But that certainly doesn’t dampen His demand. Folks flock to find the Lord wherever He is. Despite it all, Jesus doesn’t turn anyone away.
That’s because God’s gut reaction is compassion.
©2017
Jay Jennings
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