• One of Mark’s theme is the identity of Jesus. The people don’t yet understand who he is, but the impure spirit in the man at the synagogue says, “I know who you are – the Holy One of God!”.  
• A second theme in Mark is Jesus controlling the message of who he is. More than once you will hear him say to someone who has grasped the fullness of who he is, “Be quiet.”  Verse 34 says, “..and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.”
• A third theme in Mark is the importance of Jesus’ time for solitude and prayer. Pay attention as we read through the gospel for the times and places where Jesus makes time and space to pray.
• We can presume that both men and women were following Jesus, but no woman is specifically mentioned until the healing of Simon Peter’s mother-in-law. Feminist theologians are not of one mind about verse 31 saying, “Then the fever left her and she began to serve them.” Some read this service to mean that she becomes a disciple, perhaps even forming a house church in her home. Other scholars think that “serve” means that she reverted to the patriarchal role of women in that society.
• In Mark 1:40-45, Mark tells of the healing of a man with leprosy. Leprosy may have been what today is known as Hansen’s Disease, or it may have been any number of skin conditions.  There was a great fear of skin diseases that led people to be socially, spiritually and relationally isolated from others.  When they saw someone approaching, they were to shout out, “Unclean! Unclean!”.  They were not permitted to work, or to attend religious services.  They often resorted to begging.

Note that the man with leprosy comes to Jesus in faith, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”  Jesus replies, “I am willing.  Be clean!”  Mark 1: 40-41 (New International Version) I find the New Revised Standard Version to be more dynamic, “If you choose, you can make me clean.”  Jesus says, “I do choose. Be made clean.” 

Notice in verse 42 the word immediately once again, this time to signal the immediacy with which the man was made “clean”.  Not only would he now be physically well, he would also be restored to community.

I believe God always chooses for us to be made whole.  In Hebrew the word for wholeness is Shalom.  The word is also translated as peace.   Wholeness to me, means experiencing the unconditional love of God that restores, redeems and renews us emotionally, relationally and spiritually.  It may or not mean restores us to physical health.  Over my years in ministry I can say, with true humility, that some of the most “whole” people I have ever known, were people who were very ill or approaching death.  Sometimes the greatest gift of wholeness or healing God gives, is when we are set free from a body that is no longer able to sustain life.

A few questions to ponder:

• What does it mean to you that Jesus “chooses”? Chooses what? Whom? When? How?
• What was it about Jesus that compelled people to seek him out?