(pictures: location of Mark 5)
Today was our second day in Galilee, where we continued to follow the life and ministry of Jesus (his ministry was primarily in Galilee). The districts surrounding the Sea of Galilee were divided between degrees of Hellenisation but they were also united as Jews in each area were seeking after God. In Jesus' ministry he was able to identify with each district and as Dr. Wright said, tap into their essential human needs. We've had several views overlooking the whole sea, which creates a nice visual of how Jesus' ministry would have progressed throughout this area.
In calling the disciples, Jesus chose fishermen. Fishermen in Galilee would have been considered brave, bold, resourceful, and cross cultural. Canaanites believed that the god of chaos was the god of the sea, so they had all these associations of the sea with death and evil. As fishermen, these men would have appeared fearless and capable in navigating in the water. In addition, fishermen would have traveled from district to district, interacting with people at other ports who had different cultures (Galilee as a whole was Jewish but it was being pulled more and more into the Roman world/Hellinism). Mark 3:14 says, "He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons." Dr. Wright said there are three criteria for the disciples: 1. God wants you 2. You want him 3. the rest are details. This really highlighted to me the way Jesus appointed the twelve first and foremost that "they might be with him." What a beautiful image of Jesus desiring for the disciples to be in his presence and share in his ministry. Our ministry is really secondary to just being with Jesus and really receiving his love towards us.
In Mark 5 Jesus heals a demon-possessed man, which can be placed in the city of Gergesa. This city is on the hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It is really a beautiful city with farm land, grazing land, a boat doc, and rocks and tombs above. In this story, the demon-possessed man was living among the tombs, too strong to be subdued, and would cry out and cut himself with stones (5:5). But when he saw Jesus he fell down before him, and Jesus casts the demons out of him into nearby pigs. The pigs rush down into the lake and are drowned. The pig owners find the man "sitting there, dressed and in his right mind" (15). When Jesus leaves the region the man begs Jesus to be taken with him, but Jesus responds "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you" (19). So he tells people and they are amazed. The next time Jesus returns to this region, a whole group of people are waiting for him...showing how the man had continued to spread word about Jesus' healing act in his life.
It was so interesting connecting this story with being in the actual area where it is likely to have taken place. We climbed around in the tombs on the hill, that look down on the city. I could picture this man living just outside of his community, afflicted by this possession that was separating him from his family, land, and God (the three things most valued in Jewish culture). When Jesus healed him, he restored all of this to him. Rather than letting him come and join him in leaving the region, Jesus restores him to his community, home, and land. I never understood this before and it was really eye opening to me. This was really the most merciful thing Jesus could have done. In a way, he is telling him that it is ok, he has made him well and he can be healthy and restored in his own environment.
In Capernaum we saw the synagogue as well as a house right next to it, which could have been Simon and Andrew's house, as well as the home of Simon's mother-in-law (Mark 1:29). Which by the way is interesting to think that Simon was married, how many of the other disciples were married? What did their wives do while they were away with Jesus? If Jesus' ministry was mainly around Galilee, did the disciples go back to their homes a lot to be with their families? Anyhow, in this story Jesus also brings restoration when he heals Simon's mother-in-law. As soon as she is healed she "began to wait on them" (31). The feminist in me never appreciated this part of the story, but today it made more sense. Women in this culture found their value in the context of family and land (the ongoing theme), so being able to serve people in her home would have restored her role and value. In addition, her healing took place on Shabbat, which is a time where women can serve people in their home and find honor in doing so. In other words: Jesus heals her and gives her role and honor back.
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