Mark 1:32
- This was on Saturday evening, a day later, when the Sabbath was over.
- Many Jews considered healing to be work, and since work was not allowed on the Shabbat, people waited until after the Shabbat to bring their sick.
- Since Jesus did not consider it forbidden to heal the sick on the Sabbath, this became a recurring conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees (Mt 12:1-8).
Mark 1:34
- This is a fulfillment of what Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would do (Is 53:4). The people around Jesus should have understood that Isaiah’s prophecy was being fulfilled before their eyes.
- Since Jesus healed the sick with the power of the Holy Spirit, we Christians today have the same opportunity to heal the sick with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Mark 1:35
- Jesus was successful and probably very popular after all the miracles he had performed in Capernaum. But instead of taking credit, Jesus chooses to spend time in prayer in solitude. Jesus is focused and doesn’t let success take him away from the mission at hand; the cross.
- Are you a stressed and busy person who finds it hard to make time work? Jesus was incredibly busy but still made time for prayer. Stress and a busy schedule should not cause us to prioritize prayer but instead lead us to more time with our Father.
- Martin Luther once said: “I have so much to do that I have no time not to pray for 3 hours a day.”