Epiphany 5
Today’s Gospel picks up right where last week’s ended. If you remember, Jesus was in the synagogue preaching; the people marveled at His teaching because He was teaching them as one who has authority; and He confirmed that authority as He cast a demon out of a man. By casting out that demon Jesus showed His authority over the devil and that He had come to destroy the devil and his kingdom. And notice as well—this happened on the Sabbath Day, a day of rest. There we see our true spiritual rest, our rest from the devil and his assaults and attacks is in Jesus. In every attack of the devil—be it to sin, be it to doubt, be it a tormented conscience—let us go to Jesus, the One who preaches with authority because He has authority and His word; let us go find our rest in Jesus and His word; after all He gives us rest, having destroyed the devil’s kingdom and rescued us from it.
After the account of Jesus casting out the demon, St. Mark concludes with a general summary statement of what happened, even over time: Everyone was so amazed that they began to discuss this with each other. They said, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!” News about Him spread quickly through all the region of Galilee. That wondering and amazement continued for some time and news about Jesus continued to spread as people told others what they had seen and heard.
Today’s Gospel picks up with what happened right away that day after that healing. They left the synagogue and went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. The synagogue was for the men to attend. Perhaps not exactly the best practice since women, too, need to hear the word of God; but it does emphasize the absolute vital role that the men have as spiritual heads of the family; the absolute vital role that men have in the spiritual upbringing of the children, a fact statistics today still over and over continue to show to be true today: in general, if men/ husbands/ fathers don’t go to church—or going to church is seen as a “woman’s thing”—the children, especially the boys, will leave the faith.
After synagogue service, it was time for the Sabbath meal. Jesus and the four disciples with Him went to the home of Simon and Andrew. And what do we see there? Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with fever. Without delay they told Jesus about her. He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. The fever left her, and she began to serve them. And it didn’t stop with just that one healing. Obviously word about Jesus casting out that demon and Jesus’ authoritative teaching had already spread over many Sabbath meal tables: That evening, when the sun had set, the people kept bringing to Him all who were sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door. He healed many people who were sick with various diseases and drove out demons. And then we read after that that Jesus got up early in the morning, while it was still dark, and went out. He withdrew to a solitary place and was praying there. What we see in our text are the two parts of Jesus’ work—part of His work was public/ with the people; and part of His work was done in quiet and solitude.
Here we catch a glimpse of the holy heart of Jesus. We see that He wants to be near all who suffer and are in need. When He was told about Peter’s mother-in-law, what did He do? –He didn’t avoid her so He wouldn’t get what she got. Instead: He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. And then, later, when the whole town gathered at the door, He healed many people who were sick with various diseases and drove out demons. Here a scene of suffering humanity! And Jesus did not avoid the sick and hurting and suffering. Instead, first after He healed them and drove out the demons did He then [withdraw] to a solitary place [to pray] there. As we see this very public nature of Jesus’ earthly ministry and that He is near and with people, especially in their suffering and sickness and trial, there we see His heart burning with love and the desire to be near all who suffer with His comfort and help.
This is a very vital image and fact to keep before us especially in the midst of our own times of sickness, trial and loneliness. Jesus showed His burning love and desire to be near all who suffer. He wants to be near them with His comfort and help. And that includes you and me. Let our text today comfort us as it shows us that heart of Jesus. If you think our dear Lord Jesus has left you alone—especially —in hardship and trial. Look at our text and see how He went to Peter’s mother-in-law and see how He welcomed and healed those needing His help. The season of Epiphany is all about Jesus revealing Himself, showing who He really is. And here as we get a glimpse of His heart burning with love desiring to be near with His comfort and help, what a glorious and comforting Epiphany that is!
This should not be a very surprising image at all! After all, didn’t Christmas already show us that? —The very God Himself became also true man to enter into this corrupt world full of sin. He didn’t leave us to wallow in the misery of our sin; He didn’t leave us in the devil’s kingdom now and ultimately forever in hell. God did not stay away from us, but had mercy on us and came into this world and endured the worst that it could throw at Him—hatred, rejection, suffering, death —all for us and our salvation. Here He took care of this, our greatest need; won’t He also be with us in our lesser needs with His help and comfort?
Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law and the whole suffering town gathered at the door is a glorious Epiphany: Jesus, the true God/ the God-man is with the people with His comfort and help. The wonderful and amazing thing is that Jesus is with each of us in our needs with His comfort and help. He can do that because He is God almighty who is omnipresent—present everywhere. But the most wonderful thing is that Jesus deals with us a people; we are not just numbers to Him—but people, people whom He created and died for and loves. He knows each of us personally and individually—even better than we know ourselves. And in this love and perfect knowledge He not only knows us, but also deals with us, and He is with us!
Look at the beautiful way He deals with Peter’s mother-in-law. He went to her, took her by the hand, and raised her up. He deals with her as an individual, as a person. He takes her by the hand—He touches her. That touch is a symbol of His healing power—that power is in His will; He wants to heal her. In our times of suffering temptation, and trial we are in a similar situation to Peter’s mother-in-law. We pray for the Lord to grasp our hand and lift us up. But what else is true? –Like it was for her, Jesus is in our midst! He is with us and offering Himself to us with His help and presence. In faith we know and see that Jesus is with us and He is dealing with us in love and in the best possible way for us! And sometimes that means that the Lord does not answer the prayer like we prayed it. In faith we know that our dear loving Lord will always answer our prayer the best way for us, even when it is opposite of how we think it should be! Simon’s mother-in-law was lying in bed, sick with fever. Without delay they told Jesus about her. St. Peter and the rest went to Jesus and interceded for her—and Jesus right away answered that prayer how they hoped/ liked. But then later in our text we see St. Peter and the rest again interceding—this time they were interceding so that Jesus would return to Capernaum: Simon and his companions searched for Him, and when they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for you!” The implication is what? –They want to hear His word and that He do miracles—therefore it’s proper that He stay in the city. Sounds reasonable! But what is Jesus’ answer? “Let’s go somewhere else, to the neighboring villages, so that I can preach there too. In fact, that is why I have come.” It was not Jesus’ will that He stay there but preach and bring healing elsewhere. Jesus carried out His work in the midst not just of one city but many. He wanted to be with people else where in their sufferings and trials. He wanted to be near others, too, with His comfort and help in their suffering. The people of Capernaum were to be blessed and served by the Lord also as they reflected on what He had taught and done there. We, too, are blessed and served by the Lord when we ponder and reflect on the Lord’s word and His work for us.
But now we come to the other part of Jesus’ work. Not only was His work the public preaching that was confirmed by His miracles; not only was His work all the individual healings experienced by St. Peter’s mother-in-law for instance. But part of Jesus’ work was private. It was time spent in solitude and prayer. Our text: Jesus got up early in the morning, while it was still dark, and went out. He withdrew to a solitary place and was praying there. This was an absolutely vital part of Jesus’ work. Think of all the times the Scriptures record that Jesus goes off to pray. There are references like we have in our text; there are also times like after feeding the 5000 and at the Transfiguration; and of course, who can forget about Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane before the events of Good Friday?
As Jesus goes off to pray, as He withdraws to a solitary place and [is] praying there, we catch a glimpse of who Jesus really is; this too is an Epiphany/ revelation of Jesus. Here we see Jesus’ humanity. He shows Himself as a true man, truly one of us who by His prayers to the Father sought and obtained strength and energy for His work. Remember, Jesus is true man and as true man He needs that strength from His Father to carry out the work that He had come to do. Jesus wasn’t an unfeeling robot carrying out His tasks. He is a true man who was attacked and assaulted and tempted by the devil at every turn in such powerful ways that we cannot even fathom. And for the strength to endure and carry out His work, Jesus went off and prayed. It is certainly not a stretch to imagine what was certainly part of Jesus’ prayer as He got up early in the morning, while it was still dark, and went out [and] withdrew to a solitary place. Simon and his companions searched for Him, and when they found Him, they said to Him, “Everyone is looking for you!” What does He tell the disciples when they find Him? “Let’s go somewhere else, to the neighboring villages, so that I can preach there too. In fact, that is why I have come.” So before Jesus goes out to the neighboring villages, He is praying that the Lord would bless His work! Jesus not only preaching in public to the people but He is also praying to the Father that they would hear His word, receive His word and persevere in that word. He is praying that He would be given grace, power and blessing for His teaching office as He is about to go out to preach the Gospel. Jesus is praying for the spread of the Gospel; He is praying that people would come to faith and remain in the faith. Jesus didn’t just pray this during His earthly ministry; He still prays for His Church; He still prays for you and me; He is before the throne of the Father interceding for His Church and His dear Christians. What a tremendous blessing for us to know of Jesus’ intercession for us.
Here as Jesus reveals to us part of His work that was/ is done in private, we remember the great privilege and blessing we have in prayer. Let us make use of that most glorious privilege. Think of all that Jesus had to do. It wasn’t a hardship for Him to carve out a part of the day for prayer. How much less for us! Prayer is not difficult. It’s the heart to heart talk with God. That’s why quiet and solitude are so vital: Jesus got up early in the morning, while it was still dark, and went out. He withdrew to a solitary place and was praying there. We hear God speak to us in Scripture and we speak to Him in our prayer.
What a blessing to meditate on the word of God and then speak to Him in prayer! What a blessing to give Him our worries and hurts. So like Jesus, may we be found in a solitary place praying. INJ