It’s easy to preach equality but it’s another thing altogether to practice. I wonder how well Jesus did?
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(Click here to read the passage: Mark 5:1-43)
(Click here to start with part 1)
Created Equal
The preamble of the Declaration of Independence states:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Most of us could probably quote these verses from memory.
They were written in 1776 and officially adopted by Continental Congress on July 4th.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…
Though these words are engrained in the birth of our nation, it would take us over 200 years to process them.
We would fight a bloody Civil War to free human beings from slavery in this “land of freedom.” We would witness a great Civil Rights movement to attempt to give all people equal footing.
In fact, this concept – “that all men are created equal” – still plagues us today.
Fairness in our criminal justice system is still called into question.
Our own community has had cross burnings in my lifetime.
Wealth distribution threatens many people’s economic wellbeing.
And we fear immigrants that don’t “look like us.”
…all men are created equal…
It’s easy to write, it’s easy to say, but it’s not so easy to put into practice.
Even in the first century, people struggled to treat others equally.
As we enter into chapter 5 of Mark, we see, right away, that Jesus has crossed the railroad tracks and finds himself on the wrong side, but is he?
A Sick Gentile
The opening line for this chapter is:
They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Ger’asenes. (Mark 5:1 RSV)
It easy to miss what just happened. Yes, Jesus is in a new place but what does that mean?
Perhaps, if you’re an astute reader, you’ll find in your footnotes that Gerasenes may also be “Gergesenes” or “Gadarenes.”
OK, so what? Perhaps you’ve even looked that up and found it on a map.
The point is, that this good Jewish boy has entered into Gentile territory.
For the Jews, the Gentiles were dirty people, no better than pigs. They worshiped idols and, in no way, could they be equal to Jews.
But here Jesus is entering into their land. Here the Jewish Messiah is reaching out to these “pigs.”
When the first person that Jesus encounters is a naked, crazy man who lived among the tombs, it’s almost as if Mark is giving us the Jewish caricature of a Gentile.
They’re nuts, and by worshipping idols, they have actually chained themselves to demonic forces.
In fact, we find out that this man is infected with not just one demon, but a whole legion of them.
Of course, the story ends with Jesus having mercy on this man. He recognizes the humanity of this man. He recognizes that “all men are created equal.”
He heals the man and the demons go to make their homes in real pigs.
This revolution of Jesus’ is one that transcends all sorts of boundaries. But it doesn’t end there.
The Jewish Leader and His Daughter
After that, Mark tells us that Jesus got back into the boat and returned to the Jewish side of the sea.
It doesn’t take long before Jesus is again petitioned for mercy.
Then came one of the rulers of the synagogue, Ja’irus by name; and seeing him, he fell at his feet, and besought him, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well, and live.” (Mark 5:22-23 RSV)
For early first century Jewish readers of this Gospel, this scenario is more comfortable.
Here’s a Jewish man, a leader even, coming to Jesus.
But wait a minute…
If we are carefully reading through Mark, we find something askew. Just two chapters ago, Jesus had an encounter with Jewish leadership, but it didn’t go so well (read my post about that here).
Jesus had been challenging their traditional identity markers and they had resorted to name-calling. To them, he was Beelzebul, the leader of the demons.
Yet, this Jewish leader approaches Jesus rather than call him names.
Even when the worst happens, faith shines through.
While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” (Mark 5:35-36 RSV)
And through this belief, Jairus’s daughter was made well.
Jesus had recognized that humanity of this Jewish leader, even when other leaders didn’t believe in Jesus’ mission.
The power of God is again at work.
A Woman’s Faith
One interesting thing that occurs is that as Mark tells the story of Jairus’s faith, he interrupts it with the story of woman with a flow of blood.
It wasn’t too long ago that I preached at length on this passage, so I’ll merely highlight some aspects here (read that post here).
Firstly, men and women in the ancient world didn’t hold equal status. Today, we still have some of the same struggles.
This inequality is highlighted by the fact that she has a flow of blood. In essence, this completely cut her off from her people. She was, effectively, no long a family member.
Yet, Mark tells us a story about her faith. How she was daring enough to reach out and touch Jesus’s cloak.
And, as result, she was healed. God’s power did not isolate her because of her disease, nor did it isolate her because of her gender.
The proclamation of the gospel was also good news for her as well.
Good News for All
The entirety of chapter five is one thought.
In short, it’s telling us: “all men – or should way say, people? – are created equal.”
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Gentile or whether you’re a Jew.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a child lying on your deathbed or an adult.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a male with high position or whether you’re a female who is on the edge of society.
This proclamation of Jesus’s is good news for everyone. It heals everyone, it makes all well, and it invites everyone into the Kingdom of God.
The gospel message values life over differences and love over diversity.
All we are required to do is follow the example the demoniac, Jairus, and the woman: approach Christ with faith that he can heal our brokenness.
P.S. Come, One and All, to Hear the Good News!
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