6. JESUS HEALS MANY Mark 3:7-12 (Matthew 12:15-21) 7 And Jesus with his disciples withdrew to the sea:--From Capernaum, and from the plots which ripened most easily in cities, the hotbeds of intrigue. He had been victorious in the conflict with the Pharisees, he now retires from the scene and pursues his own course, and in other places continues his work. His retreat before his enemies was prompted, not by fear, but by that wise discretion which he constantly employed in the selection and the use of the necessary means for the promotion of the great end which he came to accomplish. The prudent means which Jesus uses to preserve himself from the rage of his enemies ought to teach us our duty in time of danger, to flee from our enemies, and endeavor to preserve our lives. We ought not to remain in, nor press into danger. God has endowed us with wisdom, if rightly used, to avoid such dangers. He had one great purpose in view, and he faced his enemies or withdrew from them, according as he could best accomplish his work. He was not afraid to go away, nor afraid to remain if need be. In many cases it is better quietly to withdraw from a hostile crowd, and do one's work elsewhere. and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and from Judaea,-- [While the Pharisees and Herodians were consulting how they might destroy him, he quietly, with his disciples, withdrew from the city (they were yet in Capernaum) to the seaside. This was a favorite resort with them, and a great multitude of people from Galilee followed him (he was in Galilee) and from Judea. Judea was the territory and home of the Jews, the children of Judah, the son of Jacob, whose family remained faithful to the house of David and continued to meet at Jerusalem when the ten tribes of Israel withdrew and followed Jeroboam. But in the wars, captivities, and desolations of the people when they sinned, they were scattered, and these Jews seemed to have the ascendancy in Galilee.] 8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and beyond the Jordan, and about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came unto him.--[The people from these different countries were Jews who had, in their dispersion, settled in these different countries. They, in common with the Jews in Judea, looked for a deliverer to come and gather the scattered tribes, the lost sheep of the house of Israel, back to their land and country. Hearing of the miracles and works of Jesus, they came from all these lands to Capernaum to see and hear him, and to judge of his claim. They followed him out to the seaside with his disciples on this occasion. The places named show how widely his influence had already reached. There must have been great power in him to attract the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the capital, to the province of Galilee, sixty or seventy miles away. Idumea, the Greek name for Edom, the territory that lay south of Palestine, stretched toward the southeast and included the mountainous region east of the Dead Sea. The Edomites were descendants of Esau, but had been conquered and made Jews by violence about 125 B.C. The Herod family came from Idumea. So from every quarter, and far out, many came seeking him. The Pharisees, the mighty, the noble, and the wise men after the flesh, despised his person, slighted his ministry, and sought his life. The ordinary sort of people have always been more zealous and forward in embracing the gospel than the rich, the great, and the honorable part of the world has been. It is a sad but a certain truth, heaven is a place where few, comparatively, of the great men of the world are likely to be.] Not because they cannot, but because they will not. 9 And he spake to his disciples, that a little boat should wait on him because of the crowd, lest they should throng him:-- [When the multitudes pressed upon and crowded him on the shore, he sometimes got in the boat (the ships were but boats), and they pushed out a little from the shore. He sat in the boat and taught the people upon the shore. This was spoken for lest they should throng or crowd him uncomfortably.] He who loves the Savior will not be surprised to find how many things there are that he can consecrate, and that Christ can use. Some persons cannot preach unless they have a proper pulpit, their priestly robe, organ, choir, and other things but Christ is at home anywhere, and can preach afloat as well as in the synagogue. 10 for he had healed many; insomuch that as many as had plagues pressed upon him that they might touch him.--Those who merely touched him in faith were healed. (Mark 5:28-30.) Jesus required some sensible connection with himself in his cures, to show that the healing came from him, and to teach them the lessons of faith, that their spiritual healing came from spiritual union with Christ. [His healing many without fee or reward caused all who were afflicted, real and imaginary, to press upon him that they might touch him, as the touch caused virtue to go out of him to heal. With those who desired to be healed was the crowd that always is attracted by wonderful works or strange performances.] 11 And the unclean spirits, whensoever they beheld him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God --They fell down at his feet, doing homage as it were. As spirits they knew the truth about Christ. In the presence of Christ, they dared speak only the truth. The persons possessed with unclean spirits fell before Jesus, and again acknowledged him as the Son of God. This proves the existence of evil spirits. If these were only diseased persons, then it is strange that they should be endowed with knowledge so much superior to those in health. How complete these spirits possessed the bodies of men is seen to the extent they used the powers and organs of those possessed in seeing, falling down before him as a sort of an act of homage, and proclaiming him to be the Son of God. They did not fall down before him to worship him in spirit and in truth. 12 And he charged them much that they should not make him known.--Who he was. The witness of devils would not be believed even when true; and, the more of such testimony willingly received, the more it would hinder men from believing the truth, for it would be charged that Jesus was in alliance with evil spirits, and that he cast out demons through Beelzebub, the prince of the demons. [He gave a strict charge to those who were healed that they should not make him known. He hushed the mouths of the demons when they were disposed to confess him, but often when he healed the afflicted he charged they should not tell it. The chief motive seems to have been to avoid the crowds of men, curiosity mongers, that were led to follow him by these reports. There was no prospect of that class of people being benefited, yet they followed and thronged him in his ministrations. Only the sincere, honest-hearted people would believe in him.] There was nothing in common between Jesus and demons; there was no friendly relationship between him and Satan. The effects of Christ's mission proved it to be divine. And today, as in those days, the convincing proof of Christianity is found in its beneficent effects. It makes everybody better who accepts it. The drunkard becomes sober, the selfish becomes generous, the vile becomes pure. Schools, colleges, education, hospitals, missions, all forms of benevolence spring up where Christ is believed. Wherever there is the most Christianity, there is the most of all things that raise and bless men. The map of the world is a proof of the Christian religion.