Mark 7:31 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

Navigator

Mark 7:31

Comments

This event is recorded only in Mark’s Gospel, although Matthew records the same visit to the area in summary, and describes the many healings of lame, deaf, dumb, and maimed in general. At times he healed everyone – thousands. The purposes of his miracles were: to authenticate him as God indeed, but also to illuminate his great work of healing the soul, and the Gospel writers single out certain miracles which are used to illustrate this work in the soul. This one is chosen because it has a particular spiritual parallel. The miracles illustrated reconciliation with God. The healing was always undeserved, unearned, and often not looked for.Decapolis lay to the east of Jordan, the name Decapolis, meaning ten cities. It was a rich and fertile area with large towns, and occupied largely by Greeks, though mixed later. The coasts mentioned are not the sea coasts but the boundaries or the region of Decapolis. This was the second time that Christ had come into the region, the previous time being when the man with the legion of demons had been healed and the demons had entered the Gadarene swine. Afterwards the people had pleaded with Jesus to leave them. The whole region was against him, and the people were disturbed and did not want him among them, because it appears they were on the run from God. He had done as they asked, but he had left the healed man behind for a testimony to the power of God, and told him, ‘Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee’ (Mark 5:19). As a result, ‘he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel’ (Mark 5:20). Now Jesus is back in the region and they are uneasy at his return, but as a result of the healed man’s testimony their attitude has changed. We don’t read that they now believed in him, but they realised he had power to restore and the presented him with a case of need. Now they realise there are things they cannot do; they had underestimated him.

Application

Don’t be surprised at your initial hostility to the Lord. In all probability you will resent the gospel when you first hear it. You may feel angry, offended. The soul does respond in that way when it is disturbed, for the gospel convicts us. It tells us we are cut off from God, and spiritually dead. We are not just second-class citizens but far worse; all that God says is deeply offensive to us. We are earthly, self-confident. We want to make up our own minds where we go, how we live our lives, but the gospel tells us, ‘You have no hope, until you trust in Christ and repent of sin.’ We begin hostile to the Lord, but then by the grace of God we are opened up to seek help from him. I am just a material individual. I have great spiritual need.

Questions

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Mark 7:31 Commentary and Bible Study