Is It Time for a Break? —Lectionary Reflection for Pentecost 9B (Mark 6)
Mark 6:30-34. 53-56 New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. 32 And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. 33 Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34 As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and he began to teach them many things.
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. 54 When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him 55 and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
**********
In the
Gospel of Mark, everything happens immediately. Therefore, Mark leaves little
room for Jesus to stop and rest. Even when he tries to find time away from the
crowds, they find him. We might not be quite as in demand as Jesus, but many of
us, especially clergy, can feel as if we’re on call 24/7. We can set
boundaries, but when the phone rings and word comes that someone is in the
hospital, we can’t tell the caller that we’ll be there when it’s convenient for
us. That’s why it’s wise for clergy to get out of town when they take their
vacations.
The
reading for this Sunday from Mark 6 is separated by the story of the “Feeding
of the Five Thousand,” along with a report of Jesus walking on the water (Mk 6:35-52). The
lectionary creators have chosen to let the other Gospel writers have those
stories, especially since the Feeding of the Five Thousand appears in all four
Gospels. While that is true, even if we don’t read those verses, any sermon on
this passage needs to take note of these two events that stand in the middle of
our reading.
Part
One of the reading from Mark 6 follows after the report of the execution of John
the Baptist and the return of Jesus’ disciples from their mission trip
described earlier in Mark 6. Mark reports in the earlier verses that the
apostles (the ones sent out) had “cast out many demons, and anointed with oil
many who were sick and cured them” (Mk. 6:13). In other words, they had been
successful. They were probably also very tired from their journeys and needed
to take some time offer. Now, it’s possible that Jesus took time away while his
disciples were off on their missionary journeys, but, if so, Mark doesn’t
reveal Jesus’ whereabouts during the interim. Having already reported on their
successful ventures, when Mark speaks of their regathering, we’re only told
that they report to Jesus. Then, after receiving their report Jesus invites
them to join him at a deserted place so they could rest. They were so busy
coming and going that no one even had time to eat. Yes, not only did Jesus need
a day off, but so did his disciples. With this in mind, they get into a boat
and head across the lake. Unfortunately for Jesus and his disciples, people
spotted them leaving and ran around the lake and got to the landing spot before
Jesus (apparently people could walk faster than the boat could sail).
When
Jesus reached the other side of the lake, hoping to find some time away from
the crowds, he discovered that a crowd had already gathered. Jesus had
compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. They
needed tending, so Jesus began to teach them. That’s where Part One of the
reading ends. What follows is the “Feeding of the Five Thousand.”
While
Jesus and his disciples didn’t get their respite, they did attend to the needs
of this crowd, who were, according to Mark “sheep without a shepherd.” As John Buchanan writes of this imagery: “It
is another rich Jewish and Hebrew biblical image: men and women, lost,
wandering aimlessly, without plan or purpose, hungry for food but also for
meaning and purpose. He greets them, welcomes them, speaks with them, listens
to them” [Connections, p. 177]. He
will get to the hunger before too long, but first, he attends to their
spiritual needs by teaching them many things. While the lection doesn’t include
the feeding of the 5000, we shouldn’t neglect it. That is because the story as
a whole reminds us that Jesus tended to both the spiritual and the physical
needs of these shepherdless sheep.
When it
comes to the compassion Jesus feels for the people (yes, we can use the word
feels when we speak of Jesus), Douglas John Hall notes that Jesus is not
just showing pity for the people. He writes that pity “is something you can
manage from afar.” Pity can bring a tear when we see a commercial for hungry
dogs or people, but it doesn’t require much from us other than perhaps a few
dollars to help with their plight. That is not what Mark has in mind. Thus,
Hall writes: “You do not have compassion, really, unless you suffer
with those to whom you refer. The precondition for compassion is
unconditional solidarity with the ones for whom you feel it” [Feasting on the Word, p. 262.] In this case, Jesus will tend to both their spiritual
questions (teaching them many things) and minister to their physical needs by
feeding them. Even though Jesus feels the need to get away for a respite, he
gives himself fully to the shepherdless sheep. One caveat here when it comes to
clergy—we need to take time away, so be attentive to appropriate boundaries. Otherwise,
may Jesus’ example remind us that we are called to act with compassion for
those who hunger and thirst and are hurting.
The
story picks up after Jesus finishes feeding the 5000, sends his disciples
across the lake on the boat to the town of Bethsaida, and then dismisses the
crowd. Finally, with the crowd dispersed and the disciples heading across the
lake, Jesus could take time away for prayer. Yes, even Jesus needed a break because
no matter where he went the crowds would find him. After he had finished
praying, he decided to take a shortcut across the lake. It appears that he had
planned to pass them by and meet them on the other side, perhaps enjoying a
moment of peace without anyone else around. You know, like a nice stroll along
the beach, only this time it’s on the water. Nevertheless, when he saw that
they were struggling against the wind, his compassion clicked in and he decided
to join them in the boat. Of course, the sight of Jesus walking on water scared
the disciples who thought he was a ghost coming after them. As Jesus always
did, he sought to calm their nerves by letting them know that it was just him,
so don’t be afraid. Then, he got in the boat, they were astounded (as always),
and the wind ceased. The reason they were astounded was that they did not
understand what had happened with the loaves. That was because their hearts
were hardened (Mk. 6:45-52). If we take this at face value and don’t
interrogate the elements of the story, we may miss the sense that this is in
reality a theophany, a revelation of God’s presence. William Placher comments “In
sum, combine passing by, walking on water, saying egō eimi, and telling
them not to fear—everything in this passage is screaming out, ‘Jesus is God!’
This very human being, who at the beginning of the episode needed to be alone
to pray, says and does the things God says and does” [Belief: Mark, p.
100]. Of course, the lection doesn’t
include this story, so it’s time to move on.
When we
pick up our lectionary reading in verse 53, the arrives at Gennesaret. By
skipping over the intervening verses, we miss several key points, besides
the feeding of the 5000, such as that Jesus didn’t join the disciples when they
set out across the lake, but instead spent time in prayer before walking across
the lake, until he got into the boat to help with the waves. We also missed the
initial destination, which was Bethsaida. Instead of going to Bethsaida, we
learn here that they landed at Gennesaret, which was near Capernaum. How this
happened isn’t clear. In any case, what we see here is more of the same.
Wherever Jesus went, crowds were sure to gather. Even though the team was
crossing the lake on a boat, the crowd always seemed to get to the landing spot
before they did. When the people heard Jesus had arrived, they quickly brought
their sick to him so he could heal them. As he traveled through the region,
going through local villages and cities or even near farms, people laid the
sick before him. They begged Jesus to touch the sick or, like the woman with
the flow of blood, they would touch the fringe of his cloak hoping to be healed.
All who did so were healed. As he did so, he revealed that he was the shepherd
of the sheep.
As we
ponder the meaning of this passage, we might attend to this observation by Max
J. Lee:
While Jesus understands the importance of a strategic withdrawal from work and the need to create a sacred space for a Sabbath rest, he also remains available and flexible to the pastoral care of God’s people. He models for the disciples what they themselves will have to learn as those “sent” by God and as future shepherds of God’s flock. There is never a convenient time for ministry. We should expect random interruptions. Whether as clergy or lay leaders, we are called to suspend our immediate plans in order to care for those in need. [Connections, p. 177].
Comments