A Man for Others

Mark 6 : 53 - 56

This passage serves as a kind of summary report of Mark 6. It summarizes what Jesus had done up to this point. Compared with the earlier passages we have contemplated, this passage is relatively short. Apart from the place name Gennesaret in verse 53, the passage contains almost no specific names. The people are mentioned, but not clearly identified. Mark refers to the whole region, yet does not specify which region. He also speaks generally of villages, towns, and countryside, but none of them is named.

Perhaps this passage is not only a summary, but also an encouragement to see that the kingdom of God is not confined to one particular place. The broad geographical language used here reflects the wide scope and generosity of Jesus’ ministry. It is always important to keep this balance between being rooted in a particular locality and having a big heart for the kingdom of God. I hope we also have this vision in our lives, so that we do not think only about how to serve our own families, or even ourselves, but also pray for other cities, other churches, and other people. This is what we find in Jesus’ ministry.

In his ministry, especially in Galilee, we repeatedly see something that cannot be overlooked. Whenever Jesus serves, he shows love and solidarity toward the crowds, particularly those who are suffering. His engagement with suffering humanity is part of the beauty of his life, and it should also be the beauty of the Christian religion. The more we mature in Christ and become like him, the more we learn that our lives are not meant for ourselves, but to be in solidarity with those who suffer.

This should not be taken for granted, because it does not come automatically. In this fallen world, we are taught by different competing ideologies. We are taught that since we only live once, we must not miss out. Life’s fulfillment is measured by how much we have experienced, whether through reading, culture, education, shopping, travel, or even food. But Jesus did not come into this world to seek such things. He came to be in solidarity with suffering humanity, including you and me. This is the true meaning of life. This is the true liberation, that we can be freed, liberated, from ourselves. Of course, we must be careful not to present this as though Christianity offers only a moralistic, altruistic program. The goal is to be with Jesus, to be in relationship with him, and to be like him.

I have often used this illustration in sermons. On our deathbed, what will we contemplate in our final moment? Surely it is not regret over never having tried a certain kind of food. Such a thought would be absurd to contemplate at the final moment of our life. For most people, the regret would more likely be that they did not spend enough time with their family. It is basically about the richness of human relationships, not only with family, but also with other people. A person may have so much wealth, yet never take the opportunity to be a blessing to others, to be used by God. That is truly miserable.

The story of Neuschwanstein is another illustration of this. King Ludwig II, deeply inspired by Richard Wagner, built the castle with a great deal of money, almost draining the financial resources of the kingdom. When it was finally completed, Wagner himself was not really impressed, and more tragically, Ludwig could scarcely enjoy the castle he had built so passionately, as he died under mysterious circumstances not long afterward. It is an example of the vanity of life. And of course history provides many other such examples.

Jesus’ ministry is marked by full engagement and solidarity with those who suffer. If his fame spread, it was because he was always with the common people, especially the poor, rather than among the elites. This is not to say that we should discriminate against the elites. If we teach that, it becomes more like a leftist agenda rather than Christianity. Jesus wanted to serve them as well. The problem, however, is that those who are rich and powerful often think they are well and therefore do not need Jesus. In their self-dependence and self-sufficiency, they shut themselves off from Jesus’ ministry.

Here in Germany, and maybe in the whole Europe as well, the church is often associated with only two purposes. First is for pastoral ministry. The church is seen as a place for pastoral care when someone has a mental or emotional problem. If you are mentally well, then you do not need the church. Second is for diaconal work. If you are poor, then perhaps you can go to church for help. This is a deeply reductionistic way of viewing the church. Certainly pastoral and diaconal ministry belong to the function of the church, but the church is much more than these. In much the same way, many people nowadays also exclude themselves from the church, just as the rich and powerful excluded themselves from Jesus.

In this passage, the emphasis remains the same. Many people come to Jesus, flocking to him because they want help and healing. Yet from a biblical perspective, physical blessing or healing is never an end in itself. This is a common misunderstanding with religion. Here in Europe we have one perspective, and in Asia we have another. There, people are often religious because they want physical blessings, to be well off in life, and to avoid suffering or sickness. That is why they go to temples and worship certain deities.

Even this narrative is not alien in the Bible. It is recorded precisely in this passage. Why are the crowds flocking to Jesus? What do they want from him? They see God not as an end, but as a means to achieve physical well-being, blessing, restoration, liberation, and so on. But Jesus views it differently. Yes, he is very keen to heal them physically. He has compassion and mercy toward those who suffer. But the true goal is that they may know who Jesus is, the Son of God, sent from heaven by God the Father.

From the biblical perspective, the true goal is the knowledge of God, not physical restoration. It is only a means to that goal. Yet sadly, we do not see such response in this passage. Mark concludes in verse 56: “And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.” Of course, there is nothing wrong in itself with bringing the sick to Jesus. He truly does care for bodily suffering and human needs. But this leads to a simple observation: the sick were laid in the marketplace, but where were the healthy?

This shows that the problem is not new. Even today, the church is often associated only with pastoral care for the mentally troubled or with diaconal work for those who are financially struggling. That is not so different from what we see in this passage. In the same way, it is mainly the sick who are brought to Jesus. Yet Jesus came not only to heal physical sickness, but also spiritual sickness. As the German commentator Adolf Schlatter rightly says, “In the zeal with which the people brought their sick to Jesus, we recognize not only how deeply the untiring goodness of Jesus touched Israel, but also how distant Israel remained from Jesus, because it sought from him nothing but the healing of its sick.”

In Indonesia there was, and perhaps still is, a famous Christian television program called Solution. The message was simple: if you have problems, come to Jesus, listen to this program, and we have a solution for you. But the problem with this kind of message is this: what if I consider myself not to have a problem? Then I do not need Jesus. In that case, Jesus is relevant only when I have difficulties. But a person with such view does not really know God. It is a deeply reductionistic view of him. It is such a miserable view of God. We would not even accept this kind of relationship within our own family. If you treated your wife, your husband, or your children merely as problem-solvers, they would rightly be very upset. Yet we dare to treat the holy God in this way, as though he is merely our problem-solver.

Again, that is not the true knowledge of God. There are far greater spiritual riches to be found in him, yet people seek only physical healing, an answer to their financial struggles, or someone to pray to in times of war. And when there is no war, when all seems peaceful, then they think there is no need to pray to God. This is the problem discussed in this passage. Jesus wants to give himself as more than a problem-solver or miracle-worker. He wants a relationship with you and with me. He wants to give life in all its abundance, life liberated from an obsession with physical need or physical well-being. I hope that we may find this kind of life in Jesus Christ. (T.F.L.)