Mark wrote, “there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If you will, you can make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and said unto him, I will; be clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed. And he straightly charged him, and forthwith sent him away. And said unto him, See you say nothing to any man: but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them”, and in chapter one and verse forty-five of his book, Mark wrote how the man, “went out, and began to publish it much” where we read:
But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
The verse reads, “But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, ...” Mark began with the words, “but he went out” which means “nevertheless, moreover the leprous man departed and left”, “and began to publish it much” or “and commenced and started to greatly herald, proclaim and publish what Jesus did to him” , “and to blaze abroad” which means “and to spread and commonly report” “the matter” which refers to “the decree and mandate”. Mark shared how the man with leprosy commenced to telling people everywhere about what happened to him.
The verse continues, “... insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.” Mark added the word, “insomuch that” which means “then, therefore and so that” “Jesus” which refers to “the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation” “could no more openly enter” which means “was unable and incapable of plainly and clearly making entrance” “into the city” or “into the habitation, town and abode of the people”, “but was without” which means “nonetheless, moreover were outside, away and as a strange ones who went forth” “in desert places” or “in isolated, deserted, lonely and solitary places”: “and they came to him” which means “and people approached Jesus” “from every quarter” or “from all sides and directions”. Mark shared how the crowds were so large who were “seeking” to see Jesus that He was unable to “enter” their “city” but rather met them in “lonely and deserted places” where people came to see Him from “the north, south, east and west”.
When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how the cleansed “leprous man” spread the word about Jesus far and wide, and now people were so attracted to Him they overcrowded their “city” which caused Him to share with them in the “desert places”. God loves to share His “gospel” with people everywhere, and His desire is to “save” every person from their “sinful state” and bring them “everlasting life”. Those who are wise will not only believe and trust in Him, but will also follow the example of this man healed from “leprosy” and spread the word of Jesus everywhere.
Next time we begin a new chapter and see Mark share how Jesus, “again … entered into Capernaum after some days”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book
“Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the
marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the
Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms
Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County"
in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com
; http://www.barnesandnobles.com
; download to e-books, and find it locally at
www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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