“And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. 22 And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. 23 And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, 24 “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” 28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.”
‘questioning Jesus’, Mark 1
“And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this?”’ 27
Jesus comes teaches with words, astounds. Jesus comes and heals in the synagogue, amazes. Jesus comes. What is the result of his entrance, his comings? To Capernaum; to the synagogue; to the possessed, Jesus comes to create. More though than his words, Jesus creates with action, with immediatecy.
And, yes, healing is created for the possessed man on this Sabbath. But as important as this physical and spiritual healing is Jesus’ creation of questions, first internal, then external, among all.
All. Those witnesses within the synagogue, and then those without, in the surrounding Galilee region. He creates shared questions. Words and feelings; thoughts and reflections; speculations and facts. All centred on asking: What is this?’
This is a good opening question, but only is it good if the question leads to further sharing. Sharing focused on not ‘what is this’ but reframe into ‘Who is this?’
Who is this? – Jesus, Lord, awaited Messiah. Healer, Saviour. Jesus, our unconditional lover.
Jesus engenders questions to lead us to our greatest desire and need: love.
Proverbs, our wisdom text states that, ‘What a person desires is unfailing love…’ ( 19:22a )
This is both the what and the who the synagogue witnesses are seeking: the answer, an answer that heals all questioning-
unfailing , unconditional love.
Jesus creates; reforms, articulates our deepest questioning and our most infinite desire, – if what I desire most is love, where is this type of love? Mark’s gospel journeys to the answer/ and…
And it is in, within, Jesus. Jesus is both our questioner and our answer: What, who, is this love?
Jesus, unfailing, unconditional, unquestioning, love. The answer in Galilee and London; the answer in Beirut and New York. In 30 AD or 2020. For black lives and my life. Jesus creates essential questions and questioning while being love.
He is love supreme.
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