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Commentaries
English
Mark
  
1. The Race of the Multitudes
(Mark 3:7-12)
7But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea 8and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him.9So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.10For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.11And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.”12But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.


Christ turned away from the superficial religious professors, and left the fanatic hypocrites, but the great multitudes of simple people followed him in droves. They came from all directions; as far north as from the mountainous region of Galilee; as far south, as from Judea the source of legalism, and Jerusalem, the axis of the rites in the temple, and the center of the highest court of the Jews whose members began to watch out the young man of Nazareth and his racing multitudes. Individuals came from Idumea, the homeland of the family of King Herod who was a stranger to the Jewish nation. Others came from the west, as from Lebanon, the country of international traders, to experience the power of God embodied in Jesus. People came as far as far east, as from beyond Jordan to hear his kind words and be healed of their painful diseases. Great multitudes followed him from all parts of the nation, and his movement became an international one. Many tried to touch him, for the power of God flowed out of his body. The multitudes increased and crowded around him, so he went onboard a boat, withdrew a little from the shore, which became overcrowded with people, and began to preach them from the boat, which was prepared for him at all times, since no house or courtyard could contain such great multitude around him.
Hell trembled, and quaked, because Satan was compelled to see how Christ snatched the suffering and enslaved people away from his hands. The angels of Satan too had already known Christ in his essence and worshiped to him frightfully confessing: “You are the Son of God.”
They did not clarify the reason and purpose of their knowledge, but the power of Christ threw them into the dust, and his holiness condemned their impurities. Christ prevented the hellish voices from talking, for he wanted to establish the faith of men on the love of his kindness, and not on the fear of his holiness. Hell recognized what the godly did not want to believe in. The evil one knew clearer and clearer the truth of Jesus, and he recruited the fanatic against him that they might destroy the Son of God in the name of godliness and religion.

Prayer
O Lord, You are love. You healed everyone who came to you with longing and trust. Similarly, we resort to your generosity, and request grace from your love for all our families and nation, for without you we suffer hatred and unclean spirits. Keep us particularly from bigotry that we may love our enemies and not refuse anyone, but serve everyone as you bore all bitterness with your wonderful patience and forbearance. Amen.
Question
From which regions did the multitudes race to Jesus?