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Busy and Happy Days at Capernaum
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had welcomed Him with enthusiasm, and this had raised the hopes
of the disciples again. It might be that the supporters of the new
kingdom might come from the liberty-loving Galileans. So it was
with surprise that they heard Christ’s words, “Let us go on to the
neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also;
for that is what I came out to do.”
Mark 1:38
, NRSV. Jesus was not
satisfied to attract attention to Himself as a wonder worker or healer.
While the people were eager to believe that He had come as a king
to establish an earthly reign, He wanted to turn their minds away
from the earthly to the spiritual.
And the attention of the careless crowd jarred on His spirit. The
homage the world gives to position, wealth, or talent was foreign to
the Son of man. Jesus used none of the means that people employ
to win the loyalty of others. Prophecy had said of Him, “He will
not cry or lift up His voice, or make it heard in the street; ... he will
faithfully bring forth justice.”
Isaiah 42:2, 3
, NRSV.
The life of Jesus included no noisy arguments, no showy worship,
no act to gain applause. Christ was hid in God, and God was revealed
in the character of His Son.
The Sun of Righteousness did not burst on the world in splendor,
to dazzle the senses with His glory. Quietly and gently the daylight
dispels the darkness and wakes the world to life. So did the Sun of
Righteousness arise, “with healing in His wings.”
Malachi 4:2
.
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