Mark 3:7-12 (NKJV)
A Great Multitude Follows Jesus (Matt. 12:15–21)
7 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea, Jerusalem, 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. 9 So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. 10 For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. 11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.
V7 “But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea…” Jesus and the disciples needed rest, but the people had such great need and desire that they followed Him.
V8 “…and 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.” News spread fast, and people came from relatively faraway places.
V9 “So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.” Jesus needed the small boat for two reasons: 1) for the crowd to spread out and not gather, even press on Him uncomfortably, and 2) for all the people to pay attention to His teaching. The Greek word “crush” is (G2346) θλίβω (thlibō) to press on, that is, to compact, pressure, squeeze, etc. The idea is that there were so many people they started to push closer to Him.
V10 “For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.” This is probably the main reason they wanted to see and be with Jesus. They wanted the immediate, the outward comfort and relief. What was most important, most neglected.
Matthew 6:33 NKJV – “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
The Greek word for “pressed about” is different than “crush” in V9. The word here is (G1968 ἐπιπίπτω (epipiptō) to fall/press upon. TDNTa has “(Theological Dictionary of the New Testament (Abridged – Little Kittel)) thlíbō means literally ‘to press,’ ‘squash,’ ‘hem in,’ then ‘to be narrow.’ thlípsis means ‘pressure’ in the physical sense, e.g., medically of the pulse. Robertson’s Word Pictures has “Were falling upon him to such an extent that it was dangerous. They were not hostile, but simply intensely eager, each to have his own case attended to by Jesus.”
V11 “And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” The demons (fallen, rebellious angels) acknowledged the one who is telling them to leave. Jesus did not want them to acknowledge Him because Jesus did not want the testimony of demons. Such testimony was a subtle way of destroying Jesus’s ministry.
V12 “But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.” They had no choice but to obey Him. Jesus is God, has God’s authority, God’s ability, and omnipotence.
We learn:
- Jesus was sought for temporary earthly things, not for everlasting healing for their souls.
- Jesus healed everyone regardless of who they were.
- Jesus does not want the testimony of demons. Compare Acts 16:16-18.
Questions:
- Did the people follow Him for spiritual life or physical healing?
- Why is spiritual healing, the new birth, more important than physical healing?