1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand. 2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him. 3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth. 4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace. 5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other. 6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him. (Mark 3:7-12 KJV)
A Great Crowd Follows Jesus
While his enemies plotted against him after healing the man with a withered hand, he left the area, showing us that in troubled times, it’s wise to seek safety. But look at what happened.
Even in his retreat, people followed him. Some hated him so much they drove him out, but others loved him enough to follow him wherever he went. Their leaders’ hostility didn’t shake their respect for Jesus. Huge crowds came from all over—from Galilee in the north, Judea and Jerusalem in the south, Idumea, the region beyond the Jordan to the east, and even from Tyre and Sidon to the west (Mark 3:7-8).
They came because of what they heard he had done. Some wanted to see his works, others hoped for healing. The great things Christ has done should always draw people to him. Those who were suffering came in hopes of healing. Diseases are described as “plagues” (Mark 3:10)—chastisements meant to correct us and lead us to repentance. These people came as they should—to find Christ, the true Physician. They crowded him, each wanting to be first, even just to touch him, believing that touching him was enough to be healed, as had been proven before.
To manage the crowds, Jesus told his disciples to keep a small boat ready for him (Mark 3:9). Being fishermen, they had boats available. This allowed Jesus to move from place to place along the shore without pushing through crowds. Wise people avoid crowds when they can.
Even in his retreat, Jesus continued to do great good. He didn’t withdraw to be idle, and he didn’t turn away the people who followed him. Instead, he gave them what they came for. He never told those who sought him earnestly that they were wasting their time.
He healed many, regardless of how different their diseases were. He also cast out unclean spirits. When these spirits saw him, they fell before him and cried out that he was the Son of God (Mark 3:11). It’s sad that demons confess this truth more readily than some people do, even though it can’t save them.
But Jesus didn’t want attention for these miracles. He strictly ordered those he healed not to make him known (Mark 3:12). He didn’t want them promoting him as if by advertisement. His works were enough to spread his fame. Those who are healed should be grateful to God, and those who witness such works can spread the news. When we do what is good and don’t seek praise for it, we share the same mindset that was in Christ Jesus.