Journey with Jesus: Nuggets from the Gospel of Mark

Misunderstood (Mark 1:35-39, NIV)

BY REV. LISA MORRISON

Have you ever been misunderstood? It doesn’t feel so great. Does it? I recorded a devotional for our church the other night and afterward, one of our members texted thanking me for something I hadn’t said. I was puzzled at first but came to realize she misunderstood the point I was trying to make. Sometimes we can be misunderstood, and other times, we may be the ones doing the misunderstanding.

In Mark 1:35-39, we find Jesus being misunderstood by his disciples. They were with Him as He was teaching and healing, yet they, like the religious leaders and crowds, misunderstand Him. As members of His inner circle, we’d expect the disciples to get Jesus, yet like my member on the inside, misunderstanding does take place.

What is it the disciples misunderstand? Prior to Jesus getting up early and going to a solitary place to pray (v. 35) He healed many who had various diseases and drove out many demons (v. 34). The disciples thought all these miracles taking place were super, and, of course, they are! They want more. They love being Jesus’ inside crew as He performs miracles and casts out demons. It’s exciting!

While Jesus is off praying in a solitary place after healing many people, his disciples go looking for Him. They don’t understand why He is not healing more people since the line is out the door. But don’t confuse enthusiasm with faith. When the disciples catch up with Jesus, they speak to Him in a condescending manner. This is more evident in the original Greek. Everyone is looking for you! (v. 37) The Greek term for looking means to attempt to determine and control rather than to submit and follow. The disciples have a major attitude problem reflecting a lack of understanding of who Jesus is and what His mission is.

The danger of misunderstanding here is the tension rising over Jesus’ mission and others’ agenda for Him. If the disciples understood who Jesus was, they would never speak to Him in a condescending manner, and they would not seek to put their agenda of more healings over Jesus’ mission of Let us go somewhere else – so I can preach for that is why I have come (38).

It’s one thing to be misunderstood, but it’s another thing to misunderstand who Jesus is and His mission. May we not find ourselves like the disciples misunderstanding who Jesus is and thereby seeking to control Him and His mission. May we always seek to recognize who He is and submit to following Him and His mission.

Lisa Morrison is an ordained minister, having served as pastor, and staff pastor in several positions in the local church, as well as in district ministerial and educational leadership. She’s been an Adjunct Instructor at various educational institutions of higher learning, teaching in the Religion Department. She holds two master’s degrees and apostgraduate degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.