Most leaders, including religious leaders, crave popularity. The bigger the crowds which come out to see them, the better they like it. However, Jesus was not like an ordinary politician or religious leader. After Jesus drove a demon out of a man at a place of worship in Capernaum, the entire town brought their sick and those who suffered from demon possession to Jesus for healing. Jesus healed them yet also tried to distance Himself from the crowds who sought Him out.
In chapter 1, verses 35 through 39 of his inspired account of Jesus’ ministry, Mark writes, “Early in the morning, while it was still dark, he rose up and went out, and departed into a deserted place, and prayed there. Simon and those who were with him searched for him. They found him and told him, “Everyone is looking for you.” He said to them, “Let’s go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also, because I came out for this reason.” He went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons.”
From a human perspective Jesus’ response when Simon and his companions told Him that everyone was looking for Him seems very strange. Wasn’t Jesus God’s prophet? Hadn’t God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit and with power in order to be the King of the Jews? Then why would He turn His back on those who were seeking Him and go elsewhere?
The key to Jesus’ actions is to understand the purpose for which He came. Jesus’ purpose in coming was not to heal the sick or even to cast out demons. It is true that many years later the Apostle John would write, “…The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.” (1 John 3:8 NIV) However, healing people or casting out a few demons would not accomplish this. Illness and demon possession were only symptoms of the devil’s work. In order to destroy the devil’s work, Jesus would have to destroy the devil. This would cost Jesus His own life. Speaking of Jesus another Scripture says, “…he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.” (Hebrews 2:14-15 NIV)
Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection through which He would destroy the devil still lay in the future. In the present Jesus said that His reason for leaving Capernaum was so that He could preach elsewhere. Preaching, not healing, is why He came.
Earlier, in this same chapter, Mark tells us what Jesus’ preached. His message was, “…The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15 NIV) By means of His preaching Jesus prepared the hearts of people for the coming of God’s kingdom – the time when the devil’s work would be destroyed. He traveled throughout the province of Galilee preaching this message in the Jewish places of worship.
If Jesus reason for coming was not to heal or cast out demons, then why did He do it? Why did Jesus perform miracles at all? An incident which Mark records points us toward the answer. In verses 40 through 45 he writes, “A leper came to him, begging him, kneeling down to him, and saying to him, “If you want to, you can make me clean.” Being moved with compassion, he stretched out his hand, and touched him, and said to him, “I want to. Be made clean.” When he had said this, immediately the leprosy departed from him and he was made clean. He strictly warned him and immediately sent him out, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anybody, but go show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony to them.” But he went out, and began to proclaim it much, and to spread about the matter, so that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was outside in desert places. People came to him from everywhere.”
From this incident we learn that Jesus did not perform miracles simply to amaze people or to draw crowds. On the contrary, Jesus did not want those whom He healed going about spreading the news. Crowds of thrill seekers would only get in the way and hinder His ministry of preaching and preparing people’s hearts for the coming of God’s kingdom. Why, then, did Jesus heal? One reason is that He had compassion. When He saw people in need, He wished to help them. If Jesus truly was from God, how could He not show God’s love to people? The leper begged Jesus to heal him. How could Jesus not respond?
A remarkable thing about this miracle is that Jesus touched the man who had leprosy before He healed him. According to the Law of Moses, lepers were unclean. The Law says, “The person with such an infectious disease must wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp.” (Leviticus 13:45-46 NIV) By touching the man, Jesus not only restored his health, Jesus also restored the man’s social position. With His touch Jesus demonstrated that He no longer regarded the man as an outcast – someone who was only fit to live apart from everyone else.
We can view what Jesus did for the leper as a metaphor for what Jesus does for us today. The Apostle Paul writes that at one time we were, “…without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:12-13 NIV) Like the leper do we have the faith that Jesus can and is willing to heal us?
This incident reveals another reason Jesus performed miracles. He told the leper to show himself to the priests and offer the sacrifices the Law of Moses instructed, as a testimony. Jesus did miracles not to create a spectacle but to authenticate His message. He did what He did through the power of God. Therefore, His message also was from God. Later, Jesus would tell the people, “Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.” (John 14:10-11 NIV)