Jesus - People Come To Him (Mk. 3:7-12)

'Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people [followed] from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known (Mk. 3:7-12).'

People were drawn to Jesus through the power of his ministry and large crowds from Galilee and all over Palestine followed him.  To avoid being crushed as those with diseases tried to touch him to be cured, Jesus got into a boat.  Some in the crowd with unclean spirits recognized him and paid him homage, but he ordered them not to reveal his true identity.  The evil spirits recognized Jesus as the Son of God, but most of the self-righteous religious leaders were too blind to recognize him or even acknowledge that he did the work of God.

Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ is our path to salvation and our hope for eternal life united with you.  Through him we are able to kneel before you in friendship and prayer, and in the power of the Holy Spirit who knows the deepest yearnings of our hearts we lift our prayers to you.  We pray that your sanctifying grace will open the eyes of our hearts and fill our minds with the light of your truth.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References:

Raymond E. Brown, Joseph A. Fitzmyer, & Roland E. Murphy, (Eds.). (1990, 1968). The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentis Hall, Inc.

Jose M. Casciaro, Santiago Ausin, Gonzalo Aranda, Claudio Basevi, Vincente Balaguer, Francisco Varo, James Gavigan, Brian McCarthy & Thomas McGovern (Eds.). (2017). The Navarre Bible - New Testament. Dublin 8, Ireland: Four Courts Press.