Discrepancy
Mark 1 :40-42 NIV '84
40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
41 Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.
Mark 1:40-42 NIV
40 A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”
41 Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42 Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
While reading one of my daily reading plans I was stumbled over the word 'indignant'. Dictionary.com defines as: feeling, characterized by, or expressing strong displeasure at something considered unjust, offensive, insulting, or base: Origin: 1580–90; < Latin indignant- (stem of indignāns, present participle of indignārī to deem unworthy, take offense),
I started thinking Jesus probably took offense over the way He was approached by the man with leprosy. The man approached Jesus begging on his knees and Jesus was maybe insulted and I think He was displeased at the man for thinking he had to beg Him. You see, I found it odd that Jesus was indignant towards this Jewish man because when the gentile woman, Matthew 15:21-28, approached Jesus begging for her daughter to be healed, it doesn't say Jesus was indignant it just said, Jesus did not answer a word.
So, I decided to check out another version as found that the word 'indignant' was replaced with 'compassion'. Dictionary.com defines as a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
These are two completely different meanings. One means sympathy or sorrow and the other means anger or insult. I started thinking how can a verse have such a different meaning in two different versions. The only thing I can figure is that Jesus had sympathy for the man but was angry because this man was a Jew and had the right to approach Him and ask yet this man was begging Him.
Ken, from Following Jesus, wrote a really good post on the Canaanite woman called "Why Such Harsh Words Jesus?" (Check it out, it is really good! ) I was thinking about this post as I was mulling over this word discrepancy and am leaning towards Jesus being displeased with this Jewish man for thinking he needed to beg Jesus for a healing.
We don't need to approach our Father in a begging format. He is willing to answer us if we are willing to ask and obey Him.
Jeremiah 17:14 NIV
Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed;
save me and I will be saved,
for you are the one I praise.
Blessings,
<><'
Hmmm...I'd have to study it more, but my first thought is that Jesus was not indignant towards the man, but towards the leprosy. Sickness and death are injustices and offensive, insulting...I believe he was both indignant AND full of compassion...indignant towards the leprosy and full of compassion for the man. It seems out of character to me that Jesus would be angry with this man, and then turn around and heal him. In fact, I believe he would be especially moved by the man's faith, that he would come to Jesus on his knees...the only people Jesus ever got angry with were the Pharisees. If the man were out of order in some way, Jesus would've rebuked him before healing him. That would be more in keeping with his character, don't you think? I know he got exasperated with his own disciples at times, but that's not the same thing...they had little faith. This man had great faith to come to Jesus on his knees begging. I can totally see where Jesus would be filled with indignation at the thought of this poor man being reduced to this because of this fallen world we live in... and that indignation was what moved him to heal the man. So really, both words would be correct. But then of course we don't know what it was translated from...so that's something else to consider.
ReplyDeleteJust my little .02 worth! :D
Hi Kimberly,
DeleteGreat insight!! I didn't even think of that! That would make more sense having Jesus filled with compassion towards the man and indignant at the sickness. That does agree with Jesus character.
Thanks for sharing, I will be pondering on this more.
Blessings,
<><
Oh this is awesome. I agree we do not need to beg to ask God for things or to come to Him. We are His children and He loves.
ReplyDeleteHi Jennifer,
DeleteGod wants us to be persistent in asking, to never give up. He is so good to us, all we need to do is ask and wait.
Blessings,
<><
Hi Child of God,
ReplyDeleteFirst off, I would like to thank you for your kind words in reference to my post.
I think Kimberly makes a valid point in her comment above. The passage does not say that Jesus was indignant toward this man. It just says that he was indignant. So the question is, "who or what way Jesus indignant at? I compared different translations, and most used the word "compassion." I saw a couple which used the word "pity." The difference could be in the way the translators choose to translate the text. Some seek to convey the meaning through a thought for thought process. Others in a word for word process. The website http://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-versions/ lists the ways different translations choose to translate scripture. The NIV uses a combination of thought for thought and word for word in making their translations. You can learn a bit more about this process here:http://www.lifeway.com/ArticleView?storeId=10054&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&article=bible-hcsb-the-Holman-Christian-Standard-Bible-translation-philosophy
The way I see it, Jesus hated to see the suffering of this person, therefore He choose to be compassionate and heal this man.
Thank you for giving me something to think about and may God bless you
Ken
Hi Ken,
DeleteThank you for sharing those useful resources, I will check them out and do some studying.
I too, tend to agree with Kimberly. It goes against Jesus' character to be angry at someone for asking for healing. He is a man of compassion and He has a heart for healing. It makes sense that He was indignant at the disease. But, I still want to dig deeper here, It would be really nice to know and understand Hebrew. :)
Thanks for sharing your point, I really do appreciate talking and learning about Scripture with those whose opinion matter to me.
Blessings,
<><
Hi child of God,
ReplyDeletewhat strikes me here, and it is wonderful, is that Jesus still performed the healing regardless.
Hi Brenda,
DeleteJesus never refused to heal anyone. He is always willing. Man, what a God we have!!
Blessings,
<><
Hi child of God again,
ReplyDeleteI just want to add a little thing that these scriptures convey to me. They show me that no matter what natural feelings we may have when we come across someone who is suffering, we should still be like Jesus and do good to them. God bless
Hi Brenda,
DeleteThe love and compassions Jesus has for us is totally amazing and at times mind boggling. Even on the cross while others were ridiculing Him, He still had the love to forgive them and ask Father to forgive them too!!
I agree that no matter what feelings are running through us we should have the compassion to do the right thing. A good lesson for me for when my son has pushed me to the limit, I still should have love and compassion towards him and do good.
Thanks for sharing. These are great things for me to mull over.
Blessings,
<><
Psalm 84:11 is a favourite verse of mine. :)
ReplyDeleteAs for the matter raised, my thoughts are the same with what Kimberly has shared. She has expressed it really well I think, so I won't comment any further. :)
Hi Vilisi,
DeletePsalm 84:11 is so rich! It kind of sums up God's character.
Yes, I agree, Kimberly has hit the nail on the head. Thanks for letting me know you agree with her.
Blessings,
<><
Thanks for making me think...I love to dive in the Word and that is what this will inspire. I also believe that God loves a persistent knocker, and I think we persist knowing He is willing just waiting on His plan to be revealed.
ReplyDeleteHi Shana,
DeleteI agree with you that God loves for us to persist in seeking His touch, His will, His way and His, well, everything. I think if we believe He is indignant towards us we wouldn't want to persist in pursing Him.
It is good to challenge and sharpen each other.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Blessings,
<><
40 And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.
ReplyDelete41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.
(Mark 1:40-41)KJV
Jesus had compassion on the man...if there was any indignant feelings, it was toward the sin/ fallen nature which caused the leoprosy in the first place, and NOT toward the man.
Just my two cents worth...you can pay me later, LOL!
Hi Lisa,
DeleteI agree that the indignant feeling were probably towards the leprosy and not towards the man.
Thanks for sharing your two cents. Did you know that Canada no longer has the penny? So since you only want two cents, that is rounded down and that makes no sense!!! ;P
Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Blessings,
<><
Geez, my brain is too tired to think. Love what the others have to say though. Hugs to you dear one. Thank you always for your support on my FB page as well!
ReplyDeleteHi JBR,
DeleteLol! I know how that feels. Sometimes I so exhausted my brain feels like it is spinning.
Ah hon, I'll always support you. You are so dear to my heat! <3
Hugs,
<><