Mark 6:53-56 The Fringe of His Garment
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: February 2, 2018, Mark 6:53-56
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
(Understanding the Text / Revelation of God) They came to shore at Gennesaret. This is one place where Peter’s voice really comes through Mark’s account. It says that they moored to the shore. I am not sure what that means, but I think it means that they did not bring the boat all the way onto the land, nor did they tie to a dock. I think it means that the boat stayed out in the water while a rope or ropes secured it to something on the land. Jesus had a traveling ministry of walking and boat, so in some ways he had a boat ministry, like I have read about on the Amazon River. Those missionaries were following in Jesus’ footsteps. I imagine that there were a lot of times that Jesus got His legs wet jumping into the sea to get out of the boat rather than waiting for a ramp of some kind. Did Jesus also help with rowing or the sails? I think so, but I am not sure.
(Understanding the Text) These were the rock star days. Jesus was recognized by people who had never even seen Him. People knew of the traveling rabbi who would come by boat with twelve other men. His reputation had spread and even stories that included the details of His ministry. The first thought that came to people minds was that here was a chance for them to be healed. It says that just touching the fringe of His garment healed them. We make a big deal about the woman healed from bleeding being healed by touching His garment, but here it says that other people were healed in this way. We know from the other story that it was their faith that allowed for this to be successful, not any miraculous divinity clinging to Jesus’ clothes. Maybe, they had also heard the story of the woman and gained faith from her actions. Maybe Jesus called attention to her actions not just for her to receive mental healing but also so that others might have increased faith.
Jesus and the disciples did not stay only in Gennesaret but traveled around villages, cities, and the countryside in this area. It says that the sick were laid out in marketplaces. Was that so that they were centrally located when He passed by or because they knew that Jesus would come to the marketplace? Did they place the people there only when they knew He was coming or every day on the off-chance that He would come that day?
According to the map, Gennesaret is not that far from Capernaum and Magdala. It is in the Galilee side of the Sea of Galilee. I wonder if they came across Mary at this time, or if she was already back with her siblings.
(Application / Prayer) You had a traveling ministry and went where the people needed You. Help me to move from place to place and person to person gladly in Your service. Teach me to not look longingly on the past, but instead, to look to the present with joy and excitement about serving You where I am placed.