GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 3:12
Haste Makes Waste
There is an ancient proverb that says, “haste makes waste.” Sometimes I rush to prepare a meal, as I did recently. The directions on the meal said that it should be microwaved for four minutes on high and then allowed to sit for three minutes before eating. The extra three minutes were to allow the meal to finish cooking. In other words, don’t eat the meal before it’s done. Without waiting for the extra three minutes, I began to eat the meal. Not only was it too hot, but the flavor was off. I rushed the meal before it was ready.
St. Mark said that as Jesus taught and ministered to the needy on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, there were people with unclean spirits who, falling before him, proclaimed that he was the Son of God. “And he forcefully rebuked them that they might not make him known.” (Mark 3:12)
There are several ways to understand Jesus’ rebuke of these criers. First, Mark said an unclean spirit motivated this proclamation. These could have been people who wanted to create trouble for Jesus. Second, they likely had the wrong motive. Their idea of a Messiah was one who would come as a great warrior to overthrow the Romans and make Israel the master. Or third, they wanted to diminish Jesus by drawing attention to themselves.
Jesus forcefully commanded them to stop. He had previously argued with the Pharisees about the Sabbath, and he surely knew that if word spread that he was the Son of God, it would bring him political trouble, and it was not yet his time.
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