The Compassion and Power of Jesus in Healing the Sick: A Narrative-Critical Study of Mark 3:1-6

Mark 3:1-6 contains a mixture of controversy (3:2, 4), healing (3:1, 3, 5), and biographical (3:5a, 6) narratives. Without doubt, 3:1–6 concludes the series of conflict stories from 2:1–3:6. Jesus’ authority underlying each pericope in 2:1–3:6 comes into mortal conflict here and in 2:1–12 with the religious authorities over the right to forgive sin and the use of the Sabbath, two issues that have to do with God’s prerogatives alone. According to Mark, that claim of authority throughout 1:16–3:6 had its ultimate roots in the “beginning” of 1:1–15, the announcement of the time of fulfillment. This article, using the narrative-critical method, constitutes an attempt to analyze the Compassion and Power of Jesus in Healing the Sick. Jesus’ activity in Mark 3:1-6 demonstrated his compassion and power by reinstating the sick man as a member of the community. However, by this healing, the Marcan Jesus was also restoring the kingdom of God by creating a new household as a symbol thereof.