Mark 1:35-45
Mark 1:35
“And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.”
After a day full of ministry, Jesus sought solitude for prayer. His strength came not from crowds but from communion with His Father.
Origen observes:
“Jesus prayed and did not pray in vain, since he received what he asked for in prayer when he might have done so without prayer. If so, who among us would neglect to pray? Mark says that ‘in the morning, a great while before day, he rose and went out to a lonely place, and there he prayed.’ And Luke says, ‘He was praying in a certain place, and when he ceased, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray,”’ and elsewhere, ‘And all night he continued in prayer to God.’ And John records his prayer, saying, ‘When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you.”’ The same Evangelist writes that the Lord said that he knew “you hear me always.” All this shows that the one who prays always is always heard.” (On Prayer 13.1)
Mark 1:36–39
“And Simon and those who were with him searched for him, and they found him and said to him, ‘Everyone is looking for you.’ And he said to them, ‘Let us go on to the next towns, that I may preach there also, for that is why I came out.’ And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.”
Simon and the others wanted Jesus to stay in Capernaum, heal everyone, and perhaps establish a “house of healing.” But Jesus knew His mission.
Because He had spent time in prayer, He remained centered on His purpose: to preach the good news.
His ministry moved outward: from town to town in Galilee, later sending the apostles to villages, and eventually to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8).
Mark 1:40–42
“And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, ‘If you will, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, ‘I will; be clean.’ And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.”
This healing shows Mark’s distinctive style. Papias noted that Mark did not always follow chronological order. Luke agrees with Mark’s placement here, while Matthew sets the story elsewhere (Matt. 8:2–4).
Leprosy was devastating socially, physically, and spiritually. Lepers were excluded from society, forced to live in colonies, and required to shout warnings to avoid contact. They lost family, friends, homes, and work, and were considered ritually unclean. (Logos Notes)
For the leper to approach Jesus was an act of tremendous faith and courage.
Origen explains:
“And why did he touch him, since the law forbade the touching of a leper? He touched him to show that ‘all things are clean to the clean.’ Because the filth that is in one person does not adhere to others, nor does external uncleanness defile the clean of heart. So he touches him in his untouchability, that he might instruct us in humility; that he might teach us that we should despise no one, or abhor them, or regard them as pitiable, because of some wound of their body or some blemish for which they might be called to render an account.”
Lenski comments on the verb splanchnizomai:
“The verb σπλαγχνίζομαι means to have the viscera moved, lungs, heart, and liver, which were considered to be the seat of the feelings such as love, pity, etc. We may say ‘his heart was stirred.’ This is the strongest of the three words that are translated ‘being compassionate,’ for it implies not only a pained feeling at the sight of suffering but in addition a strong desire to relieve or to remove the suffering.”
Mark 1:43–44
“And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.’”
Jesus tells the healed man to obey the Mosaic law, which required lepers to present themselves to the priest. This would restore him fully to society.
The law could never heal, but it provided order. The healing itself came through Jesus’ compassionate touch.
Why the command for silence? Because Jesus’ time to display His full power and glory had not yet come.
Mark 1:45
“But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.”
The healed leper could not contain his joy and spread the news widely, even against Jesus’ instructions.
This had consequences: Jesus’ movements were limited, and His growing fame stirred conflict with religious leaders.