“And straightway all the people, when they beheld Him, were greatly amazed, and running to Him saluted Him.” (Mark 9:15)
This happened just after the Transfiguration. He had sent out the apostles to preach repentance from their sins and had given them power over unclean spirits (Mark 6:7-13), except for Peter, John and James who had been with Him at the Transfiguration. He met up with His disciples after, but there was a multitude around them, and the scribes were questioning them. (Mark 9:14)
The crowd saw Him and were amazed. The word amazed is from the Greek word which means utterly and greatly astounded and wondering. The Scripture doesn’t expound why this was. Bible scholars have concluded it may have been that Jesus was still glowing from the Transfiguration or that they were surprised to see Him there. We can conclude that it was both.
The crowd didn’t run away from Him in fear as the people did when Moses came down from the mountain, glowing from being in the presence of God. (Exodus 34:30) They did the opposite. They ran to Him and saluted Him. The word saluted that is used doesn’t mean to merely greet Him, but to welcome Him with open arms. They were exceedingly glad to see Him.
When we think of the differing responses, we wonder why the difference. In Moses’ instance, the people knew that Moses was meeting with God. He was the God that thundered from the mountain. They were commanded not to come close to the mountain or they’d die. (Exodus 19:12) They knew God as the Giver of the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 20) The punishment for transgression for sin was immediate death at the hand of God or their people. (Leviticus) There was no mercy for sin, although God is merciful to His people throughout the Old Testament. Punishment for sin came swiftly and brutally. When they saw Moses glowing from being with God, they feared they would die. It was a different relationship that they had with God. They knew about Him but were not to come close because of sin. Even if they kept all the commandments, they had that sin nature from Adam and were sinful. To come close to God meant death.
In Jesus’ time, the people have not changed much spiritually. They are still the unredeemed, sinful people. But the difference is that God has come to them as a man. Yes, He is glowing. But they welcome Him and want to be with Him. He has the Word of wisdom. He is Hope. He is bringing light to them. He is the healer. His Words have been so full of love and hope that they don’t separate that from Him. They know He is from God, although they don’t know Him as God.
There is a sick child among them who is tormented by an unclean spirit. Then Jesus comes. Here is the One Who will be able to heal him. Here is the Answer to the father’s and everyone’s prayer. Here is the One Who has done marvelous things, Who has compassion on the needy and is able to do great things. Yes, He is glowing. And they welcome this source of hope and life.
The obvious reason for the difference is that Jesus is the Redeemer. And although He hasn’t gone to the cross yet and redeemed the people, His love is transparent to all, even the unredeemed. This is why Jesus is recognized today as good, a prophet and a man of God by the unredeemed. A note of clarification here: Although Jesus has redeemed all men, not all have received redemption. It’s a gift one must receive. And not all have believed on that gift and not all have received that gift because of unbelief.
Yes, Jesus, God made man (John 1:14), the Redeemer is the difference. To those who believe Who He is and all that He said, He is life. “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John 14:6) The people in Jesus’ time ran to Him seeking healing, for physical life. Today we run to Him also for healing, but for complete healing, spirit, soul and body. To us, He is life eternal. “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom Thou hast sent.” (John 17:3)
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