What follows are some observations gleaned mostly from Austin Farrer’s Studies in Saint Mark, now out of print and not widely available. I expound on it a bit in my commentary on Mark (see sidebar).
Mark’s healing miracles always involve one person. He may save a group of disciples from a storm, but he only cures one person in an incident. Various healings are summarized, but specific incidents are mentioned with one and only one recipient (unlike Matthews two blind men or Luke’s dozen lepers).
There seem to be three kinds of healings, two that rid a person of something bad and one that gives something good. The first two are exorcisms (ridding a person of demons) and cleansings (ridding a person of uncleanness). Both of these are linked because demons are called “unclean” spirits. Then there are restorations, in which a person is “raised up” (Greek: egeiro). There are fourteen such healings in Mark’s Gospel.
1.1-3.6: Exorcism, Restoration, Cleansing, Restoration / Restoration
Notice that the second Restoration involves making a man walk, and the third gives him back the use of his hand. They are natural complements. Also, the third restoration is the climax of a “mini-cycle” which imitates what starts in 1.14: the calling of persons from their normal occupation by the sea (2.14). We have here four incidents with the last one complemented: feet & hands. In this block, a son requests healing for a mother-in-law.
3.7-6.6: Exorcism, Re-{Cleansing}-storation
There are three healings told as two events (because the raising of Jairus’ daughter is sandwiched around the woman with the issue of blood. Here there is not complement. There’s can’t be one because a resurrection is quite impossible to improve upon. Indeed, from now on the restorations will not involve bodies and limbs, but rather problems in the head. Mark is moving toward his climax and, having recorded a resurrection, keeps building by moving from body to head. In this block, a father requests healing for a daughter.
6.7-8.38: Exorcism, Restoration / Restoration
In this case there are two healings with a complement given to the latter. A deaf mute is given hearing and speech, and then a blind villager is given back his sight: ears, mouth & eyes. In this block, a mother requests healing for a daughter.
9:1-12.52: Exorcisive Restoration / Restoration
Again a deaf mute is healed followed by a blind man. In this case, however, the deaf mute’s problem is demon possession, so the restoration is conflated with an exorcism. In this block, a father requests healing for a son. Notice then how the focus sharpens in these last two cycles:
- Third cycle: Exorcism of a child at parent’s prayer, and healing of a deaf mute; Healing of a blind man (7.24-30, 31-37; 8.22-26).
- Fourth cycle: Exorcism of a deaf and dumb child at parent’s prayer; Healing of a blind man (9.14-29; 10.46-52).
Thus the climax and fourteenth healing is
The Resurrection of Jesus.
All healing is summed up in Jesus. He is cleansed from death and filled with the Spirit; able to walk and grasp with Spirit-given feet and hands, able to hear God’s word, see God’s creation, and praise God’s name. The Father raises the Son.
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