Episode 6 – Indescribable Compassion

Matthew and his associate Gaius deliver Simon’s tax payment to Quintus. Nicodemus tries to correct Shmuel for detaining the Baptizer. On the way back to Capernaum, Jesus and his students befriend an Egyptian named Tamar. Suddenly, a leper approaches Jesus on the road, asking Jesus to heal him. Jesus cleanses him, telling him not to speak of it. The group heads to the house of Zebedee and his wife Salome. As Jesus preaches, a crowd gathers, drawing the attention of both the Pharisees and the Romans. After witnessing the healing of the leper on the road earlier, Tamar forces her way through the crowd to help her paralytic friend meet Jesus. Tamar’s friends climb to and remove the rooftop, lowering the paralytic. Jesus forgives the paralytic, disturbing the Pharisees. Jesus heals the paralytic, and Matthew writes it down. Shmuel quickly calls on the Romans to seize Jesus. The disciples immediately flee and Nicodemus seeks Mary Magdalene to meet with Jesus.

Pray

Pray together for the group meeting, and any pressing needs within the group.

Watch

Watch the following discussion-starter video. It’ll set the topic of discussion for the group.

Personal Impact

What quote from this episode was the most meaningful/impactful to you? Why?

Discuss

1. Which characters stood out to you most? Which were most interesting? Most moving?
2. How did the disciple’s reaction to the leper differ than Jesus’? What do you suppose they thought when Jesus approached the leper; when He touched him and when he healed him?
3. Leprosy was one of the major diseases in the time of Jesus. It was the sickness that renders a person no longer worthy of dignity, love, or community. Are there any similar situations in our society today that would cause a person to no longer have dignity? How do you think Jesus would treat them?
4. What’s holding you back from the kind of bold faith the leper had?
5. How can you connect with people in your life who aren’t part of the “in” crowd, as Jesus did?
6. In order to take such extreme measures, what must the four men have believed about Jesus before they brought their friend to Him? What might their thoughts have been when He said “stand” to their paralytic friend, and when the man took a step?
7. If you were in the crowd that day and heard Jesus teaching, what would you have thought of Him (before He healed the paralytic.)
8. Did someone “bring you to Jesus”? Share your experience.

Explore Deeper – Mark 1:40-45

1. READ: One person will first read the scripture selection in the King James Version.
2. RE-READ: Next, another person will read the same passages in a modern language or amplified version for more clarity such as the New Living Translation (NLT), Message Bible (MSG), New English Translation (NET), Amplified Bible (AMP), etc. We recommend using the YouVersion Bible app.
3. RETELL: One person will begin retelling the scripture passage in their own words (a new person to start each week is great!) Then as a group, work together to fill in gaps and build the story. This will help us internalize and own it. Be sure everyone participates.

• How might this leper have known who Jesus was?
• What could the reason have been for the leper to kneel down to Jesus?
• How confident was he that Jesus could heal him, and why might he believe it?
• What was it that caused Jesus to have compassion on the leper?
• What did Jesus do that caused the man’s healing? What implications could this have on how you could receive a miracle from Jesus?
• Why would Jesus warn the man not to tell anyone about the miracle?
• What did Jesus command him to do?
• What did the man do in response to the healing he received?
• What happened to the reputation of Jesus after this event?
• What should our modern response be to Jesus’ blessings in our lives?