And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well.” (Mar_7:37)
Someone once said, “A discerning eye needs only a hint; and an understatement leaves the imagination free to build its own elaborations.” The first followers of Jesus had that discerning eye, and bit by bit they slowly realized they were in the presence of a truly extraordinary man. Eventually, walking with Jesus and watching Him in action, they came to a place where they were astonished beyond measure.
In his Gospel, Mark builds the case very deliberately. First he tells us, “Everyone was amazed at his teaching” (Mar_1:22). A few chapters later he says, “they all marveled at His words” (Mar_5:20). And then once again Mark adds that “many hearing Him were astonished, saying, ‘Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!’ (Mar_6:2).
Amazed, marveling, and astonished — doesn’t that pretty much describe how you feel about Jesus? Yeah, me too! Indeed, all who are followers of Jesus today can equally attest to our own increasing astonishment over His boundless ability to comntinually astonish us. Hey, it’s not called “amazing grace” for no reason!
Like Mark of old, our testimony in today’s world is, “He has done all things well!” Talk about an understatement that leaves our imagination free to build its own elaborations — there you have it!
The best example of one such elaboration comes from the Wuest New Testament. The translator puts this spin on Mark’s verse: “And they were completely flabbergasted, and that in a superabundant degree which itself was augmented by the addition of yet more astonishment, saying, He has done all things well!”
Now that is the ultimate destination for all of us who are following Jesus! We will be astonished beyond measure!!
