Mark
Copyright © 2008 Darroll Evans
CHAPTER 2
Mark 2:1-3
1 And again he entered into
2 And straightway many were gathered together,
insomuch that there was no room to receive them,
no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.
3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of
four.
After a few days, Jesus once
again entered
At that time Capernaum had
just under 2,000 residents, so they all knew each other and they knew what was
going on in town.
“Straightway” (Gr. eutheoos-euqewV), immediately many gathered at Peter’s home. There were so many that there was no room in
the house. Even in that situation, Jesus preached to good news.
The people brought a man who
suffered from palsy (Gr. paralutikos-παραλυτικός),
a paralytic. It took four men to carry
him.
There were no stretchers in
that day. The man was laid on a sheet of
some sort, and then each of the four grabbed a corner and lifted the man. It
must have been very uncomfortable.
Mark 2:4-5
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the
press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up,
they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins
be forgiven thee.
The bad news was that there
were so many in the house that they could not get him through the door. The good news is that it did not stop them.
The men took him up to the roof. In
times of great need men will overcome such barriers. They uncovered the roof above and lowered the
man, bed and all, into the room.
When Jesus saw the faith of
the man and his friends, Jesus told the man who was sick with palsy, “Son, your
sins are forgiven!”
That was an omen of things to
come.
Eph 1:7
[Christ Jesus] In whom we have redemption through his
blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
Forgiveness of sins is
redemption!
That simple statement by
Christ caused a problem.
Mark 2:6-7
6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their
hearts,
7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can
forgive sins but God only?
Among the people in the home
were some scribes. They were sitting
there, “reasoning in their hearts.” They
had come to see the show. Whenever
healing services are held, some will come to see the show!
The asked, “Why does this man
speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God?”
Jesus did not debate them.
The fact is that only God can
forgive sins. In this case, it was God,
the Son who forgave the man’s sins and the theologians of that day were ignorant
of His position and power. Many “theologians” today suffer from the same
malady.
Mark 2:8-12
8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit
that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these
things in your hearts?
9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven
thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk?
10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive
sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)
11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all;
insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it
on this fashion.
Immediately
(Gr. eutheoos-euqewV), Jesus perceived in His spirit (Spirit) that they
reasoned such among themselves, He asked, “Why do you reason these things in
your hearts?
“Is it easier to say to the
man with palsy, Your sins are forgiven? Or, to tell
him, get up take your bed, and walk?
“However, so that you may
know that the Son of man has power on earth to forgive sins, (he said to the
man who was sick of the palsy,) I command you take your bed, go home.”
Christ Jesus healed that man
simply to prove that He is God the Son!
Many miss that point!
That was strong!
Immediately
(Gr. eutheoos-euqewV) the man got up, took his bed and walk out. They all were amazed, and glorified God,
saying, “We have never seen this before!”
Mark 2:13-14
13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all
the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus
sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose
and followed him.
Then, Jesus went to the shore
of the
As Christ walked on the
shore, He saw Levi [Matthew] the son of Alphaeus
sitting and collecting taxes. Jesus told
him, “Follow (Gr. Akolouthei-Akolouqei) me!” That is a
command, not an invitation.
Mark 2:15-17
15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans
and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were
many, and they followed him.
16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners,
they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with
publicans and sinners?
17 When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they
that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
As Jesus reclined in his
house having a meal with several tax collectors, other sinners and His
disciples, the scribes and Pharisees saw him eating with those social outcasts.
They confronted Jesus’ disciples asking, “How can he do that? He is socializing with undesirables!”
When Jesus heard it, He
responded, “Those that are healthy have no need of the physician! However,
those that are sick do! I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to
repentance!”
All who have not come to
Christ are sick! In fact, they are spiritually dead.
Rom 3:10-12
10 As it is written, There is none
righteous, no, not one:
11 There is none that understandeth, there is
none that seeketh after God.
12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable;
there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Christians have been aroused
from death!
Eph 2:1 And
you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Breathing is not a sign of
spiritual life!
The only “life” we may have
is a positive relationship with God the Father through His Son, our Lord,
Christ Jesus!
Mark 2:18-22
18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used
to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of
the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
19 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber
fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as
they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall
be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
21 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old
garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh
away from the old, and the rent is made worse.
22 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else
the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles
will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
John the baptist’s
disciples and many Pharisees observed times of fasting. They come to Jesus and
asked, “Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but Your disciples don’t fast?”
Jesus replied, “Can the
Groom’s attendants fast, while he is with them? As long as the Bridegroom is
with them, they cannot fast. However, the time will come, when the Groom shall
be taken away. It is then that they
shall fast.
“In addition, no one sews a
new of cloth onto an old garment, because it may cause a tear in the old cloth
that will be worse that the original tear.
“And, no one puts new wine
into old wineskins, because the new wine will expand and may burst the old
wineskins and cause the wine to spill. New wine must be put into new
wineskins.”
That is why we become new
creations in Christ!
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature: old things are passed away; behold, all
things are become new.
As new creations, we should
not attempt to cling to the old things that brought us spiritual sorrow! Besides, those things, including the letter
of the Law have passed away!
Christians have been changed
and are in the process of renouncing the old, dead man.
Mark 2:23-28
23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to
pluck the ears of corn.
24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not
lawful?
25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what
David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he,
and they that were with him?
26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar
the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is
not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with
him?
27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for
man, and not man for the sabbath:
28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Later, on a Sabbath, Jesus
and His disciples were walking through a field of grain---probably wheat or
barley. His disciples began to pluck the
grain, and eat it.
The ever-present Pharisees
were upset and accused them, “Behold, why do they on the Sabbath day do what is
not lawful?”
It was unlawful under the Old
Covenant to gather grain on the Sabbath!
Jesus countered, “Haven’t you
read what David did when he and those with him were hungry?
“He went into the house of
God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and ate
the showbread! That was only lawful for Levite priests. Both David and those with him ate.”
Then, Jesus said, “The
Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath!
“Therefore, the Son of man is
Lord also of the Sabbath!”
We should study the
Sabbath. I fear that many Christians
have never studied Sabbath truth.
There is absolutely no
biblical admonishment to worship on Sunday!
It is tradition that dictates such and not the Bible!
Many read the Ten
Commandments and say, we should not do this or that because the Commandments
say we should not do it. However, when
they get to the 4th Commandment they say that following that single
Commandment is legalism.
Is that logical?
No, it is not!
Rom 3:31 Do
we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.
It seems that we establish
the Law, except for the 4th Commandment! The truth is that most Christians and Jews do
not know how to keep the Sabbath!
Many, Christians and Jews,
who observe the Sabbath place undue restrictions on God’s Sabbath! In doing that we dishonor the Sabbath and its
Creator!
During the week of creation,
God blessed only one of His creations.
The Sabbath!
Gen 2:3 And God blessed the seventh day, and
sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God
created and made.
In all of Creation week only
one thing was “sanctified,” and that was the Sabbath!