|
|
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
2 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
Jesus Calls Levi
He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
A Question About Fasting
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?” And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
(ESV)
Mark 2 Commentary
by Brad Boyles
At the end of this chapter, we see a common problem that Jesus faced with the Pharisees. These law-abiding men had taken a command and turned it into a burden. The Sabbath was established to give man rest from his labors. However, the Pharisees turned it into a duty.
Jesus answered, “Have you never read what David did that time when he needed something to eat? He and his men were hungry, 26 so he went into the house of God and ate the bread offered to God. This happened when Abiathar was the High Priest. According to our Law only the priests may eat this bread—but David ate it and even gave it to his men.”
Mark 2:25-26 GNB
Jesus was not necessarily defending David’s actions, but He was placing perspective along with the Sabbath law. At this point in David’s journey, he was on the run from Saul. He was literally fleeing for his life. They asked for food because they were hungry, although, it was not permitted by the law. Jesus’ explanation shows that wisdom and logic are important. By the rationale of the Pharisees, David should have adhered to the law and starved to death. Jesus also purposely uses David in the analogy since he was regarded so highly by the teachers of the law.
“This is exactly what many people, steeped in tradition, simply cannot accept: that what God really wants is mercy before sacrifice (Hos 6:6); that love to others is more important than religious rituals (Isa 58:1-9); that the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart; these, O God, You will not despise (Psa 51:17).”
David Guzik
Jesus emphatically states that the Sabbath was given to bless us, not to enslave us. As God in the flesh, He has the final word.
And Jesus concluded, “The Sabbath was made for the good of human beings; they were not made for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
Mark 2:27-28 GNB
Do we do this same thing today? Do we focus so intensely on the right behavior that we create a burden for people? The reality of Scripture is that Jesus sets us free. Through the Spirit, we have the power to joyfully follow His will. It doesn’t happen instantly, but the fruits of a Christian life flow naturally through faith – not through striving in our own strength to follow a moral behavior.
Honestly, this bothers me. Millions of people today believe that Christianity means “striving to be a good person.” Though we know clean, holy living is the final result, these people ultimately misunderstand the heart of Jesus. If you actually read the Bible, you will find that Jesus despised the weighty burdens that religious people placed on God-seeking people. The law was supposed to lead us to love God. Instead, it only demonstrated that we desperately need a Savior.
“Jesus became our rest when He did all the work necessary for our Salvation (Hebrews 4). He fulfilled the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 5:17). ‘Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes’ (Romans 10:4). We rest, spiritually, in Him; He has secured our eternal blessing.”
GotQuestions.org
If you are struggling with the heavy burdens of “Christianity”, then come to Jesus. Get to know Him. Worship Him. Commune with Him. Love Him. He will provide rest for your soul.