Good Friends and a Good Lord
Mark 2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
Mark 1:29 And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.
Mark 2:2 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.
It was always of the greatest importance, that Jesus preached the word of God. He is our example, preach the word with authority. Following the power of God's word came forth healings and miracles, for the kingdom of heaven was with Jesus.
Mark 2:3 And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four.
Mark 2:4 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.
Now these friends were determined to help their friend. Are we as determined to bring others to the Lord in prayer? Who fixed the roof? Perhaps the four who tore a hole in it?
Mark 2:5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.
Wait? He was brought to Jesus for healing, yet truthfully being forgiven of sins is the greatest miracle; healing of the soul. Many have broken lives, so come to Jesus and he will forgive your sins. Life is new to you.
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.
2 Cor 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2 Cor 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
God the Son
Mark 2:6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,
Mark 2:7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
Good question; it is true that only God can forgive sins. For the skeptics, this is proof that Jesus was God's son who is one with the Father.
Mark 2:8 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?
Jesus always new their thoughts.
Mark 2:9 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?
Words are cheap, but to see someone healed, that is miraculous.
Mark 2:10 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,)
Mark 2:11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
The miracle was the evidence that Jesus was God's son who also can forgive sins.
Mark 2:12 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.
God came down to man and they beheld his glory.
John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The Living Word brought with him healing and the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew Followed
Mark 2:13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
Again, teaching the word of God was first. He brought truth and grace.
Mark 2:14 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.
Levi, a publican and tax collector, was Matthew, who would give his gospel account to us later. He started out coming from the position of a despised tax collector. The collectors asked more than what the tax was, for their own wages. He arose and followed Jesus, as did the fishermen.
1 Cor 1:26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
1 Cor 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
1 Cor 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1 Cor 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
Mark 2:15 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.
More followers from this group of people. We are not to despise a group of people, because of what they are. Jesus will make them new in him, if they respond to the gospel word. He loved them, so should we. Not the sins, but their soul that needs the Lord.
Mark 2:16 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?
I suppose that was a natural thing to say, for are we not to be separate?
2 Cor 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2 Cor 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Separate from sin, but we are to witness to sinners. The Pharisees were not witnessing to Gentiles, they despised them as they despised tax collectors and sinners.
Mark 2:17 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.
Jesus knew hearts and he knew who would follow him. We do not know who will be saved, so we witness to everyone who will hear.
When do we fast?
Mark 2:18 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?
Why don't you do our religious things? They were watching and accusing.
Mark 2:19 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.
In the presence of the Lord there is peace and every good thing. Joy is in his presence. Fasting is to deny the flesh and seek God in the Spirit. God was there in Jesus. No need to fast, but to listen and to ask.
Mark 2:20 But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
Not a fast as the Pharisees.
Mat 6:16 Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face;
Mat 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Isa 58:4 Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high.
Isa 58:5 Is it such a fast that I have chosen? a day for a man to afflict his soul? is it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and ashes under him? wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?
Isa 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Isa 58:7 Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? when thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?
Isa 58:8 Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward.
Isa 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;
New bottles for new wine
Mark 2:21 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.
As the new piece is washed, it shrinks tearing the old piece. These are parables about the old testament not just being patched, but that a new covenant is required to replace the old.
Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
Mark 2:22 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.
The New wine could refer to God's Holy Spirit. He did not stay in those under the law, but is come to those whose sins were removed by faith in Jesus. We become new creation "bottles" that receive the Holy Spirit, as we are in Christ Jesus, not under the burdensome old covenant laws. The fruit of the Spirit includes joy and peace.
Jesus took away the bondage of the law.
Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
Sabbath rules, Jesus Rules!
Mark 2:23 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.
Mark 2:24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?
According to the many interpretations of the sabbath, Jesus and his disciples had broken two of their sabbath ordinances. They were traveling and working, as plucking ears of barley was considered harvesting. The law of gleaning from fields allowed for the harvesting with the hands to satisfy hunger, gleaning was allowed by the law, but their theological interpretation of the sabbath was restrictive.
Lev 23:22 And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not make clean riddance of the corners of thy field when thou reapest, neither shalt thou gather any gleaning of thy harvest: thou shalt leave them unto the poor, and to the stranger: I am the LORD your God.
Mark 2:25 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?
Mark 2:26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the showbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?
If it were lawful for the priests, then as servants they could share. They were to share spiritual bread and why not bread to the hungry? Many, then and now, preferred to serve condemnation. We are to be ministers of truth and life.
Mark 2:27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:
It was made for man, to rest from his labors and to seek God. Jesus was God and he sought His Father's will all the time.
Mark 2:28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
As God the Son, Jesus was Lord of the sabbath. We as Gentiles in Jesus do not fall under the Jewish law of the Saturday sabbath, we can commune with God every day for Jesus is our rest. It is still good to set one day aside unto God. The Christian tradition is to observe Sunday as the day of seeking the Lord and resting from work, for he arose from the grave on the first day of the week. Jesus is Lord of the sabbath, worship Him with the Father, through the Holy Spirit.
John 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
John 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
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