Mark Chapter Two
Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man
[Text parallels Matthew 9:1-8 and Luke 5:17-26]
2:1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 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. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 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.
After preaching around the region of Galilee for several days, Jesus and his disciples return to Capernaum (see Mark 1:21). The crowds seeking Jesus and His healing quickly overwhelm this unidentified home (some believe the home belonged to Simon-Peter). While Jesus was teaching, four men carrying a paralyzed man laying on a bed approach the home. But they could not get anywhere near Jesus, so they decided on an unusual tactic, they got on the roof and removed a portion of the roof above Jesus. They then lowered the paralytic down to Him.
While one could easily imagine four strong guys climbing the side of the home and ripping a hole in the roof with their bare hands. We need to remember that most of the homes at that time had flat roofs with stairs, as the roof was where people often slept during hot nights. Plus, Luke records that the roof was made of tile (see Luke 5:19) something that could easily be removed and later repaired.
2:5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 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? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?
Jesus, without a doubt knew what was going to happen long before the roof began to open (although the crowd must have wondered). Jesus waited until the paralytic appeared, noticing the effort to get this man in front of Him, He understood that they each had faith that He could and would heal the man. He begins with an unsolicited response, Jesus tells the man that his sins are forgiven. Some scribes were in attendance and when they heard that Jesus proclaimed forgiveness of the paralytic’s sins, they began to wonder why Jesus spoke those words, after all that would be blasphemy! In their thoughts they recognized that only God can forgive sins. Jesus, able to understand what they were thinking, asked, why do you question? He further asks, which is easier, to say that your sins are forgiven or to tell this paralyzed man to rise and take his bed and walk away?
2:10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— 11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” 12 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 used this event to demonstrate that He indeed has the authority to forgive sins. While it would be easy for anyone to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” no one would know for certain. But if the person offering the forgiveness also provided supernatural healing to substantiate His claim, it would be believable. Jesus then said to the paralytic, to rise, pick up his bed and to go home. The man did just as he was instructed in front of many witnesses. Those that saw this were all amazed and glorified God, as they admitted that they had never seen anything like this before!
Jesus Calls Levi to Follow Him
[Text parallels Matthew 9:9-13 and Luke 5:27-32]
2:13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 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.
While walking by the Sea of Galilee, Jesus was teaching the crowd that was following Him. When He passed by a tax booth He approached Levi, a tax collector, and asked him to follow Him. Levi stood up and immediately began to follow Jesus.
2:15 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. 16 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?” 17 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.”
Jesus was sitting at a table in Levi’s home (Luke identifies Levi as the host of this meal, see Luke 5:28) where several tax collectors[1] and sinners were also sitting. Being sinners is not a ‘class’ or ‘type’ of person, as all people are sinners, the author is emphasizing the fact that these people would be considered sinners and therefore an abomination in the self-righteous eyes of the scribes and Pharisees. Undoubtedly shadowing Jesus,[2] a few scribes and Pharisees notice that Jesus is eating with these deplorable people. They ask the disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus hearing their question answers with an incisive reply, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” (Verse 17, NLT) Jesus’ response not only expresses the gospel message, it also effectively “holds up a mirror” to show the error of the scribe’s and Pharisees’ interpretation of Scripture.
Jesus is Questioned Why His Disciples Do Not Fast
[Text parallels Matthew 9:14-17 and Luke 5:33-39]
2:18 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?” 19 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. 20 The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21 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. 22 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.”
Some people had noticed that both John the Baptist’s disciples and the Pharisees regularly fasted but wondered why none of Jesus’ disciples fast. Mark does not identify the people making the inquiry. Jesus answers and relates the situation to that of a wedding where no one fasts while the bridegroom is present. He states that it is only after the bridegroom leaves when they would consider fasting. In this scenario, Jesus is referring to Himself as the Bridegroom[3]. Understanding that fasting provides for a closer relationship with God, especially during times of mourning and other difficult times, the need for drawing near to God was minimal since the disciples lived everyday closely with Jesus, there was no need for fasting.
There are a number of ancient Jewish customs that relate to fasting on wedding days. For example, one custom calls for a fast by both the bride and bridegroom in order to cleanse themselves so that they can come to their wedding day with a clean heart for a new beginning. However, these customs are not what Jesus is referring to here, He is pointing out that a wedding is a joyful time that requires no mourning or fasting, until such time the bridegroom is taken away, pointing to a time when He will no longer be on earth but will be in heaven.
To further illustrate, Jesus offers a lesson on wine storage and then relates it to God’s law. He says that new wine should be stored in new containers made of new skin, as the wine ferments and expands, the new skin can expand with it. If, however, new wine was placed in an old wineskin, the skin would rupture and spill the wine. Instead of pouring new wine in an old wineskin, replacing the old wine with new wine, Jesus is saying He will provide the new wine as well as the new wineskin. He is not referring to a new or changed law, but a new covenant, a new way. He is offering to fulfill the existing law and be the Savior for all of mankind. The disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees fasted because they failed to see Jesus as the Savior.
Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath
[Text parallels Matthew 12:1-8 and Luke 6:1-5]
2:23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 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: 26 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?” 27 And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”
Jesus and His disciples on a Sabbath day were walking through some fields of grain and along the way they plucked some of the heads of grain to eat. Still being followed by the Pharisees, they noticed the disciples plucking the grain and called attention to what they believed as a violation of the Sabbath.[4] While not an act of disobedience of God’s law, it was a transgression against the “oral law” (Mishnah) which contains several man-made Sabbath regulations that were strictly adhered to by the Pharisees. Instead of pointing out that their interpretation of Sabbath rules was wrong, Jesus explains how God views His law using an event recorded in 1 Samuel 21:1-6.
The story begins with David and his men on the run, attempting to stay away from King Saul who wanted him dead. Since they were hungry and had no food, they went to see Ahimelech a priest at the Tabernacle. Out of compassion for David and his men, Ahimelech offered them the bread from the table in the Holy Place (first room in the Tabernacle) that was only to be eaten by priests. Jesus explains that Ahimelech’s decision was correct as the needs of the people, in this case David and his men, were more important than the strict adherence to the law. Jesus further points out that the Sabbath, being a day of rest, was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. The Sabbath is not holy on its own, it is God that is holy. Jesus then proclaimed Himself as being Lord even of the Sabbath, a clear statement that He is indeed God. The reaction of the Pharisees is not recorded in any of the gospel accounts, however, one can easily imagine the shock and immediate disdain towards Jesus. It should be noted that Ahimelech and several other priests were killed for supporting David, as King Saul considered his actions a conspiracy against him (see 1 Samuel 22:11-23). One of Ahimelech’s sons did survive.
⇐Previous Chapter (Introduction/Index) Next Chapter⇒
[1] See Considerations under Matthew 9:10-13 “Why Tax Collector’s Were Loathed.”
[2] See Considerations under Matthew 9:10-13 “Stalking Jesus.”
[3] See commentary under Matthew 25:1-13.
[4] See commentary and Considerations under Matthew 12:1-8.