LESSON 3
THE SERVANT PROVES HIS DEITY
Mark 2:1-28
Memory Verse: 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.”
Introduction:
It is important that you memorize and remember the key verse of this book. Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
The crowds came to see the sick healed and demons cast out, but most of them were not interested in the truth that He preached.
“After he had been preaching in the synagogues throughout Galilee, and after he had spent some days in prayer, and private retirement in desert places: and it was noised that he was in, the house; a report was spread throughout the city that he was in the house of Simon and Andrew, where he was before, and where he used to be when in Capernaum.” —John Gill’s Expositor.
I. THE PALSIED MAN’S SINS ARE FORGIVEN vv. 1-12
A. “As He Was Preaching the Word,” vv. 1-2; Psalms 40:9, “I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.”
1. The kind of NOISE by the MULTITUDES that needs to be made, v. 1; Mark 1:45, “But he went out, and began TO PUBLISH IT MUCH, and TO BLAZE ABROAD THE MATTER, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.”
2. The KIND of preaching that NEEDS TO BE DONE, v. 2:
a. Preach the WORD, 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
b. To EVERY creature, Mark 16:15, “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
i. NO CITY of that day HEARD MORE GOSPEL and saw more miracles than Capernaum.
ii. NO CITY received GREATER CONDEMNATION. WHY? Because they REMAINED IN their UNBELIEF, Matthew 11:23-24, “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.”
B. He Pronounced the FORGIVENESS OF SINS, vv. 3-5.
1. The UNKNOWN FOUR carry the palsied man, v. 3; Luke 5:18, “And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him.”
Note: In this case his palsy was a blessing, without it his sins might not have been forgiven. (Christians like these four are needed today).
2. The MEANS THEY USED to get him in, v. 4; Luke 5:19, “And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus.”
Note: We too need to use every Scriptural means to get people to Jesus.
3. The FAITH they had, v. 5a; Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
4. His sins forgiven. v. 5b; John 9:1-3, “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.”
a. The Lord recognized the problem – sin, 1 Corinthians 11:30, “For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.”
b. Jesus dealt with the problem, v. 5; Psalms 32:1, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”
Note: “The Jews believed that not only death but all disease was the consequence of sin. “There is no death without sin, nor any chastisement without iniquity;” and that “no diseased person could be healed of his disease till his sins were blotted out.” —Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge.
5. These four men are a GOOD EXAMPLE of being “fishers of men;” Matthew 4:19, “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
a. They had CONCERN for the man and wanted to see him helped.
b. They had FAITH that Jesus could help him, v. 5; Hebrews 11:6, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
c. They DID NOT SIMPLY PRAY about it, but they WERE MOVED TO DO SOMETHING.
d. Difficult CIRCUMSTANCES did not defeat them.
e. They DID NOT put off their work until tomorrow.
f. They USED their God given INGENUITY.
g. They DID NOT MIND the physical and financial COST.
C. Jesus Proves His Own Identity, vv. 6-12.
1. The Scribes reasoned out of their UNBELIEVING HEARTS, rather than the Scriptures, v. 6; Luke 5:21, “And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, Who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?”
a. This was the CHARGE BEFORE the SANHEDRIN because Jesus said that He was the Son of God, Mark 14:64, “Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.”
b. They had their THEOLOGY RIGHT, BUT failed to RECOGNIZE the Son of God, Micah 7:18, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.”
2. Only God can FORGIVE SINS, v. 7.
a. FORGIVENESS of sin was the GREATEST MIRACLE, Exodus 34:6-7, “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.”
b. He does it for HIS OWN SAKE, Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.”
Note: “For mine own sake”– In the pardon of sin God can draw no reason but from his own infinite goodness. —Adam Clarke’s Commentary by Gary Gallant. Psalms 79:9, “Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name’s sake.”
c. There is NO OTHER God LIKE HIM, Micah 7:18, “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.” Ezekiel 33:11, “Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?”
3. Jesus PERCEIVED their wicked reasoning, v. 8.
a. Jesus LOOKED INTO their HEARTS, Luke 16:15, “And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”
b. He KNOWS what is in man, John 2:24-25, “But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, 25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.”
4. The PURPOSE of healing miracles, vv. 9-10; John 20:30-31, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
a. This miracle PROVES that the Son of man was THE SON of God, v. 10; Acts 5:31, “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”
b. “Son of man,” is a MESSIANIC TITLE, and Jesus used it about 80 times in the four gospels.
Note: Title of Jesus, “Son of Man” == Matthew – 29 times; Mark – 14 times; Luke – 24 times; John – 13 times.
It refers to the Messiah, Daniel 7:13-14, “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. 14 And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.”
5. The man COMMANDED to rise, take up his bed and walk. vv.11-12.
a. The bed had once borne him, now it is borne by him.
b. Palsy was a disease that showed the helpless condition of the sinner.
c. The healing of his body is an illustration of the healing of his soul, Psalm 103:3, “Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.”
6. The scribes were FORCED TO ADMIT they had NEVER SEEN ANYTHING like that before, v. 12; John 9:32, “Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.”
II. THE TAX COLLECTOR CALLED vv. 13-22
A. Jesus Calls a Preacher, vv. 13-14.
1. Jesus taught the multitude, v. 13; 1 Timothy 3:2, “A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;”
Note: He DID NOT ENTERTAIN them or merely talk with them.
2. His providential [foresight] PASSING by, v. 14a;
3. His providential SEEING of Levi (Matthew), v. 14b.
4. His providential CALLING, v. 14c.
Note: Levi was a publican (a tax collector). They worked for the Romans and were hated by the Jews. He was given a new calling and a new name. “Matthew” means, “gift of God.” Note also that Matthew was a disciple of John the Baptist, Acts 1:21-22, “Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”
B. The Sick Need A Physician, vv. 15-20.
1. The feast at Levi’s house, v. 15; Luke 5:29, “And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.”
a. Many publicans and sinners sat with Jesus; Luke 15:2, “And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.”
b. They had been invited by Levi, no doubt that they might HEAR the Word.
2. The critics see Him there. v. 16.
a. They were spies and not invited guests.
b. They were in the tradition of the false prophets, who cried peace, when there was not peace, Jeremiah 6:14, “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”
c. They were deceitful and self-righteous men, Isaiah 65:5, “Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.”
3. The sick need a physician, the well do not, v. 17a;
Note: Jesus for the sake of argument accepts the claim of the Pharisees to be righteous, though, as a matter of fact, they fell very far short of it. Elsewhere (Matthew 23:1ff.) Jesus shows that the Pharisees were extortionate and devoured widows’ houses and wore a CLOAK OF PRIDE and HYPOCRITICAL RESPECTABILITY. —A. T. Robertson’s Word Pictures.
Luke 16:15, “And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”
a. Jesus considered them as PATIENTS and as the great physician,
b. He made them WHOLE and PAID THE BILL HIMSELF.
4. Sinners are called to REPENTANCE, v. 17b; Luke 13:5, “I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
5. Jesus was criticized because His disciples DID NOT FAST, vv. 18-20.
Note: Probably Levi’s feast happened on one of the weekly fast-days (second and fifth days of the week for the stricter Jews). So there was a clash of standpoints. The disciples of John sided with the Pharisees in the Jewish ceremonial ritualistic observances. John was still a prisoner in Machaerus; this Black Fortress, was built by Herod the Great in the gorge of Callirhoe.
C. FALSE doctrine NOT to Be PATCHED with Truth, vv. 21-22.
1. The old garment and the old bottle are APOSTATE JUDAISM.
2. The new cloth and the new wine are TRUE CHRISTIANITY.
3. We are NOT TO MIX things that are ESSENTIALLY different. Jesus came to teach NEW TRUTH, NOT TO PATCH UP THE OLD, Luke 5:36, “And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.”
4. The modern ecumenical movement is guilty of disregarding these words of Jesus. This CONDEMNS ANY COMPROMISING WORLD RELIGION of our day.
5. Salvation is NOT A PATCHING UP of one’s life.
a. It is a complete new robe of righteousness, Isaiah 61:10, “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.”
b. We are made RIGHTEOUS IN JESUS, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
III. THE SON OF MAN IS LORD OF THE SABBATH vv. 23-28
A. The Danger of Following Human Tradition, vv. 23-24.
1. The HUNGRY DISCIPLES eat in the field on the Sabbath, v. 23.
a. The Law DID NOT FORBID the plucking and eating of a neighbor’s corn in the field. (Corn in the Bible is wheat). Deuteronomy 23:25, “When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.”
b. The Law FORBIDS WORK, but NOT this kind of eating on the Sabbath day. Exodus 20:8-11, “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: 10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
c. There is NO RECORD that God ever gave the Sabbath to the Gentiles.
2. The Pharisees CRITICIZE on the Sabbath day, v. 24.
a. The Jews had ADDED HUMAN TRADITION to the Law and DEBATED over the smallest trifles.
b. Example: Should an egg laid on the Sabbath be eaten. In laying the egg, the hen had worked, etc.
B. The VALUE of KNOWING the Scriptures, vv. 25-28.
1. When David and his men were hungry and fleeing for their life, they ate the SHEWBREAD which was RESERVED for the priests, vv. 25-26; 1 Samuel 21:6, “So the priest gave him hallowed bread: for there was no bread there but the shewbread, that was taken from before the LORD, to put hot bread in the day when it was taken away.”
2. David did what was RIGHT EXCEPT in the matter of Uriah the Hittite, 1 Kings 15:5, “Because David did [that which was] right in the eyes of the LORD, and turned not aside from any [thing] that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.”
3. The Sabbath was NEVER MEANT to be DETRIMENTAL to the health and welfare of man or beast, v. 27.
NOTE: Mechilta on Exodus 31:13, “Speak thou also unto the children of Israel, saying, Verily my sabbaths ye shall keep: for it is a sign between me and you throughout your generations; that ye may know that I am the LORD that doth sanctify you.” says: “The sabbath is delivered unto you and ye are not delivered unto the sabbath.” “Christianity has had to fight this same battle about institutionalism. The church itself is for man, not man for the church.”—A. T. Robertson’s Word Pictures.
NOTE: By “MAN,” is NOT MEANT ALL MANKIND; for the sabbath was never appointed for all mankind, nor binding upon all; only the Jews, who are emphatically called “man,” or “men”, Ezekiel 34:30, “Thus shall they know that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord GOD. 31 And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, ARE MEN, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD.” —John Gill’s Expositor.
4. The Lord of the Sabbath could SWEEP OUT HUMAN TRADITION and HE DID, v. 28; Revelation 1:13, “And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.”
Note: “Son of man” occurs 88 times in the New Testament and always refers to Christ.
—Outline by E. L. Bynum; Revision Art Davison
STUDY QUESTIONS
1. In what city and in what place did the healing of the palsied man take place?
2. What did Jesus later on say about this city?
3. What was this man’s main problem?
4. Relate the details of how this man was brought into the presence of Jesus.
5. What did the scribes say about the forgiveness of sins?
6. What was the purpose of healing the palsied man?
7. Give the two names of the publican who was called by Jesus.
8. What did the critics say about Jesus eating at the publican’s house?
9. Explain the lesson of the old garment, the new patch, the old bottle, and the new wine.
10. What did the disciples do in the field that so aroused the critics?
11. How did Jesus answer their criticism?
12. Recite the memory verse.