Mark 2
Summary. The Gospel of Mark repeatedly shows the authority of the Lord Jesus as God. Here, in Chapter 2, we see five types of authorities that describe the Deity of the Lord Jesus. 1) The Lord Jesus has the authority to forgive sins. He forgave the sins of a paralytic man, and as a result, the man was healed in his body, and all could see this as a testimony. 2) The Lord Jesus has authority as a teacher of men. He spoke the word to many as they gathered in the house where He stayed in Capernaum; He taught the crowd by the seaside as the multitude was coming to Him to hear the Word; He taught people as they were sitting at the table with Him in His parents’ house; He reasoned with the scribes and Pharisees; He taught John’s disciples, and the people coming with them also heard. 3) The Lord Jesus has the authority to call sinners into the kingdom of God. He called Levi, a tax collector, by His Word, and Levi followed Him. Many tax collectors and sinners, later on, joined the Lord Jesus at the table to hear His teaching. 4) The Lord Jesus says that He is the bridegroom, and when He is taken away from the earth, then the fast should be dedicated to Him. People dedicate their fast to God, so here, the Lord Jesus clearly tells us that He is God. 5) The Lord Jesus declares that He is the Lord of the Sabbath. When the Lord says, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath,” He declares Himself as God; The Lord Jesus is One with the Father; there is only one God of the Sabbath, and when the Bible tells He is the Lord of the Sabbath there is no second question who the Lord Jesus is; there is only one God who can be the Lord of the Sabbath: God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, Three in One.
[1]
And He having entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that He is in the house.
Comments Mark 2:1
“In the house” or “at home” in other translations. Remember one thing: the Lord has only one home, which is not on this earth. House or home here does not mean the home where the Lord Jesus was born; He was not born in a home. The home mentioned in this verse is simply a place where the Lord Jesus stayed for a while. He stayed in Capernaum for a while but never lived there. He walked by, stopped there, and lodged in; each time will be a different house where the Lord will open their hearts to accept Him and invite Him to stay, but those were not His home (see Matthew 10:11, where it explains the way of the ministry).
[2]
And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door, and He was speaking the word to them.
[3]
And they come, bringing to Him a paralytic, being carried by four.
Comments Mark 2:3
The healing event described here in Mark 2:2-11 is the same as the one in Luke 5:18-26 but different from the one in Matthew 9:2-8.
There are many of these kinds of healings that the Lord Jesus had performed. In those times, there were many cases of demon possession, and the demon possession caused many kinds of sicknesses. When the body was possessed, it made the body become weak, and some became paralyzed, and some became mute. As a result, many of these types of sickness occurred at that time, before the Holy Spirit had been given (see Comments Matthew 8:28, and Comments Luke 13:10-13).
There are many of these kinds of healings that the Lord Jesus had performed. In those times, there were many cases of demon possession, and the demon possession caused many kinds of sicknesses. When the body was possessed, it made the body become weak, and some became paralyzed, and some became mute. As a result, many of these types of sickness occurred at that time, before the Holy Spirit had been given (see Comments Matthew 8:28, and Comments Luke 13:10-13).
[4]
And not being able to come near to Him for the crowd, they removed the roof where He was, and when they had broken it up, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
[5]
And Jesus seeing their faith says to the paralytic, Son, your sins are forgiven.
Comments Mark 2:4-5
Pay attention to those who bring the sick person: the sick man was on the bed, and the roof of the house was not too high. According to their faith, the Lord’s mercy has been shown, so that all may know who has authority to forgive sins. The Son of Man has that authority, and all have now heard and seen the proof. The authority has been shown to all people. They have no excuse on the judgment day; their ears have heard, but their hearts have not accepted.
“Son, your sins are forgiven.” The sins of the heart of this person have caused this man his sickness, but the Lord forgives him, and he is healed here in front of all. This man was not just saved in the body; his soul has also been saved here by the mouth of the Lord, and his sins have been forgiven. People should remember this: the Lord Jesus has the authority to forgive sins.
“Son, your sins are forgiven.” The sins of the heart of this person have caused this man his sickness, but the Lord forgives him, and he is healed here in front of all. This man was not just saved in the body; his soul has also been saved here by the mouth of the Lord, and his sins have been forgiven. People should remember this: the Lord Jesus has the authority to forgive sins.
[6]
But there were certain of the scribes sitting and reasoning in their hearts,
Comments Mark 2:6-7
Here in these verses, the scribes have condemned themselves. They know who can forgive sins, but they don’t admit it. The Lord has performed the miracle; the man has been healed in front of their eyes, and they say only God can forgive sins. Here, the proof has been shown in front of their eyes: who can heal is the same One who can forgive. They condemn themselves by rejecting what they have seen.
[8]
And straightaway, Jesus , perceiving in His Spirit that they thus are reasoning within themselves, says to them, Why do you reason these things in your hearts?
Comments Mark 2:8
Pay attention first to the words “His Spirit.” Here, “His Spirit” refers to the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, not the Holy Spirit, and it confirms the deity and humanity of the Lord Jesus. He is here on earth as a human; nobody can say He is not human. People come up with the idea that He could die on the cross because He was not a human. But who has spirit? Humans do, and here is the proof of the Lord Jesus’ humanity. Additionally, the Lord Jesus knows how to feel hurt, and the Lord has that feeling; remember these things.
“Why do you reason these things in your hearts?” The Lord Jesus can feel and hear the thoughts of the heart, especially when that thought is blaspheming. How much hurt does He feel by His Spirit to hear them blaspheming here?
“Why do you reason these things in your hearts?” The Lord Jesus can feel and hear the thoughts of the heart, especially when that thought is blaspheming. How much hurt does He feel by His Spirit to hear them blaspheming here?
[9]
Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, your sins are forgiven, or to say, Arise, and take up your mat, and walk?
[10]
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins —He says to the paralytic—,
[11]
I say to you, Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.
[12]
And he arose, and straightaway having taken up the mat, he went out before all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God , saying, We never saw anything like this.
Comments Mark 2:9-12
“Paralytic.” This person has a sickness in the neck and spine, so he had no energy to stay up; he had to lie down at all times. This sickness was a sickness that attacked the spine of humans, a condition we nowadays call paralysis.
“Which is easier: to say to the paralytic ...” Can you see your sins? But you can see the paralytic. Remember as well: humans do not believe the things they can’t see. If the Lord has shown them the things they can see, by saying, “Arise, and take up your mat, and walk,” what is the reason to doubt the authority of the Lord by saying, “Your sins are forgiven?” By healing this man’s body, the Lord Jesus proved that the man’s sins are forgiven; the Lord did this healing so they could see that the forgiveness of sins was also accomplished.
“Which is easier: to say to the paralytic ...” Can you see your sins? But you can see the paralytic. Remember as well: humans do not believe the things they can’t see. If the Lord has shown them the things they can see, by saying, “Arise, and take up your mat, and walk,” what is the reason to doubt the authority of the Lord by saying, “Your sins are forgiven?” By healing this man’s body, the Lord Jesus proved that the man’s sins are forgiven; the Lord did this healing so they could see that the forgiveness of sins was also accomplished.
[13]
And He went forth again beside the sea, and all the multitude was coming to Him , and He taught them.
[14]
And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and He says to him, Follow Me . And having arisen, he followed Him .
[15]
And it came to pass, in His reclining at the table in His parents’ house, that many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him .
Comments Mark 2:15
Pay attention to the first part of the verse, “and it came to pass.” This part shows that time has passed: the Lord Jesus has already stopped in many places and then traveled back to His parents’ home. As He was there, people followed and joined the table with the Lord. In the Gospel of Mark, the narrative skips certain points of stop. When the Lord Jesus makes a stop, Matthew and Mark seem to contradict each other because the reported time periods do not show the same thing happening; however, they do not report the same angle of the event each time, and each Gospel may report different time moments of the event. For example, in Matthew 9:10, there was a different place of stop than in Mark 2:15. In the Gospel of Matthew, the Lord Jesus was invited to a house. In contrast, in the Gospel of Mark, the disciples and the Lord Jesus stopped for a visit. They were not invited, but they stopped for a visit. The Lord came to visit, and the Lord went to His parents’ house, and people followed Him. The Lord Jesus came on earth, but He did not have a house of His own; “His house,” as given in other translations in this verse, really means “His parents’ house.” Notice also that in Mark, it mentions that “there were many, and they followed Him.”
[16]
And the scribes, the Pharisees, having seen Him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to His disciples, Why does He eat with the tax collectors and sinners?
[17]
And having heard, Jesus says to them, Those being whole have no need of a physician, but those being sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.
Comments Mark 2:13-17
See also Comments Matthew 9:9-12.
All the time when the Lord was traveling, the accusations never stopped; the rebellious (same as accusers) never stopped accusing. As you read both accounts, you can see that the events described in Matthew 9:9-12 and Mark 2:15-17 are not the same; they are similar but not identical. They happened at different times and places as the Lord travelled.
All the time when the Lord was traveling, the accusations never stopped; the rebellious (same as accusers) never stopped accusing. As you read both accounts, you can see that the events described in Matthew 9:9-12 and Mark 2:15-17 are not the same; they are similar but not identical. They happened at different times and places as the Lord travelled.
[18]
And John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and they come and say to Him , Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but Thy disciples do not fast?
[19]
And Jesus said to them, Can the sons of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? So long time as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.
[20]
However, the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.
Comments Mark 2:18-20
See also Comments Matthew 9:14-15.
“And they come and say to Him.” Actually, John’s disciples, the Pharisees, and the people were coming together to ask the Lord Jesus the fasting question. They wanted to know the teaching of the Lord toward His disciples.
“Sons of the bridechamber.” The Lord used the term “sons of the bridechamber” to refer to the people whom they talk about.
“They will fast in that day.” Here, “they” means the humans from then until the end of the world, no exception. “In that day” means from the time the Lord Jesus was crucified until His return to earth.
“And they come and say to Him.” Actually, John’s disciples, the Pharisees, and the people were coming together to ask the Lord Jesus the fasting question. They wanted to know the teaching of the Lord toward His disciples.
“Sons of the bridechamber.” The Lord used the term “sons of the bridechamber” to refer to the people whom they talk about.
“They will fast in that day.” Here, “they” means the humans from then until the end of the world, no exception. “In that day” means from the time the Lord Jesus was crucified until His return to earth.
[21]
No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; and if not, 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; and if not, the wine will burst the wineskins, and the wine perishes, and the wineskins; instead, new wine into fresh wineskins.
[23]
And it came to pass, that He was passing on the Sabbath through the grainfields, and His disciples began to make a way, plucking the ears.
[24]
And the Pharisees said to Him , Behold, why do they on the Sabbath that which is not lawful?
[25]
And He said to them, Did you never read what David did, when he had need, and hungered, he and those with him?
[26]
How he entered into the house of God at Abiathar, the high priest, and ate the bread of the presentation, which it is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and he gave also to those being with him.
[27]
And He said to them, The Sabbath was made for the man, and not the man for the Sabbath;
Comments Mark 2:23-28
For verses 23 to 28, see also Comments Matthew 12:1-8 and Comments Luke 6:1-5.
“How he entered into the house of God at Abiathar, the high priest …” Here, the Lord Himself is speaking; Abiathar himself was the high priest at that time. See that in 1 Samuel 21:1, it says “Ahimelech the priest” came to meet David. Notice that Ahimelech was the priest at that time, and his son Abiathar was, in fact, the high priest, as the Lord Jesus says here in verse 26; the Word of the Lord must be correct. Also, see 1 Samuel 22:6-22, which describes the incident in which Saul kills the priests at Nob. Notice that here as well, it only mentions Ahimelech by the name of the priest. Also, the only surviving one from the slaughter was Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech. When the Lord Himself speaks, there is no error in the Word.
“The Sabbath was made for the man, and not the man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath was made for man to follow the rules of the Sabbath given by God, not to make the Sabbath follow the rules of men. Because from the beginning of this (verse 23), you should notice that the Lord Jesus is going on the Sabbath day, and His disciples pluck the heads of grain to eat. The Lord never teaches this to be against the Sabbath, but the scribes and Pharisees use men’s rules to impose the rules of the Sabbath; the Lord never gave the rule that plucking ears of grain to eat when hungry is against the Sabbath law.
“How he entered into the house of God at Abiathar, the high priest …” Here, the Lord Himself is speaking; Abiathar himself was the high priest at that time. See that in 1 Samuel 21:1, it says “Ahimelech the priest” came to meet David. Notice that Ahimelech was the priest at that time, and his son Abiathar was, in fact, the high priest, as the Lord Jesus says here in verse 26; the Word of the Lord must be correct. Also, see 1 Samuel 22:6-22, which describes the incident in which Saul kills the priests at Nob. Notice that here as well, it only mentions Ahimelech by the name of the priest. Also, the only surviving one from the slaughter was Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech. When the Lord Himself speaks, there is no error in the Word.
“The Sabbath was made for the man, and not the man for the Sabbath.” The Sabbath was made for man to follow the rules of the Sabbath given by God, not to make the Sabbath follow the rules of men. Because from the beginning of this (verse 23), you should notice that the Lord Jesus is going on the Sabbath day, and His disciples pluck the heads of grain to eat. The Lord never teaches this to be against the Sabbath, but the scribes and Pharisees use men’s rules to impose the rules of the Sabbath; the Lord never gave the rule that plucking ears of grain to eat when hungry is against the Sabbath law.
Life and Faith Applications. 1) Offer regular fasting to the Lord Jesus for glorifying His name. People nowadays do not take fasting seriously, but all believers should fast regularly throughout their lives on this earth to glorify the Lord. The fast is a gift offering to the Lord; the Lord does not need anything of this earth, only the heart of the man. 2) When you join a table with sinners, don’t join their way, but join to share the Lord Jesus with them. As a Christian doing this, most likely, you will get accusations such as churchy people coming. These accusations often happen because the believers have made a bad name for themselves; many will call themselves Christians but behave no differently than the world, and the world sees no difference in the person they claim to be. 3) The Lord has come to fulfill the Sabbath for humans; we do not need to keep the Sabbath as per the Law of Moses. As believers, we need to keep the Sabbath of faith in the Lord Jesus by living according to the Bible’s teachings, which is the Sabbath of the heart.