Stories of the Rabbi 4
Notes
Transcript
Mark 2:18 – 3:6
Ch 2:18-22 What is fasting?
· Vs. 18 - A question from the Pharisees.
o Who:
§ Jesus
§ Pharisees
§ “Some” People
o “Some people” is not a challenge but an inquiry.
§ The people were used to holy people doing holy things in a holy way. Jesus and His followers were breaking the paradigm.
o Notice that the question concerns Jesus’ followers – the followers reflect the attitudes and dispositions of the Rabbi.
o Why would people fast in Jesus’s time?
§ Feast of Atonement Lev. 16:29,31
§ One of the five post-exilic fasts (Zech 7:5; 8:19; Esther 9:31)
§ Mourning
§ Petition for aid
§ Repentance
§ Piety
§ Pursuit of wisdom
§ Forgiveness of unknown sins
§ Pharisees fasted twice a week – Mondays and Thursdays
o It must be done with a repentant heart.
· Vss. 19-22 - Jesus does not give a direct answer but gives three analogies:
o Vss. 19-20 Bridegroom – How can one fast during a time of celebration? Jesus is saying that His ministry is a new way of doing things, and while He is here, people should be joyous and not sorrowful. Rabbinic rule – all religious rules that would inhibit joyful celebration during a wedding were suspended – they were ordered to have a good time. The Messiah’s presence is a time of celebration – salvation has arrived. However, Jesus adds that there will be a dark time when fasting must be recommenced.
§ Nobody fasts during Advent or on Easter.
§ But, Jesus gives a slight foreshadowing of his fate – when celebrating will end.
o An unshrunk patch on a garment will tear when washed and dried. The new is incompatible with the old. The old way of relating to God cannot be the same as the new way.
o New wine in old wineskins – New wineskins can stretch as the grape juice ferments, while old wineskins are more fragile and will burst when new wine is poured into them. The new wine is the new covenant, and the old wineskin is the old covenant. The new covenant must be put into new vessels to be fully realized.
Vss. 23-28 Jesus Lord of the Sabbath.
· Vs. 23 – Setting the scene.
o Who?
§ Jesus
§ Disciples
§ Pharisees
o When
§ The Sabbath
o What was happening
§ Disciples picking grains of wheat (Leviticus 23:22; Ruth 2:7-9)
· Vs. 24 - Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking the law – essentially calling into question his Jewishness.
o Ex 31:14-17
o The Sabbath was ordained to be a day of rest that set the Jewish people apart from every other nation. Chick-fil-A, Hobby Lobby, Frisco Kid
o What is work?
§ Obviously, it means picking the heads of grain.
· Vss. 25-28 Jesus’s answer to the Pharisees – Have you not read?
o Vs. 25-26 - 1 Sam 21:1-6
§ David’s actions were contrary to the law, but it was OK because there was a need to feed the men. Jesus stated that when there is a need, the letter of the law can be overruled to meet the spirit of the law.
§ Jesus’s double pronouncement – Sabbath was made for man, Son of man is Lord of the Sabbath
· Notice the title “Son of Man again.
§ Through these pronouncements, Jesus tells the Pharisees that man is lord over the Sabbath; the Sabbath is not lord over man.
o Vss. 27-28 - Mark uses a pun – humanity is lord of the Sabbath, Son of man is lord of the Sabbath. The authority of man over the Sabbath comes from the authority of Jesus.
Chapter 3:1-6 Healing on the Sabbath
· Vs. 1 – the set up
o Who?
§ Jesus
§ The man with the crippled hand
§ People in the synagogue
§ Pharisees and Herodians
· Herodians were those loyal to Herod Antipas – son of Herod the Great (Butcher of Bethlehem).
o Where?
§ The Synagogue
§ Capernaum
o Context
§ After declaring that man is lord over the Sabbath, that the Sabbath was created for man, and that the letter of the law can be overruled by the authority of Jesus to preserve the spirit of the law.
· Vs. 2 – A disingenuous motive watching him
o Looking for evidence to convict Jesus of heresy.
· Vss. 3-4 The man healed
o Mark is continuing this theme of doing good on the Sabbath
o Jesus read the minds of the Pharisees – where they probably saw an unclean, sinful man; Jesus saw the opportunity for ministry.
o Jesus calls the man out and poses the question to the Pharisees that they cannot answer in their understanding of the Law.
· Vs. 5 Jesus’ response to their silence
o Anger
o Grief
o Hardness of their hearts
§ Reflects back to Exodus 7:13
o He healed the man
· Vs. 6 – Pharisee and Herodian reaction
o The Pharisee’s response was typical of those who worship the Law – legalists – that of anger and hostility.
o Slavery to an idol will produce hostility toward the Gospel
What’s the Point?
Jesus has come to fulfill the work of God with a new covenant
The idolatry of the Law, what we call legalism today, is inferior to the authority of Jesus
Works of Love, healing, and meeting needs are more important and are the spirit of the Law
Humanity creates the letter of the law to keep control
By releasing the spirit of the Law over to Jesus and the Holy Spirit, we have more responsibility to do good – we cannot leave needs unmet, we cannot leave people unhealed, we cannot leave people unloved.
