070917 #2 Gospel of Mark

The Second Lesson

How do we implement a Ministering Gospel?

Forgiving the sins of the sick -

Mark 2:1–12 ESV

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. 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’? 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!”

Questions

Jesus had been doing miracles before in Capernaum. Even on the Sabbath. What do you think His return would do in relation to the Jewish leaders, ?

What “home” do you think this is referring to, ;

Son is TEKNON or child. Four people to lift meant he was a child or adult, ?

Is sickness always from sin (; )?

Jesus heals the Paralytic (; ; ) starts with questioning leaders. Do you think this was positive or negative, ?

— Blasphemy is the 1st and last charge against Jesus (; ). Do accusations heal or hurt?

— Is it easier for me to say your sins are forgiven or to perform this miracle?

— Can you find both natures in this verse?

Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.)

Feasting with sinners -

Mark 2:13–17 ESV

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. 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.”

Questions

Why do we find it easy to label people?

Which group are you most likely to be identified with: A struggling sinners; perfect Christian; or an out and out sinner?

Have you ever been accused of “guilty by association”?

So why would Jesus come to your house?

Do we have unspoken rules of who is worthy of our attention?

Causing His followers to be merry without fasting -

Mark 2:18–22 ESV

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.”

Questions

Is Jesus condemning fasting or saying it was not needed while He was with them?

How many fast days are commanded in the O.T. ()?

— What near future event is Jesus referring to?

Parables of the Cloths and Wineskins: ; ; . Why is change difficult? How can this apply to our traditions, preferences, and culture? Why does this not apply to leaving the N.T. teaching ()?

Parables of the Cloths and Wineskins

Faithlife Study Bible Chapter 2

Parables of the Cloths and Wineskins

Matt 9:16–17

Mark 2:21–22

Luke 5:36–38

Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

— Why is change difficult? How can this apply to our traditions, preferences, and culture? Why does this not apply to leaving the N.T. teaching?

Caring for His followers' hunger rather than for religion's regulation -

Mark 2:23–28 ESV

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.”

Questions

Is Jesus relationship with the Pharisees getting better or worse?

Where the disciples plucking or reaping (; )?

Jesus is saying David’s action were justified because they had a need. How does this apply to His disciples?

The purpose of the Sabbath was to give mankind rest. They had lost site of this. How can we do the same when it comes to our Sunday Worship?

Caring for the relief of the suffering one rather than for the ritual of religion -

Mark 3:1–6 ESV

1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

Questions: Healing a Hand — ; ;

Why is watching each other closely Pharisaical? Whose job is it to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart?

Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Explain — There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?

Do we have human traditions or moral codes that are in conflict with “loving our neighbor”?

How easy is it for a Christian to develop a hard heart? What is the cure?