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What does Mark 2 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

The second chapter of Mark includes four stories of Jesus declaring His authority. To this point, He has revealed His authority over demons (Mark 1:23–26, 32), physical disease (Mark 1:29–34, 40–42), and traditional teachers who timidly interpret Scripture according to the teachings of past rabbis (Mark 1:21–22). In this chapter, Jesus shows He has authority over sin, public opinion, manmade tradition, and the Sabbath. Mark 3:1–6 will relate a fifth story, again about the Sabbath.

In the first story (Mark 2:1–11), Jesus publicly forgives a man's sins. This same event is also described in Luke 5:17–26 and Matthew 9:2–8. A paralyzed man is lowered through the roof of the house where Jesus is teaching. Instead of healing him immediately, Jesus declares that his and his friends' faith has resulted in God forgiving his sins. The scribes—biblical scholars in the Pharisee sect—are horrified. They accuse Jesus of blasphemy, their first such charge in the gospel of Mark. In order to validate His assertion that He does have authority to forgive sins, Jesus heals the paralyzed man as well.

By calling someone the public would have labelled a crook to be His disciple, Jesus shows love has precedence over popular opinion (Mark 2:13–17). Thus far, Jesus has only commissioned Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be His disciples (Mark 1:16–20). While walking by the sea, He finds the tax collector Levi, also called Matthew, and invites him, as well. This incident is also captured in Matthew 9:9–13 and Luke 5:27–32. Tax collectors were considered disgraceful in the eyes of Jews. Not only did they work for the Roman occupiers, they often cheated their countrymen. But Jesus not only calls Levi to be His disciple, He eats at Levi's house with other tax collectors and "sinners." The scribes, who would never share a meal with such people for fear of becoming unclean, question Jesus' motives. Jesus responds with the famous, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:17).

In a third argument with the scribes, this time about fasting, Jesus shows He has authority over manmade traditions (Mark 2:18–22). A parallel account of this event is found in both Matthew 9:14–17 and Luke 5:33–39. The Old Testament, presumably, dictates only one fast: Yom Kippur. Significant events in Jewish history led the nation to voluntarily enact five more. In addition, national hardship or personal inclination induced people to fast as they felt led. The Pharisees had taken this loose suggestion and made an art form of it. Both they and John the Baptist's disciples fasted regularly, in contrast to Jesus and His disciples, who did not. When questioned about it, Jesus explains that fasting for mourning is inappropriate while He is there; His presence is a time for celebration. He is bringing a new paradigm of worshiping God which is inconsistent with some of the old, manmade ceremonies.

To this day, although Christians agree Jesus has authority over the Sabbath, they differ in opinions over what that means for us. While walking through a field on the Sabbath, Jesus' disciples pick heads of grain and eat them (Mark 2:23–28). The same story is told in Matthew 12:1–8 and Luke 6:1–5. The Pharisees accuse them of breaking the Sabbath law, as expressed in both Leviticus 25:1–7, which prohibited working in fields, and their own extended, thirty-nine-part addition. Instead of quibbling about the minutiae of the law, Jesus merely asserts that the ceremonial law must submit to He who wrote it. He also teaches that the point of ceremonial law is to bring people closer to God, not create an unbearable hardship.

While the people readily accept Jesus' healing and teaching, the Pharisees and their scribes filter everything Jesus does through their ideas about the Law. Jesus, however, shows that His identity gives Him a different perspective than their hide-bound writings and rules could even fathom. His priority is to love God and others, and He has the authority to do so.

The slow revealing of Jesus' agenda results in increasing antagonism from the Pharisees. It begins with amazement (Mark 1:27), transitions to evil thoughts (Mark 2:6–7; Matthew 9:3–4), and escalates to subtle attacks on the disciples (Mark 2:16, 24), and a stake-out (Mark 3:1–2). Before long, it will reach the apex in an active attempt to destroy Jesus (Mark 3:6).

Mark 2:1–12 records the first of five stories from the gospel of Mark which establish Jesus' claims to various spheres of authority. Jesus returns to Capernaum from His tour of Galilee, and the crowds regather. Here, Jesus declares that He has the power to forgive sins. A paralyzed man is brought into the crowded room through the roof. In response to the man's faith, Jesus declares his sins to be forgiven. When challenged by the scribes, Jesus proves His authority to forgive sins by healing the man. This event is also recorded in Matthew 9:2–8 and Luke 5:17–26.

Mark 2:13–17 presents the second of five stories, found in the gospel of Mark, wherein Jesus asserts His authority. Here, He takes on the belief that sinners are not worth saving. The fifth man Jesus calls to be a disciple is Levi the tax collector. At the time, Jews assumed most such men were swindlers, using their traitorous service for the Roman occupiers to also steal from fellow Israelites. To make the situation even more controversial, Jesus goes home with Levi and has a meal with him and other ''sinners.'' The scribes, who work so hard making sure the good people follow more laws than God gave them, have no interest in turning sinful hearts to God. In fact, they seriously doubt it can be done. This account is also found in Matthew 9:9–13 and Luke 5:27–32.

Mark 2:18–22 contains the third of four altercations Jesus has with questioners and critics in this chapter. This incident focuses on the tradition of fasting, and is also found in Luke 5:33–39. The Pharisees and John the Baptist's disciples fast on a regular basis, but Jesus' disciples don't. The scribes—religious scholars that belong to the Pharisee sect—have imposed fasts on the people that God did not ordain. Jesus is not opposed to fasting (Luke 4:1–2; Matthew 6:16–18), but only in the proper context. While He is there, His disciples should celebrate, not mourn. Making a public spectacle to brag about how pious you are is not the proper context.

Mark 2:23–28 demonstrates how, the more Jesus shows His authority, the more the Pharisees resent Him and take notice of His unorthodox ways. Here, as Jesus' disciples break the Sabbath, is the first time the Pharisees directly confront Him. The Law's Sabbath-day restrictions were preparing food (Exodus 16:23–26), working (Exodus 20:8-11; 31:12–17), kindling a fire (Exodus 35:3), farming (Leviticus 25:1–7), and carrying a burden (Jeremiah 17:19–22). But priests (Numbers 28:9–10; Matthew 12:5) and guards (2 Kings 11:4–9; Nehemiah 13:15–22) still worked. Rather than arguing whether the disciples broke the letter of the Mosaic Law, Jesus argues that it's all moot: He is the Lord of the Sabbath. This story is also found in Matthew 12:1–8 and Luke 6:1–5.

Chapter Summary:

Mark chapter 2 follows the typical style of Mark's gospel with a rapid succession of stories. Jesus heals a man who cannot walk, but only after declaring the man's sins to have been forgiven. Jesus then calls Levi, one of the publically-reviled tax collectors, as a disciple and is seen eating with those the Pharisees view as ''sinners.'' Jesus then answers a challenge about fasting and defends His disciples when they violate the Pharisees' views on keeping the Sabbath. All of these events are met with some resistance from Jesus' critics. He responds in each case with a spiritual, reasonable defense.

Chapter Context:

In Mark chapter 1, Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist then led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit where He was tempted by Satan. He also taught and healed in Capernaum and throughout Galilee. In chapter 2, having returned to Capernaum, Jesus displays authority over four particular areas: the forgiveness of sins, social traditions, extra-biblical religious traditions, and the Sabbath. In response, the Pharisees—legalistic religious leaders—escalate their antagonism toward Him, culminating in a direct condemnation of His teachings. This sets the scene for Mark 3:6 when the religious and national leadership first get the idea to destroy Jesus.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.

Accessed 4/28/2024 7:11:46 AM