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The Gospel of Mark
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BIBLE STUDY MARK 2:1-28 REVIEW: Unlike Mathew and Luke, the first chapter of Mark’s message about salvation does not begin with the giving of a genealogy or a story about Jesus’ birth. Rather, Mark begins with the story of Jesus’ baptism by John. For centuries people have pondered and argued the meaning of Jesus’ participation in John’s “baptism of repentance.” While Mark makes clear that John’s baptism and preaching, preparing the people for the one who “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit,” are subordinate to Jesus’ baptizing ministry, Jesus’ ministry still seems to have continuity with that of John’s. Upon the arrest of John, Jesus appears with a similar message of repentance. “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” In the first chapter of Mark we are given a unique portrait of Jesus, “the Son of God.” 1) Rather than being nicely “led by the Spirit,” as in Matthew and Luke, Mark says, “the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.” 2) Jesus’ proclamation is about the nearness or the imminent nature of the Kingdom of God. 3) Immediately we see that people are astounded by his authority to teach, to command unclean spirits, and to heal. Finally, Mark emphasizes the rapid spread of Jesus’ fame, and the great crowd of people that gather around him “so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, (1:45)” despite of his attempts to avoid attention. CHAPTER 2:1-12 “Forgiveness and Healing for a Paralytic” When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them. Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and take your mat and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—“I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home.” And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” In Chapter 2 Jesus begins to encounter opposition to his ministry, first from the Pharisees’ scribes (as seen in this section). Later in the chapter we will hear more opposition to Jesus, first from the scribes, then finally from Pharisees themselves. Chapter two, as a whole, contains four out of a block of five scenes which illustrate Jesus’ opposition (with the fifth scene in Chapter 3). In this first section of Chapter 2, Jesus and his disciples have returned to the house of Simon and Andrew in Capernaum, where they encounter another huge crowd. There, Jesus began “speaking the word” (logos) to them. According to John R. Donahue and Daniel J. Harrington, in their commentary on Mark, The “word” in Mark’s Gospel has a double nuance of a message proclaimed by Jesus and the message proclaimed about him. By looking at this narrative, it is unclear how many people arrive there, “bringing to him a paralytic.” It only says that he was carried by four of them. In lowering the man through the roof, Mark here describes the roof of an ordinary Palestinian house of the day, covered with mud and thatch. It seems significant to me, Pastor Josh, that Jesus praises the faith of the people bringing the paralyzed man, not the paralyzed man’s faith itself. “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” Perhaps this is a lesson for us today: the faith we are given by God can be used to bring forgiveness, healing and wholeness, not just to us, but to those around us as well. Therefore, perhaps salvation itself is not the sole responsibility of an individual, but the fruit of faith found in a community. Bruce J. Malina and Richard L. Rohrbaugh in their Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, illustrate that Jesus serves in Mark as the unique “broker on behalf of the forgiving patron (God).” Notice, Jesus is careful not to say, “I forgive you.” Also notice that praise is given by the crowd to God and not to Jesus, who serves as God’s broker. The scribes’ opposition here to Jesus’ ministry is rooted in a theological dilemma—“only God can forgive sins.” The scribes are offended by the audacity displayed by Jesus when he declares the forgiveness of the paralyzed man’s sins. Ironically, this theological premise would have been shared by Mark’s readers as well—that is, they would have agreed that God alone can forgive sins (see Deut 6:4—the Shema). The underlying debate, therefore, is not God’s power to forgive sins, but the unique identity of Jesus, the Son of God, who has the authority not only to declare or broker God’s forgiveness, but to bring God’s complete healing. CHAPTER 2:13-17 “Jesus Calls Levi” Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sitting with Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” Only Mark calls Levi “the son of Alphaeus. Luke calls him “the tax collector, Levi (5:27), and Matthew refers to “a man called Matthew” (9:9). Mark does not include Levi in the list of the twelve (3:13-19), but does include “James, son of Alphaeus.” It is unclear whether Mathew is another name for Levi, or if James is the same as Levi (as they have the same father’s name), or if Levi was simply a disciple, but not one of the twelve. According to Bruce J. Malina and Richard L. Rohrbaugh in their Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, “it is important to distinguish between “chief” tax collectors such as the Zacchaeus mentioned by Luke (19:2), and their employees such as the toll collectors referred to [here in Mark].” Such persons, in charge of collecting taxes or tolls on behalf of chief tax collectors were generally held in low esteem, especially by those who had means. Evidence indicates that such persons were likely unable to find other work, that their job made them prone to abuse (from employer and other citizens), and was often far from profitable. Here again, the scribes are in opposition to Jesus. This time it is because he “eats with tax collectors and sinners.” Jesus’ response, however, gives insight into his identity and his purpose. “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” It is not to keep the righteous separated from the unrighteous, that Jesus has come—or to keep the righteous “safe.” On the contrary, Christ’s mission is to bring healing and wholeness to those in need, even if it means sacrificing himself—his own reputation and eventually his life. Is this our mission as well? Chapter 2:18-22 “The Old and the New” Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus said to them, “The wedding guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can they? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.” When Jesus is asked here to justify the behavior of his disciples, it should be understood that Jesus is the one actually being challenged or criticized, since the teacher was thought to be responsible for the behavior of his disciples. Notice how Jesus skillfully deflects the focus of the discussion from his disciples’ behavior, to a prediction of his own passion, “when the bridegroom is taken away”—an allusion to the suffering servant of Isaiah 53:8. According to Malina and Rohrbaugh in their Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, fasting during a wedding celebration would be a serious insult, indicating disapproval of the marriage taking place. It may be in this sense, Jesus may be characterizing the conflict arising between his group and the groups that are “boycotting” the celebration. Following the prediction of the bridegroom-Jesus’ removal, Jesus uses two parables to discuss the situation. Thematically, the garments, wine and the wedding banquet work well together. The sayings themselves, on mending the garment and on using new wineskins, presumably for fermentation, communicate a sense of creative process. There is a sense that something new is being created and that a tradesman—the garment maker or the wine maker—would understand that everything is under control. The general meaning of these parables seem to be clear—that the good news of the kingdom is not to be enclosed or trapped in old forms. We need to constantly be open to new insights and revelations from the Spirit. For example, the early Church eventually became open to Gentiles being welcome into its fellowship. More recently, many churches—including our own—have grown to understand that women should be welcome to serve as ordained clergy. There are many other examples of this as well. CHAPTER 2:23-28 “Lord of the Sabbath” One sabbath he was going through the grainfields; and as they made their way his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath:” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need of food: He entered the house of God, when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and he gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the sabbath; so the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” This is the fourth of a set of five controversy stories found in this section of Mark’s Gospel. By now it is becoming clear that these controversies are escalatory in nature and that the conflict between Jesus and his adversaries is not going to be resolved. Rather, it will intensify. What started as discussions with the Pharisees’ scribes (2:6, 2:16) has evolved to a standoff with the Pharisees. In chapter 3 we will see that the Pharisees will begin going out to “conspire with the Herodians against him (3:6).” It seems also that the content of the controversies themselves are becoming more intense and more personal. According to Bruce J. Malina and Richard L. Rohrbaugh in their Social-Science Commentary on the Synoptic Gospels, “Sabbath observance was one of the fundamental characteristics of the house of Israel, marking it off from other groups of the day. Hence a challenge at this point is no small matter.” While the “violation” here—the plucking a few grains of wheat while passing through a field by Jesus’ disciples—may seem obscure, almost petty in nature, the implication goes to the heart of Jesus identity as on observant Jew and his authority to teach among the people of Israel. Jesus, obviously, shows himself to be more than a worthy opponent to these fanatically religious Pharisees. Countering the accusation of being outside of the Sabbath observant community, Jesus argues from within the tradition by using a story about King David. In verse 27, Mark begins to make a point that becomes a prominent message in his Gospel. That point being made is that Jesus returns (or teaches people to return) to the original intent of the Law by rejecting later traditions (see 7:9-13; 10:2-9). Case in point, “The sabbath was made for humankind and not humankind for the sabbath.” In this phrase we have a prime example of Jesus’ doing just that. This is one of my (Pastor Josh’s) favorite quotes from Jesus. It begs that we consider the nature of our relationship with God, who created us, and what we (people) are to be for—the meaning of life, if you will. Ironically, we learn that God has given us the Sabbath and presumably the entire law, not for us to have something to do, but to serve us! God gave us the Sabbath to help us. Now the problem is that we, rather than serving God, all too often start serving the laws that God gives us—making idols out of them—as if they were gods in themselves. Eventually, if we are not careful, we find ourselves serving what God gave to serve us! This is a dangerous idolatry that we are all in danger of and this danger and this idolatry is exemplified in the Pharisees of this story. It is always helpful to remember that while you may love the law, the law does not love you! Thank God, that Jesus has come into the world and into our lives to teach us and to return us to a healthy relationship—a life giving covenant—with a God that loves us (more than he loves the sabbath) and wants to live in mutual servitude to each other: God serves us (by giving what we need: life and guidance to preserve that life) and we serve God with our love, worship and praise. Amen. -------------------- Joshua W. Magyar, Pella Lutheran Church 418 W. Main Street Sidney, MT 59270
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