Gospel of Mark 2:8-14

Gospel of Mark 2:8-14                          March 11, 2017 

Let’s go to: 

Mark 2:8  But immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they reasoned thus within themselves, He said to them, "Why do you reason about these things in your hearts?  

Jesus had the power of God in forgiving the man’s sins, then Jesus proceeded to heal the Paralytic man. 

(9)  Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise, take up your bed and walk'? 

Jesus is implying there is no different saying sins forgiven and take your bed and walk. 

Jesus asked the which is easier question to demonstrate the truth of His claim to forgive the man's sins—something only God can accomplish.  

Anyone could assert the ability to forgive sins, since there was no earthly way of confirming the statement. But to say arise, take up your bed and walk to a paralytic could be tested immediately by whether he walked or not. 

By healing the paralytic, Jesus made His pronouncement of forgiveness far more credible. 

So reasoned within themselves”: did not say anything, only in their minds 

Jesus knew their thoughts. 

Psalms 94:11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile. 

Psalms 139:2  You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 

This question was put to them by Christ, in order to prove his deity, and clear himself from the charge of blasphemy; for he that could cure the sick of the palsy, by a spoken word, had power to forgive him his sins: and therefore proposes it to them, which was easiest to say, 

Only God can heal and forgive sins. These actions are equally impossible to men. However, a person cannot verify his claim to forgive sins, but his claim to be able to heal paralytic is verifiable. The scribes therefore assumed that the claim to heal paralytic was the greater one.  One way is visible, the other is in their thoughts 

(10)  But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"—He said to the paralytic,   

He said to the paralytic: This remarkable comment in the middle of the sentence occurs also in Matthew 9:6 and Luke 5:24,  

Suggesting that both Matthew and Luke followed Mark’s narrative. 

Jesus chose to do what they considered harder to show that He could also do what they considered easier. 

Jesus claims the power to forgive sins.- authority 

This is Mark's first use of the title "Son of Man."  

Son of man”: Title used 14X times in Mark’s Gospel; 80X in the Gospels.  

Jesus used the title "Son of Man" when He spoke of His sufferings and death (9:9-13, 31; 10:33, 45; 14:21, 41).  

Mark 8:31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 

He also used it when speaking of His future return in glory (13:26, 32; 14:62).  

Mark 8:38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." 

He used this title to blend the concepts of the Suffering Servant and the Messiah in His listeners' minds.  

It also connected and identified Him with mankind as the Son of Man. Still, He was the Man with "authority on earth to forgive sins,"  

Jesus now performs the miracle of healing which all could see, that all could know that he really had the authority and power to forgive sins 

(11)  "I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house."   

I say to you:  here is another example of a command by Jesus,  

Arise, take up your bed and walk to a paralytic could be tested immediately by whether he walked or not. By healing the paralytic, Jesus made His pronouncement of forgiveness far more credible.  

Jesus command him to arise from his bed, in which he was brought on and take it up upon his shoulders, directly, and in the face of all the people, carry it away: 

go to your house; to show himself whole to his family and friends, and go about his business; 

take up your bed, and walking home with it, was designed to prove to people that he was completely cured. 

Realistically, He had to take his bed along because he was not going to need it here anymore.  There was not much room left inside the house. 

(12)  Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"   

And immediately he arose and left them all: the Scribes and Pharisees, and the whole multitude of the people, who were eyewitnesses of this wonderful cure: or "against them all"; for him being strong and robust, he made his way through the crowd, with his bed on his back; 

All amazed: at the power of Christ, and the strength of the man: 

People glorified God: saying, we never saw it on this fashion; or anything like this in our days. They realize this could never be done by any mere man; they therefore attribute it to God 

Presence of them all:  A hint that this account comes from an eye-witness.

They were all amazed, etc. Matthew, ‘feared;’ Luke combines all three, and tells that the man also glorified God. 

Luke 5:26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen strange things today!" 

The impression produced was a very powerful one, and the emotions were of a mixed character: wonder, gratitude, and fear.  Reality of it, he was healed right in front of their eyes. 

The crowd's reaction showed that they understood the significance of Jesus' miracle. It is possible that some scribes and Pharisees joined in the praise. 

They had witnessed something that neither they nor anyone else had ever seen. No one had ever given evidence of forgiving the sins of someone else.  

This was a strong testimony to Jesus' deity. However, from the reaction of the observers, most of them apparently marveled at the physical miracle but did not worship Jesus as God. 

Impressive for the moment, but forgotten a day later as we will see. 

Why is this that Jesus did, important and a very big deal, it is the connection between sin and disease. 

This has always been a problem in our minds as Christians.  

Let’s look at an example. 

John 9:1-3 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth.  (2)  And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  (3)  Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 

I do not think Jesus caused this man to be born blind, but we do live in this life, because there are time and chance that happens to each one of us.  

We may think that if we are sick, we did something wrong or some type of sin.  We know that it is not God’s will that we be sick or this person be blind.   

3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. 

It is wrong to try to find some link between some diseases and sin.  Because we know that time and chance is given and happen to all of us. 

**But allowing something to happen and/or causing something to happen are two different things. 

Luke 13:3-5 I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.  (4)  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, do you think that they were worse sinners than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem?  (5)  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish." 

The point is this, some people die to their sin, and some can go on for a while in their sins, but sooner or later, the results of the sin will catch up with us. 

We know, all of us, have sin, sin does things to us and we suffer the results of our own errors and the errors of others.  This is what free moral agency all about. (car wreck, children running into street) 

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of   God, 

James 5:14-15 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.  (15)  And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 

If, either he committed sins or someone else cause it. 

We believers do suffer with sickness, illness, and/or disease in this life, with the knowledge that we will be glorify at our change.   At that time, we will no longer care about sickness.  

We all have sin and in need of forgiveness. 

As a Christian, we have something that a non-Christian does not have. 

We have guardian angels (many).  Jesus angels continually watch over us. 

Matthew 18:10 "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. 

Psalms 34:7 The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. 

Psalms 91:11-12 For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.  (12)  In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. 

Hebrews 1:14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation? 

Jesus Calls Levi 

(13)  Then He went out again by the sea; and all the multitude came to Him, and He taught them.   

This was the Sea of Galilee 

The multitude came to him: Those who had been with him at Peter's house, and about the door, and those who could not get near him: 

Jesus went to smell the fresh air by the sea and to get away from the people.  . But it was not long till all the crowd began to come to Jesus and he begin teaching them, the Kingdom of God and about Himself.  

The call of Levi as one of Jesus' disciples was the setting for the second instance of opposition from the religious leaders that Mark recorded in this section. 

(14)  As He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.   

Capernaum was an important city because the city was the landing-place for the many ships which went across the lake or the land route from town to town 

Jesus saw Levi the son of Alphaeus. Used his Matthew (Levi) name after his calling from Jesus and became the apostle and writer of one of the Gospels, but now a publican, a customs official, was Jewish.  

The Jews hated tax collectors. They had a reputation for taking more than they needed in order to add to their own wealth and especially collected taxes for Rome and collected toll for Herod Antipas. 

The Jews classified them with sinners.  When a Jew entered the customs service he was regarded as an outcast from society: he was disqualified as a judge or a witness in a court session and was excommunicated from the synagogue, and in the eyes of the community his disgrace extended to his family. 

As Jesus walked past the tax office, place where the taxes was received, Jesus said to Levi, Follow me.  Matthew was sitting at the toll-gate on the Great West Road from Damascus to the Mediterranean. What did Matthew do, he arose and followed Him. 

The challenge of Jesus was sudden and sharp, but Levi (Matthew) was ready to respond at once. He had heard of Jesus and quickly decided.  

It is interesting on how Great decisions are often made on a moment’s notice.  He knew he had burned his bridges and he could never go back.  

Luke 5:28 So he left all, rose up, and followed Him. 

Why could Matthew do a detailed wording (word for word) of Jesus words, because tax collectors had to be skilled in short-hand writing. 

Short-hand writer or ready writer was used by Kings of Israel. 

Psalms 45:1 My heart is overflowing with a good theme; I recite my composition concerning the King; My tongue is the pen of a ready writer.