Mark 2
BSB1 A few days later Jesus went back to Capernaum. And when the people heard that He was home, 2 they gathered in such large numbers that there was no more room, not even outside the door, as Jesus spoke the word to them. 3 Then a paralytic was brought to Him, carried by four men. 4 Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven." 6 But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" 8 At once Jesus knew in His spirit that they were thinking this way within themselves. “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?” He asked. 9 “Which is easier: to say to a paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? 10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” He said to the paralytic, 11 “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home." 12 And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!" 13 Once again Jesus went out beside the sea. All the people came to Him, and He taught them there. 14 As He was walking along, He saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth. “Follow Me,” He told him, and Levi got up and followed Him. 15 While Jesus was dining at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with Him and His disciples—for there were many who followed Him. 16 When the scribes who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with these people, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat with tax collectors and sinners?" 17 On hearing this, Jesus told them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." 18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were often fasting. So people came to Jesus and asked, “Why don’t Your disciples fast like John’s disciples and those of the Pharisees?" 19 Jesus replied, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while He is with them? As long as He is with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. 21 No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, and a worse tear will result. 22 And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, new wine is poured into new wineskins." 23 One Sabbath Jesus was passing through the grainfields, and His disciples began to pick the heads of grain as they walked along. 24 So the Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?" 25 Jesus replied, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? 26 During the high priesthood of Abiathar, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which was lawful only for the priests. And he gave some to his companions as well." 27 Then Jesus declared, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 Therefore, the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."
Study Notes — Mark 2
- Chapter Summary
- Context for the Chapter
- Heart Application
- What Does This Chapter Mean?
- Voices from the Church
- Outline for Preaching
- Core Doctrines
- Lessons from Mark 2
- Themes from Mark 2
- Questions for Meditation
- Detailed Chapter Outline
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Top Cross References
- Sermons on Mark 2
- Matthew Henry Commentary
- What Do You Notice?
Chapter Summary
Mark 2 begins with Jesus healing a paralytic man, demonstrating His authority to forgive sins (Mark 2:1-12). Jesus then calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him, and eats with sinners, prompting the Pharisees to question His actions (Mark 2:13-17). The chapter also records Jesus' teachings on fasting and the Sabbath, where He emphasizes the importance of showing compassion and doing good on the Sabbath (Mark 2:18-28). Throughout the chapter, Jesus' authority and teachings are met with opposition from the Pharisees, who begin to plot against Him.
Context for the Chapter
Mark 2 is part of the larger narrative of Jesus' ministry in Galilee, as recorded in Mark 1-10. This chapter follows Jesus' teachings and healings in Capernaum, and sets the stage for the growing opposition He will face from the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders. In the broader biblical narrative, Mark 2 contributes to the overall story of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection, and highlights the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders of His day.
Heart Application
As we reflect on Mark 2, we are reminded of Jesus' compassionate heart and His desire to seek and save the lost. We are called to follow Jesus' example, showing love and mercy to those around us, and to prioritize compassion and kindness in our interactions with others.
What Does This Chapter Mean?
Mark 2 is about Jesus' ministry in Capernaum, where He healed a paralytic man and called Matthew to follow Him. Jesus taught about the importance of showing compassion and doing good on the Sabbath, and faced opposition from the Pharisees. As we read this chapter, we are reminded of Jesus' love and mercy, and are called to follow His example.
Voices from the Church
“The Sabbath is a day of rest, but it is also a day of worship and service. Let us use this day to honor God and to show compassion to those around us.”
— Charles Spurgeon
“Jesus' authority is not limited to His teachings, but also extends to His actions. He has the power to forgive sins and to heal the sick, and we must recognize and submit to His authority.”
— John Calvin
Outline for Preaching
- Jesus Heals a Paralytic Man (Mark 2:1-12) — Jesus demonstrates His authority to forgive sins and heal the sick, and the crowd is amazed by His power.
- Jesus Calls Matthew (Mark 2:13-17) — Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him, and eats with sinners, prompting the Pharisees to question His actions.
- Jesus Teaches about Fasting (Mark 2:18-22) — Jesus teaches about the importance of fasting and prayer, and explains why His disciples do not fast while He is with them.
- Jesus Teaches about the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28) — Jesus teaches about the purpose of the Sabbath, and emphasizes the importance of showing compassion and doing good on this day.
- Conclusion (Mark 2:28) — Jesus concludes His teachings by emphasizing His authority as the Lord of the Sabbath.
Core Doctrines
- The Authority of Christ
- Mark 2 teaches us about Jesus' authority to forgive sins and heal the sick, and emphasizes His role as the Lord of the Sabbath.
- The Importance of Compassion
- This chapter highlights the importance of showing compassion and kindness to those around us, and reminds us that Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
- The Sabbath
- Mark 2 teaches us about the purpose of the Sabbath, and emphasizes the importance of using this day to honor God and to show compassion to others.
- The Opposition to Christ
- This chapter introduces the theme of opposition to Jesus, as the Pharisees begin to plot against Him and question His teachings and actions.
Lessons from Mark 2
- The Importance of Recognizing Jesus' Authority — We must recognize and submit to Jesus' authority, as He has the power to forgive sins and to heal the sick.
- The Value of Showing Compassion and Kindness — We are called to follow Jesus' example and to show compassion and kindness to those around us, especially on the Sabbath.
- The Danger of Self-Righteousness — We must be careful not to become self-righteous, as the Pharisees did, and instead recognize our own sinfulness and need for Jesus' forgiveness and mercy.
- The Importance of Prioritizing Worship and Service on the Sabbath — We should use the Sabbath to honor God and to show compassion to others, rather than prioritizing our own desires and interests.
- The Necessity of Forgiveness and Repentance — We must recognize our own sinfulness and need for forgiveness, and turn to Jesus in repentance, as the paralytic man and the sinners did.
Themes from Mark 2
- The Authority of Christ — Mark 2 emphasizes Jesus' authority to forgive sins and to heal the sick, and highlights His role as the Lord of the Sabbath.
- The Importance of Compassion and Kindness — This chapter teaches us about the importance of showing compassion and kindness to those around us, especially on the Sabbath.
- The Opposition to Christ — Mark 2 introduces the theme of opposition to Jesus, as the Pharisees begin to plot against Him and question His teachings and actions.
- The Necessity of Forgiveness and Repentance — We must recognize our own sinfulness and need for forgiveness, and turn to Jesus in repentance, as the paralytic man and the sinners did.
- The Significance of the Sabbath — Mark 2 teaches us about the purpose of the Sabbath, and emphasizes the importance of using this day to honor God and to show compassion to others.
Questions for Meditation
- How does Jesus demonstrate His authority in Mark 2, and what does this teach us about His role as the Son of God?
- What does Jesus teach about the Sabbath in Mark 2, and how can we apply these teachings to our own lives?
- How does Jesus show compassion to the paralytic man and the sinners He eats with, and what does this teach us about His heart of love and mercy?
- What is the significance of Jesus' statement, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:17), and how does this relate to His mission and purpose?
- How does the opposition to Jesus in Mark 2 foreshadow the greater conflict that will arise in the future, and what does this teach us about the nature of spiritual warfare?
Detailed Chapter Outline
1. Jesus Heals a Paralytic Man (Mark 2:1-12)
| Mark 2:1 | Jesus returns to Capernaum, and the crowd gathers to hear Him teach. |
| Mark 2:2 | The house is crowded, and Jesus preaches the word to them. |
| Mark 2:3 | Four men bring a paralytic man to Jesus, and He forgives the man's sins. |
| Mark 2:4 | The scribes question Jesus' authority to forgive sins, and Jesus heals the paralytic man to demonstrate His power. |
| Mark 2:5 | Jesus says, "My child, your sins are forgiven," and the paralytic man is healed. |
| Mark 2:6 | The scribes think to themselves, "He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" |
| Mark 2:7 | Jesus knows their thoughts and says, "Why do you question these things in your hearts?" |
| Mark 2:8 | Jesus says, "But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins," and He heals the paralytic man. |
| Mark 2:9 | The paralytic man gets up and walks, and the crowd is amazed by Jesus' power. |
| Mark 2:10 | The crowd says, "We have never seen anything like this!" |
| Mark 2:11 | The paralytic man is healed, and he walks away, glorifying God. |
| Mark 2:12 | The crowd is amazed by Jesus' power, and they praise God for the miracle they have seen. |
2. Jesus Calls Matthew (Mark 2:13-17)
| Mark 2:13 | Jesus goes out to the sea, and a large crowd follows Him. |
| Mark 2:14 | As He passes by, He sees Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth, and He says to him, "Follow me." |
| Mark 2:15 | Levi gets up and follows Jesus, and Jesus eats with him and other sinners. |
| Mark 2:16 | The scribes of the Pharisees see Jesus eating with sinners and tax collectors, and they question His disciples about it. |
| Mark 2:17 | Jesus says, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." |
3. Jesus Teaches about Fasting (Mark 2:18-22)
| Mark 2:18 | The disciples of John and the Pharisees are fasting, and they come to Jesus and ask, "Why do your disciples not fast?" |
| Mark 2:19 | Jesus says, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast." |
| Mark 2:20 | Jesus says, "But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days." |
| Mark 2:21 | Jesus says, "No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new cloth will tear away from the old, and the tear will be worse." |
| Mark 2:22 | Jesus says, "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins." |
4. Jesus Teaches about the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28)
| Mark 2:23 | One Sabbath, Jesus and His disciples are walking through the grainfields, and His disciples begin to pluck the heads of grain. |
| Mark 2:24 | The Pharisees say to Him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" |
| Mark 2:25 | Jesus says, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?" |
| Mark 2:26 | Jesus says, "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?" |
| Mark 2:27 | Jesus says, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." |
| Mark 2:28 | Jesus says, "So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath." |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of Jesus' statement, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners"?
This statement emphasizes Jesus' mission to seek and save the lost, and highlights the importance of recognizing our own sinfulness and need for forgiveness. As Jesus says in Mark 2:17, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
Why did Jesus eat with sinners and tax collectors?
Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors to demonstrate His love and compassion for them, and to emphasize the importance of showing kindness and mercy to those around us. As Mark 2:15-16 says, Jesus ate with Levi and other sinners, and the scribes of the Pharisees questioned His disciples about it.
What is the purpose of the Sabbath, according to Jesus?
According to Jesus, the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. It is a day of rest and worship, but also a day to show compassion and kindness to those around us. As Jesus says in Mark 2:27, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."
Top Cross References
| Reference | Connection | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mark 2:7 → Psalm 51:4 | The scribes' question about Jesus' authority to forgive sins is reminiscent of David's confession of sin in Psalm 51:4, where he says, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight." |
| 2 | Mark 2:10 → Matthew 9:8 | The crowd's amazement at Jesus' power is similar to the crowd's reaction in Matthew 9:8, where they praise God for the miracle they have seen. |
| 3 | Mark 2:14 → Luke 5:27 | Jesus' call to Levi is also recorded in Luke 5:27, where it says, "After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, "Follow me." |
| 4 | Mark 2:17 → Luke 19:10 | Jesus' statement about coming to call sinners is also found in Luke 19:10, where He says, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." |
| 5 | Mark 2:23 → Deuteronomy 23:25 | The Pharisees' question about the disciples' actions on the Sabbath is reminiscent of the instructions in Deuteronomy 23:25, where it says, "If you go into your neighbor's standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbor's standing grain." |
| 6 | Mark 2:25 → 1 Samuel 21:6 | Jesus' reference to David's actions in the time of Abiathar is found in 1 Samuel 21:6, where it says, "So the priest gave him the holy bread, for there was no bread there but the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the Lord, to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away." |
| 7 | Mark 2:27 → Exodus 20:8-11 | Jesus' statement about the Sabbath is reminiscent of the instructions in Exodus 20:8-11, where it says, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God." |
| 8 | Mark 2:28 → Colossians 2:16-17 | Jesus' statement about being lord of the Sabbath is similar to the statement in Colossians 2:16-17, where it says, "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ." |
| 9 | Mark 2:10 → Acts 3:12-13 | The crowd's amazement at Jesus' power is similar to the crowd's reaction in Acts 3:12-13, where Peter says, "Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?" |
| 10 | Mark 2:17 → Romans 5:8 | Jesus' statement about coming to call sinners is reminiscent of the statement in Romans 5:8, where it says, "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." |
Sermons on Mark 2
| Sermon | Description | |
|---|---|---|
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God's Intention for This Midnight Hour by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the speaker expresses his disappointment with the current state of Christianity in America, noting the prevalence of ego, competition, and materialism. He criticize |
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(John - Part 21): The Impotent Man at the Pool of Bethesda by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of faith in taking a leap and daring to believe in Christ. He tells the story of a man who had been paralyzed for 38 years an |
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(A Heavenly Life) 1. Seated in the Heavens by Zac Poonen | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the challenges Christians face in the changing world. He emphasizes the importance of focusing our minds on godly thoughts amidst our daily ta |
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For Whom Is the Gospel Meant? by C.H. Spurgeon | The sermon transcript discusses the importance of persevering in successful processes and applying them on a larger scale. The preacher emphasizes the need to preach the basic elem |
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Faith Unto Enlargement Through Adversity - Part 4 by T. Austin-Sparks | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the issue of inequality and excess in society. He highlights how the surplus of resources is often withheld from the poor in order to maintai |
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Hell's Best Kept Secret (Mandarin) by Ray Comfort | In this sermon, the speaker, Ray Comfort, shares his personal experience with evangelism in the 1970s. He noticed that a large percentage of those who made a decision to follow Chr |
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Plagued by a Guilty Conscience by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker discusses the importance of recognizing and heeding the voice of God. He emphasizes that it is possible for individuals to shut their minds off to God's |
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Gospel Message by Bakht Singh | This sermon emphasizes the significance of Jesus as the Savior, highlighting His power to forgive sins, remove guilt, transform human nature, grant victory over sin, and ultimately |
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(Through the Bible) Mark 2-3 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the speaker begins by offering a prayer for the congregation and asking for God's guidance and protection. He encourages the listeners to continue studying and medi |
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Tokens of His Compassion - Part 3 by Leonard Ravenhill | This sermon reflects on the story of Joseph and Mary losing Jesus in Jerusalem, highlighting the importance of seeking and rediscovering Him in our lives. It also delves into Jesus |
Summary of Matthew Henry Commentary on Mark 2
In Mark 2, we see Jesus' authority and power on full display, as He heals a paralytic man, calls Matthew to follow Him, and teaches about the Sabbath. Jesus' statement, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners" (Mark 2:17), highlights His mission to seek and save the lost. As Matthew Henry notes, Jesus' teachings and actions demonstrate His compassionate heart and His desire to bring sinners to repentance. Throughout the chapter, Jesus' authority is met with opposition from the Pharisees, who question His teachings and actions. Despite this opposition, Jesus remains steadfast in His commitment to His mission, and we are reminded of the importance of following His example and showing compassion and kindness to those around us. Read the full unabridged Matthew Henry Commentary →
What Do You Notice?
Jesus' Authority
Notice how Jesus' authority is demonstrated through His teachings and actions. He forgives sins, heals the sick, and teaches with authority.
The Pharisees' Opposition
Observe how the Pharisees oppose Jesus' teachings and actions, and how this opposition grows throughout the chapter.
Jesus' Compassion
Notice how Jesus shows compassion to the paralytic man and the sinners He eats with, demonstrating His heart of love and mercy.