Mark 2 ~ Jesus, the One & Only

by | Mark

What makes a person unique?  Throughout history rulers, leaders, scientists, artists and philosophers have been recognized for their personal talents and abilities. However all of these people are still just people.  Their accomplishments are limited.

In Mark 马可福音 chapter 2, the crowds wanted to be near Jesus and to hear his teachings.  Jesus performs a miraculous healing to not only show us his power, compassion and love; but, more importantly, to show his unique authority to forgive our sins.

Discussion: Mark 2:1-12

    1. Because of the crowd of people, how did four men bring their paralyzed friend to Jesus?  Mark 2:4
    2. What did Jesus see? Mark 2:5
    3.  What did Jesus say?  Mark 2:5
    4. Do you know anyone else in history who made this same statement?
    5. Very often Jesus answers a question with a question. What questions did the Jewish leaders think in their hearts? How did Jesus answer them? Mark 2:6-9
    6. What did Jesus do next to prove his authority?  Mark 2:10-12
    7. What was the reaction of the people?  Mark 2:12
    8. Why is Jesus unique? Why is he the one and only? Mark 2:7 and Mark 2:10

Word List & Helps
unique – one and only
philosopher – a scholar or thinker, such as Kong Xi Confucius or Aristotle
accomplishment – something that has been done well or achieved successfully
crowds – a large group of people in one place
miraculous – something extraordinary that cannot be explained by natural causes
authority – the power or right to give orders
paralyzed – when you cannot move your body

Think about it!
“Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man” is also recorded in Matthew 9:2-8 and Luke 5:18-26.

Preview
A typical home in Capernaum had a flat roof made of thick layers of clay supported by branches.  This would have been the reason the friends of the paralyzed man had the creative idea of lowering their friend in front of Jesus by making a hole in the roof.  Their perseverance and faith is an example to us all.

Jesus Sees and Speaks to the Heart of the Issue  Mark 2:18-27

Jesus is questioned again and again by people and the teachers of the Jewish law. They ask 

  1. Mark 2:16 Why does Jesus eat with sinners?   
  2. Mark 2:18 Why are the disciples of Jesus not going without food (not fasting) like others are?  
  3. Mark 2:24 Why are the disciples of picking grain to eat on the Sabbath when the law prohibited working on the sabbath day? 

    How did Jesus answer these questions? 

NOTE: The original law for the Jewish people required them to fast one day per year; however, the Pharisees were fasting twice per week to try to show their superiority to other people. 

Each time Jesus answers the question with another question.
Each time Jesus teaches that God is not looking at the outward appearance. God is looking at their hearts. 

Jesus used the example of a wedding feast to show that no one would ever go to a wedding feast and not eat, because a wedding is a time for celebration. In the same way, Jesus said that when he was with his disciples, it was not the time for going without food. Later when Jesus was not with them, there would be a time for fasting and prayer in their sorrow. 

What questions do you have?  

What do you think Jesus means when He said: “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

 

English/Chinese Translation
Mark 2  马可福音

2:1

Jesus Forgives & Heals a Paralyzed Man

And when he came into Capernaum again after some days, the news went about that he was in the house.
2:2 And a great number had come together, so that there was no longer room for them, no, not even about the door: and he gave them teaching.
2:3 And four men came to him with one on a bed who had no power of moving.
2:4 And when they were unable to get near him because of all the people, they got the roof uncovered where he was: and when it was broken up, they let down the bed on which the man was.
2:5 And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to him, Son, you have forgiveness for your sins.
2:6 But there were certain of the scribes seated there, and reasoning in their hearts,
2:7 Why does this man say such things? he has no respect for God: from whom does forgiveness come but from God only?
2:8 And Jesus, having knowledge in his spirit of their thoughts, said to them, “Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts?
2:9 Which is the simpler, to say to a man who is ill, You have forgiveness for your sins, or, Get up, take up your bed, and go?
2:10 But so that you may see that the Son of man has authority for the forgiveness of sins on earth, (he said to the paralyzed man,)
2:11 I say to you, “Get up, take up your bed, and go to your house.”
2:12 And he got up, and straight away took up the bed and went out before them all, so that they were all full of wonder, and gave glory to God, saying, We have never seen anything like this.
2:13

Jesus Eats with Sinners

And Jesus went out again by the seaside; and all the people came to him, and he began to teach them.
2:14 As Jesus walked along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, seated at the place where taxes were collected, and Jesus said to him, “Come with me.” And Levi (also called Matthew) got up, and went with him.
2:15 And it came about that he was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax-collectors and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples: for there were a great number of them who followed Jesus.
2:16 When the teachers of the law who were the Pharisees saw that Jesus eating with the tax-collectors and sinners, they asked his disciples, “Why does he eat food and drink with such men?”
2:17 Hearing this, Jesus said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a doctor, but those who are ill: I have come not to get the upright but sinners.”
2:18

New Day ~ a New Relationship with God!

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were taking no food: and they came and said to Jesus, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees go without food, but your disciples do not?”
2:19 And Jesus said to them, “Will the friends of a newly-married man go without food while he is with them? as long as they have him with them they will not go without food.
2:20 But the days will come when the husband will be taken away from them, and then they will go without food.
2:21 No man puts a bit of new cloth on an old coat: or the new, by pulling away from the old, makes a worse hole.
2:22 And no man puts new wine into old wine-skins: or the skins will be burst by the wine, and the wine and the skins will be wasted: but new wine has to be put into new wine-skins.”
2:23

Jesus Is Lord

And it came about that on the Sabbath day he was going through the grain-fields; and while they were walking, his disciples took the heads of grain.
2:24 And the Pharisees said to him, “Why are they doing what it is not right to do on the Sabbath?”
2:25 And he said to them, “Have you no knowledge of what David did, when he had need and was without food, he, and those who were with him?
2:26 How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and took for food the holy bread, which only the priests may take, and gave it to those who were with him*?”
2:27 And Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath;
2:28 So that the Son of man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

 *This story about David is in the Bible I Samuel 21:1-6. The Jewish leaders revered David so Jesus uses David as an example of someone who does not follow tradition, but still follows God with all his heart. 

2:1 过 了 些 日 子 ， 耶 稣 又 进 了 迦 百 农 。 人 听 见 他 在 房 子 里 ，
2:2 就 有 许 多 人 聚 集 ， 甚 至 连 门 前 都 没 有 空 地 ， 耶 稣 就 对 他 们 讲 道 。
2:3 有 人 带 着 一 个 瘫 子 来 见 耶 稣 ， 是 用 四 个 人 抬 来 的 。
2:4 因 为 人 多 ， 不 得 近 前 ， 就 把 耶 稣 所 在 的 房 子 ， 拆 了 房 顶 ， 既 拆 通 了 ， 就 把 瘫 子 连 所 躺 卧 的 褥 子 都 缒 下 来 。
2:5 耶 稣 见 他 们 的 信 心 ， 就 对 瘫 子 说 ， 小 子 ， 你 的 罪 赦 了 。
2:6 有 几 个 文 士 坐 在 那 里 ， 心 里 议 论 说 ，
2:7 这 个 人 为 什 么 这 样 说 呢 ？ 他 说 僭 妄 的 话 了 。 除 了 神 以 外 ， 谁 能 赦 罪 呢 ？
2:8 耶 稣 心 中 知 道 他 们 心 里 这 样 议 论 ， 就 说 ， 你 们 心 里 为 什 么 这 样 议 论 呢 ？
2:9 或 对 瘫 子 说 ， 你 的 罪 赦 了 ， 或 说 ， 起 来 拿 你 的 褥 子 行 走 ， 哪 一 样 容 易 呢 ？
2:10 但 要 叫 你 们 知 道 人 子 在 地 上 有 赦 罪 的 权 柄 ， 就 对 瘫 子 说 ，
2:11 我 吩 咐 你 起 来 ， 拿 你 的 褥 子 回 家 去 吧 。
2:12 那 人 就 起 来 ， 立 刻 拿 着 褥 子 ， 当 众 人 面 前 出 去 了 。 以 致 众 人 都 惊 奇 ， 归 荣 耀 与 神 说 ， 我 们 从 来 没 有 见 过 这 样 的 事 。
2:13 耶 稣 又 出 到 海 边 去 ， 众 人 都 就 了 他 来 ， 他 便 教 训 他 们 。
2:14 耶 稣 经 过 的 时 候 ， 看 见 亚 勒 腓 的 儿 子 利 未 ， 坐 在 税 关 上 ， 就 对 他 说 ， 你 跟 从 我 来 。 他 就 起 来 跟 从 了 耶 稣 。
2:15 耶 稣 在 利 未 家 里 坐 席 的 时 候 ， 有 好 些 税 吏 和 罪 人 ， 与 耶 稣 并 门 徒 一 同 坐 席 。 因 为 这 样 的 人 多 ， 他 们 也 跟 随 耶 稣 。
2:16 法 利 赛 人 中 的 文 士 ， （ 有 古 卷 作 文 士 和 法 利 赛 人 ） 看 见 耶 稣 和 罪 人 并 税 吏 一 同 吃 饭 ， 就 对 他 门 徒 说 ， 他 和 税 吏 并 罪 人 一 同 吃 喝 吗 ？
2:17 耶 稣 听 见 ， 就 对 他 们 说 ， 健 康 的 人 用 不 着 医 生 ， 有 病 的 人 才 用 得 着 。 我 来 本 不 是 召 义 人 ， 乃 是 召 罪 人 。
2:18 当 下 ， 约 翰 的 门 徒 和 法 利 赛 人 禁 食 。 他 们 来 问 耶 稣 说 ， 约 翰 的 门 徒 和 法 利 赛 人 的 门 徒 禁 食 ， 你 的 门 徒 倒 不 禁 食 ， 这 是 为 什 么 呢 ？
2:19 耶 稣 对 他 们 说 ， 新 郎 和 陪 伴 之 人 同 在 的 时 候 ， 陪 伴 之 人 岂 能 禁 食 呢 ？ 新 郎 还 同 在 ， 他 们 不 能 禁 食 。
2:20 但 日 子 将 到 ， 新 郎 要 离 开 他 们 ， 那 日 他 们 就 要 禁 食 。
2:21 没 有 人 把 新 布 缝 在 旧 衣 服 上 。 恐 怕 所 补 上 的 新 布 ， 带 坏 了 旧 衣 服 ， 破 得 就 更 大 了 。
2:22 也 没 有 人 把 新 酒 装 在 旧 皮 袋 里 。 恐 怕 酒 把 皮 袋 裂 开 ， 酒 和 皮 袋 就 都 坏 了 。 惟 把 新 酒 装 在 新 皮 袋 里 。
2:23 耶 稣 当 安 息 日 ， 从 麦 地 经 过 。 他 门 徒 行 路 的 时 候 ， 掐 了 麦 穗 。
2:24 法 利 赛 人 对 耶 稣 说 ， 看 哪 ， 他 们 在 安 息 日 为 什 么 作 不 可 作 的 事 呢 ？
2:25 耶 稣 对 他 们 说 ， 经 上 记 着 大 卫 和 跟 从 他 的 人 ， 缺 乏 饥 饿 之 时 所 作 的 事 ， 你 们 没 有 念 过 吗 ？
2:26 他 当 亚 比 亚 他 作 大 祭 司 的 时 候 ， 怎 么 进 了 神 的 殿 ， 吃 了 陈 设 饼 ， 又 给 跟 从 他 的 人 吃 。 这 饼 除 了 祭 司 以 外 ， 人 都 不 可 吃 。
2:27 又 对 他 们 说 ， 安 息 日 是 为 人 设 立 的 ， 人 不 是 为 安 息 日 设 立 的 。
2:28 所 以 人 子 也 是 安 息 日 的 主