The People Jesus Knew - Mark 2 - September 13, 2009

Bible Study Lesson – The People Jesus Knew – September 13, 2009

This is lesson two (2) in our series of study entitled “Know Jesus.”

Our scripture is Mark 2:1-12, 15-17, 23-28.

Last week we studied the JESUS people should know. This week we study some of the people JESUS knew or interacted with during HIS earthly ministry.

In JESUS’ day, society had some strong beliefs and prejudices. Some believed that a person having an infirmity had either sinned or their parent or parents had sinned and GOD was punishing them. Even in our modern times I have heard this mentioned. I have heard more of the opposite mentioned, such as this person is so vile I do not see why GOD doesn’t do something bad to him or her. In our first scripture, we will see how JESUS meets the needs of a paralyzed man and deals with religious prejudice.

In our next scripture, JESUS associates with the wrong crowd. Tax collectors were about as low as a person could go on the Jewish social scale. Tax collectors bid for the job of collecting tax and the job went to the highest bidder. They had the right to not only collect the tax due to Roman but they could collect more to keep for themselves. The Jewish people looked upon tax collectors as traitors, extortionist and sinners. In fact, tax collectors were barred from the synagogues. Yet, JESUS reached out to these and other social outcasts.

In our final scripture, JESUS clashed head-on with the religious leaders of HIS day regarding all the rules people had to follow to be acceptable to GOD. The people became bogged down in following the rules rather than focusing on seeking a relationship with GOD. This can happen to believers today. It is not about our doing activities to develop a relationship, it is about our abiding with CHRIST.

For years, I thought if my good outweighed my bad I would go to heaven. That is positively wrong!!! The Bible tells us that GOD considers the very best in us as filthy rags. Isaiah 46:6 - 6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. No one can earn his/her way to heaven. The only way to heaven is through the miracle of rebirth through JESUS. Ask CHRIST to forgive you of your sins and ask HIM to come into your life. That is it! Simple but eternal.

Rebirth in your spirit is the beginning of building a relationship with GOD through CHRIST. Get to know JESUS by reading the Bible and talking to HIM in prayer. Tell HIM that your desire is to have a loving relationship with HIM and ask HIM to show you and help you to build that relationship.

Let HIM “call” you to the work HE wants you to do for HIM. The word “call” is a term used in religious circles to mean that GOD has led you or invited you to a specific task. You did not choose what you are doing but GOD called you to do it. It is HIS invitation for you to join HIM in HIS work. But do not get bogged down in trying to figure out what you are supposed to be doing. Study GOD’S Word and if you are not already involved in a gospel preaching and practicing church, then ask HIM to lead you to a church that preaches HIS Word. Work on getting to know HIM and as you learn of HIM, let that relationship lead you. In other words, wait upon the LORD and let HIM reveal the path you need to go down with HIM. Will it be easy? No but HE will be with you each step of the way.

Let’s read Mark 2:1-12:

1 When He entered Capernaum again after some days, it was reported that He was at home. 2 So many people gathered together that there was no more room, not even in the doorway, and He was speaking the message to them. 3 Then they came to Him bringing a paralytic, carried by four men. 4 Since they were not able to bring him to[1] Other mss read able to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above where He was. And when they had broken through, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying. 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 But some of the • scribes were sitting there, thinking to themselves:[2] Or there, reasoning in their hearts 7 “Why does He speak like this? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 8 Right away Jesus understood in His spirit that they were reasoning like this within themselves and said to them, “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts?[3] Or minds 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your stretcher, and walk’? 10 But so you may know that the • Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” He told the paralytic, 11 “I tell you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” 12 Immediately he got up, picked up the stretcher, and went out in front of everyone. As a result, they were all astounded and gave glory to God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

In last week’s study, we saw that JESUS had gone to the synagogue in Capernaum and it was a very lively event. This week JESUS returned to the city of Capernaum. The scripture states that HE came home. We know that JESUS was headquartered in Capernaum. The house he had come back to was not HIS home but likely the home of Simon Peter and his brother Andrew. It seemed that HE came back to town quietly but someone reported that HE was back in town. HIS fame had spread and folks were excited about HIM coming back to town.

There was a crowd of people listening to JESUS preach. The crowd was so large that the four (4) men carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher, bed or pallet had to go to the roof top. I understand that in that day the houses had flat roofs with outside stairs to access the roof. The group of five (5) skirted around the crowd and went up on the roof. Then the men began to break open the roof to gain access to JESUS. The roof was made of wood beams, mud, thatch and tiles.

I can see JESUS now, preaching away and all of a sudden debris from the roof begins to fall around HIM. JESUS being JESUS knew what was going on. GOD, the FATHER had a plan.

They broke open the roof and lowered the paralyzed man down. JESUS saw the faith of those who had brought the paralyzed man. Some scholars believe that also included the faith of the paralyzed man. The paralytic most likely was in agreement with them taking him to JESUS. He could have resisted but there is no indication of that. The important thing is that JESUS recognized that the paralytic’s main need was to know that his sins had been forgiven.

In that day many people equated health problems with sin. The paralytic may have sinned or thought he had sinned, such that GOD could not forgive him. To me it seems that the statement “Son, your sins are forgiven” was the answer to the paralyzed man’s prayer to GOD. Was he praying as his friends took him to JESUS asking GOD to forgive him of certain sins? We do not know but JESUS set the record straight “son your sins are forgiven.”

This gave JESUS the opportunity to engage the religious leaders who were listening to HIM. Scribes prided themselves in knowing the law. They were experts in the Old Testament, as well as the various teachings of other teachers and rabbis. The scribes were guardians of the truth and were keenly focused on blasphemy where JESUS was concerned. The scribes believed that only GOD could forgive sins or heal. See the setup. GOD was leading them to the ultimate truth. JESUS was the promised Messiah. GOD was trying to get them to open their spiritual eyes to what was about to happen. These were the very religious leaders who should have known the Old Testament prophesy and made the connection – miracles-healing-sins being forgiven equals Messiah.

Had these religious leaders read and studied the scriptures and made up their minds about the coming Messiah? Had they decided how HE would come into the world, what HE would do, how HE would look, how HE would act, how HE would speak, the people with whom HE would associate, etc? In other words, they had the Messiah all figured out and JESUS just did not measure up to their vision of the Messiah. JESUS did not follow their pattern. Their preconceived notions robbed them of encountering the truth. They were spiritually arrogant and prejudiced.

I can tell you, we do the exact same thing today. Many of us have heard the gospel preached in churches, over the radio, on television and by others. We have formed an opinion about GOD and JESUS. We may have encountered a difficulty in our lives and we asked GOD or JESUS or both for help but help did not come. They did not measure up to our expectations. They disappointed us. So, we concluded one or both did not either care or did not exist. I know I have been there. It was a long journey back. But it was a solid journey.

If this has happened to you, confess it before the LORD and ask HIM to help you see the truth. If you have never asked CHRIST to forgive you of your sins and to come into your life, do so right now. Confess that you are a sinner, acknowledge that CHRIST died upon the cross for your sins, acknowledge that GOD raised HIM from the dead as proof that HE is the true Messiah, ask HIM to forgive you of your sins and ask HIM to come into your life. In a nanosecond, “son or daughter your sins are forgiven.” Not only are your past sins forgiven but your present and future sins as well. Just as JESUS told the paralyzed man, “get up and walk.” As a believer, the HOLY SPIRIT will indwell you and HE will lead you to know the truth as you read and study the Bible. Begin with the Book of John.

GOD leads all of us to face the truth. Who is JESUS? Will you accept HIM or reject HIM? No matter what you may have done GOD will forgive you.

JESUS knew what the scribes were thinking. HE knew the moment was ripe for them to see truth. HE knew they had been pondering a question in their minds, so HE asked them a question in verse 9.

Verses 9-11:

9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your stretcher, and walk’? 10 But so you may know that the • Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,” He told the paralytic, 11 “I tell you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

The moment is set. JESUS knew that they believed only GOD could forgive sins or heal. The scribes may have had a momentary thought of glee when JESUS posed the questions but when JESUS said to the paralytic “get up, pick up your stretcher and go home” he did. Everyone was astounded and gave GOD the glory. What a testimony and a witness to JESUS. HE truly was the Son of GOD.

You would think this would have opened the hearts of the scribes but spiritual arrogance can blind religious people to the truth.

Let’s read Mark 2:15-17:

Dining with Sinners
15 While He was reclining at the table in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also guests[4] Lit reclining (at the table); at important meals the custom was to recline on a mat at a low table and lean on the left elbow. with Jesus and His disciples, because there were many who were following Him. 16 When the scribes of the • Pharisees[5] Other mss read scribes and Pharisees saw that He was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they asked His disciples, “Why does He eat[6] Other mss add and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 When Jesus heard this, He told them, “Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick [do need one]* The bracketed text has been added for clarity. . I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Levi or Matthew, the tax collector, invited JESUS to his house for a great feast. Levi had invited his fellow tax collectors and sinners. These sinners covered a broad category which included sexually immoral, prostitutes, thieves, murderers, liars or anyone not following the oral traditions and anyone who associated with those the scribes and Pharisees considered unclean. However, among his friends and guests were some followers of JESUS.

It was customary for those giving such a feast to allow onlookers to attend, thus the presence of the scribes and Pharisees. The scribes were the experts on the laws used by the Pharisees. The Pharisees was the largest religious party in that day. Some Pharisees were also scribes but not all were scribes.

The scribes of the Pharisees asked JESUS’ disciples why HE associated with these folks. JESUS heard them and responded to their question. HE used an analogy comparing the physically sick to the spiritually sick. People who are physically sick know they are in need of a doctor. Thus, those who are spiritually sick know they are in need of a SAVIOR. Those who believe they are righteous are blind and cannot see how spiritually sick they are. They are blinded by their spiritual arrogance or their own self-righteousness.

Often, we as believers have heard a very moral person say they live a better life than most of the Christians that go to church. This is true when looking on the outside. All believers are sinners saved by grace. The more believers know the LORD, the more they realize how far short they fall but quickly realize that is why they need salvation. All believers realize that their right to enter heaven is based upon JESUS, HIS Righteousness, HIS shed blood and their faith in HIM.

Let’s read Mark 2:23-28:

Lord of the Sabbath
23 On the Sabbath He was going through the grainfields, and His disciples began to make their way picking some heads of grain. 24 The Pharisees said to Him, “Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?” 25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David and those who were with him did when he was in need and hungry— 26 how he entered the house of God in the time of Abiathar[11] 1 Sm 21:1–6 the high priest and ate the • sacred bread—which is not lawful for anyone to eat except the priests—and also gave some to his companions?” 27 Then He told them, “The Sabbath was made for[12] Or because of man and not man for[13] Or because of the Sabbath. 28 Therefore the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

This situation brings us back to some of the absurd laws the religious leaders wanted their fellow Jews to follow. JESUS and HIS disciples were going through the grain fields on the Sabbath. The Pharisees wesre tagging along in an effort to catch JESUS/His Disciples breaking the law. They saw HIS disciples take some grain, likely wheat. They removed the husks off by rubbing it in their hands and ate the grain. Taking the grain from a field was permissible under Old Testament law – Deuteronomy 23:25: 25 When you enter your neighbor’s standing grain, you may pluck heads of grain with your hand, but you must not put a sickle to your neighbor’s grain.

The Pharisees considered that JESUS and HIS disciples had violated the Sabbath. They harvested grain, winnowed it, threshed it and prepared a meal. All of these were not lawful on the Sabbath. In fact, there were 39 specific acts that were banned on the Sabbath. Plus, there were over 900 other rules/laws the religious leaders had for people to follow the other days of the week. This was how absurd the religious laws had gotten. The religious leaders were more focused on the rules and regulations than on worshipping GOD. JESUS was trying to get them to see what was driving their attempt to please GOD. They were all mechanical things. We do the same today. We must keep in mind from GOD’S perspective that the very best in any human is as filthy rags. That is why we all need CHRIST. No human can get to heaven through his/her own efforts.

I know of a man in a former church who refused to change a flat tire on his mother’s car on Sunday. He was a great man but very legalistic.

JESUS pointed out to the Pharisees that when David was fleeing from King Saul, he and his men were hungry. The only food available was the bread intended for the priests for the Sabbath. It was a violation of the Levitical Law for David and his men to eat this bread. But the priest gave the bread to David and his men to eat. The Pharisees did not condemn David for eating the bread.

JESUS made it clear that the Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath. The Sabbath did not dictate what JESUS was to do but rather GOD directed JESUS’ activities. Believers can become comfortable doing activities but are they the activities GOD desires for them to do.

JESUS mingled with all sorts of people. Here I must interject a word of caution. Some believers must be careful about revisiting some of their old friends or haunts. I understand that those with certain addictions can be lured back to those previous addictions by associating with certain sights, sounds and/or people that can act as a trigger.

Yes, JESUS can be believers’ strength and help them overcome an addiction but the flesh can raise its’ head.

It is easy for most believers to see the self-righteous attitude of the scribes and Pharisees but it is hard for believers to see their own spiritual prejudices and arrogance.