Mark 3:1-6, Part II

Verse 6: "Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus."

What do the Pharisees and Herodians have in common? Nothing - except a strong desire to get rid of Jesus. Modern Orthodox Jews are shocked to see these two circles running in the same league. Why does healing a man on the Sabbath bring such animosity?

But then I ponder how Jesus does not always work within my framework or timing. Do I get mad at G-D for that? Granted, I do not ever want to kill Jesus, but with every sin that I commit yesterday, today, and tomorrow, I in a way have killed Him. Think about times in your own life that G-D has moved you out of your comfort zone or out of your "structures"/boxes that you have created for Him. G-D despises your box and mine. As we learn in this story, Jesus gets angry and distressed at stubborn hearts.

What does your heart look like?

Mark 3:1-6

The very idea of someone using a maimed human being in order to discredit another individual is sickening. Mark makes it clear that only "some" were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus - not all.

At this point, we see Jesus express some emotion toward an opposition that is concerned more with keeping rules than reaching out to people - obeying the law rather than promoting healing. Do we ever fall into the category of "rule keepers" that we neglect more important things? Which is more important on a given Sunday morning: to be at church on time or give a homeless person breakfast that you see on the way?

Jesus could have healed this man on any day of the week. Why does He not, and what implications does this story have in our lives and culture?

Mark 2:25-28

So we have a "problem." Mark records that Jesus says, "In the days of Abiathar the high priest..." Abiathar was not the high priest that David went to; it was his son Ahimelech. I suppose we could argue that those could well have been "the days of Abiathar," but it is interesting that we have Abiathar instead of Ahimelech.

But the story itself is what matters. To combat the Pharisees' argument, Jesus draws from the life of David and one interesting story found in I Sam. 21. David and his followers were extremely hungry, so they eat the only thing available - the Bread of the Presence. Jesus uses this story to express that humans and their lives are more important than the Sabbath.

"The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath."

And then Jesus shows us what that means....

Mark 2:23-24

In Judaism, the Sabbath (Saturday) is the most important day of the week. It's the first thing G-D made holy or sanctified. It's the day G-D rested. We are told in the Decalogue (Ten Words/Commandments) to keep it holy. Jews take that VERY seriously, and one of the questions to ask oneself is how do we make a day holy.

In Jesus' day this was a big discussion, but of even more importance was which commandments are greater than others. In other words, should one break the Sabbath (work on Saturday) in order to fulfill the commandment of circumcision? Or sacrifice? Or healing? Or eating?

This story looks different in the Synoptics, but the basics are the same. The Pharisees are questioning whether it is ok to do what the disciples are doing - picking heads of grain on the Sabbath. I am not sure what Jews follow today (whether or not it is ok/legal to pick heads of grain), but Jesus soon points out that this practice is ok on the Sabbath and does not desecrate it.

And we know that Jesus obeyed the 4th commandment - He kept the Sabbath holy. Two question, however, remain: what does that mean and should we be doing likewise?

Mark 2:18-22

Fasting. Something we all look forward to with great expectation.

We know that the Pharisees fasted two days a week. (Yes, you heard correctly - two days! And our righteousness should surpass that of the Pharisees and teachers of the law.) Fasting is a time that brings us closer to G-D by eliminating distractions such as food. We find out in these moments of suffering what we're made of. Who do we rely upon as our sustenance?

Yet Jesus and His disciples went through this season of not fasting, and Jesus uses three metaphors to explain why that was so. First, you always celebrate and feast when at a wedding. Second, you wouldn't sew an unshrunk cloth on an old garment because that would then cause more damage. Third, you don't pour new wine in old, cracked wineskins or they'll burst (because of fermentation).

By presenting these three metaphors, Jesus explains why it's almost comical that His disciples and He would fast at that time.

Two questions: why did He not fast and should we fast today? I have some thoughts. What do you think?

Mark 2:15-17

We see very early in Mark who Jesus targets as His audience. He calls fishermen and tax collectors. He eats with "sinners" and IRS agents. Or in His own words, "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

As a minister, I wonder who my target audience should be. Many churches have moved to "seeker services" where they attempt to reach out to the "unchurched." But what then do you do with members who have been inside the walls for decades? How do you deliver meat to a starving portion of the body?

It's interesting that on the Sabbath, Jesus was ALWAYS in the synagogue. For His day job, however, we find Him constantly in homes eating with the outcasts or teaching in the countryside. Ideally, my ministry would look something like this on some degree...and so should yours as a follower of Jesus.

When was the last time you had lunch with someone below the poverty line?
When was the last time you wrote a thank you letter to the IRS? :-)
When was the last time you hung out with "sinners" - in their homes?

Tough litmus test.

Mark 2:13-14

Jesus then heads back to the lake. I wonder where He was exactly: within Capernaum city limits (it's on the shore), along a road of some kind, or close to some fishermen on the beach. I ask because I am curious what kind of tax collector Levi was. Did he collect travel taxes? Did he collect taxes from the fishermen? If he levied taxes against the fishermen, Simon the Zealot was not the only one with whom Levi would have had confrontations. I'm sure Zebedee didn't appreciate paying his fishing taxes which in turn would affect Peter, Andrew, James and John.

Poor Levi.

Yet, Jesus called him. I love Jesus' spunk - especially since he waits a while after he's already called the fishermen. I would have liked to see Peter's face when Jesus said, "Follow me" to Levi. What would Peter have thought? What would Levi have thought?

And the event culminates in a feast/party. Neat story.

Mark 2:8-12

"This amazed everyone and they praised G-D saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

To which I respond: "Saweeeeet!!!!" Jesus' response to the teachers of the law strikes home to my sense of justice. Not only does He put them in their place but heals the paralytic to everyone's amazement! And their response should be the response of all of us. They praised G-D!!!

Mark 2:6-7

When I read the stories in the Bible, I try to place myself in the "bad guys'" shoes. In this case, some teachers of the law question Jesus' ability to forgive, and we find out that Jesus lays into them rather harshly.

How many times do I question Jesus' ability to forgive myself and others? How many times do I look at someone and wonder how G-D could forgive them after all they have done to hurt me and those I love? How many times do I think of past sins - particularly that of wasted time - and wonder how G-D could not only forgive me but also help me make up that "lost" time?

Unfortunately, I find myself in the sandals of these Torah teachers - unwilling to receive and give the forgiveness G-D offers.

Mark 2:1-5

I am struck by verse five in this chapter. Jesus is back home in Capernaum and is so popular that five guys can't get in to see him. So four of them dig through the roof and lower the fifth right in front of Jesus. And what does Jesus say? "Son, your sins are forgiven." But why are they forgiven? IT'S THE FAITH OF THE FOUR FRIENDS!

Not the faith of the paralytic, but the faith of his friends that not only healed him but also spurred Jesus on to forgive His sins.

So what does this mean? Can the faith of parents carry their faithless children? (Job comes to mind.) Can a holy wife "save" her unholy husband? (Paul anyone?) Can those praying for us in monasteries "save" us?

This story sheds a whole new light on intercessory prayer. Who are some in your life that you have wept over. Who are some that you have skipped days of eating in order to pray for them? Who are some that you have sacrificed so much financially to help them? Who have you placed before the feet of Jesus?

Take heart, your faith may be their saving grace....

And perhaps your saving grace is because someone else placed you at the feet of the Anointed One.

Mark 1:40-45

This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible. I love how Jesus reaches out and touches the leper - the untouchable - before He says a word. What would happen if we actually touched people who are considered "unclean?" What would happen if we shook a hand, gave a hug, or even offered a kiss on the cheeks or forehead of someone who craved human touch? It would solve a whole lot of problems if people could feel genuine touch.

Mark 1:35-39

Jesus gets up early - before dawn - after staying up late into the night with people.

Do I have that kind of drive? I know there are people who can function on only several hours of sleep, but I am one of those who likes my 7-8 hours. But even with that amount of sleep, am I getting up to meet with G-? Am I driven so much by His love that I can't wait to spend time with Him?

I must confess that I do not always do that. I am unfortunately driven more by guilt (which in this case is better than not being driven at all) than I am by love and a desire to simply be with G-D. Jesus did not miss that. His relationship with the Father was close.

To which we say, "Duh, Geoff. He's G-D." Yes, and G-D desires that same oneness with Him for all of us.

And after His prayer, He leaves the crowds and continues to go to synagogues and drive out demons. Busy guy.

Mark 1:29-34

Mark moves quickly. Jesus shows up and after His baptism, wilderness journey, and calling of the disciples He is off healing like crazy. Fevers? No problem. Demons? Bring them on...just don't let them talk because they know who He is.

Jesus serves as almost an action figure. He answers the bat phone and it's off to the races. Jesus' popularity increases exponentially; what will He do next?

One has to wonder how exhausted Jesus is. It's been a big day and now crowds are pressing in at the door when one would normally wind down to go to bed. Yet Jesus remained with them that day and throughout much of the night, and then....

Mark 1:21-28

So when was the last time you had a demon show up in your church?

A great teacher shows up and in the midst of his sermon a person jumps up and asks what he wants. One can sense the demon's fear in the situation. "Have you come to destroy us?!" And what makes the demon think this? Because he knows who Jesus is - the Holy One of G-D.

We see this wording in Psalm 16, which Peter quotes in Acts 2 and Paul in Acts 13. It's a psalm of praise to G-D, and it appears to have several meanings. First, the psalmist refers to himself as a holy one - one of the saints who lives in the land (v. 3). Peter and Paul saw this as a reference to Jesus...and so did the demon. They understood the resurrection and the power of G-D over death. I LOVE it!

And apparently the people did as well. No wonder news spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee!