Bible Verse Synopsis 7-1-25

Mark 2:

Jesus returned to Capernaum to escape the fame that the leper caused Him. However, that did not work. The people gathered around the place where He stayed. He preached to them even though there was barely room to open the door. Despite Jesus’s desire to remain without fame, He had achieved it with His works and His words. Would Jesus find this fame in the world today? How would we treat Him if He were here with us?

Because of crowd around Jesus, some men couldn’t get to Him. Verse 4 says: “And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.” These men went to the roof, opened up a hole in it and lay down the man with palsy into the place where Jesus was. In Verse 5: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” Jesus was not upset nor afraid of the man. Instead, He cured the man of his disease.” These men demonstrated a tremendous level of Faith. So much so that Jesus released the man from the sins of his life and his heart. Do you have the Faith necessary for Christ to heal you of your diseases? Maybe the most important question isn’t that one. Instead, the question is; Is your Faith in Him great enough to be forgiven for eternity and to enter the kingdom?

Those who were closer amongst Him include some scribes. Verse 7:”Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?” They did not know what they do. They did not recognize that Jesus was the son of God. They were blinded by their doubt. Is that ever us? Confused and unsure about the things in this world that we don’t understand. Solomon tells us the search for this knowledge is vanity. Jesus perceived that doubt that reprimanded them. Verse 8: “Why reason ye these things in your hearts?” And in verse 10: “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)” So, Jesus told the sick man to rise up from his bed, take it with him, and leave the house. And sure enough he did. Jesus also proclaims His standing and the nature of His power. How deaf are our ears to the Word of the Lord?

Jesus welcomed all to His table. The Pharisees judged Him for this. Verse 15: “they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?” Jesus heard them and answered in Verse 16: “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Jesus came for all of the world and He is proclaiming such. The amount of information we learn about Christ from these short stories is astounding. Are you listening to the Word - or just reading the words? If we aren't careful we can fall into the same trap. The words hold the key to the instruction we so badly need in our lives. Again, are you listening to the Word - or just reading the words?

Jesus compares Himself to a bride groom, a new patch on an old garment, and a new wine bottle in verses 19-22. He is telling us here that His purpose is different than that of the Old Law. He is new and brings a new Covenant. This New Covenant does not belong as a patch of the Old Testament, but stands apart. Verse 21: "else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse." Mixing the two would only create confusion and division amongst the Jews and the rest of the world. With the New Covenant and the Old Testament together, we can form a complete picture of God's purpose for us. The whole Bible is a lesson book. How will you apply it to your life?

The disciples began to pick the field corn on the Sabbath day. The Pharisees asked Jesus why they break the law? Jesus reaches back to Samuel's lessons in the Old Testament for his reply. He references David taking the shewbread from Abiathar the High Priest, which was only for the priests. Verse 27 says: "And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:" Verse 28:"Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath." This is the utter destruction of the Old Law. Eat the shewbread. Jesus has authority over that Law. But the sabbath was made for man. If working for the Lord directly, the sabbath had little meaning because Christ called. His calling is higher and more important than honoring the Old Law. Jesus, being one with God, is also Lord of the sabbath. If he told the disciples to pick corn, I would probably agree and let them do what He asked of them. But this doubt the Pharisees have comes from greed. Jesus is a threat to their livelihood and their power. Greed wants to keep those things in our pocket for us to use at any point in time. We are not called to do those things. Instead, we are called to lay down our sword and pick up His sword and armor. Are you prepared to recognize God as the Father and Jesus the Son? Is it time we look deeper to find meaning outside of ourselves?