Knowing Jesus through Mark Chapter 2

This week we move to chapter 2 of Mark's Gospel. It opens with the occasion of Jesus' preaching and teaching "at home" (verses 1-12). Tom Wright notes in his commentary, Mark for Everyone, that there is a strong possibility that this home might have literally been Jesus' home. He notes that Jesus had moved to Capernaum from Nazareth. After preaching and teaching in surrounding villages (1:38) Jesus came home to Capernaum. Much like a famous athlete or rock star, the Jesus paparazzi was crowding in.
Here are key elements and questions for verses 1-12.
- Jesus' first confrontation with the Pharisees and religious authorities in Mark. There are a string of these in chapter 2, beginning in verse 6 during the story of the healing of the paralytic. This time it seems subtle. The scripture says, they were "questioning in their hearts..." about Jesus' authority to forgive sins after his forgiveness of the paralytic man who has been lowered through his roof. (Wright jokes that maybe Jesus is forgiving him for cutting through the roof of his home). Jesus perceives that there are questions in the crowd and he addresses those in verses 8-12.
- Jesus' first issuance of forgiveness in Mark
- Jesus responds to an interruption when the paralyzed man is lowered into the room - come on Sunday, this will be a key question for us during the sermon.
Key elements and questions for verses 13-17
- Jesus continues calling disciples to follow, this time its Levi, a tax collector. Chapter 1 its fishermen, chapter 2 its a tax collector. In both cases, the scripture takes note of the family heritage in the business they are leaving. In chapter 1, verse 20, it notes that James and John are leaving their father Zebedee in the family business to follow Jesus. Here in Chapter 2, it is Levi, son of Alphaeus. Jesus finds them in the tax booth.
- Jesus eats dinner with Levi and other sinners in Levi's home. Jesus responds to the criticism of the scribes by saying essentially that he will be found with those who need him most. Note also that he is on their turf, in Levi's home.
- A key question on Sunday is discerning where we might find Jesus if we looked for him in our community.
Key elements and questions for Verses 18-28
- The confrontations with the religious authorities continues...here it is out loud and about the Jewish laws related to fasting and the sabbath
- Jesus uses common everyday examples to teach. Verses 21-22 use old wineskins and new wineskins. Tom Wright replaces that with bottles in order to illustrate the obvious - "new wine in old bottles will result in broken bottles and wasted wine." Wright goes on to say that "what Jesus is doing can't be fitted in to the existing ways of thinking and living."
*The following is a link to an article written after a powerful sermon given on Mark 2: 1-12 by Rev. Peter Storey. He was the main preacher at the 2008 gathering of the Texas Annual Conference meeting in the Woodlands last May. It has some of his stirring reflections on this passage and what it might mean for churches. Don't be surprised if I quote some of it Sunday!
http://www.txcumc.org/news_detail.asp?pkvalue=627

I invite your thoughts on Mark 2. Scroll up to the top here and click on "comments." Check out a Sunday school class for further study also.