Mark Chapter 2

Mark 1:28 And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee. Mark 1:45b …and people were coming to him from every quarter.

While Jesus continually preached His message of the Good News, the crowds grew more and more as word spread like wildfire about the miracles He performed. The amassing of crowds wherever Jesus went had become so great that some men who needed to get a paralyzed man to Him for healing could not. There were just too many people in the way.

This chapter begins with the thought that people wanted to be with Jesus wherever He went. They wanted to hear His teachings, and they wanted to see His miracles.

The chapter ends with a reminder that Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath. A day that the Jews dedicated to spending time in worship to God and now to Jesus.

We no longer worship on the Sabbath (Saturday) but on Sundays as we remember His resurrection; but are we pressing down the doors to get into a church to worship Him? Are we seeking to worship the Lord of the Sabbath and of Sunday?

Let's Reflect

1. Where was Jesus teaching from when some men brought a paralyzed man to be healed?

2. When they could not get in to see Jesus because of the crowd they opened up the roof and they let the man on his bed down with ropes. What did Jesus say to the man who needed to be healed?

3. The scribes were upset that Jesus said this, why?

4. When the paralyzed man did receive his healing and got up and walked, the people glorified God and said what?

5. Jesus passed by a tax collector named Levi (or Matthew) and He said two words to this man that compelled him to act. What did he say to Levi?

6. Why did the scribes and the Pharisees have an issue with who Jesus ate food with?

7. The Pharisees were known for fasting twice a week. They accused Jesus’ disciples of not fasting as proper religious leaders should do. Jesus asked why they should fast since He was with them now. What Old Testament word did He call Himself? See verses 19-20

Jesus explained that trying to fit the new (His gospel) into the old way of doing things (the Pharisees traditions) was simply not going to work.

8. The Pharisees continued to look for accusations they could use against the disciples of Jesus. What did they accuse the disciples of doing in verses 23-27? How did Jesus refute their accusations?