Mark 2-3
Mark 2-3
These chapters of Mark’s Gospel record Jesus’ early ministry in Galilee, and parallel events recorded in Mt 4, 8-9, and Lk 4-6. Jesus healed and taught—and interacted with His opponents. Mk 2-3 records Jesus’ early dialectic with the scribes and the Pharisees. But the text also records that those closest to Jesus, even His own family, were considered His opponents if they would not rightly evaluate Him—and act in accord with God’s will.
The leadership in Judaism opposed Jesus’ authority over matters which they considered themselves to be experts—like the means of forgiveness of sin (2.1-12). Thus, when the friends of a paralyzed man tore open a roof to get him near Jesus, He took the opportunity to deal with the lame one’s real need: forgiveness of sin. Jesus’ authority to forgive sin offended the scribes, but they could not discount the fact that such a large crowd watched the man walk away! The observers confessed, “We have never seen anything like this!” (2.12).
Jesus’ authority over the praxis of the Jewish law also offended the scribes and the Pharisees. While they often employed the law as a means of self-vindication before each other—ultimately with a view to justifying themselves before God—Jesus interpreted the Mosaic commands according to the eschatological framework of His entrance into the world. Thus:
- He could freely eat with the unclean (2.13-17). It should be understood that Jesus fully inverted the paradigm of Judaism in this matter. They would not eat with the unclean for fear of contamination (cf. Lev 11; Deut 14), He was so clean that eating with sinners could not mar His condition in the slightest. Jesus’ holiness could rub off on them!
- His disciples were not bound to fast in the same manner as their contemporaries (2.18-22). While Judaism required fasting only on the Day of Atonement (cf. Lev 16), it had become a voluntary, bi-weekly observance for the most devout followers of the Mosaic code. Jesus’ reply to the Pharisees’ query revealed that His entrance into the world brought a significant shift in the way all should view a relationship with God. His coming in the flesh demanded that all honor Him over-and-above contemporary signs of piety. In fact, all had to be made new in order to be right with God. Thus Jesus’ message was not to be viewed as an appendage to Judaism, like a new patch on an old garment, or new wine into old skins. His teaching was the “new wine,” and could only be appreciated by “fresh wineskins” (v. 22)
- He and His disciples were not bound by Sabbath commands (2.23-3.6). The Pharisees’ response to the disciples’ hunger in the grain field, and Jesus’ command to the one with a paralyzed hand, finally serve the same purpose: to reveal that, “the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (2.28). Jesus argued based upon the Old Testament precedent of David and his men eating the priestly showbread when they were on the run from Saul (cf. 1 Sam 21.1-6). While Ahimelech was serving as the official high priest when David took the bread, his descendant Abiathar was more well known, becoming high priest in dramatic fashion immediately after Ahimelech was killed by Saul (cf. 1 Sam 22.20-23); perhaps this is why Jesus referenced David’s actions during the general time of Abiathar (v. 26). If David and his men were excused then, then He and those with Him should be as well. But The Jewish leadership refused to submit to His Lordship; “Immediately the Pharisees went out and started plotting with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him” (3.6)
Jesus’ opponents thus recognized that He was no ordinary man; drastic steps were necessary if they were to maintain their grip on the religion of their day. The demons likewise recognized something special in Him—and their appraisal was closer to the mark than that of the Jewish leadership. Mark pointed up the fact that “Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, those possessed fell down before Him and cried out, ‘You are the Son of God!’” (3.11). Ultimately, the twelve were given authority over such demonic forces, again showing Jesus’ superiority over spirits (3.13-19).
In the final section of ch 3, Mark employed a favorite literary device, “the sandwich.” This is a narrative scheme in which a writer introduces an issue only to interrupt himself with another seemingly unrelated issue, and then return again to the original scene—at which time it becomes apparent that “the interruption” has served to help the reader better understand the author’s point in the whole of the matter. Mark recorded that, in light of Jesus’ growing fame, His family sought to restrain Him, even suggesting, “He’s out of His mind” (v. 21). Mark then turned the reader’s attention to the scribes from Jerusalem, who said of Jesus, “He has Beelzebul in Him!...He drives out demons by the ruler of demons!” (v. 22). Jesus, being the superior logician, called them to account for their foolishness: “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand” (v. 24). In the end, the reader is to understand that the comments of Jesus’ relatives are not far from those of the scribes; at times Jesus’ opponents even included His own family! For Jesus, “family” was limited only to those who understood Him—and did the will of God (vv. 31-35; cf. Lk 12.51-53).
The Gospel writers speak in harmony regarding Jesus’ place in the storyline of Scripture. They lived at perhaps the most significant juncture in salvation history—when God sent His Son to proclaim the good news of the kingdom for both Jews and Gentiles. In Mk 2-3 the author emphasizes Jesus’ unparalleled authority in action. For Mark, Jesus stands supreme as the One who has the ability to forgive sins, the freedom to eat with the unclean, and the right to interpret the Sabbath in light of His entrance into the world, all-the-while calling men to Himself who would serve as His apostles. In short, Jesus was not only proclaiming the kingdom of God in His sermons, He was also inaugurating it in His actions. It is no wonder then that even His mother and brothers needed to get in line with the time of His coming; God’s will had come in the flesh.
*For a complete list of references, please see scripturestoryline.com