We are continuing through Mark, which is written with process in mind–processing who Jesus is. Mark is saying, Walk with me, process these moments, process these interactions, feel it building, join the process. Don’t just look for Jesus-information. Join the process, know Him, have relationship with Jesus. It changes everything.
Hearing about a person is radically different from meeting a person, getting to know a person. Mark is a doorway to process this meeting. The good news is Jesus, and knowing Him is the foundation. Build on it.
Today, we come to a section that has a clear theme: Jesus being bombarded by questions by the religious authorities, and His responses. Before we jump into the text today, I want us to think about and process questions a little.
Think about what makes a good question: It has purpose. It is clear, simple, concise. It is open ended and well timed. It is not leading. It fosters engagement and processing.
And the reverse–here’s what makes a bad question: It is not going anywhere. It is difficult to understand, or complex and convoluted. It runs on and on and has several qualifiers. It is closed ended, poorly timed, or leading to an obvious preferred answer. It fosters closed-off thinking and discourages processing.
We have three dialogue questions about this. Here’s the first one:
What do repeated good questions from a person reveal about him or her?
Now the mirror question, again looking for the insight that is gathered from the questions.
What do repeated bad questions from a person reveal about him or her?
One more question, this time about the responses to questions. How a person responds says a lot. Maybe we don't always think about it, but responses give us tons of information.
Besides what a person says, what can you learn about a person by how they respond to questioning?
So we have opened the door to process what can be understood from the questions asked and from the responses as well. Now let's have some fun and build some thought processes into actual questions.
Here is the list of Time’s most influential people of 2022: https://time.com/collection/100-most-influential-people-2022/.
If you were going to ask one question of one person on this list, what would you ask and why?
Now, here is a second list for you: Jesus. This may feel a little kitschy, cliche, or hokey, but work the process before we jump into Mark.
If you were going to ask one question of Jesus, what would you ask and why?
Mark 2 and the beginning of chapter 3 have an over-the-top theme of question and response. Jesus is being Jesus. The religious authorities call it into question and ask a question. Jesus responds.
Mark is being very intentional in this grouping of stories. He is walking us in the process of knowing Jesus. So let’s process.
The first story:
A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:1-12)
Question: Why does this guy think He can forgive sins?
Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:6-7)
Response: Which is easier, to heal or to forgive?
Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” (Mark 2:9-11)
The second story:
Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:13-17)
Question: Why does this guy connect with bad people?
When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (Mark 2:16)
Response: It is not the healthy that need a doctor.
On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)
The third story:
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast. “No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. Otherwise, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, they pour new wine into new wineskins.” (Mark 2:18-22)
Question: Why doesn’t this guy require His disciples to fast?
Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” (Mark 2:18)
Answer: Because they are with the Bridegroom.
Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.” (Mark 2:19-20)
The next story:
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:23-28)
Question: Why does this guy allow people to work on the Sabbath?
One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” (Mark 2:23-24)
Answer: The Sabbath was made for the people, not people made for the Sabbath.
Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” (Mark 2:27-28)
The last story:
Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. (Mark 3:1-6)
Question: Why does this guy help people on the Sabbath?
Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. (Mark 3:2)
Answer: Should we do good or evil on the Sabbath?
Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. (Mark 3:4)
There’s so much here, and it’s so easy to focus on the questions and the answers. And we should. But let’s dig in a bit. Keep these stories in mind as you process together.
What are these questions revealing about the character of the religious authorities?
They reveal that they are skeptical of Jesus' authority. They question Jesus' ability to forgive sins, and they accuse Him of blasphemy for claiming to have such authority. This shows that they see themselves as the only ones who have the authority to forgive sins, and they're uncomfortable with the idea of Jesus having that same power.
They reveal that they are concerned with upholding the letter of the law rather than its spirit. They accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath laws by healing people on the Sabbath, and they interpret the actions of Jesus with a strict adherence to the rules and regulations, rather than looking at the compassion and mercy behind His actions.
They reveal that they are more interested in their own authority than in the well-being of the people. They criticize Jesus for doing good on the Sabbath, and they're more interested in maintaining their own power and status, rather than helping the people in need.
They reveal that they are jealous of Jesus' popularity. They accuse Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, in an attempt to discredit Him and undermine His growing influence among the people.
Lastly, the questions they ask reveal that they are resistant to change, they are set on their beliefs, and they are not willing to entertain the possibility that Jesus might be right and they are wrong.
Now, the focus of the text isn’t on more clearly understanding the religious authorities.., but on knowing Jesus. Part of the window into knowing Jesus is knowing the people He interacted with.
Remember the layers of response to a question–that there are the words, but there are also other aspects of response–as you process this:
What do Jesus’ responses reveal about Him?
They reveal that Jesus has a deep understanding of God's laws and teachings. He is able to draw on scripture and the traditions of the faith to defend his actions, and He is able to articulate the spiritual principles behind his teachings in a way that is both profound and accessible.
They reveal that Jesus is compassionate and merciful. He is not concerned with adhering strictly to the letter of the law, but rather He is motivated by compassion and mercy when healing people on the Sabbath or forgiving sins.
They reveal that Jesus is not concerned with His own authority but rather the well-being of the people. He is more focused on helping the people, doing good, and spreading God's message, and He is willing to challenge the status quo in order to do so.
They reveal that Jesus is confident in His own authority and mission. He is not intimidated by the religious leaders' accusations or skeptical questions. Instead, He responds with authority, grace, and wisdom.
They reveal that Jesus is challenging the religious leaders to think differently and to see things from a new perspective. He exposes their legalism and hypocrisy, and He calls them to a deeper understanding of God's love and compassion.
Okay. So far today, we have processed what makes a good or bad question as well as what good and/or bad questions reveal about the character of the asker. We talked about what we would ask Jesus. We looked at what the religious authorities asked Jesus and discussed what the questions and answers revealed.
Who is Jesus? Jesus has the power to forgive sins and the power to heal. Jesus’ whole mission on earth was to call, teach, and save sinners. Jesus came into conflict with the religious leaders and religious expectations of the day. Who is Jesus? I think this final question really opens the door for us to process who Jesus is:
How do you think Jesus responds to today’s cultural criticism of Him? Of Christians?
Take It Deeper Questions
- Read Mark 2 & 3.
- Who is one of the most outlandish teachers/mentors/bosses you’ve ever had?
- Do you remember a moment where they were really hard to understand?
- Did you ever question their way of doing things?
- Now that you have some distance from them (if you have distance from them), do you have any positive memories of what you learned from them?
- What allows you to change your mind, when you were sure you were right?
- Reading this text, what questions do you have about who Jesus is?
- What do your questions reveal to you about you?
Bible Reading Plan
- Mark 2
- Mark 3
- Matthew 9
- Matthew 12
- Matthew 4
- Luke 5
- Luke 6