Son of Man - Mark 2:10
Jesus referred to himself as the
Son of Man more often than with any other title. The phrase was used in Daniel 7:13, 14 to refer to a heavenly being who became a messianic figure. Jesus claimed that he was the Son of Man and that he was able to forgive sins at that very moment, not just in heaven; but here on the earth. See the article on the titles of Christ. The healing was the proof that Jesus also had the authority to forgive sins.
Lake - Mark 2:13
The
lake is a reference to the Sea of Galilee.
Tax collectors - Mark 2:14
In Mark 3:18 and Matt 9:9
Levi is called
Matthew. The tax collectors were Jews who were appointed by the Roman authorities. They collected taxes for Rome and then often charged their own people outrageous fees for themselves. They were hated by the people and regarded as sinners. Because Levi set up his
tax collector's tent by the lake he probably taxed the fishing industry in which at least four of the other disciples had earned their living.
Pharisees - Mark 2:16
The
Pharisees promoted obedience not only to the written law of the Old Testament, but also to the oral law. The oral law were the traditions that were developed over the centuries as Israel tried to apply the scriptures to the ever changing life in Palestine. At its best it was an attempt to help people keep God's law. At its worst it was a man-made religion of works that tried to earn God's favor. The Pharisees were greatly respected by most of the Jews. The Pharisees refused to associate with those that they regarded as
sinful people. They accused Jesus of blurring the lines between the righteous and the unrighteous.
Jesus came to call sinful people - Mark 2:17
Jesus made it clear that the reason he came was not to enjoy the company of the
righteous people; but instead he came to call
sinful people to respond to the preaching of the good news of God.
Fasting - Mark 2:18
Fasting was required only once a year in Judaism, on the Day of Atonement (Lev.16:29-31). In Jesus' day, however, many Jews fasted much more frequently. Fasting, especially when combined with prayer, was a powerful way of expressing repentance or neediness. Some in the crowd appealed to Jesus because his disciples did not seem to be practicing fasting. As their leader Jesus was expected to guide them into sacred practices. In Matt. 6:16-18 Jesus seems to have assumed that his followers would fast.The bridegroom - Mark 2:19-20
Jesus responded by comparing himself to a bridegroom. Jesus expected his disciples to be rejoicing while he was with them. When he was gone there would be time for fasting.Making all things new - Mark 2:21-22
In two short parables Jesus stressed that he was making all things new. New, unshrunken cloth and new wine were pictures of the new day that was dawning in the history of God's people. While Jesus, the Messianic King, was with them there was no place for the rituals of the earlier days. In future days when the king was no longer in their midst and the kingdom was not yet present in its fullness there would be a time for fasting.Picking a little grain on the Sabbath - Mark 2:23-24
The Pharisees challenged Jesus because his disciples picked some grain to eat on the Sabbath. The issue was not stealing. Deut.23:25 allowed this kind of picking a little grain from someone else's field as long as you didn't try to harvest the crop. Similarly, harvesting a crop was forbidden on the Sabbath by Exodus 34:21. The legalism of the Pharisees went further than the Old Testament law and claimed that this picking of some grain was the same as a harvest violation of the Sabbath.
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