Early Reactions to Jesus

MEMORY VERSE: “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” —I Corinthians 1:18

MARK 2:1-12, 15-17

FOR a few days following his first visit to Capernaum Jesus was obliged to remain in desert places. This was due to the fact that a leper whom he had healed undertook to tell the people about it, or to “blaze abroad the matter,” as the record states, with the result that the Master “could no more openly enter into the city.” However, the people sought him out in the desert places, “and they came to him from every quarter.”—Mark 1:44,45

The time came, however, when Jesus was able to return to Capernaum, and today’s lesson finds him in the city “in the house.” The account does not state whose house this was, but it could have been the home of Peter and Andrew, where Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law, who had been ill of a fever. In any event the news spread that Jesus was in this house, and “straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the Word unto them.”—Mark 2:1,2

Jesus used every possible opportunity to preach the “Word” to those about him. The “Word” he preached was the glorious Gospel of salvation that would come to the people through him and through the agencies of his long-promised kingdom. Salvation for the world during the thousand years of his kingdom was to bring about release from sin, sickness, and death; and he freely demonstrated that the power of God was abundantly able to accomplish the release of the people from pain and death by the many miracles he performed.

Indeed, it was Jesus’ miracles which were largely responsible for attracting the multitudes to the Master. Not many were particularly impressed by his preaching. As our memory verse states, the preaching of the cross to unbelievers is foolishness. A mere spoken message calling attention to the promises of God was no more effective then than it is today, even though the words came from the lips of One who spake as never man spoke before.

But the miracles the people could understand, and to a point appreciate. It was so of those who gathered in the house in Capernaum in which they learned Jesus was residing. So many people assembled on this occasion that the house would not hold them. They crowded out through the doorway, and when a man sick of the palsy and not able to walk was brought on his bed, the only way to get him into the house, and to Jesus, was to lay open the roof, and carefully lower the bed bearing the afflicted one down into the room into the presence of Jesus.

When Jesus saw this demonstration of faith in his ability to heal he said to the sick man, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.” (vs. 5) There were scribes present, and when they heard Jesus say this they reasoned in their hearts, “Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?” Jesus could and did read what was in their hearts, and propounded a question to them, “Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed and walk?”—vss. 5-9

Then Jesus instructed the sick man to take up his bed and walk, and he did. Those present were greatly amazed, “and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.” (vs. 12) We are not to suppose from this that all who are afflicted with illness have committed some gross sin and are being punished for it. However, sickness and death in general are the result of sin, and we have this truth pointed up for us by this miracle. Divine mercy through the forgiveness of sin was apparently necessary in order for this afflicted one to be healed.

The scribes and Pharisees were also unhappy because Jesus ate with publicans and sinners. (vss. 15-17) In response to the question as to why he did this, Jesus replied, “They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” The scribes and Pharisees were not actually “whole,” or righteous, but they claimed to be, and this was the basis of Jesus’ reply.

QUESTIONS

What intervened between Jesus’ first and second visits to Capernaum?

What is the basic cause of sickness and death?

Who were the “righteous” referred to by Jesus in verse 17 of the lesson?

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