Mark 2: Healing the Paralytic
Why was Capernaum called “home” and not Nazareth?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:1 A few days after Jesus arrived in Capernaum, people heard he had returned home.
King James
Mark 2:1 And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.
With what difficulty was the paralytic brought to Jesus? Whose faith brought him to Jesus?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:2–4 A crowd packed the room, so there was no space left, not even outside the door.
As Jesus spoke God’s word, four men carried a paralyzed man on a mat. They could not find a way into the house, so they went up onto the roof and lowered him through an opening in the tiles, into the midst of the crowd and right in front of Jesus.
King James
Mark 2:2–4 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. nd they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
Why did the teachers of the Law think Jesus was committing blasphemy by forgiving sins?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:5–7 Impressed by their faith, Jesus said, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.”
Some of the teachers of the Law murmured among themselves, “What is he saying? That is blasphemy. Only God can forgive sins.”
King James
Mark 2:5–7 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?
How did Jesus understand the teachers’ murmuring?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:8 Immediately, Jesus recognized their reaction. “Why are you thinking I’ve done something wrong?”
King James
Mark 2:8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?
How did Jesus’ ability to say, “Stand and walk,” prove his ability to say, “Your sins are forgiven”?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:9–11 “Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or, ‘Stand and walk’? So you may know the Son of Man has authority on Earth to forgive sins”—he turned to the paralyzed man—”get up. Take your mat and go home.”
King James
Mark 2:9–11 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? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house.
When the healed man left, what did the men who had brought him do?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:12 Without hesitation, the man stood, grabbed his mat, and walked through the amazed crowd to his own house. Everyone marveled and glorified God, saying, “We’ve never seen anything like this before.”
King James
Mark 2:12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.
Why did Jesus teach at the seashore and not somewhere else? What do you think he taught?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:13 Again, Jesus went to the Sea of Galilee and taught the large crowd that gathered around him at the shore.
King James
Mark 2:13 And he went forth again by the sea side; and all the multitude resorted unto him, and he taught them.
Why would Levi leave his business for an invitation to follow Jesus? What did he think he had to gain and lose?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:14 As he walked along, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the place where people paid taxes. “Follow me,” he said, and Levi got up and followed.
King James
Mark 2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
Why did Matthew invite tax collectors and outcasts for a feast with Jesus?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:15 Later, Matthew had a big feast for Jesus at his house. Many tax collectors and other outcasts who had become followers were among the dinner guests who ate with Jesus and his disciples.
King James
Mark 2:15 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him.
What reasons might the Pharisees and teachers of the Law to question what Jesus was doing? How do you think they felt about his answer?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:16–17 When the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law saw Jesus eating with them, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with such people?”
Jesus heard their questioning. “Healthy people do not need a doctor. The sick do. I have not come to invite to repentance those who think they are righteous. I have come for those who know they are sinners.”
King James
Mark 2:16–17 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, 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.
How would people know whether Jesus’ disciples ever fasted?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:18 One day, when the Pharisees and followers of John the Baptizer were fasting, some people said to Jesus, “Why do the Pharisees and John’s disciples fast, but your disciples never do?”
King James
Mark 2:18 And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?
For what reasons do people fast? Which are most important?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:19–20 Jesus said, “At a wedding, the friends of the bridegroom do not go without eating while he is still with them. But the day will come when he will be gone. Then they will fast.
King James
Mark 2:19–20 And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.
What does a patch of new cloth on old clothes or new wine in old wineskins have to do with fasting?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:21–22 “No one uses a piece of new cloth to patch old clothes. The patch would shrink, pull away from the old, and make the tear worse. Men do not pour new wine into old skins. If they did, the wineskin would burst, ruining both the wine and the wineskin. New wine is always kept in fresh skins so both are preserved.”
King James
Mark 2:21–22 No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse. And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
Why did the Pharisees think the disciples had committed a crime when the disciples picked grain to eat? What had the Pharisees missed in their judgment?
Author’s Thoughts
Author’s Insights Pending
Author’s Paraphrase
Mark 2:23–28 On a Sabbath day, Jesus went through the grain fields. His disciples picked some heads of grain.
When the Pharisees saw them, they said to Jesus, “Look! Your disciples are doing work that is not permitted on the Sabbath.”
“Haven’t you read,” Jesus said, “what David and his men did when they were hungry? When Abiathar was high priest, David entered the house of God and ate the sacred bread that only the priests were allowed to eat. He also gave loaves to his men. The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of the people, not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath. The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”
King James
Mark 2:23–28 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.