Mark 2:13-17 Jesus came not for the righteous but for sinners

Jesus went out along the sea.
All the crowd came to him and he taught them.
As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus,
sitting at the customs post.
Jesus said to him, "Follow me."
And he got up and followed Jesus.
While he was at table in his house,
many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples;
for there were many who followed him.
Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners
and tax collectors and said to his disciples,
"Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?"
Jesus heard this and said to them,
"Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

In this passage we see the Jesus did not come to save the devout and pious. Jesus' ministry is to those who are lost. Here we get a glimpse into Jesus' followers. They were a diverse group coming from many backgrounds. Jesus is followed by fishermen,tax collectors, and sinners. Tax collectors would have been hated in Jesus' time because they did not collect wages from the roman empire. They had to inflate the cost of the taxes to support themselves. They were seen as sell outs by their own people because they supported a foreign occupying power. Jesus' remark: "I did not come to call the righteous but sinners" reminds us that we are all sinners. Jesus came to help all of us.

Mark 2:12 The Paralytic is Lowered Through the Roof

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him,
"Child, your sins are forgiven."
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
"Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?"
Jesus immediately knew in his mind what
they were thinking to themselves,
so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"
-he said to the paralytic,
"I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home."
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."

In this passage, Jesus heals the paralytic in a fantastic way. Here we see the paralytic's faith and desire to encounter Jesus. Jesus appears to be able to read another man's mind. This event highlights Jesus' divinity.  This parable also shows that miracles in the Gospel of Mark rely on the person's faith in order to work. Had the paralytic not had such faith the healing would not have taken place.

Mark 1:40-45 The Messianic Secret, Jesus heals the Leper

A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said,
"If you wish, you can make me clean."
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand,
touched the leper, and said to him,
"I do will it. Be made clean."
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once.
Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them."
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad
so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places,
and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

In this passage we see a typical theme found in the Gospel of Mark, the Messianic Secret. Here Jesus touches the leper, something that was very taboo at the time and violated the Jewish Religious Law, and tells the leper not to tell anyone. Instantly the leper goes and tells everyone. This is a common theme found in the Gospel of Mark. The healing of this leper appears to be rooted in a historical event because touching a leper was inconsistent with the general attitude towards lepers while being consistent with Jesus' message of salvation.

Mark 1:29-39 Jesus drives out demons even though they know him

On leaving the synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn,
he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you."
He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come."
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee.

In this passage, Mark gives us a snapshot of Jesus' Ministry. It is clear that Jesus healed the sick, he exercised people of demons, he prayed, and went from village to village preaching. This is his ministry which took place after his baptism which lasted about three years until he was crucified. Although some may dispute his divinity, scholars all agree that he was a real person who actively ministered to the communities around him. Another interesting note is that in the passage about driving out the demons, the demons knew he was the Son of Man and Jesus prevented them from speaking. This goes back to the tradition that if a demon knew your name it could control you. If you knew the demon's name you can control it. Here, the demon knows Jesus' true identity and yet he is able to control the demon, making him a super demon crusher.

Mark 1:7-11 Jesus' Baptism Marks the Beginning of His Ministry

This is what John the Baptist proclaimed:
"One mightier than I is coming after me.
I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals.
I have baptized you with water;
he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."

It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee
and was baptized in the Jordan by John.
On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open
and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him.
And a voice came from the heavens,
"You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased."

In this passage, Mark illustrates for us the baptism of Jesus. Here we learn a little bit about John the Baptist. His work in proclaiming one mightier than he connects his prophetic work to the prophesy found in Malachi that the Lord will send Elijah. John the Baptist is the New Elijah and here he baptizes Jesus with water. In Mark's baptism Jesus encounters a Dove, an allusion to the Holy Spirit. The voice from the heavens is God the Father's who is blessing Jesus and saying to the world that Jesus' relationship to the Father is that he is the Son of God. Jesus' baptism marks the commissioning of his ministry. 

Matthew 2:1-12 The Visitation of the Magi, Behold Christ our New Born King

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
in the days of King Herod,
behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
"Where is the newborn king of the Jews?
We saw his star at its rising
and have come to do him homage."
When King Herod heard this,
he was greatly troubled,
and all Jerusalem with him.
Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people,
He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea,
for thus it has been written through the prophet:
And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah;
since from you shall come a ruler,
who is to shepherd my people Israel."
Then Herod called the magi secretly
and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance.
He sent them to Bethlehem and said,
"Go and search diligently for the child.
When you have found him, bring me word,
that I too may go and do him homage."
After their audience with the king they set out.
And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them,
until it came and stopped over the place where the child was.
They were overjoyed at seeing the star,
and on entering the house
they saw the child with Mary his mother.
They prostrated themselves and did him homage.
Then they opened their treasures
and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they departed for their country by another way.

In this passage, Matthew the Evangelist is highlighting Jesus' kingship by having not poor shepherds but magi who adorn him with expensive gifts. Matthew's goal appears to be connecting the birth of Jesus with that of Moses and placing his emphasis on Jesus' royal lineage and his connection to the House of David. This is likely because Matthew is writing to a Jewish audience who would have been familiar with the prophecy that the Messiah will come from the House of David. The magi who visit Jesus were likely scholars and astronomers who were possibly following a comet. Although the magi met with Herod, their real purpose was to met the King of Heaven and Earth, Jesus the Christ.

John 2:1-11 Wedding at Cana, Jesus brings people to him through signs

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee,
and the mother of Jesus was there.
Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.
When the wine ran short,
the mother of Jesus said to him,
"They have no wine."
And Jesus said to her,
"Woman, how does your concern affect me?
My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servers,
"Do whatever he tells you."
Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings,
each holding twenty to thirty gallons.
Jesus told them,
"Fill the jars with water."
So they filled them to the brim.
Then he told them,
"Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter."
So they took it.
And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine,
without knowing where it came from
(although the servers who had drawn the water knew),
the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him,
"Everyone serves good wine first,
and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one;
but you have kept the good wine until now."
Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee
and so revealed his glory,
and his disciples began to believe in him.

In this passage, Jesus brings people to him through the miracle of turning the water into wine. This marks the first sign in the Gospel of John. Unlike the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, miracles do not require the faith of the people present, miracles or signs are meant to bring people to faith. Here, Jesus turns the water into wine to prevent disgrace from coming upon the host. If the host had run out of wine it would have been a fiasco and brought disgrace to his family. Also it is important to note that these jars to whom the waiter is referring are not small but huge cauldrons that were placed in the house to purify one's self. Some scholars believe that Mary's role is important because she is the one who directs Jesus to perform this miracle out of compassion for the host.