Worthy.Bible » STRONG » Mark » Chapter 2 » Verse 18-22

Mark 2:18-22 King James Version with Strong's Concordance (STRONG)

18 And G2532 the disciples G3101 of John G2491 and G2532 of the Pharisees G5330 used G2258 to fast: G3522 and G2532 they come G2064 and G2532 say G3004 unto him, G846 Why G1302 do G3522 the disciples G3101 of John G2491 and G2532 of the Pharisees G5330 fast, G3522 but G1161 thy G4674 disciples G3101 fast G3522 not? G3756

19 And G2532 Jesus G2424 said G2036 unto them, G846 G3361 Can G1410 the children G5207 of the bridechamber G3567 fast, G3522 while G1722 G3739 the bridegroom G3566 is G2076 with G3326 them? G846 as long as G3745 G5550 they have G2192 the bridegroom G3566 with G3326 them, G1438 they cannot G3756 G1410 fast. G3522

20 But G1161 the days G2250 will come, G2064 when G3752 the bridegroom G3566 shall be taken away G522 from G575 them, G846 and G2532 then G5119 shall they fast G3522 in G1722 those G1565 days. G2250

21 No man G3762 also G2532 seweth G1976 a piece G1915 of new G46 cloth G4470 on G1909 an old G3820 garment: G2440 else G1490 the new piece G2537 that filled it up G4138 taketh away G142 from G846 the old, G3820 and G2532 the rent G4978 is made G1096 worse. G5501

22 And G2532 no man G3762 putteth G906 new G3501 wine G3631 into G1519 old G3820 bottles: G779 else G1490 the new G3501 wine G3631 doth burst G4486 the bottles, G779 and G2532 the wine G3631 is spilled, G1632 and G2532 the bottles G779 will be marred: G622 but G235 new G3501 wine G3631 must be put G992 into G1519 new G2537 bottles. G779

Commentary on Mark 2 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible


CHAPTER 2

Mr 2:1-12. Healing of a Paralytic. ( = Mt 9:1-8; Lu 5:17-26).

This incident, as remarked on Mt 9:1, appears to follow next in order of time after the cure of the leper (Mr 1:40-45).

1. And again he entered into Capernaum—"His own city" (Mt 9:1).

and it was noised that he was in the house—no doubt of Simon Peter (Mr 1:29).

2. And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door—This is one of Mark's graphic touches. No doubt in this case, as the scene occurred at his informant's own door, these details are the vivid recollections of that honored disciple.

and he preached the word unto them—that is, indoors; but in the hearing, doubtless, of the multitude that pressed around. Had He gone forth, as He naturally would, the paralytic's faith would have had no such opportunity to display itself. Luke (Lu 5:17) furnishes an additional and very important incident in the scene—as follows: "And it came to pass on a certain day, as He was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town," or village, "of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem." This was the highest testimony yet borne to our Lord's growing influence, and the necessity increasingly felt by the ecclesiastics throughout the country of coming to some definite judgment regarding Him. "And the power of the Lord was [present] to heal them"—or, "was [efficacious] to heal them," that is, the sick that were brought before Him. So that the miracle that is now to be described was among the most glorious and worthy to be recorded of many then performed; and what made it so was doubtless the faith which was manifested in connection with it, and the proclamation of the forgiveness of the patient's sins that immediately preceded it.

3. And they come unto him—that is, towards the house where He was.

bringing one sick of the palsy—"lying on a bed" (Mt 9:2).

which was borne of four—a graphic particular of Mark only.

4. And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press—or, as in Luke (Lu 5:19), "when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude," they "went upon the housetop"—the flat or terrace-roof, universal in Eastern houses.

they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed—or portable couch

wherein the sick of the palsy lay—Luke (Lu 5:19) says, they "let him down through the tilling with his couch into the midst before Jesus." Their whole object was to bring the patient into the presence of Jesus; and this not being possible in the ordinary way, because of the multitude that surrounded Him, they took the very unusual method here described of accomplishing their object, and succeeded. Several explanations have been given of the way in which this was done; but unless we knew the precise plan of the house, and the part of it from which Jesus taught—which may have been a quadrangle or open court, within the buildings of which Peter's house was one, or a gallery covered by a veranda—it is impossible to determine precisely how the thing was done. One thing, however, is clear, that we have both the accounts from an eye-witness.

5. When Jesus saw their faith—It is remarkable that all the three narratives call it "their faith" which Jesus saw. That the patient himself had faith, we know from the proclamation of his forgiveness, which Jesus made before all; and we should have been apt to conclude that his four friends bore him to Jesus merely out of benevolent compliance with the urgent entreaties of the poor sufferer. But here we learn, not only that his bearers had the same faith with himself, but that Jesus marked it as a faith which was not to be defeated—a faith victorious over all difficulties. This was the faith for which He was ever on the watch, and which He never saw without marking, and, in those who needed anything from Him, richly rewarding.

he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son—"be of good cheer" (Mt 9:2).

thy sins be forgiven thee—By the word "be," our translators perhaps meant "are," as in Luke (Lu 5:20). For it is not a command to his sins to depart, but an authoritative proclamation of the man's pardoned state as a believer. And yet, as the Pharisees understood our Lord to be dispensing pardon by this saying, and Jesus not only acknowledges that they were right, but founds His whole argument upon the correctness of it, we must regard the saying as a royal proclamation of the man's forgiveness by Him to whom it belonged to dispense it; nor could such a style of address be justified on any lower supposition. (See on Lu 7:41, &c.).

6. But there were certain of the scribes—"and the Pharisees" (Lu 5:21)

sitting there—those Jewish ecclesiastics who, as Luke told us (Lu 5:17), "were come out of every village of Galilee, and Judea, and Jerusalem," to make their observations upon this wonderful Person, in anything but a teachable spirit, though as yet their venomous and murderous feeling had not showed itself.

and reasoning in their hearts.

7. Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only?—In this second question they expressed a great truth. (See Isa 43:25; Mic 7:18; Ex 34:6, 7, &c.). Nor was their first question altogether unnatural, though in our Lord's sole case it was unfounded. That a man, to all appearances like one of themselves, should claim authority and power to forgive sins, they could not, on the first blush of it, but regard as in the last degree startling; nor were they entitled even to weigh such a claim, as worthy of a hearing, save on supposition of resistless evidence afforded by Him in support of the claim. Accordingly, our Lord deals with them as men entitled to such evidence, and supplies it; at the same time chiding them for rashness, in drawing harsh conclusions regarding Himself.

8. Why reason ye these things in your hearts—or, as in Matthew, (Mt 9:4) "Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts?"

9. Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee—or "are forgiven thee";

or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed and walk?—"Is it easier to command away disease than to bid away sin? If, then, I do the one which you can see, know thus that I have done the other, which you cannot see."

10. But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins—that forgiving power dwells in the Person of this Man, and is exercised by Him while on this earth and going out and in with you.

(he saith to the sick of the palsy),

11. I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house—This taking up the portable couch, and walking home with it, was designed to prove the completeness of the cure.

12. And immediately he arose, took up the bed—"Sweet saying!" says Bengel: "The bed had borne the man: now the man bore the bed."

and went forth before them all—proclaiming by that act to the multitude, whose wondering eyes would follow him as he pressed through them, that He who could work such a glorious miracle of healing, must indeed "have power on earth to forgive sins."

We never saw it on this fashion—"never saw it thus," or, as we say, "never saw the like." In Luke (Lu 5:26) it is, "We have seen strange [unexpected] things to-day"—referring both to the miracles wrought and the forgiveness of sins pronounced by Human Lips. In Matthew (Mt 9:8) it is, "They marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men." At forgiving power they wondered not, but that a man, to all appearance like one of themselves, should possess it!

Mr 2:13-17. Levi's (OR Matthew's) Call and Feast. ( = Mt 9:9-13; Lu 5:27-32).

See on Mt 9:9-13.

Mr 2:18-22. Discourse on Fasting. ( = Mt 9:14-17; Lu 5:33-39).

See on Lu 5:33-39.

Mr 2:23-28. Plucking Corn-ears on the Sabbath Day. ( = Mt 12:1-8; Lu 6:1-5).

See on Mt 12:1-8.