New Testament Studies: Mark (3): Chapter 2 v1 to 3 v6 -- David Pawson

Summary

The provided transcript is a detailed account of a sermon that delves into the reasons behind the opposition Jesus faced during his ministry, as recorded in Saint Mark's Gospel. The speaker explores the narrative of Jesus' interactions, such as forgiving a paralytic's sins, calling Levi the tax collector to follow him, and healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath. These acts challenged the authority of the religious leaders, including the scribes and Pharisees, and threatened their established order. The sermon also discusses the political collaboration between the Pharisees and the Herodians to counter Jesus' influence. The speaker emphasizes that Jesus' claims to authority, such as being the forgiver of sins, the physician of sinners, the bridegroom, the lord of the Sabbath, and the son of man, were direct challenges to the religious status quo and were perceived as a threat. The sermon concludes with a reflection on the necessity of Jesus' crucifixion for the salvation of sinners and an invitation to the congregation to partake in the Holy Communion, recognizing their need for forgiveness and the transformative power of Jesus' sacrifice.

Takeaways

• 📜 The story of Jesus forgiving the sins of a paralytic man and healing him is a central narrative in the passage, illustrating the faith of those who sought Jesus and His divine authority to forgive sins.
• ✝️ Jesus' interaction with the scribes and Pharisees highlights the tension between traditional religious authorities and Jesus' teachings, which challenged their established norms and authority.
• 🤔 The questioning of Jesus' authority by the scribes and Pharisees is a pivotal moment that reveals the depth of their skepticism and the beginning of their hostility towards Jesus.
• 🧐 Jesus' calling of Levi (Matthew) from his tax collector post and the subsequent dining with tax collectors and sinners demonstrates Jesus' mission to seek and save the lost, rather than exclude them.
• 🍷 The parable of the wedding guests and the new wine emphasizes that the joy of having Jesus present is reason enough for His disciples not to fast, contrasting with the fasting practices of John's disciples and the Pharisees.
• 📚 Jesus' teachings on the Sabbath, using the example of David eating the bread of the presence, assert that the Sabbath is made for man, and He, as the Son of Man, is Lord of the Sabbath.
• 🤲 The healing of the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath day is a direct challenge to the Pharisees' interpretation of the Sabbath laws, showing Jesus' priority of doing good and healing over legalistic adherence.
• ⛓ The opposition to Jesus from the religious leaders is rooted in His challenge to their authority and their perception of Him as a threat to their religious and social order.
• 🤯 The plotting of Jesus' assassination by the Pharisees and Herodians is a stark example of how deeply the religious leaders' animosity had turned into a desire to eliminate Him.
• 💭 The progression of sin, from thought to word to deed, is illustrated in the actions of those who opposed Jesus, starting with their internal thoughts of disbelief and culminating in the decision to kill Him.
• 🕊 The ultimate reason for Jesus' death was His claim of authority and divinity, which was seen as blasphemy by the religious leaders, leading to His crucifixion.

Q & A

What was the main reason for the opposition against Jesus in the early days of his ministry?

The main reason for the opposition was Jesus' claim to authority on Earth to forgive sins, his association with sinners and tax collectors, and his actions that challenged the religious leaders' interpretation of the Sabbath laws.

Why did the act of healing a paralytic man lead to opposition from the religious leaders?

The healing itself was not the issue; rather, it was Jesus' assertion of authority to forgive sins that troubled the religious leaders, as they believed only God could forgive sins.

How did Jesus' interaction with Levi, the tax collector, reflect his mission?

Jesus' call to Levi to 'follow me' and Levi's subsequent transformation from a tax collector to a disciple (and later the author of the Gospel of Matthew) illustrated Jesus' mission to seek and save the lost, including those considered outcasts by society.

What was the significance of the question Jesus posed regarding the easier thing to say: 'your sins are forgiven' or 'rise up and walk'?

The question highlighted the greater authority Jesus claimed to have on Earth, emphasizing that not only could he heal physical ailments, but he also had the divine power to forgive sins, which was a spiritual and theological act reserved for God alone.

Why did Jesus associate with tax collectors and sinners, and what was the reaction of the Pharisees and scribes?

Jesus associated with tax collectors and sinners to offer them redemption and forgiveness, which was contrary to the Pharisees' and scribes' practice of exclusion. This caused resentment and led them to question why Jesus, a perceived righteous teacher, would eat with such outcasts.

What was the issue with the Pharisees' approach to religion and how did Jesus challenge it?

The Pharisees' approach was overly legalistic and focused on external adherence to rules rather than an internal relationship with God. Jesus challenged this by emphasizing the importance of intent and heart over mere observance of rituals and laws.

How did Jesus' healing of the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath day provoke the Pharisees?

The Pharisees believed that performing a healing on the Sabbath was a violation of the day's sanctity, as it was considered work. Jesus, however, demonstrated that doing good and saving lives was not in conflict with the true spirit of the Sabbath.

What does the story of the scribes and Pharisees teach us about the dangers of religious hypocrisy?

The story illustrates the perils of focusing on outward displays of piety while neglecting genuine spirituality and compassion. Jesus condemned the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy, showing that true religion involves not just adherence to rules but also acts of mercy and love.

Why did Jesus use the analogy of new wine and new cloth to explain why his teachings were not compatible with the Pharisees' religious practices?

Jesus used these analogies to illustrate that his teachings represented a new covenant and a new way of understanding God's will. Just as new wine would burst old wineskins or a patch of new cloth would tear an old garment, his message of grace and forgiveness could not be contained within the Pharisees' strict and outdated interpretations of the law.

What was the role of the Herodians in the plot against Jesus?

The Herodians were political allies of the Pharisees in their opposition to Jesus. Since the Pharisees lacked the authority to execute Jesus, they sought the collaboration of the Herodians, who held political power and were also threatened by Jesus' growing influence.

How did Jesus' teachings on fasting challenge the Pharisees' religious practices?

Jesus taught that fasting should be a personal and genuine act of devotion rather than a public display or adherence to a prescribed schedule. This challenged the Pharisees' practice of fasting as a ritualistic observance, emphasizing instead a heart-felt connection with God.

Outlines

00:00

📖 Introducing Mark's Gospel: A Bible Study Session

The session begins with a call to study Mark’s Gospel, emphasizing the importance of engaging with the Bible directly. Participants are encouraged to turn to Mark chapter 2, and Bibles are provided to those who need them. The narrative covers Jesus returning to Capernaum, where he performs several miracles, including healing a paralytic by forgiving his sins. This act of forgiveness raises questions among the scribes about Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, highlighting a central theme of Jesus’ ministry.

05:02

🤔 Pondering the Opposition to Jesus’ Acts

The speaker reflects on the historical context of Jesus' actions and their reception, citing Socrates' prediction about the fate of a 'perfectly good man' on Earth. This sets the stage for exploring the intense opposition Jesus faced from the outset of his ministry. The narrative revisits specific incidents from the gospel where Jesus’ acts of kindness—like healing the paralytic and engaging with societal outcasts—sparked controversy and hatred, culminating in a plot against his life.

10:04

🚑 Jesus' Controversial Ministry Beyond Physical Healing

This section delves deeper into why Jesus' ministry provoked such strong opposition. It wasn’t just his miraculous healings but his engagement with deeper issues like sin and societal outcasts that challenged existing religious and social norms. Examples include Jesus calling Levi, a tax collector, and his willingness to dine with sinners, which clashed with the Pharisees' strict adherence to religious law and social separation.

15:05

⏳ Conflicts Over Religious Authority and Practices

The narrative addresses three pivotal stories that illustrate the growing conflict between Jesus and religious authorities, particularly focusing on the man with the withered hand healed on the Sabbath. The religious leaders' strict Sabbath observance is portrayed as rigid and out of touch with the spirit of the law, which Jesus challenges by prioritizing human need over ceremonial compliance.

20:07

📜 The Scribes and Pharisees: Gatekeepers of Religious Law

This section critiques the scribes and Pharisees, who were seen as the religious elite responsible for interpreting and enforcing Jewish law. Their inability to offer forgiveness or meaningful interaction with sinners is contrasted with Jesus' proactive and compassionate approach. The scribes, in particular, are depicted as legalistic and unable to address the deeper needs of the people.

25:09

🔗 Extremism in Religious Practice: The Case of the Pharisees

Explores the historical evolution of the Pharisees from a group intent on preserving Jewish identity against Hellenistic influences to their eventual rigid and extreme adherence to the law. This extremism is shown to alienate them from the common people and from the true spirit of the law, making them ineffective in dealing with real human needs.

30:09

🎭 Political Intrigue and the Plot Against Jesus

Describes how the opposition to Jesus escalated from quiet disapproval to active plotting. This transition involves the Pharisees and Herodians, who, despite their differences, unite in their desire to eliminate Jesus. This coalition highlights the lengths to which Jesus' opponents would go, driven by fear of losing their religious and political power.

35:10

🧠 The Psychology of Opposition: From Thoughts to Actions

Analyzes the progression of opposition to Jesus, beginning with internal thoughts and escalating to public actions. This progression underscores the inherent danger in allowing negative thoughts about Jesus to fester, as these can eventually lead to overt acts of hostility and violence.

40:12

🛡️ Defending Against Jesus: The Fear of Lost Authority

Focuses on the reasons why religious leaders felt threatened by Jesus. His challenges to their authority and reinterpretation of religious practices meant that they risked losing control over the populace. Jesus' innovative teachings did not align with their rigid frameworks, causing tension and resistance.

45:13

✨ The Revolutionary Nature of Jesus' Teachings

Explores Jesus' radical approach to religion, which was incompatible with existing Jewish practices. His teachings on fasting, the Sabbath, and religious authority illustrate a fundamental shift from external observance to internal spiritual experience, signifying a direct challenge to the status quo.

Keywords

💡Sin

Sin refers to an act regarded as going against divine law or a moral standard. In the video, it is a central theme as Jesus is portrayed as dealing with sins, specifically forgiving sins, which is a key reason for opposition against him. The concept is illustrated when Jesus tells the paralytic, 'your sins are forgiven,' signifying the depth of his spiritual authority and the connection between sin and suffering.

💡Forgiveness

Forgiveness is the act of pardoning or ceasing to hold a grudge for wrongdoing. The video emphasizes forgiveness as a divine act, with Jesus forgiving the sins of the paralytic, which is pivotal to the story and the opposition he faces. It is tied to the concept of faith and the belief in Jesus' divine ability to absolve sins.

💡Authority

Authority in this context refers to the power or right to give orders, make decisions, and enforce obedience. Jesus challenges the religious authorities by demonstrating his own authority to forgive sins, which is a direct affront to their established norms and power structures. His claim to authority is a source of conflict and leads to the Pharisees and scribes seeking his destruction.

💡Pharisees

The Pharisees were a Jewish sect known for their strict interpretation of the Mosaic law. In the video, they are portrayed as antagonists who oppose Jesus due to his challenge to their authority and his claim to a different, divine authority. Their reaction to Jesus' actions and teachings reflects the tension between traditional religious practices and the new teachings of Jesus.

💡Scribes

Scribes were Jewish scholars who were experts in Jewish law and were responsible for copying biblical texts. In the video, they are depicted as questioning Jesus' authority to forgive sins, which is a direct challenge to their role as interpreters of divine law. Their skepticism and the ensuing debate highlight the conflict between Jesus' teachings and the religious elite's understanding of the law.

💡Parable

A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson. Jesus uses parables in the video to explain complex spiritual concepts, such as the newness of his teachings compared to the old religious practices. For instance, he uses the parable of the patch and the wine skins to illustrate that his teachings cannot be combined with the old traditions.

💡Sabbath

The Sabbath is a day of rest and religious observance in Judaism, which falls on the seventh day of the week. In the video, Jesus' actions on the Sabbath, such as healing the man with the withered hand, are a point of contention. His disregard for the Pharisees' strict interpretation of Sabbath laws demonstrates his claim to be the Lord of the Sabbath, asserting his authority to redefine its observance.

💡Son of Man

The term 'Son of Man' is used by Jesus in the New Testament to refer to himself, often with divine connotations. In the video, Jesus uses this title to assert his divine authority and his role in the divine plan, particularly in relation to the coming judgment and redemption of humanity. It is a title that signifies both his humanity and his divine mission.

💡Religious Outcasts

Religious outcasts are individuals who are marginalized or excluded from religious communities due to their perceived sins or non-adherence to religious norms. In the video, Jesus is shown associating with such individuals, like tax collectors and sinners, which is a significant reason for the opposition against him. His inclusion of these outcasts demonstrates his mission to save individuals from sin, not just their physical ailments.

💡Redemption

Redemption is the act of saving or being saved from a state of sin, often through a form of atonement or sacrifice. The video presents Jesus as the means of redemption for humanity, with his teachings, miracles, and ultimate sacrifice on the cross. His willingness to die for the sins of humanity is central to the Christian belief in his role as the savior.

💡Holy Communion

Holy Communion, also known as the Eucharist, is a Christian sacrament that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples. In the video, the act of taking communion is presented as a way for believers to remember Jesus' sacrifice and to partake in the forgiveness of sins. It symbolizes the broken body and shed blood of Jesus, which is central to the Christian faith and the concept of redemption.

Highlights

The gathering was focused on studying Saint Mark's Gospel, specifically chapter 2 through to chapter 3 verse 6.

Jesus' return to Capernaum after some days resulted in a crowd so large that there was no room even about the door.

The story of the paralytic man being lowered through the roof demonstrates the faith of the people bringing him to Jesus.

Jesus forgave the sins of the paralytic, an act that raised questions among the scribes about his authority to forgive sins.

Jesus' ability to perceive the thoughts of the scribes and his response to their internal questions showcases his divine insight.

The authority of Jesus to forgive sins is demonstrated when he tells the paralytic to rise and walk, healing him both physically and spiritually.

Jesus' call to Levi, a tax collector, and Levi's subsequent following of Jesus, illustrates Jesus' mission to include outcasts.

The social dynamics of the time are highlighted as Jesus eats with tax collectors and sinners, drawing criticism from the Pharisees and scribes.

Jesus' response to the critics regarding his association with sinners underscores his mission to heal and save, not just the righteous.

The issue of fasting is discussed, with Jesus explaining that his disciples do not fast as they are in a state of spiritual celebration with him.

Jesus' healing of the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath day challenges the religious leaders' strict observance of the day.

The Pharisees' plotting against Jesus after the healing of the withered hand demonstrates their growing animosity.

The historical perspective on Jesus' opposition is provided by referencing Socrates' prediction that a perfectly good man would be murdered.

The opposition to Jesus is traced back to the beginning of his ministry, highlighting the strong emotions against him.

Three key occasions are identified where Jesus' actions led to the commencement of plots against him, illustrating the roots of the opposition.

The role of the scribes, Pharisees, and Herodians in opposing Jesus is detailed, showing the religious and political dimensions of the opposition.

Jesus' claim to authority and his divine identity are central to the opposition's hostility and their eventual decision to seek his death.

The concept of sin beginning in the heart, manifesting in words, and culminating in deeds is used to explain the progression of the opposition's hostility towards Jesus.

The final message encourages attendees to approach the Holy Communion recognizing their need for forgiveness and acknowledging Jesus as the savior and lord of their lives.

Transcripts

on Sunday evenings just now we're

studying Saint Mark's gospel together

will you please turn to chapter two if

you haven't got a Bible just raise your

hand the stewards have them available

for you one over here please any more

who need a Bible one down here

please don't be embarrassed if you

haven't got one another one down here

thank you anymore we need a Bible

one by the pillar here thank you any

upstairs

Mark's gospel chapter 2 reading right

through to chapter 3 verse 6.

and when he Jesus that is returned to

Capernaum after some days it was

reported that he was at home

and many were gathered together so that

there was no longer room for them not

even about the door

and he was preaching the word to them

and they came bringing to him a

paralytic carried by four men and when

they could not get near him because of

the crowd they removed the roof above

him and when they had made an opening

they let down the pallet on which the

paralytic lay

and when Jesus saw their faith he said

to the paralytic

my son your sins are forgiven

now some of the scribes were sitting

there questioning in their hearts why

does this man speak thus it is blessed

for me

who can forgive sins but God Alone

and immediately Jesus perceiving in his

spirit that they thus questioned within

themselves

said to them why do you question thus in

your hearts

which is easier to say to the paralytic

your sins are forgiven or to say rise up

take up your palate and walk but that

you may know that the son of man has

Authority on Earth to forgive sins

he said to the paralytic I say to you

rise

take up your palate and go home and he

rose and immediately took up the pallet

and went out before them all so that

they were all amazed and glorified God

saying we never saw anything like this

he went out again beside the sea and all

the crowd gathered about him and he

taught them and as he passed on he saw

Levi the son of alpheus sitting at the

tax office and he said to him follow me

and he rose and followed him

and as he sat at table in his house many

tax collectors and sinners were sitting

with Jesus and his disciples for there

were many who followed him

and the scribes of the Pharisees when

they saw that he was eating with Sinners

and tax collectors said to his disciples

why does he eat with tax collectors and

sinners

and when Jesus heard it he said to them

those who are well have no need of a

physician but those who are sick

I came not to call the righteous but

sinners

now John's disciples and the Pharisees

were fasting and people came and said to

him why do John's disciples and The

Disciples of the Pharisees fast but your

disciples do not fast

and Jesus said to them can the wedding

guests fast while the bridegroom is with

them

as long as they have the bridegroom with

them they cannot fast the days will come

when the bridegroom is taken away from

them and then they will fast in that day

no one sows a piece of unshrunk cloth on

an old garment if he does the patch

tears away from it the new from the old

and the worst tear is made

and no one puts new wine into old wine

skins if he does the wine will burst the

skins and the wine is lost and so are

the skins

but new wine is for new wine skins

one Sabbath he was going through the

grain Fields And as they made their way

his disciples began to pluck ears of

grain the Pharisees said to him look why

are they doing what is not lawful on the

Sabbath and he said to them

have you never read what David did when

he was in need and was hungry he and

those who were with him

how he entered the house of God when

abiathan was high priest and ate the

bread of the presence which it is not

lawful for any but the priests to eat

and also gave it to those who were with

him

and he said to them the Sabbath was made

from Men

not men for the Sabbath

so the son of man is Lord even of the

Sabbath and again he entered the

synagogue and a man was there who had a

withered hand

and they watched him to see whether he

would heal him on the Sabbath so that

they might accuse him

and he said to the man who had the

withered hand come here

and he said to them is it lawful on the

Sabbath to do good or to do harm

save life for to kill

but they were signed

and he looked around at them with anger

grieved at their Hardness of Heart and

said to the man stretch out your hand

he stretched it out

and his hand was restored

the Pharisees went out and immediately

held council with the herodians against

him

how to destroy him

we'll study that a little later

many centuries before Jesus came on

earth a very great thinker by name

Socrates said this he said if ever

a perfectly good man appeared on Earth

he would be murdered

now that man had obviously thought

through human nature in the world in

which we live nevertheless it remains a

surprise to us

it comes as a shock

that when Jesus went about doing good

almost immediately somebody began to

plot his assassination

it seems quite extraordinary that the

only hens the hands that had only done

good were pierced by nails to a cross

within three years

and one of the most puzzling things that

has got to be explained is how

this lovely life

came to such a terrible end so quickly

now Mark's gospel gives us the answer to

this conundrum and the passage I've just

read tells you when that opposition came

who started it

how they opposed him and most important

of all why

because for the very same reasons people

are still opposing Jesus Christ

now the answer to the question when is

right at the beginning of his ministry

within days or certainly weeks of him

beginning to help people there were

others who began to hate him and that's

not too strong a word because Jesus told

us they hated me they will hate you

that's a very strong emotion

three particular occasions on which

Jesus helped people in need and yet

these three very occasions

were the points of the beginning of this

terrible plot let's just look at them

briefly the first was the man who was

paralyzed

I'm not going to go through the story

you've heard this since you were that

high you know the details you've drawn

pictures in Sunday school of the hole in

the roof however you've imagined that

hole in the roof or however you've

imagined the damage and how it was put

right afterwards you know the details

it's a vivid picture a Crowded House

crowded Street people digging through

probably Brushwood and clay and letting

a man down on a stretcher you know the

story but there are two key words in the

story one is faith

and we notice what faith is from this

story it's not just accepting a Creed

it's being absolutely determined to find

Jesus

and it's being utterly confident that

he's the one to help you that's what

faith is but the other key word here is

forgiveness and that is the key word

why did Jesus deal with his sins rather

than his sickness

was it just a case of seeing another

need that the man was not aware of and

simply doing the whole job at once as a

man in a hospital recently said to me

that he'd had three operations instead

of one because when they operated they

found two more things and they just

decided to do running repairs on those

two and he got three for the price of

one on the National Health

is that what what Jesus was doing was he

just saying well I can see as well as

this paralysis you've got something else

let's just clear this up first and then

we'll tackle the main thing no there's

something much deeper

this is not true in every case but I

believe in this man's case his suffering

and his sin were directly related that

is why Jesus dealt with it he didn't

deal with others in the same way

but psychologists will now tell us

there's nothing difficult in imagining

that paralysis can be brought on

by wrongdoing and by guilt

and Jesus could always diagnose

perfectly that's what makes him a good

doctor of people and he saw straight

through to the cause of this difficulty

in this man's case

and he said well we better deal with the

cause not the symptoms and he dealt with

it straight away and said to this man

your sins are forgiven

and then to prove that this was the real

trouble he said later now to show you

that I've dealt with that I will now

release him from the consequences of the

cause and he said get up and take that

stretcher home and he did

now the key factor here that caused the

opposition was not the fact that he

healed a paralyzed man but the fact that

he dealt with sins

in other words if only Jesus had stayed

with physical diseases he would have

been perfectly alright

if he had gone around the world just

helping sick people to be better the

cross would never have happened

why then didn't he just stay as a doctor

when he could heal people surely that's

a wonderful mission in life surely to

heal sick people is one of the noblest

things you could do why did he Prejudice

indeed jeopardize the ministry of

healing by doing other things as well

couldn't he leave the religious side

alone

no because Jesus came not to save people

from sickness primarily

but to save them from sin that's why he

had the name he had and he had to deal

with this at whatever cost to himself

now the second occasion when he helped a

man and was hated for doing so was when

he got a man at the Customs a crooked

Customs officer as I mentioned this

morning and got him out of the job and

got him straightened up and got his life

upright and honest

why should a man be hated for doing that

well I think we've got to look at two

groups of people mentioned here and

explain a little about them first of all

I know that tax collectors will always

be unpopular

even if they're honest upright men

and if you are known as having no

friends but among the tax collectors in

the Inland Revenue that will not help

your public relations but that is not

the difficult to hear

the word public and is even more

misleading

because that now means something quite

different what was a tax collector I

want you to imagine that the Germans had

won the second world war

and that Britain was now occupied by

German troops

and that they were doing here the kind

of thing they did in Holland and Belgium

and France and Denmark and Norway

and that in fact they imposed very heavy

taxation to pay for their army

and to pay for their empire and to pay

for Berlin

and all the rice staggered its

activities there and supposing that they

in by British people

did anyone who would sell herself

sufficiently to do this for them would

be given a plush office and allowed

moreover to line his own pockets in

other words provided the Germans got

what they wanted they wouldn't ask how

much he took from the people

now you begin to see the picture these

people were collaborators these people

would be called quizlings today

can you understand what it was like to

make a friend of one of those

can you imagine what it was like to be

one of those

and to be a social outcast and for the

sake of money have cut yourself off from

other people

now it was because Jesus straightened

out a man like that that he became

unpopular

and as soon as he did so and call this

man who from collecting taxes became a

man who collected stories about Jesus

and ultimately we got the gospel of

Matthew out of this man

apart from the tax collectors and his

friends within the trade there was

another group of people who tended to

mix with them

for the same reason that they were

social outcasts and the word sinner is a

peculiar word in the gospel it doesn't

mean everybody aren't we all Sinners yes

but the word is they used it meant

people who were in a state of

excommunication

from their local synagogue they were

people who were not allowed to go into

the congregation

they were those who'd broken the laws of

God where their knowingly or unknowingly

they were those who just couldn't or

wouldn't live up to the religious

standards that were imposed by the

preachers of the day and so they were

just untouchable now here were two

groups two groups of people you didn't

catch in church on Sunday

here were two groups of people who had a

difficulty in mixing an ordinary Society

two groups are way out on The Fringe

and therefore because they were both

outcasts they tended to mix together and

dear old Matthew threw a party for them

Levi through a party and he invited them

along and Jesus was right in the middle

of the party

the thing that upset others was that

Jesus would mix with religious outcasts

the first problem as I've said already

with the paralytic was that Jesus would

bother about sins if only he stuck to

Healing it had been all right there

would never have been a cross and the

other problem was that he would bother

with Sinners if only he'd left them

alone as everybody else did there would

have been no cross

but then Jesus came to deal with sinners

and he came to deal with sins the third

story that seems to have brought this

thing to her head and led to the direct

plotting of his death within months of

his beginning as Ministry was the story

of the man with the weathered hand

once again there was nothing wrong with

his healing it was the time and the plan

that he did it

in other words the religious leaders

said there's a time and place for

everything and this was the wrong time

and the wrong place

they were not disagreeing about his

healing activity

whether they were LED that the men with

the withered hand was now able to use it

again or not I don't know I would

imagine they weren't even glad because

they probably didn't notice it

or if they did they hadn't feelings for

him but the point is they said Jesus

this is the wrong time the wrong place

well what was wrong about it

simply that they had developed a kind of

attitude

that I'm tempted to call the Sabbath day

observance Society

now last Thursday I was speaking to a

group of Masters and boys at the Roman

Catholic School up near my home and I

had a grand time talking with them about

what I believed they wanted to know

what makes you different from us what do

you believe now is very happy to tell

them

but apparently they had had a week

before or a few weeks before a Jewish

rabbi speaking to them and they were

absolutely shattered and I got the back

Rush from this they had been told not to

put to switch electric light switches on

on the Sabbath

they had been told not to cook meals on

the Sabbath they'd been told this that

and the other mind you they were very

awe-inspired by men who would switch on

all his lights on Friday well no where

are we yes Friday afternoon so that they

would be on all day Saturday and ready

for use so that he wouldn't be involved

in the work of doing that which is Jolly

hard work of course and this was the

kind of thing that they had been told

and they didn't believe or realize that

there were still people who took their

religion so seriously

that the matter of switching on a light

switch entered into it and became a

wrong thing to do

now that is not the religion of the Old

Testament it's a profession of it

it's not the religion that God taught

the matsania it's a perversion of it

and the trouble is that Jesus religion

and that one didn't mix

and one of their Cardinal rules was this

you must not do anything on the Sabbath

that you can do the day before or the

day after

now if a man is dying yes you can do

something for him because that can't

wait but a man with a withered hand he

must have had it ears it could have been

dealt with on the Friday it could wait

till the Sunday but not on the Sabbath

and Jesus went right ahead and did it in

other words he was touching something

that was very Central to their religion

and they didn't like it one bit

now this passage tells us that because

Jesus did things with sin and because he

did things with Sinners and because he

did things with the Sabbath that

inevitably meant that people hated him

to the point of wanting to kill him

isn't it extraordinary that men can be

so perverse

that three occasions on which people

were being helped

became occasions for planning a Judicial

murder

it is a commentar on our human nature

that such things are possible now who

were these people who did it

who were the people who had this

reaction

three groups are described and I want to

just outline them for you because I want

you to say as I want me to say as I look

at them Lord is it I

can I see myself in a mirror here the

first group of people were the scribes

and the scribes were a group of

professional religious people a mixture

of solicitors magistrates and teachers

and a few more other things rolled in

but their job was to give detailed

guidance to people as to how they were

to apply the laws of God

and the trouble is that there is always

a market for such guidance

it's much easier to be told exactly what

to do than have to work it out

for yourself

it's much easier to have a book of rules

and just look up paragraph 395

subsection a and find out that you ought

to do this or not to do that than to

walk with God in that kind of

relationship where you must agonize

through a decision on which he has not

expressed himself clearly in the word of

God

some questions are settled by the Bible

many others are questions of application

I take a simple example the matter of

contraception which is causing so much

discussion and interest at the moment

how much nicer it is to have somebody

who can just hand us out

a document tell us telling us exactly

what we must do and when we must do it

and what we must not do and when we must

not do it and how and how often and so

on

but what we are called to do is to work

this question out

in the light of God's teaching

and in relationship with him examining

our motives and why not just how

such a thing should be done or not done

now this is the kind of issue and so

they would go to a scribe in those days

for a little encyclical for just then

they would say what must I do about this

and about that

the most ludicrous question should I

wear false teeth on the Sabbath is that

carrying a burden yes said the Scribe it

is

may I use a safety pin in my clothes on

the Sabbath nose Of The Scribe that's

plowing or something

and I remember going out to Israel last

year and seeing a caboose and around the

kid boots at a suitable interval there

were tall poles about 15 feet high with

a wire stretched around the top of the

poles and I thought well that's a mighty

big washing line what is it

and the guide said oh this is an

orthodox Caboose and that marks the

limit of the Sabbath Day's Journey they

may walk out to the Y not an inch Beyond

us

this is not the religion of God

it is not the religion of Jesus Christ

equally clearly now the scribes were

those who gave out these little guidance

these little rules these regulations

they tried to apply it all

but the price the problem was that one

thing a scribe couldn't deal with was a

man who came and said but I've broken it

he could tell you what not to do but he

couldn't do anything himself about you

when you'd not done it or when you've

done it

and this was the problem he could deal

out righteousness by the barrel load but

he couldn't deal out forgiveness at all

indeed he thought no one could accept

God

which is true

I can't forgive you you can't forgive me

only God can and so the scribes were

people who stood for this we will tell

you what to do but I'm sorry if you

don't do it

don't come to us

and Jesus stepped into that atmosphere

and the scribes were watching and he

said son I can deal with the wrong

things you did

I'm concerned about your failures

I know that you have not done what you

knew was right Sun your sins are

forgiven these were the scribes and the

contrast between the scribes and Jesus

was partly this that they told people

what was right and Jesus said I can deal

with what is wrong

and since all of us have done wrong

Jesus can do more for us than in his

scribe

now the second group I want to mention

of the Pharisees they were a

denomination of the Jews a sect if you

like

they are not representatives of the Old

Testament religion and our Lord never

never once to my knowledge contradicted

anything in the Old Testament or undid

anything he came to fulfill not to

destroy the law and the prophets and he

said that not one jot or tittle would

pass away from the Old Testament

not one jotter Tittle while Heaven and

Earth remained the Pharisees religion

was not representative of the Old

Testament it was a perversion of it now

it began with the best will in the world

in the days of the Greeks and others who

overran this little country of Israel or

Palestine call it what you will

there were those who brought in things

which Jews had never done

the nude sports and the lewd theater of

the Greeks came in

other things came in and Jewish young

people were being led away into things

that horrified their parents and

grandparents

and the Pharisees began

as a reaction

to the growing worldliness of the people

of God now that was a right reaction in

the beginning

they said this is not the way for the

people of God to be behaving and the

word Pharisee means separator or

separatist one who stands apart

and in the beginning these people must

have started as a good group

of those who said it's wrong to be doing

this we shouldn't be mixed up in this we

should step outside it

but alas as with so many such protests

the pendulum swung and it swung too far

and it went to the extreme where they

got too far out altogether

and religion for them became so many

thou short knots that it became an

external thing and no longer an internal

thing of life and joy and peace

and it became a more and more exclusive

thing and a more and more legalistic

thing until literally the Pharisees were

as far out as you could get the other

way

which is equally unbalanced the more I

see of Life the more I feel it's so

difficult to stay in the center

it's so easy to get right into the world

it's so easy to get right out of it but

to stay in the world yet not of it is

one of the most difficult balances for a

Christian to strike they got right out

of it

and it's almost incredible what they did

their righteousness therefore became

self-righteousness and that's a very

offensive thing to God and to men

well now you see they couldn't do

anything about sinners

just as the scribes couldn't do anything

about Sin and Jesus came right in and

did something about it the Pharisees

couldn't do anything about Sinners

because they didn't know them

they didn't ever have them in their

homes they didn't ever mix with them

they didn't ever meet them they would

certainly never have eaten a meal

never

you can't do anything without Sinners if

you are not prepared to talk to them

meet them have a meal with them get to

know them how can you and so the

Pharisees respected as they were at a

distance were just not in touch with the

very people who needed most help

and this was their problem

and Jesus again showed them up

tremendously by just going in and having

a meal because he was invited with a

company of people who were religious

outcasts the Pharisees wouldn't touch

them but Jesus did

just as last Sunday night we saw that

Jesus would touch a leper

he will touch a spiritual leper as well

as a physical one

now the third group that comes in here

is an interesting one

it's a group of politicians

and the only reason they're brought into

it is this

the Pharisees and the scribes having

decided to do away with Jesus had no

power to do it they couldn't do anything

about Sin they couldn't do anything

about Sinners they couldn't do anything

about Jesus either

they couldn't do anything about the

savior

and so they had to get some political

power

and the obvious people to make for were

the herodians

now without going into a lot of history

and geography Palestine was divided up

into little areas and over Galilee the

area of which I now speak their reign a

man who came from one of the worst

family trees you could imagine a man

called hero

like his father and grandfather Herod

was a man who was morally weak

it was the other Herod who had killed

the babies in Bethlehem

and this line can be traced right back

to no less a person than Esau

and Herod was not a Jew he was an

Edomite and Herod was a puppet King that

the Romans had put in hoping that he

would keep the peace for them and

because of the position they gave him he

tried to do it

but Herod could not stand two things he

could not stand Rivals naturally he was

to keep the peace and he was a popular

leader in his own territory and the

other thing he couldn't stand were

preachers

and down under his feet in the basement

of his castle was a preacher called John

the Baptist

and that man was there because he had

criticized the moral relationships of

Herod within his family

and every time that man sat down to a

meal underneath his feet was a preacher

whom he dare not let loose

and it's interesting that the Pharisees

made for their herodians you know the

most amazing coalitions take place when

hatred is in people's hearts

it was so utterly country that to their

religion they wouldn't touch the Sinners

they wouldn't touch the tax collectors

and here they are touching the herodiums

actually when it came to the pushers we

shall see it wasn't the Pharisees and

the herodians who finally caused the

cross it was the Sadducees

and the Romans

but even so here our religious and

political groups getting together

and it's not the last time those two

groups have collaborated against Jesus

Christ

now I come to the third question how how

did their opposition show itself

I don't want to spend much time on this

but I want to point out certain very

important things

there is a progression of the opposition

it began in thought

it moved to word and finally it became

deed Jesus said again and again that sin

begins in the heart with thoughts it

will come out of the mouth in words and

then it becomes deeds and sin covers all

three

crime only covers the Third

or possibly in some cases of libel and

slender II but I can never be hauled

into the court here

in Guildford I think I'm right in saying

this and I hope I am I shall never be

called into that Court into the dot for

my thoughts

but I could be for my words and I

certainly could be for my needs

but then I go to the court for Crime not

for sin

sin is something that starts way deep

down inside Jesus said have you ever

wished anybody dead have you ever lost

your temper with somebody You're a

murderer in God's sight

you may never have committed adultery

but have you ever thought of it

you're an adulterer in God's sight the

sin has begun

it may never have become weak word

though it may have become word in the

form of a dirty joke or an angry word at

somebody

but even if it never got as far as deed

it started

and this is exactly how the hatred of

Jesus started the first time they

murmured in their hearts they didn't say

a thing but Jesus knew what people

thought he knows what you think now he

knows what I'm thinking at this moment

and he looked at them and he said you

know you're asking questions in your

heart you ought never to ask

then it moved to word and they began to

complain they spoke first to his

disciples do you notice this they tried

to come around the back door finally

they challenged him and then they went

out to plot his murder but you see a

progression of thought and the warning

is

that if our thoughts ever are set

against Jesus this is likely to come out

in our word and ultimately to become

Deeds

there is a dangerous

beginning when we allow wrong thoughts

to find a home now there is nothing

wrong in being tempted it's when we

Harbor the temptation

a wrong picture may present itself to

our minds but we need to cut it off

and not hang it on the walls of our

imagination

that's when the Temptation becomes sin

and as soon as we do that sooner or

later something will slip out in our

speech that we never thought we could

say

sooner or later the word will become

deep you notice the progression they

began murmuring they finished murdering

they began complaining they finished by

condemning the Son of God to death

I noticed the progression through these

various stories now let me come to the

fourth and last question

why why did they hate Jesus you've got

to hate a man an awful lot to want to

kill him why did they hate him why what

are the reasons for it and the answer is

twofold

first he challenged their Authority

and when you've been put in charge of

something it's not very nice to have

somebody come along and try and run it

for you

this is one of the commonest irritations

that happen

well it's maybe behind some of our chalk

line disputes in Industry I wouldn't

know but it's behind an awful lot of our

disagreements in life

one lady said to me well I'm never going

back to that church I've always run the

flowers stall at the bazaar

and look what they did

when you've been put in charge of

something and then somebody else comes

along and just quietly takes over it's

not very easy to accept it graciously

John the Baptist did he said he must

increase Anonymous decrease but not many

of us are big enough to say that

and the Pharisees realize that they were

now being told what to do they who had

always up till now been telling others

what to do now they saw their Authority

Vanishing with the Morning Mist

here was a man who was telling people

different things

and things that would not mix with their

own religion and furthermore when they

challenged him he always gave them such

a clever answer they couldn't say a

thing he used the Old Testament against

them by quoting a biother a case you'll

find in the Old Testament he used logic

against them

and what would you say if somebody says

don't you think a doctor ought to be

among the sick there's no answer it's

like have you stopped beating your wife

what can you say if you say yes or no

you're wrong both times

these were brilliant answers they were

logical they were unanswerable he not

only used the Old Testament scripture

against them and logic against them he

used conscience against them he said it

is it right to do good or to do harm

that was an appeal to their conscience

he used demonstration and experiment

against them and said all right if you

don't think I've forgiven this man get

up and walk and show them

now when you're up against a man who can

tie you in knots

and answer your challenge with with a

statement that you just cannot

criticize or answer yourself you're in

real trouble

they realized that he would destroy

their religion and that was absolutely

true

and this came up over the matter of

fasting now let us be quite sure of this

that Jesus expected us to fast

it is part of the Christian Life to fast

when Jesus spoke to his followers he

said when you give don't let your right

hand know what your left hand does When

you pray don't let anyone see

when you fast don't let anyone know

he didn't say if you fast or if you pray

or if you give he said when you do these

things but having said that

he did not fast nor his disciples just

because there was a public or official

fast on

and the time came when everybody else

was fasting and they were not

so they came along and said you're not

telling the line you're not fitting in

with our religious practice it's lent

you should be doing without chocolates

and Jesus said

fasting has got to be real

it's got to correspond with inner

thoughts and feelings

it's got to express reality

and for these people fasting would be

the most inappropriate thing

and in fact he was quoting their own

rules against them because one of the

scribal rules was this that if you just

got married or if you were a guest at a

wedding then you needn't fast they let

people off at a wedding

and Jesus said these disciples feel as

if they're at a wedding they've got me

they're excited they're happy they're

joyful they've got everything to live

for they should be feasting not fasting

it would be most inappropriate for them

to fast there will come occasions when

they should fast and they will

but it's not appropriate now in other

words religion no longer is a matter of

imposed rules from the outside but

expressed

intention from the inside

in other words we're not going to tell

you you must fast from now till next

week

what we are saying is this there are

experiences and circumstances in which

you and I should fast

there are needs spiritual needs that we

have for guidance for strength

indecision which will require us to fast

there are problems in other people's

lives which will not be dealt with

except by fasting and praying but this

is something that comes out of the need

it doesn't get imposed from the outside

it's real because it's inside

and then Jesus said this my religion is

new and yours is old

you can't mix the two

now he could hardly have told them more

plainly

that if anybody accepted his religion

they would have to leave theirs

and as always he used to very homely

illustrations he said you don't patch

some clothes by the way you can tell a

lot about the background of Jesus home

from his incidental speech it was a home

in which they had to patch clothes

frequently and he said if you put a

piece of unshrunk cloth on Old shrunken

cloths then as soon as the rain comes

and it gets wet it'll pull and it'll

tear the old

and likewise he used an illustration of

new wine in old wine skins in other

words he was saying my religion will not

mix with yours

we can't combine we can't unite these

two religions they will burst

something will rip

and therefore we've got to start all

over again and discover real religion

we can't just add what I'm teaching unto

what you teach

that's the thing we need to remember we

all have our traditions we all grow up

with things that we've always done

there are two reasons for not doing

anything that the minister suggests in a

church one is that we've done it before

and it didn't work and the other is

we've never done it before and it won't

work and these are the two reasons

brought up again and again we're all

creatures of the old wine skin we've all

developed ways of doing things our we

Baptists do it this way you know and so

on we've all got our wine skins we've

all got our shrunken cloth and sometimes

Jesus comes to us and he says I've got

something new and dynamic it'll break

open your form of worship

it'll not be at 11 and 6 30 PM it'll be

something quite new it'll be something

quite Dynamic it might not be in a

Gothic type building or at least a

building with Gothic arches to the

windows it might be something quite new

and you can't go on adding My Religion

to yours my word to your Traditions it's

all or nothing you follow me and drop

the rest

now they didn't like that it challenged

their Authority and frankly they would

be out of business

now the second and last thing I want to

say tonight is this the other reason why

they hated this man

was his claim to his own authority

by what authority to the men who didn't

even have reverend in front of his name

Rabbi to them

by what Authority did a man who hadn't

been qualified theologically by what

Authority did a Man from Nowhere a

carpenter from Nazareth a working man

who's never been trained in a university

by what Authority does this man come and

tell us that he's starting a religion a

new religion that won't mix with us by

what Authority the answer is by his own

authority

and he refers to himself in five ways

any one of which

is an incredible thing

first of all he says I am the forgiver

of sins

and you know they came within an inch of

the truth they said but only God can

forgive sins why could they not have

just stepped another inch and said it

must be God that man standing there

why did they come so near and yet fall

so far short of the truth

they said only God can do that and Jesus

said well I'll prove to you I've done it

look get up and walk and he proved that

he'd done it why could their silly Minds

not see that the next logical step was

God was in Christ

why could they not see it

but he did it in his own name because he

was God

and they said blasphemy for a man to

call himself God is blasphemy and

according to God's Own law

punishment for blasphemy was capital

punishment and he had to die

it was the worst crime in the book

now this is the question still facing

men and women you cannot have Jesus as a

great man you can't have him as a

preacher or a teacher and a Healer and

say he was a good man follow him because

either he was the greatest blasphemer in

history or he was God

you cannot just have Jesus as a great

man you must either decide he was wrong

and deserve to die as a blasphemer or he

was right and he was God you can't have

it both ways and there's no other way

he said I am the forgiver of sin he said

I am the physician of sinners now that

doesn't mean anything to you except a GP

or a man in a hospital but you know what

the word physician means or meant to

those people then

they that are sick have no need of a

physician he's quoting the Prophet

Jeremiah and Jeremiah looking out on a

nation full of evil disobedient people

said is there no physician

is there no physician to come and heal

us from our sins is there no physician

to come and take disobedient and put

them straight is there no physician and

when Jesus said they that are sick don't

need a physician he was claiming far

more than to be a doctor he was saying

I'm God's physician sent to put you

right

third thing he called himself was the

bridegroom he said they don't fast

because I'm the bridegroom what is he

saying is he just using a picture of a

wedding no much much more all through

the Old Testament God says I am the

bridegroom of Israel Israel is my bride

I am the bridegroom and here's Jesus

saying they've got the bridegroom now

what a claim

this is now the third time he's claiming

to be on the heavenward side of reality

fourth he calls himself the lord of the

Sabbath what does he mean he says this I

made the Sabbath laws I can remake them

I can override them

and I will do so

you see the only person who can override

laws is the one who makes them

the only person who can alter the school

timetable is the Headmaster

and when Jesus says I am the lord of the

Sabbath I make the rules for Sabbath

observance he's claiming to be the one

who gave the Sabbath Lord Sonia

and the fifth thing he says is this the

son of man the son of men that's a

delightfully ambiguous title but to

those who have faith and look at it

closely they see far more

than just a human being in it they see a

Divine being I know that son of man is

used throughout the Old Testament

particularly in the Book of Ezekiel as

simply a phrase human being son of man

what is man that thou art mindful of him

and the son of man we know it means a

human being but there is one passage in

the Old Testament in the Book of Daniel

where Daniel looks into the future and

he sees

someone coming down with clouds from

Heaven to to have an everlasting

dominion and Kingdom and he says I saw

in the Clouds Of Heaven one like a son

of man

by the time Jesus came the word son of

man had this double meaning

some at any rate saw in it the one who

was coming from Heaven to rule over the

kingdoms of the earth five times in just

these incidents Jesus is saying I'm God

if you've got eyes to see and God if

you'll only open your understanding I'm

God if you'll only believe I am the one

who forgives sins I am the one who heals

Sinners I am the one who is the

bridegroom of Israel I am the Lord of

all the laws that God gave

and I am the son of man coming in the

Clouds Of Heaven when Jesus said those

five things he signed his death warrant

and the reason why the symbol of

Christianity is not a stretcher

or a red cross on a back back a white

background

but broken bread and poured out wine is

simply that Jesus

was a savior

and not just a Healer

it's because he did want to die or

rather knew that he ought to

it's because from the very beginning of

his ministry he realized perfectly well

that if he did what God had told him to

do he'd finish on a cross

it's because of that that he was able

ultimately to help Sinners with their

sins today

you see if Jesus had not gone to the

cross

if he had just lived out his life in

Palestine preaching and teaching and

healing wandering the dusty Lanes of

Galilee helping people

then he could not be helping me and he

could not be helping you tonight

please don't come to the Holy Communion

at the end of this service

unless you come as a sinner

needing a doctor

needing a physician unless you come as

the bride of Christ from Heaven he came

and sought her to be his holy bride and

for her life he died

come as the Bride Comes to a bridegroom

looking forward to the wedding reception

which we shall enjoy in heaven come to

one who was son of man for that bread

represents his body and that wine

represents his blood real body real

blood and yet the son of man who is

going to come again with the clouds of

heaven and we shall see him and we shall

recognize him by the nail prince in his

hands

come to this communion service to one

who is Lord of the Sabbath Lord of your

Sunday Lord of your Monday Lord of your

Tuesday Lord of all the laws that were

ever made the Lord who is to govern them

to rule your life

come to this communion as those who

realize that their greatest need is to

have someone

say son daughter your sins are forgiven

let us pray

our heavenly father we pray that our

religion

may never become a barrier to Jesus

Christ

we pray that you will examine the

thoughts of our hearts

and the words of our lips and the Deeds

of Our Lives before we come

and that we may come in love and charity

with our neighbors

that we may come as those who seek the

grace of forgiveness

that we may come

as those who recognize that our sins

led to the cross of Jesus Christ

as those who plead nothing but his body

and his blood

we ask it for his name's sake

amen