Jesus taught by Questioning and Arguing: We have already seen in the case of curing the paralytic how Jesus used his method of questioning and answering while teaching that the son of man has authority to forgive sins on earth (See the previous Post dealing with 'The Paralytic' in reference to Mark, 2: 9). Here we shall see more of the same method in the teaching of Jesus.
Fasting and Feasting: Once some people brought a grave accusation against Jesus and his disciples during a period of fasting. This was a time when all religious-minded people were expected to observe fast and please God. Their difficulty was that this rule of fasting was not observed by the disciples of Jesus, while those of John the Baptist and Pharisees were strictly following it. Jesus said to them: "Can you expect the bridegroom's friends to fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, there can be no fasting. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and on that day they will fast" (Mark, 2: 19-20). What an apt simile as an answer to the people who knew the customs of the times! No further explanation was necessary as Jesus reminded his adversaries of a context when fasting was impossible. The only point of controversy still possible was only about the context itself.On what ground does Jesus say that a wedding-like situation has been created? By his very presence, announcement of the Good news of the Kingdom and associated activities of doing good to all, the context was a new one of joy and peace that could not be appreciated by the old mind-set. A new piece of cloth should not be sewn on to the old one nor should new wine be put in old wine-skins (See Mark, 2: 21-22).
Sabbath for man: The Synoptic gospels report one after another two instances when Jesus taught the true relevance of Sabbath by the method of question and answer. The first instance is about the precedent King David created whom no one dared to question. The problem of the Pharisees was that the disciples of Jesus plucked corn from the fields they were passing through and were eating them after rubbing them in their hands. The Jews were allowed to eat on the Sabbath but not prepare prepare food by any activity disallowed on the Sabbath. Plucking and rubbing the corns in the hands were disallowed as per their regulations. The Pharisees invited the attention of the master to the sins of his disciples. He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry and had nothing to eat?" (Mark, 2: 25). When Abiathar was the High Priest, David took the unusual step of going into the House of God and ate the sacred bread and also gave to his men, although no one but a priest was allowed to eat it. No one ever condemned David for it nor did Jesus. Instead, Jesus made a momentous proclamation that has reverberated through the sacred corridors of all temples, churches and religious institutions. "He also said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for the sake of man and not man for the Sabbath: therefore the Son of man is sovereign even over the Sabbath' " (Mark, 2: 27-28).
Do Good on the Sabbath: The second instance took place in a Synagogue on a Sabbath day. There was a man with a withered arm in the congregation and they were watching to see if Jesus would cure him on the Sabbath. Jesus called the man with the withered arm and asked him to come forward and stand there. "Then he turned to them: Is it permitted to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?' " (Mark, 3: 4). No one uttered a word at which Jesus felt angry at their obstinate stupidity. The congregation, especially the Pharisees and Doctors of the law who were an invariable part of the same, knew that they could not answer Jesus honestly and continue to live their own lives. Their refusal to understand the Word of God and transform themselves eloquently manifested through their complete silence, made Jesus look around with anger and sorrow. He decided to do good even on the Sabbath and restored the man's arm by commanding him to stretch out his arm.
Beelzebub: Jesus went about announcing the coming of the Kingdom curing people of all ills and driving out devils from the possessed ones. The Doctors of the Law who had come down from Jerusalem made a great discovery and announced that Jesus was possessed by Beelzebub, the prince of devils, through whom he drives out devils. "So he called them to come forward, and spoke to them in parables: 'How can Satan drive out Satan' "(Mark, 3: 23). The internal contradiction of a kingdom divided against itself or a household divided against itself will not allow it to stand firm. The same rule applies to Satan who would have seen his own end if he was in rebellion against himself. Or again, anyone planning to break into a strong man's house should first tie the strong man up before trying to ransack his house. However, if they admitted that Jesus was the one who was able to tie Satan down they would have had to become his disciples. They chose the other alternative of maligning Jesus and remaining in their obstinacy preferring to be blind to the inspirations of God. " ' I tell you this : no sin, no slander, is beyond forgiveness for men; but whoever slanders the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin'. He said this because they declared that he was possessed by an unclean spirit" (Mark, 3: 28-30). (To be Contd).
Fasting and Feasting: Once some people brought a grave accusation against Jesus and his disciples during a period of fasting. This was a time when all religious-minded people were expected to observe fast and please God. Their difficulty was that this rule of fasting was not observed by the disciples of Jesus, while those of John the Baptist and Pharisees were strictly following it. Jesus said to them: "Can you expect the bridegroom's friends to fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, there can be no fasting. But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and on that day they will fast" (Mark, 2: 19-20). What an apt simile as an answer to the people who knew the customs of the times! No further explanation was necessary as Jesus reminded his adversaries of a context when fasting was impossible. The only point of controversy still possible was only about the context itself.On what ground does Jesus say that a wedding-like situation has been created? By his very presence, announcement of the Good news of the Kingdom and associated activities of doing good to all, the context was a new one of joy and peace that could not be appreciated by the old mind-set. A new piece of cloth should not be sewn on to the old one nor should new wine be put in old wine-skins (See Mark, 2: 21-22).
Sabbath for man: The Synoptic gospels report one after another two instances when Jesus taught the true relevance of Sabbath by the method of question and answer. The first instance is about the precedent King David created whom no one dared to question. The problem of the Pharisees was that the disciples of Jesus plucked corn from the fields they were passing through and were eating them after rubbing them in their hands. The Jews were allowed to eat on the Sabbath but not prepare prepare food by any activity disallowed on the Sabbath. Plucking and rubbing the corns in the hands were disallowed as per their regulations. The Pharisees invited the attention of the master to the sins of his disciples. He answered, "Have you never read what David did when he and his men were hungry and had nothing to eat?" (Mark, 2: 25). When Abiathar was the High Priest, David took the unusual step of going into the House of God and ate the sacred bread and also gave to his men, although no one but a priest was allowed to eat it. No one ever condemned David for it nor did Jesus. Instead, Jesus made a momentous proclamation that has reverberated through the sacred corridors of all temples, churches and religious institutions. "He also said to them, 'The Sabbath was made for the sake of man and not man for the Sabbath: therefore the Son of man is sovereign even over the Sabbath' " (Mark, 2: 27-28).
Do Good on the Sabbath: The second instance took place in a Synagogue on a Sabbath day. There was a man with a withered arm in the congregation and they were watching to see if Jesus would cure him on the Sabbath. Jesus called the man with the withered arm and asked him to come forward and stand there. "Then he turned to them: Is it permitted to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?' " (Mark, 3: 4). No one uttered a word at which Jesus felt angry at their obstinate stupidity. The congregation, especially the Pharisees and Doctors of the law who were an invariable part of the same, knew that they could not answer Jesus honestly and continue to live their own lives. Their refusal to understand the Word of God and transform themselves eloquently manifested through their complete silence, made Jesus look around with anger and sorrow. He decided to do good even on the Sabbath and restored the man's arm by commanding him to stretch out his arm.
Beelzebub: Jesus went about announcing the coming of the Kingdom curing people of all ills and driving out devils from the possessed ones. The Doctors of the Law who had come down from Jerusalem made a great discovery and announced that Jesus was possessed by Beelzebub, the prince of devils, through whom he drives out devils. "So he called them to come forward, and spoke to them in parables: 'How can Satan drive out Satan' "(Mark, 3: 23). The internal contradiction of a kingdom divided against itself or a household divided against itself will not allow it to stand firm. The same rule applies to Satan who would have seen his own end if he was in rebellion against himself. Or again, anyone planning to break into a strong man's house should first tie the strong man up before trying to ransack his house. However, if they admitted that Jesus was the one who was able to tie Satan down they would have had to become his disciples. They chose the other alternative of maligning Jesus and remaining in their obstinacy preferring to be blind to the inspirations of God. " ' I tell you this : no sin, no slander, is beyond forgiveness for men; but whoever slanders the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven; he is guilty of eternal sin'. He said this because they declared that he was possessed by an unclean spirit" (Mark, 3: 28-30). (To be Contd).
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