Chapter 2

2:1-5

The crowds around Jesus were growing by the day. They were so large that people were standing outside the house he was in just to hear him preach. Four men carried a fifth man, paralyzed, and they worked hard to get him to Jesus. They dug a hole in the roof and lowered the man down. Jesus then forgives the mans sins. 

2:6-7

The teachers of the law, the antagonists of this story, hear Jesus and think to themselves that Jesus is a fake. They never say this out loud. They only think it. 

2:8-12

Jesus then knows what they are thinking and asks them a question. Jesus point is that he wants to make it known that he does have authority to forgive sins because he is the Son of God (v.10). He not only forgives the man, but heals him and the man walks in front of everyone as a witness. The people are amazed. 

2:13-14

Jesus now calls Levi, a tax collector to be his disciple. Jesus is strategically picking his disciples. Those who are poor (fisherman) and those who are outcasts and hated in society (tax collectors). 

2:15-17

Jesus then goes to Levi’s house to have dinner. There are lowly people here. Tax collectors, sinner, people who are despised in society. Jesus is having dinner with them which shows affiliation with the group of people. The teachers of the law want to know why Jesus is doing such a thing, as if it is beneath them. 

Jesus then gives them their answer. He has come to save those who are lost, who need to find their way to Jesus. 

2:18-21

There were some disciples of John the Baptist’s and Pharisees who were fasting but Jesus and his disciples were not. When questioned, Jesus tells them that since he is with them, there is no need to fast because He is giving new meaning to the laws of Moses. Jesus is warning them of a change that is coming. He uses a patch and wineskins to describe this. 

2:23-24

The Pharisees noticed Jesus’ disciples working on the Sabbath, something that is forbidden in the law of Moses. The same law that Jesus claims to follow. 

Jesus then asks them about a story in their Scriptures that they well know. A story about David doing something unlawful (eating consecrated bread). 

He then tells them that He is Lord of the Sabbath which means that he is the fulfillment of the Sabbath because he is true rest.