Mark's Gospel: Chapter 2

New wine must be put into new bottles.

Mark's Gospel: Chapter 2
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Learn the keywords, read the article, answer the questions, and then book a lesson with a language tutor.

Key words

The accident left her paralysed from the waist down.

  • Scholar: a person with great knowledge, usually of a particular subject

Dr. Miles was a scholar of Russian history.

  • Blasphemy: something that you say or do that shows you do not respect God or a religion

Sir Ahmed Salman Rushdie was accused of blasphemy.

  • Fast: a period of time when you eat no food

Some Christians fast for 40 days before Easter.

  • Sabbath: the seventh day of the week observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening as a day of rest and worship by Jews and some Christians

The word Sabbath is first used in the book - Genesis.


Read the article to find the answers

  1. Why did the group of friends break into the house where Jesus was?
  2. What did the religious scholars think to themselves about Jesus?
  3. Why did Jesus eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?
  4. What was the Sabbath made for?

Jesus Heals

After a few days Jesus returned to Capernaum to preach and everyone heard about it. The place where He was staying was completely surrounded. A group of friends brought a paralysed man to see Him. But they couldn't get through the crowd. Determined to reach Jesus, they went up to the roof, broke through it, and lowered the paralyzed man down on a stretcher.

When Jesus witnessed their faith and determination, He said to the paralyzed man:

"My son, your sins are forgiven."

Some religious scholars who were there, silently thought to themselves that Jesus was blaspheming because only God can forgive sins.

As soon as Jesus sensed their thoughts in His spirit, He addressed them:

"Why are you having these thoughts in your hearts? What's easier to say to the paralyzed man: "Your sins are forgiven," or "Get up, take your mat, and walk"?"

To demonstrate His authority to forgive sins, Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said:

"I tell you, get up, take your mat, and go home."

Immediately the man got up, picked up his mat and walked out in front of everyone. The onlookers were amazed and praised God, saying they had never seen anything like it.

Jesus invites sinners to follow Him

Jesus went down to the seashore, and a large crowd gathered around Him as He began to teach. As He was on His way, He noticed a man sitting at a tax collector's booth. Jesus simply said to him:

"Come, follow me."

Without hesitation, the man got up and followed Jesus. Later, Jesus was having a meal in the man's home, and many tax collectors and sinners ate with Him and His disciples. There were quite a few of them, and they were drawn to Jesus.

When the religious scholars saw Jesus eating with tax collectors and sinners, they asked His disciples:

"Why does he eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"

Upon hearing this, Jesus responded:

"Healthy people don't need a doctor; it's the sick who need healing. I haven't come to call those who believe they are righteous but to invite those who know they need to change their hearts and lives to follow me."

Some followers of John the Baptist, who were in the habit of fasting, approached Jesus and asked Him:

"Why do John's disciples fast regularly, but your disciples do not fast?"

Jesus replied to them:

"Can wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is celebrating with them? As long as the bridegroom is present, they cannot fast. However, there will come a time when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, in those days, they will fast."

One Sabbath day, Jesus and His disciples were walking through a field of grain. As they walked, His disciples began to pick some of the heads of grain.

The religious scholars confronted Jesus, saying:

"Why are your disciples doing something that's not allowed on the Sabbath?"

Jesus responded:

"Haven't you ever read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? He entered the house of God and ate the sacred bread, which only priests are allowed to eat. He also gave some to his companions. The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath."

Discussion questions

  • Do you have any questions about any of the vocabulary or grammar in this article?
  • Do you know anyone who thinks they are righteous?
  • Do you ever fast?
  • What do you know about the Sabbath?