Mark 2:1 commentary: Jesus is in the house

1 ¶ And again he entered into Capernaum after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

He was doing miracles in Capernaum (ka PER nay um) repeatedly and in Matthew He says that if these works had been done in Sodom they would have repented, making Capernaum worse than Sodom.

Matthew 11:23 And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.

If you refuse to repent of being a sinner and receive Christ you are far worse than a gang of wicked thugs bent on homosexual rape (Genesis 19:5) from a city that was known for and punished for being proud, fat, idle, and uncaring about the poor and needy (Ezekiel 16:49.) The Ayn Randian’s should take heed to this verse in Ezekiel. I’d say the person who refuses to believe Christ keeps some very unsavory spiritual company. We get the word, sodomite, a male temple prostitute, from the city of Sodom (I Kings 14:24; 15:12, 22:46; 2 Kings 23:7.) The term, dog, is also a reference to a male temple prostitute and is still a slang word in some quarters today for a male homosexual prostitute. Notice the contrast in Deuteronomy 23:18 between dog for a male and whore for a female temple prostitute.

If those people in that wicked city of Sodom had seen what Christ can do they would have repented. What about you?

“In the house” is a phrase I’ve heard in modern African-American music, particularly rap, as an expression to underscore that someone important has arrived.

Mark 1:45 commentary: Jesus Christ is Jehovah in the flesh

45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

Although this healed leper disobeys he receives no rebuke for he is spreading news of the Lord Jesus and what He has done for him. The crowds press the Lord Jesus Christ. They do this because He is offering them something physical, tangible and something that they can see clearly in this world. People are impressed when a prayer seems to be answered, healing happens, or a disaster is avoided.

The problem isn’t that people can’t acknowledge the good that religion can do in a person’s life. Many of our country’s Founders would praise the Bible for its moral value and called themselves Christian because they followed its moral principles. Even Thomas Jefferson proclaimed that he was a firm believer in the doctrines of Jesus. It is when you begin publishing abroad and blazing the matter, that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, that Christ is Jehovah in physical, visible form, that you get into hot water. Unitarians will acknowledge that Jesus was a great teacher but turn their noses up when you show that the Bible says Jesus is God in the flesh. Hindus will acknowledge that Jesus was a great teacher. Muslims will call Him a Messenger of God and the Messiah called to lead the Jews. New Agers will call Him an avatar sent to benefit mankind like Buddha or Lao-Tze. Masons will call Him the Master Builder and Chief Architect.

But, when you declare that, as the Bible says, Jesus Christ is THE Lord, Jehovah in the flesh, people will flinch, squint, stutter, and snort. Some will even get violent.

Compare these verses from the Old and the New Testaments.

Isaiah 43:3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

Philippians 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:

It is when you point out that Jesus Himself said that He was the only path to God and when Peter proclaimed that there was no other name under heaven by which we could be saved that the aforementioned will turn their backs or close their minds, or even fire you from your job or try to kill you. Proclaim this abroad. Blaze this matter and watch the fur fly.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

If you have read this and still rejected Christ, when and if you don’t receive Him as your Saviour, too, then when you wake up in a burning Hell, in agony and torment, knowing that you have only an eternity of endless suffering ahead of you, in mankind’s natural destination, you will have only yourself to blame.

Mark 1:43-44 commentary: telling the healed man to say nothing

43 And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 44 And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.

Since Jesus is still under the Law and has placed Himself so here He requires that the healed follow the law. See Leviticus 14. Note that there are two birds and one has to die. Note the earthen vessel which is a type of Jesus’ body. Note, too, that the living bird is set free in the field which in type is the world.

1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2 This shall be the law of the leper in the day of his cleansing: He shall be brought unto the priest: 3 And the priest shall go forth out of the camp; and the priest shall look, and, behold, if the plague of leprosy be healed in the leper; 4 Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop: 5 And the priest shall command that one of the birds be killed in an earthen vessel over running water: 6 As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water: 7 And he shall sprinkle upon him that is to be cleansed from the leprosy seven times, and shall pronounce him clean, and shall let the living bird loose into the open field.

This verse is more reinforcement for the dispensational aspect of Mark’s gospel. If you tried to copy this verse as a literal command for Christians you’d be telling people not only not to tell others what Christ had done for them but to show reverence and obedience to a priest, following the Law of Moses. Now, what church organization would benefit from that, I wonder?

Mark 1:39-42 commentary: as soon as he had spoken

39 And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils. 40 ¶ And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41 And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. 42 And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

Notice that these synagogues have people with devils in them. Don’t think you’ll go to church to pick up a clean spirit. Churches are full of devils trying to pervert the Scriptures.

Luke 5:12 And it came to pass, when he was in a certain city, behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, and besought him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

Here is a picture of a sinner being saved. Leprosy is, in type, a picture of sin, always starting small. You won’t walk down the street and be slapped with the biggest temptation of your life. Usually it starts small and eventually you’ll be where you don’t want to be. Leprosy deadens the nerves as sin does deaden the sensations. Sin is so gross that before you realize it you’ve lost part of yourself that can’t be replaced. When you come to Jesus Christ you are healed immediately although you will always carry with you in your life the scars of that sin to remind you of how merciful God has been.

Note that the leper had no part of his own healing save to believe that Jesus could save him. Notice that Jesus Christ healing is immediate.

Modern versions of the Bible leave out the fact that Jesus spoke this man disease free. Jesus had command with His very speech to remove this dreaded disease from this leper. He spoke this disease away just as He spoke creation into existence. Removing this important statement based on two corrupt manuscripts, Sinaiticus and Vaticanus, is inexcusable. The Byzantine Text, also called the Majority Text, reflects the largest number of surviving manuscripts of the Bible and includes this all important phrase.

Mark 1:36-38 commentary: Jesus came to preach

36 And Simon and they that were with him followed after him. 37 And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee. 38 And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.

Jesus Christ isn’t concerned about numbers like modern preachers are. This crowd is coming after Him and He wants to leave and go to the next town. The modern preacher wants to see results. The example Jesus set was the message not the results. People are business oriented today as business is the American religion. Modern preachers need to see cards filled out, knees bent at the “altar”, hands raised, decisions for Christ, and pews filled. But, it’s the message, the message, the message. It’s not about you feeling like a success but that God’s word was preached. Billy Sunday was censored during World War One by the Presbyterian Church in the Chicago area. He had a series of revival meetings where tens of thousands of people came forward. But, over the next year or so the churches only added a couple of hundred members. Both Sunday and the Presbyterians had the wrong motivation. The question is simply, was God’s word preached? Jeremiah had no converts and yet he has a prominent book in the Bible.

For preachers and preacher hopefuls I’d say if you’re in your flesh and you want to see results the only results you need to see are whether or not your own church members are growing in grace and God’s word. Is the church growing or are you growing the church? Do you know the difference? Do you know how many of your congregants are reading the Bible to the exclusion of other things every day, praying constantly, and living for Christ, unless you see something you can tally up like assignments on the job or lessons at school?

If not one person ever kneels at the altar and professes salvation you have not failed. If you have faithfully preached God’s word in season and out you have been a great success.

Jesus came to preach. You remember the prophets of the Old Testament and what they did? They preached about the present, the past, and the future that was to come based on the word and wisdom given to them by God.

Nehemiah 6:7a And thou hast also appointed prophets to preach of thee at Jerusalem….

Prophets preach. Every one of us needs to preach to someone.

Young people preach to someone;

Joel 2:28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

Peter quotes that in Acts 2:17.

Acts 21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

Women preach to someone.

2 Kings 22:14 So Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam, and Achbor, and Shaphan, and Asahiah, went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; (now she dwelt in Jerusalem in the college;) and they communed with her. 15 And she said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me,

…then comes a sermon.

Men preach to someone;

Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

Every one of us preach to someone;

1Corinthians 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

Here is another reason why Jesus came to us.

Isaiah 61:1 ¶ The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,…….

Here in the New Testament Jesus refers to that call.

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

There are other reasons why He came;

1Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1John 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

If you look perhaps you can find others listed clearly in the Scriptures.

Mark 1:34-35 commentary: prayer

34 And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him. 35 And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Jesus did not want the testimony of devils and He still doesn’t. Let that be a lesson to preachers speaking heresy, trashing the Bible, and air conditioning Hell.

Praying in the morning is great! Follow God’s timing to have good fellowship with God. Praying in the morning and in a solitary place where you can be alone is good. It’s great to pray with your wife or husband and with your church family but praying alone with God is very good. Notice that Jesus Christ is doing this in spite of how busy He is. Not that I’m an example but I am jealous of my time in the morning alone with Christ.

Luke 3:21; Luke 6:12; Luke 9:29; Matthew 14:23; Mark 14:34 show that any situation you can imagine Jesus is always in prayer as our example. Prayer is essential when reading your Bible.

Ephesians 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Prayer in the form of praise and thanksgiving is a sacrifice we offer up to God always, in a verse that crosses all dispensational lines.

Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

And yes, we should always be in communication with our Creator in prayer.

Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

1Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.

Mark 1:33 commentary: all the city at the door

33 And all the city was gathered together at the door.

This “all” is all without distinction rather than all without exception. The entire city, every man, woman, and child was not at the door. It is important to note the difference in the Bible where all is used. Another word would be salvation that doesn’t always refer to being saved from Hell or damnation which doesn’t always mean being sent to Hell. Context is like location in the real estate business; context, context, context.

For instance, here is an example of all without distinction but not without exception.

1Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Clearly not all men or women are saved.

Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

As you can see below salvation can refer to being saved physically from an enemy.

Exodus 14:13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

Damnation in the following verse is not eternal damnation but about condemnation and punishment from the civil authorities unless you believe that disobeying the speed limit can send you to Hell, in which case, we have a different Saviour and a different faith.

Romans 13:1 ¶ Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.

Note here, also, in this verse that the people gathered at the door to see Jesus and be healed. Now, though, Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart. The Jews were seeking Him for a benefit, to be healed and delivered. But, He is seeking you, now, for fellowship, and to show His love for you by saving you from eternal damnation, the natural destination of natural mankind.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Notice an important difference between the Jews before the Resurrection and you. Every Jew belonged to God. They had virtually all strayed and were commanded to repent and return. As for the Gentiles and Jews of today, God is not seeking something that was His and then was lost for all are bound for Hell and then the Lake of Fire from the moment they know the difference between good and evil. He is seeking them to save them. It is the Holy Spirit that speaks to a person’s heart to lead them to Christ. No truly born again Christian was ever saved by a logical argument, a debate, or by his own decision making ability, his reason. Salvation in this age is a work of God, it is not a B.C. Jew turning back to what he was called to be from the moment he was born. This is the problem with the modern Christian’s soul winning methods and plans.

Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

What constitutes soul winning in most churches today that actually have a heart for the lost is pure humanism and Greek logical argument. It is not of God.