Mark 2:23 to Mark 3:19

Mark 2:23 to Mark 3:19

Summary
In today’s reading, we see how the Pharisees kept watching and monitoring Jesus’ move so that they could find fault in him in order to kill Him. They questioned Jesus for allowing his disciples to harvest grain on a Sabbath day and even planned to accuse Jesus of healing a man on Sabbath

Jesus made it clear that the that Sabbath was made to meet the needs of the people and not people to meet the requirement of the Sabbath. He is Lord, even over the Sabbath. So when Jesus saw this man in need on a Sabbath day, He boldly told him to come to him, it made no difference that the Pharisees were looking, he refused to be intimidated by them as he went ahead and healed the man on the Sabbath.

Despite his criticism by the Pharisees Jesus did not relent or give in, rather he grew stronger and even healed many that came from far and near to see Him. He then gave his disciples authority to cast out demons. We as His disciples have this power to heal and deliver and must replicate this wherever we go.

LIFE APPLICATION
When People criticize us as Christians, they say all sorts about our personality and who we stand for; however like Jesus we have to stay strong and do the will of the father in spite of all they say or do. We must project who we are in Christ, pray for the sick, help the needy, show love even to them that hate us.

Christ has given us authority over sickness and every power of the enemy, we must always stand up against every unpleasant situation in our life and that of others.

Personal Declaration
I will not be intimidated by situations around, I take authority over every strategy of the enemy in Jesus name.

Reading – Mark 2:23 to Mark 3:19

 

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

²³ One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. ²⁴ The Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

²⁵ He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? ²⁶ In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.”

²⁷ Then he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

3 Another time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. ² Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. ³ Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”

⁴ Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

⁵ He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. ⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.

Crowds Follow Jesus

⁷ Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. ⁸ When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. ⁹ Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. ¹⁰ For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him.¹¹ Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” ¹² But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him.

Jesus Appoints the Twelve

¹³ Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. ¹⁴ He appointed twelve^[a] that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach ¹⁵ and to have authority to drive out demons. ¹⁶ These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), ¹⁷ James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means “sons of thunder”), ¹⁸ Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot ¹⁹ and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Footnotes:

1. Mark 3:14 Some manuscripts twelve—designating them apostles—

All scriptural passages are taken from the NIV version of the bible.