Lesson 2: Those Who Follow & Those Who Don’t

In our first lesson we saw how Jesus not only preached that “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1.15), but proved it. His authority was seen in both His teaching (Mark 1.22) and His powerful works (Mark 1.27,32-34). Truly, He is the “Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1.1). So, why would anyone choose to not follow Him? Our focus in this lesson is to note what differentiates those who choose to follow Jesus, and those who don’t.

Notes from the text:

• 2.14: tax collectors were generally despised for two reasons. First, they were renowned for both dishonesty and extortion. Second, they were willingly in league with the Romans. Levi (Matthew, see Matthew 9.9) would have been particularly hated because his name likely means he was from the priestly tribe of Levi.
• 2.16: “A later rabbinic tradition attributes to the wise this extreme saying, ‘Let not a man associate with sinners even to bring them near to the Torah’.” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary)
• 2.18: the Law required fasting on only one day, the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16.29,31). However, individuals would sometimes choose to fast as they mourned (1Samuel 31.13), as they petitioned God (Ezra 8.21), or as part of repentance (Nehemiah 9.1-3). However, the Pharisees had turned fasting into an outward sign of piety and habitually fasted twice each week.
• 2.19: wedding feasts would typically last 7 days and fasting would be considered highly inappropriate.
• 2.20: “taken away” is a forcible action, an allusion to Jesus’ crucifixion.
• 2.21-22: a new wineskin could expand as the new wine fermented. An old wineskin, which had already expanded, would burst in the fermentation process. Jesus’ point is that His gospel is not compatible with the old ways of the Pharisees.
• 2.24: the Pharisees had made 39 categories of work, two of which were reaping and threshing. Those were the violations they were accusing Jesus’ disciples of committing.
• 2.25-26: see 1Samuel 21.1-6. The bread was to be eaten by only the priests (Leviticus 24.5-9), but the Law did not supersede the needs of God’s chosen one.
• 2.27-28: “God did not create the Sabbath for humans to obey but for human well-being. One can never interpret the law correctly unless one refers back to God’s intention behind the law. God intended the Sabbath as a gracious gift to release human beings from the necessity of endless toil. Jesus emphasizes that David ‘had need’ and ‘was hungry’ and that human need has priority over regulations. The incident reveals that something new has broken in, and Jesus rules over the rules. Disciples need not concern themselves about appearing to be irreligious when they are carrying out the greater task of doing God’s will. There will be plenty of other Sabbaths to keep holy.” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Background Commentary)
• 3.1: some may have concluded that the man was being punished for sin (1Kings 13.4-6).
• 3.2: the rabbis had concluded that efforts to heal were not to take place on the Sabbath unless a life was at stake. The man’s life was not on the line, so they would count this as a Sabbath violation.
• 3.6: Since the Herodians were supporters of Rome’s client rulers they were not natural allies of the Pharisees.
• 3.7-8: note that many of those who came to see Jesus came from outside the borders of Judea.
  
• 3.14-15: note that Moses had been instructed to select 12 representatives of the tribes (Numbers 1.1-19,44). Note that they were continuing the same work as Jesus (Mark 1.15,27).
• 3.21: the news of Jesus’ confrontations with the Pharisees had clearly made it to Jesus’ family.
• 3.22: Beelzebul was the name of a Philistine god, a literal translation could be “the lord of the flies”. Note that Jesus equates the name with Satan (vs. 23).
• 3.27: note the similar statement about God (Isaiah 49.24-25).
• 3.28-29: “‘Blaspheming the Spirit’ here means opposing Jesus’ messiahship so firmly that one resorts to accusations of sorcery to get around the Spirit’s signs confirming his identity. Different teachers debated whether some sins were eternally unforgivable; Jesus probably means that by rejecting even the Spirit’s testimony to Jesus’ identity and mission, expressed through exorcisms, Jesus’ accusers show themselves dangerously close to being incapable of repentance.” (IVP Bible Background Commentary)
• 3.31: recall vs. 21 where Jesus’ family went out to seize Him because they thought “He is out of His mind.”

Using the text in evangelism:

1. Why some choose to not follow Jesus. Throughout this section the Pharisees increased their opposition to Jesus, even to the point where they would accuse Him of working by demonic powers (3.22). Why would they reach such an absurd conclusion? Because Jesus did not meet their expectation. In their mind the Messiah would be just like them: He would shun sinners (2.16) and observe their traditions (2.24; 3.1-2). Since Jesus was not like them, they determined to “destroy Him” (3.6). They had truly hardened their hearts to Jesus (3.5). And it wasn’t just the Pharisees who had mistaken notions of Jesus, remember that His own family also believed that Jesus “was out of His mind” (3.21). It’s important that we stress to those we study with that we must not hold Jesus to our preconceived notions about Him or His work. Otherwise, we will harden our hearts to Him and we won’t accept the gospel and its requirements.
2. Characteristics of those who do follow Jesus. Conversely, this section shows several truths about those who do follow Jesus. The ones who follow Jesus are the ones who recognize their need for Him (2.17), seek Him out (3.7-8) and are ready to do “the will of God” (3.35).
3. A note about the apostles. Finally, it’s important for us to establish the role of the apostles (3.13-19). Jesus, the King, is able to give authority to those He chose. Thus, the message they taught did not originate with them, but came from Jesus (see John 16.13) and should be followed by those wishing to be disciples of Jesus.