bible comic Archives - Page 8 of 17

Book of Mark – The New and The Old

No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”

Mark 2:21-22 ESV

Jesus explains with another 2 examples that when the new one has come and fulfil the needs, why go back to the old way and use the old method? Because indeed Jesus has come to fulfil the Old Testament therefore there was no need to do the old tradition. Jesus has come to forgive the sins of humanity and he stood as the sacrifice for our sin therefore don’t bring the old law and try to forcefully use it as a patch! :) Isn’t it great the fact that we just need to enjoy the new wine in the new wineskin :)

The old is gone and the new has come!

Book of Mark – The Fasting or The Feasting

Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.
Mark 2: 18-20 ESV

Fasting is only told a couple of time in the Old Testament book Leviticus and it’s prescribed for day of atonement. It is done as a symbol of sorrow of sins to show penitence. However in the time of New Testament, among the Jewish religious fasting is a normal tradition and it’s done twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. The people were astonished that Jesus is not following such tradition, instead He answered with an analogy of the bridegroom. That the bridegroom is now here, so the wedding guests should not fast, because it’s the time for feasting instead. However there will come a day when the bridegroom will be taken away… By saying this analogy Jesus is prophesying about his own death.

His coming brings the grace of God by giving us salvation therefore we should rejoice!

Book of Mark: The Doctor to the Sinners

Mark 2:15-17 English Standard Version (ESV)

And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, “Why does he eatwith tax collectors and sinners?” And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Not only that Jesus called a sinners to be follow Him, he is actually breaking bread with him and the sinner’s friend! According to the pharisee this is a practice that defiles their holiness. But Jesus is not like that, he doesn’t go to find righteous people, for righteous people thinks that they don’t need saviour. It’s the sinners who need a saviour, people who can recognise that they’re wrong and they need forgiveness from God, and anyone can get that forgiveness from our loving saviour, Jesus :)

For surely only sick people needs a doctor right? People who thinks they’re healthy won’t even look for a doctor.

Book of Mark – The Tax Collector

He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.

(Mark 2: 13-14 ESV)

Not only that Jesus can forgive sins, in fact he’s calling sinner to be His disciple! Tax collector at that time is one of the worst profession according to the law teachers, they’re seen as traitors to the Jews as they collect money for Roman authority. But Jesus doesn’t see that, he calls people to repent and follow Him :)

Levi in the end is the one who writes the account of Jesus, the book of Matthew :)

Book of Mark – The Healing of Paralytic

Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”
(Mark 2:9-12, ESV)

It’s true that forgiveness of sin is man’s greater need rather than just a temporary physical healing, however just to prove to the teachers of the law, Jesus healed the paralytic to show that he has the authority given by God. Also, notice that this is the first time that Jesus calls himself the Son of Man in the book of Mark. These words can mean that Jesus is the true descendant of Adam ruling over creation within God’s sovereign and total rule. Jesus is the true fulfilment of the Son of Man unlike Adam. :)

Book of Mark : The One Who Forgives

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them,“Why do you question these things in your hearts?”

Mark 2:5-8 ESV

Over the previous event we have seen how Jesus had the authority over demon and sickness, and here we see that Jesus’ authority is way beyond that. He has the authority to forgive someone’s trespasses. And this event also shows that Jesus’ main priority for this world is not a mere healing of physical body, but something more grave, the healing of heart.

I guess it’s not hard to get this logic

God forgives sin

Jesus forgives sin

Jesus = God ?

Even I who’s math logic is horrible can tell this equation ;) Pity that it’s hard for the Scribes to see this fact.

Book of Mark – The Paralytic One

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. (Mark 2:1-4 ESV)

What a faith from the paralytic’s friend to even remove someone’s rooftop because they believe Jesus can heal their friend :)