In the previous section of the Gospel, we have seen the perfect Servant. In this new division, we witness the perfection of His service, the faith that benefits from it, and the opposition it incites. We are fortunate to witness that the Lord's ministry is marked by righteousness and grace—righteousness that addresses the issue of sinThe Bible carefully differentiates between sin and sins. • Sin: the evil power at work in man that causes him to engage in sinful activities (Rom 7:17, 18). God pronounced... More and graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More that blesses sinners. This ministry inevitably provokes opposition, as righteousness disturbs the conscience, while graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More can be offensive to those filled with religious pride.

(Verses 1,2) Already, we have seen the Lord and His disciples in Capernaum. Now, He returns to this favored town, where crowds gather to hear Him preach the word. Souls may seem eager to listen to the truth, but later, the Lord must declare, "You, Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to hell. For if the mighty works that have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you." In Capernaum, a man was delivered from an unclean spirit, Simon's mother-in-law was healed, and many others with diseases were brought to Him in crowds and healed. The sick man with palsy received forgivenessIn Scripture, forgiveness is presented to us from two points of view. • The side of God: God’s thoughts towards the sinner whom he forgives. On the basis of Christ’s... More for his sins. Capernaum was indeed brought near to heaven with the power and graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More of God but in vain for the masses. Just as in those times, large crowds do not necessarily indicate that souls are truly engaged or that consciences are awakened. The Lord's arrival was merely a fleeting phenomenon for them, and their lack of repentanceWhile remorse (Greek metamellomai) means to regret a previous act or behavior and to have a different way of thinking about it, Repentance (Greek metanoia) goes further than that: It... More in response to such a ministry left them in an even more serious condition.

(Verses 3,4) However, where there is faith in Christ, blessings are received. God's work is not achieved through mass movements but through individual transformations. Where there is faith, there will be obstacles to overcome. The paralyzed man was helpless and was "borne of four" friends, yet they could not reach the Lord due to the crowd. Nevertheless, faith surmounts every barrier.

(Verse 5) The Lord acknowledges their faith and, as is His custom, looks beyond the outward need that brings us to Him, addressing the root of the trouble first. Beyond the physical ailment of the paralyzed man lies the question of sin, which has brought disease and death into the world. It is possible that the man and his friends were not fully aware of the significance of sin; still, they had faith in the Lord, and He responded to that faith, revealing the blessings available to believers. Thus, He says, "Your sins are forgiven."

(Verses 6,7) The moment the Lord uses His power to forgive sins, opposition arises. People did not object to demons being cast out or diseases healed, as these actions relieved bodily suffering without disturbing one's conscience. However, when He speaks of sin, the conscience is affected, prompting opposition. They argue, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" While their argument is essentially true—only God can forgive sins—it is misguided in application because they fail to recognize the glory of the Person before them—God manifest in fleshThe term "flesh" is used in different meanings in the Bible: a) as an expression of physicality or humanity, which is inextricably linked to our life on earth. Examples: “the... More.

(Verse 8) The reasoners are left without excuse, for the Lord proceeds to provide evidence of the glory of His Person. He shows that they are in the presence of One from Whom no thoughts are hidden. Although they may have uttered no words, all was known to the Searcher of hearts, who can ask, "Why reason ye these things in your hearts?" The answer to their reasoning, as well as all human reasoning, is that where there is no sense of need, there is no realization of the glory of the Person of ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More.

(Verses 9-12) In grace, the Lord speaks another word, demonstrating His divine power in a way that even nature can appreciate. Which is easier to say: "Thy sins be forgiven thee," or to say, "Arise, take up thy bed, and walk"? It has been rightly said, "They are equally easy to God, but alike impossible to man. For men to "know" that the Lord the had power to forgive sins, He also told the palsied man, "Arise, take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house." This outward sign of power confirmed the inward gift of grace. The people immediately exclaimed, "We never saw anything like this!"

(Verses 13-15) The proclamation of the forgiveness of sins has incited the resentment of the Jewish leaders. This opposition marks the first sign of the total rejection of Christ, which led to the setting aside of the Jews. It also provides the occasion for the call of Levi, hinting at the new dispensation the Lord was about to introduce. We read, "He went forth by the seaside." In Scripture, the sea often symbolizes nations, suggesting that the Lord was about to become the gathering center of Christianity for believers from both Jews and Gentiles. The command to Levi was simply, "Follow me." Furthermore, the fact that Levi was a publican (or tax collector) highlights a key characteristic of Christianity in contrast to the law. No occupation was more despised and scandalous in the eyes of a Jew than that of someone who profited from collecting tribute for the hated Romans. The Lord's call of such an individual demonstrates great graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More, lifting a person from the depths of degradation as a sinner to a prominent positionThe Christian position cannot be separated from Christian practice, but a distinction must be made. "Position" means how God sees us now. In the eyes of God, we are "in... More in His service as an apostleApostle (Greek) means "sent one." Today, we are "messengers" for Christ when we pass on the gospel (2 Cor. 5:20). But the highest-ranking messenger is Jesus Christ himself (Heb 3:1;... More. Levi immediately responds to the call and hosts a feast in his house, inviting many publicans and sinners to meet the Savior of sinners.

(Verse 16) This display of grace provokes the opposition of those marked by pride in their intellect and religion. They are deeply offended by the grace that overlooks them, choosing instead to elevate a sinner far beneath them in moral standing into a place of great blessing and power. Instead of approaching Christ directly, these opposers turn to the disciples, attempting to undermine their confidence in the Lord by asking what seems to be a reasonable question: "How is it that He eats and drinks with publicans and sinners?"

(Verse 17) The Lord responds to this question with a simple illustration: "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick." He then applies this illustration by saying, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners." While they insinuated that the Lord was associating with sinners, His reply clarified that He was calling sinners out of their circumstances to follow Him. GraceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More extended to the sinner does not imply indifference to their sins.

(Verse 18) The Pharisees became increasingly bold in their attempts to undermine confidence in the Lord. After approaching the disciples with questions about Him, they now sought to find fault with the disciples by questioning the Lord about them: "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"

(Verses 19, 22) Yet again, the Lord employs an illustration to reveal their folly. Would it be appropriate to fast in the presence of the Bridegroom? Similarly, would it be fitting to fast in the presence of the One who was bestowing blessings all around? There would come a time when Christ would no longer be present. This is a serious consideration for these opposers of grace; then, indeed, fasting would be appropriate, not simply from food, but from the pleasures of a world that has rejected Christ. As always, the Lord goes beyond merely answering their question. He demonstrates that their inquiry exposes their complete inability to grasp the new ways of God in grace. The new character of grace, exemplified in life, conduct, and methods, cannot be connected with the old order any more than a piece of new cloth can be sewn onto an old garment. Likewise, the inner life and power of this new existence cannot be contained in old vessels. New wine requires new bottles. The power and energy of the Holy Spirit cannot coexist with the flesh. The Lord was introducing something entirely new, represented by the "new cloth," the "new wine," and the "new bottles." When the new comes in, we cannot revert to the old. Unfortunately, Christendom has tried to do this by attaching the forms of Judaism to Christianity. While the doctrines of graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More have been acknowledged, many have adopted the practices of the law.

(Verses 23-29) In the incident on the Sabbath, we see a further indication that the entire system, represented by the Sabbath, was about to be set aside. The Pharisees profess a great zeal for the outward observance of the day while being entirely indifferent to the fact that the Lord of the Sabbath and His disciples were hungry. They claimed to glorify God at the very moment they rejected His witness. The Lord exposes their hypocrisy by recalling the story of David and his companions, who were left to hunger during a time of rejection. In such circumstances, when God's anointed was rejected, hunted, and starving, the shewbread ceased to hold value in the sight of God. Therefore, no sin was committed when David and his companions acted against the letter of the law by eating the shewbread. The same is true of the Sabbath: it was intended for the blessing of men, not for increasing the suffering of the hungry. Moreover, "The Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath," and thus above the SabbathThe last day of the week that God had set aside as a day of rest in the OT because He rested from His work after the 6-day work of... More He instituted.

Throughout this chapter, we see the righteousness that raises the question of sins, the graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More that forgives sins and calls sinners, and the faith that obtains blessings. We also observe opposition. The natural heart will always rise against a ministry of righteousness and graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More. Ultimately, this opposition leads to a significant change in the dispensationA dispensation is a specific time of human history that has its own rules and in which God reveals Himself in a particular way. Seven different dispensations can be distinguished... More.