Lesson Two
SOME HATE THE SERVANT1. Read chapters two and three of the Gospel of Mark.
2. Read this lesson and do exam number two.In chapter two, the great Servant of God heals another sick person. How-
ever, we see that what the man needed most was forgiveness. That is why we
read in verse 5: "Thy sins be forgiven thee." The Jews knew that only God can
forgive sin, but they ignored the fact that Jesus, as Son of God, has power to
forgive sin. For this reason they did not think well of Christ (verse 7).
The Lord responded to His critics by healing the sick man and sending him
home, carrying his bed. Some were amazed and some were even more dis-
gusted. They critized Christ for eating with sinners (verse 16) and for not
obligating His disciples to fast (verse 18).
On a Sabbath, the day of rest, Jesus and His disciples went through a corn
field. They were hungry and the disciples began to pick ears of corn to eat.
The Phariees, the Jewish religious leaders, believed that it was sin to work on
Saturday, but the Lord said that He was Lord of the Sabbath (verse 28). It is
good to rest one day a week, but sins are not forgiven by keeping the law. God
loves us and will pardon us, but only if we believe that Christ died for our sins.
In chapter three there is another sick man, he could not use his hand. The
Jews watched Jesus closely to see if He could heal on the day of rest. He
asked, "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day?" They would not answer.
Christ looked on them with anger and grief, because they would not believe.
Nevertheless, many people followed Christ to hear Him, and many believed
on Him.
Today there are many who speak against Christ, but He is the Perfect Ser-
vant of God who always does the will of His Father. Those who love God
must come to Him through Christ. There is no other way. There never has
been any other way; there never will be any other way.
In verses 31 to 35 we see the mother and brothers of Christ coming to call
Him. Christ said that all who do the will of God are His brothers and His
mother. We need Christ to bring us into the family of God.4