Getting to Know Jesus in the Gospel of Mark
Study Eleven: Mark 2:13-17
13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was
coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 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)
1. Tax collectors
were wealthy men because they would charge more than required for the taxes,
and take the difference as profit. What would it have meant to Matthew to
choose between tax collecting and following Jesus?
2. This is the
second time we are shown men getting up and following Jesus. What is God’s word
communicating to us about our relationship to his Son?
15 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. 16 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 eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 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.” (Mark 2)
3. So far, the
summary of Jesus’ teaching has been that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and
people should repent and believe the good news. What does this tell us about
the tax collectors and sinners who were with Jesus?
4. How would you
contrast Jesus’ view of the “sinners” with the view of the religious leaders?
5. What did Jesus
mean by his explanation for why he spent time with these people?
6. What is God’s
message to you through this revelation of Jesus’ activity, and the kind of
people he was calling to himself?
© 2013 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517,
Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted,
Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good
News Publishers.)
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