Mark 2 - The Scandal Begins

January 11th, 2026                     “The Scandal Begins”                 Rev. Heather Jepsen

Mark 2:1-22

          We continue this Sunday with our deep dive into the gospel of Mark.  You might remember from last week that Mark is the first written gospel.  In fact, Mark invented the genre that will come to be known as the gospel.  The gospel of Mark was written about 35 years after Jesus died so it addresses both issues that would have been present in Jesus’ lifetime, as well as tensions in the community that Mark was writing for.  You might remember from last week that this gospel goes quickly so it should come as no surprise that here in chapter two we find Jesus already creating controversy.

          We start off with chapter 2 verse 1 and careful readers will notice something different.  “When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.”  Wait a minute, Jesus had a house?  Yes, clearly, he did, and not only that, but it was in Capernaum, the city by the sea, not Nazareth.  When we conflate the gospels in our minds then we lose the original understanding that each author had.  While Matthew might tell us that Jesus has nowhere to “lay his head”, Mark is clear that Jesus has a house in Capernaum.

          And the house is full.  Everyone is gathered around to hear the things that Jesus has to say and no one can get in or out.  Here we find the familiar story of friends lowering a lame man into the house through a hole in the roof.  Instead of getting angry that folks are destroying his property, Jesus declares, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”  Rightly this upsets the religious scholars in the audience because it is, in fact, blasphemy. 

          Blasphemy doesn’t mean taking the Lord’s name in vain by saying something like “Oh my god!”.  Instead, blasphemy happens when we say something that is untrue about God.  Or when we say that something other than God is God.  Jesus, in claiming to forgive sins, is claiming a power that only God has.  In effect, Jesus is claiming that he is God, which would most certainly be blasphemy at the time.  This would be as upsetting as if I, or some other religious teacher, claimed not to teach about God but to in fact, be God.  It’s no wonder folks are confused.

          In the gospel of Mark, Jesus has not only the power to forgive sins, but he can also read minds.  He hears the inner musing of his critics and responds by calling them out.  To prove his power and authority he also heals the lame man who can take up his mat and walk out of the house.  It is no wonder that the crowd responds, “We have never seen anything like this!” because literally they had not seen anything like it.

          The controversy doesn’t end there.  Jesus walks along and spies Levi, a tax collector.  Like the earlier call narrative, Jesus just speaks to him, and the man gets up and follows.  In other gospels, Levi will be called Matthew and named as one of the 12 disciples, but that is not the case here.  In the gospel of Mark, Levi is just a dude.  Jesus eats dinner at his house and then that’s it, he is never mentioned again.

          The dinner party, though, does stir up controversy.  There are a lot of layers to pick apart here.  First, Levi himself.  Tax collectors work with the Romans and so they collude to keep the Jewish people under occupation and oppression.  Not only that, but they are also not paid a wage.  Instead, it is understood that they take extra off the top of the required payment and keep that for themselves.

          This is not like today where taxes are all paperwork and exchange of currency.  At this time the tax collector was a thug.  He would randomly show up at your property with some heavy henchmen, and they would look around at what you have.  Then they would help themselves to your grain, your livestock, and perhaps your coin.  Whatever they want, they take, giving some to Rome and pocketing the rest.  So, Levi is basically the neighborhood mobster.

          Jesus eats at Levi’s house, meaning Jesus is enjoying the lamb that Levi stole from you, and he is enjoying it with other mobsters and sinners.  Sinner here isn’t like literally sin against God, instead it’s like those on the margins of society.  The criminals and ne’er-do-wells.  The people of social contempt.  The bad guys.

          So, it’s no wonder that when Jesus is seen eating with all the bad guys that the good church folk are like, “What the heck?  You call yourself the Son of Man, but you are spending time with criminals?!?”.  Now the Son of Man comes from the book of Daniel, but by this time it had come to be associated with a heavenly being who would usher in God’s kingdom.  Remember Jesus gives this name to himself.  No one else in the gospel of Mark will call him this.  The Son of Man means judgement time, end of days stuff, and the Son of Man is supposed to help the righteous, not associate with sinners.  Jesus is doing everything wrong.

          The fasting disagreement is more of the same.  The Pharisees fast twice a week to practice piety, purity, and holiness.  Even John the Baptist, from whose ministry Jesus sprang, encouraged his followers to fast.  But now this new guy is eating all the time and so are his followers.  Jesus is like “hey, it’s a party now, we can fast later” which I am sure did not win him any accolades with the religious elite.

          And then we go a bit deeper “No one puts new wind into old wineskins, otherwise, the wine will burst the skins and the wine is lost, and so are the skins: but one puts new wine into fresh wineskins.”  Jesus is implying that he is doing something new and the old patterns and habits no longer apply.  It makes sense to us now, but it was extremely upsetting to the religious leaders of his day.  And it won’t take long before the Pharisees begin to plot against him. 

          When we read the gospel of Mark closely, we see that everything Jesus said and did was scandalous.  Jesus did not follow the authority of his faith tradition.  He did not follow the religious practices of a pious fellow.  He did not lead his community into holiness and upright behavior.  In essence, Jesus set a bad example.

          In forgiving sins, Jesus claimed to have the same power as God.  And then he demonstrated that power through healing.  But rather than taking that power and authority to the good people inside the church, Jesus brought it to the criminals and the thugs.  Jesus ate lunch with the bully instead of the good kid on the playground, and people didn’t like that.  And when they called him on it, he basically said he didn’t care.  He was doing something new so they could join in or get out of the way, but he didn’t have time for old wineskins.  Ouch.

          Remember Mark is writing a story about a Jesus that speaks to the community of Mark’s time and place, so there is some method behind his madness in describing such an unsavory Messiah.  The early Christian communities contain both Jews and Gentiles.  So, Mark is going to write a story where Jesus is welcoming in those outside the tradition of the Jewish faithful.  That is why we have a Messiah who reaches beyond those we would assume to be in God’s good graces.

          Also, Mark’s church is creating new traditions.  The early Christian community won’t observe the same religious practices as the Jewish community like eating Kosher or observing the Sabbath.  So, we have a Messiah who isn’t fasting like we might expect, or who is claiming to be starting something new.

          When we read the gospel of Mark, we find a Jesus who is offensive and making waves in his community.  It is no wonder that people are going to start to plot against him. 

It is interesting for us to study Mark’s Jesus and think about how he correlates with our ideas of Jesus today.  Do we imagine a Jesus who follows all the rules and hangs out with the good kids?  Mark’s Jesus isn’t that guy.  Do we imagine a Jesus who is a faithful member of the church community?  Mark’s Jesus is not that guy either.  Do we imagine a Jesus who respects authority?  Mark’s Jesus definitely isn’t that guy.  In fact, he is always ready to talk back to those who try to box him in.

          If we are going to follow Jesus in the gospel of Mark, then we will be challenged to question our old patterns.  Who are the tax collectors and sinners today?  Perhaps we should be spending more time with them.  And what religious traditions are we following?  Do those serve us well or is it time for new wine in new wineskins? 

By the way, if you put new wine, new ideas and practices, into an old wineskin, “But we’ve always done it this way” the whole thing explodes.  How might that inform how we do church?

          Today we gather at the communion table, a tradition Mark hasn’t given to us yet, and we gather here with everybody.  There is a reason we practice an open table, because Mark’s Jesus certainly did.  Everyone can come and eat together today, just as Jesus ate with everyone without distinction.

            Mark’s Jesus is making waves, upsetting good religious folks, and generally behaving in an unruly and unpolite manner.  Let us remember that to follow this Messiah is to upset the apple cart, welcome the outsider, challenge old religious standards, and to practice radical forgiveness and healing.  If you aren’t upsetting the authorities, then perhaps you aren’t following Mark’s Messiah.  It’s something to think about.  Amen.