Mark 2-3

Now that I have read these chapters,
I realize I should have named this topic something like
"The Scribes and Pharisees Disapprove".

It seems like whatever Jesus does,
there is someone watching who imagines some fault with it.

Here are five examples of their criticism in a row:

scribes

Mar 2:5 And seeing their faith,
Jesus said to the paralytic,
Child, your sins are forgiven to you.
Mar 2:6 But some of the scribes were sitting there,
and reasoning in their hearts,
Mar 2:7 Why does this one speak such blasphemies?

scribes and Pharisees

Mar 2:16 The scribes and the Pharisees,
when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors,
said to his disciples,
"Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"

Pharisees

Mar 2:23 It happened that he was going on the Sabbath day
through the grain fields,
and his disciples began, as they went,
to pluck the ears of grain.
Mar 2:24 The Pharisees said to him,
"Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?"

Pharisees

Mar 3:1 And He again entered into the synagogue.
And a man was there who had a withered hand.
Mar 3:2 And they watched Him
to see if He would heal him on the sabbath day,
so that they might accuse Him.
Mar 3:5 When he had looked around at them with anger,
being grieved at the hardening of their hearts,
he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand."
He stretched it out,
and his hand was restored as healthy as the other.
Mar 3:6 The Pharisees went out,
and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him,
how they might destroy him.

scribes

Mar 3:22
The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said,
"He has Beelzebul," and,
"By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons."

I hope I never get to be so hardened with tradition,
so set in my ways,
that I let my self-created framework blind me to truth
even when it is right in front of my eyes.

These guys were in the presence of perfection
and couldn't see it.

I know I am prone to judgement and self-promotion,
I especially enjoy a false sense of superiority when I think I know something,
(and I want to protect it.)

so I need to keep these guys in mind.
I know I am just like them.