Luk 5:39 | TNotes | STEP | 5:39 The old is just fine: The religious leaders were resistant to change. Thematic note: The Secret of the Messiah Throughout the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells others—those he healed or raised from the dead, the disciples who recognized him as the Christ, and the demons who had a correct understanding of his true identity—not to reveal his identity (e.g., Mark 1:34 , 44 ; 3:11-12 ; 5:43 ; 7:36 ; 8:29-30 ; 9:9 ; this theme occurs far less frequently in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke—see Matt 8:4 ; 16:20 ; Luke 9:21 ). Why did Jesus command those he healed and those who knew his true identity to keep his healings and identity secret? One possibility relates to how the Roman authorities would have responded to an extremely popular preacher who proclaimed the arrival of God’s Kingdom, performed marvelous healings, and openly allowed his followers to call him Israel’s long-awaited Messiah and King. Roman authorities would not tolerate it—they would immediately seek to suppress such a movement. In the Roman Empire, there was no room for another kingdom or for a messianic rescuer from Roman occupation. Thus, though Jesus acknowledged to his disciples that he was the Messiah (Mark 8:27-30 ), he did not intend to overthrow Rome. Another possible reason for this secrecy has to do with the prolific misunderstanding of Jesus’ identity that we see throughout the Gospel of Mark, even among his closest followers. Jesus makes clear that his identity as Messiah and Son of God is directly tied to his suffering and death, a reality which did not match up with Jewish expectations regarding the Messiah. Thus, immediately after Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus announces that he would suffer and die (Mark 8:27-31 ), which generates a response from Peter that demonstrates his lack of understanding (8:32-33 ). It was not his miracles or his profound teaching that served as the primary attribute of his messiahship, but rather his sacrificial death. For these reasons, it was expedient for Jesus to teach about God’s Kingdom in parables (see Mark 4:1-34 , especially 4:10-12 ), to minimize the excitement created by his miracles (1:44 ; 5:43 ; 7:36 ; 8:26 ), to conceal his presence at times from the people (7:24 ; 9:30-31 ), to conceal his teaching from outsiders (4:10-12 , 33-34 ; 7:17 ), and to command those who knew his true identity not to reveal it (1:23-26 , 34 ; 3:11-12 ; 8:29-30 ; 9:9 ). Jesus came “to give his life as a ransom for many” (10:45 ), not to lead the nation of Israel in rebellion against Rome. Nonetheless, Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1 ), could not be hidden. The secret was not and cannot be kept (7:36 ), for Jesus is too great. Those who experienced and witnessed his healing touch could not help but proclaim what he had done. Jesus’ identity broke through, and it became clear that he is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God, the Lord over nature, disease, and death. And for the readers of the Gospel of Mark, who are made aware of his identity in the very first verse, Jesus was demonstrated to be the Messiah precisely because of—not in spite of—his suffering, death, and resurrection. Passages for Further Study Matt 8:4 ; 16:20 ; Mark 1:34 , 44 ; 3:11-12 ; 5:43 ; 7:36 ; 8:29-30 ; 9:9 , 30-31 ; Luke 9:21 Thematic note: The Son of Man “Son of Man” was Jesus’ favorite way to refer to himself. The phrase is just as odd in Greek as in English: It translates the Hebrew phrase ben ’adam, an idiom that means “human being” or “person” (see, e.g., Ezek 2:1-8 ). One reason Jesus preferred this name was because it was not an inflammatory title such as “Christ” or “Messiah.” The expression is used in three ways in the Gospels: (1) The background to Jesus’ use of the title is Dan 7:13-14 , where an exalted messianic figure “like a son of man” (that is, having human form) comes with the clouds of heaven and is given great glory and power. Jesus understood himself as the one who would return to earth in the clouds of heaven (see Mark 8:38 ; 13:26 ; 14:62 ). Sometimes Jesus used “Son of Man” in this sense, to refer to his role as judge, deliverer, savior, and vindicator (Matt 10:23 ; 13:41 ; 16:27 ; 19:28 ; 24:27 , 30 , 37 , 44 ; 25:31 ; 26:64 ). (2) Often Jesus used “Son of Man” to describe himself as a suffering redeemer (12:40 ; 17:9 , 12 , 22 ; 20:18 , 28 ; 26:2 , 24 , 45 ). This sense is rooted in Isa 52:13–53:12 . (3) At times, Jesus apparently used “Son of Man” to refer to himself as the representative of humans (Matt 8:20 ; 11:19 ; 12:8 , 32 ; 13:37 ). The book of Ezekiel uses “son of man” in a similar sense (e.g., Ezek 2:1-8 ). Jesus did not use “Son of Man” to distinguish his humanity from his deity (“Son of God”). By using this title, Jesus could define himself as Messiah on his own terms. He used “Son of Man” to describe his total identity and as a veiled suggestion that those who watched and heard him should pay attention to who he is. Passages for Further Study Ezek 2:1-8 ; 3:1 , 4 , 10 , 17 , 25 ; 4:1 ; Dan 7:13-14 ; 8:17 ; Matt 8:18-22 ; 9:6 ; 10:23 ; 11:19 ; 12:8 , 32 , 40 ; 13:37 , 41 ; 16:13 , 27-28 ; 17:9 , 12 , 22 ; 19:28 ; 20:18 , 28 ; 24:27 , 30 , 37-39 , 44 ; 25:31 ; 26:2 , 24 , 45 , 64 ; Mark 2:10 ; John 1:51 ; 3:13-14 ; 5:27 ; 6:27 , 53 , 62 ; 8:28 ; 9:35 ; 12:23 , 34 ; 13:31 ; Acts 7:56 ; Heb 2:6 ; Rev 1:13 ; 14:14 Profile: The Pharisees The Pharisees were one of three major Jewish sects, along with the Sadducees and the Essenes. The Pharisees comprised a non-political lay movement within Judaism. They arose from the hasidim (pious ones), who opposed the syncretizing (combining together) of Greek culture and religion with Judaism in the second century BC . The Pharisees attempted, by rigorous examination of the details of the Old Testament law, to make the law accessible and practical to people seeking to be obedient Jews. They taught strict adherence to the law, not only the written law of Moses ( torah ), but also the oral traditions which they claimed Moses had passed down to them. Their goal was to defend the written law against any possible infringement. They were God-fearing and law-abiding people. They were known for passing their interpretations from generation to generation by word of mouth, establishing an oral tradition concerning legal matters. They made the law applicable by extracting from it specific guidelines for many possible situations. They argued that if the law were obeyed by all, the nation would be purged of sin and God would establish his Kingdom over all the nations. This gave their concern for obedience a goal in the future. The traditions of the Pharisees developed into the rabbinic writings known as the Mishnah and the Talmud . Although the Pharisees were small in number, their influence on Israel was widespread (see Matt 15:12-14 ; see also Josephus, War 2.8.14; Antiquities 13.10.5). The primary influence of the Pharisees was in the local synagogue communities, while the Sadducees were more influential in the worship at the Temple in Jerusalem and in the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high council. Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees had a strong belief in the resurrection of the dead (see Acts 23:6-8 ). After the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, the Pharisees provided leadership and direction for the people of Israel. Jesus often came into conflict with the Pharisees, accusing them of hypocrisy and of elevating human rules over God’s righteous standards. Jesus opposed the Pharisees because they were leading people away from God’s plan for redemption. They were the theological shepherds of Israel, but Jesus castigated them as hypocrites for their perversions of doctrine and practice (see Matt 23 ). And the Pharisees were antagonistic toward Jesus, rejecting both him and his work, largely because of his shocking disregard of their traditions (see e.g., Matt 15:1-20 ). Passages for Further Study Matt 3:7 ; 5:20 ; 9:10-14 , 34 ; 12:1-14 , 22-24 , 38-40 ; 15:1-14 ; 16:1-12 ; 19:3 ; 21:45 ; 22:15 , 34 ; 23:1-7 , 13-31 ; 27:62-64 ; Mark 2:23-25 ; 3:1-6 ; 7:1-13 ; 8:11-12 ; 12:13-17 ; Luke 5:17-21 , 29-32 ; 6:6-11 ; 7:28-30 , 36-49 ; 11:37-54 ; 12:1-3 ; 13:31 ; 14:1-6 ; 15:1-2 ; 16:13-15 ; 17:20-21 ; 18:9-14 ; 19:38-40 ; John 1:24-25 ; 3:1 ; 7:31-32 , 45-52 ; 8:3-10 , 13 ; 9:13-34 , 40 ; 11:46-57 ; 12:17-19 , 42 ; 18:3 ; Acts 5:27-40 ; 15:5 ; 23:6-10 ; 26:4-5 ; Phil 3:5-7 Profile: Matthew (Levi) Matthew was a tax collector for the Romans and became one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. According to early tradition, he was the author of the Gospel of Matthew. Though he is called Matthew in all the lists of the apostles (Matt 10:3 ; Mark 3:18 ; Luke 6:15 ; Acts 1:13 ), he is referred to as Levi—his other name—in two of the accounts of his calling (Mark 2:14-15 ; Luke 5:27-29 ; cp. Matt 9:9-10 ). His father was named Alphaeus (Mark 2:14 ), but there is no certainty that he is the brother of James the son of Alphaeus (the two are not linked in the lists of the apostles, as the other pairs of brothers are). Jews who collected taxes for the Romans were generally considered despicable sinners by their fellow Jews. They profited from working for the occupying forces and engaged in legalized extortion. Thus it is significant that Jesus called a tax collector to become one of his followers. When Jesus was criticized by the Pharisees for accepting Matthew’s invitation to his home for dinner, and for eating with tax collectors and other disreputable sinners, Jesus used the occasion to teach the importance of compassion. He emphasized that it was precisely for such sinners—not those who considered themselves righteous—that he had come (Matt 9:9-13 ; Mark 2:14-17 ; Luke 5:27-32 ). Matthew responded immediately to Jesus’ call, leaving everything behind to follow Jesus (Luke 5:28 ). The implication is that he never turned back to tax collecting or his former way of life. Matthew’s Gospel, written for his fellow Jews, gives us a Jewish perspective on the life and teachings of Jesus, and it includes topics of special interest for those from a Jewish background. His Gospel was the most popular Gospel in the early church, which is probably why it occurs first in the canonical sequence. Passages for Further Study Matt 9:9-10 ; 10:3 ; Mark 2:14-15 ; 3:18 ; Luke 5:27-29 ; 6:15 ; Acts 1:13

5:39 ^a The old is just fine: The religious leaders were resistant to change.

Thematic note: The Secret of the Messiah
Throughout the Gospel of Mark, Jesus tells others—those he healed or raised from the dead, the disciples who recognized him as the Christ, and the demons who had a correct understanding of his true identity—not to reveal his identity (e.g., Mark 1:34 ^b, 44 ^c; 3:11-12 ^d; 5:43 ^e; 7:36 ^f; 8:29-30 ^g; 9:9 ^h; this theme occurs far less frequently in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke—see Matt 8:4 ⁱ; 16:20 ^j; Luke 9:21 ^k). Why did Jesus command those he healed and those who knew his true identity to keep his healings and identity secret?
One possibility relates to how the Roman authorities would have responded to an extremely popular preacher who proclaimed the arrival of God’s Kingdom, performed marvelous healings, and openly allowed his followers to call him Israel’s long-awaited Messiah and King. Roman authorities would not tolerate it—they would immediately seek to suppress such a movement. In the Roman Empire, there was no room for another kingdom or for a messianic rescuer from Roman occupation. Thus, though Jesus acknowledged to his disciples that he was the Messiah (Mark 8:27-30 ^l), he did not intend to overthrow Rome.
Another possible reason for this secrecy has to do with the prolific misunderstanding of Jesus’ identity that we see throughout the Gospel of Mark, even among his closest followers. Jesus makes clear that his identity as Messiah and Son of God is directly tied to his suffering and death, a reality which did not match up with Jewish expectations regarding the Messiah. Thus, immediately after Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus announces that he would suffer and die (Mark 8:27-31 ^m), which generates a response from Peter that demonstrates his lack of understanding (8:32-33 ⁿ). It was not his miracles or his profound teaching that served as the primary attribute of his messiahship, but rather his sacrificial death.
For these reasons, it was expedient for Jesus to teach about God’s Kingdom in parables (see Mark 4:1-34 ^o, especially 4:10-12 ^p), to minimize the excitement created by his miracles (1:44 ^q; 5:43 ^r; 7:36 ^s; 8:26 ^t), to conceal his presence at times from the people (7:24 ^u; 9:30-31 ^v), to conceal his teaching from outsiders (4:10-12 ^w, 33-34 ^x; 7:17 ^y), and to command those who knew his true identity not to reveal it (1:23-26 ^z, 34 ^aa; 3:11-12 ^ab; 8:29-30 ^ac; 9:9 ^ad). Jesus came “to give his life as a ransom for many” (10:45 ^ae), not to lead the nation of Israel in rebellion against Rome.
Nonetheless, Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1 ^af), could not be hidden. The secret was not and cannot be kept (7:36 ^ag), for Jesus is too great. Those who experienced and witnessed his healing touch could not help but proclaim what he had done. Jesus’ identity broke through, and it became clear that he is indeed the Messiah, the Son of God, the Lord over nature, disease, and death. And for the readers of the Gospel of Mark, who are made aware of his identity in the very first verse, Jesus was demonstrated to be the Messiah precisely because of—not in spite of—his suffering, death, and resurrection.

Passages for Further Study
Matt 8:4 ^ah; 16:20 ^ai; Mark 1:34 ^aj, 44 ^ak; 3:11-12 ^al; 5:43 ^am; 7:36 ^an; 8:29-30 ^ao; 9:9 ^ap, 30-31 ^aq; Luke 9:21 ^ar

Thematic note: The Son of Man
“Son of Man” was Jesus’ favorite way to refer to himself. The phrase is just as odd in Greek as in English: It translates the Hebrew phrase ben ’adam, an idiom that means “human being” or “person” (see, e.g., Ezek 2:1-8 ^as). One reason Jesus preferred this name was because it was not an inflammatory title such as “Christ” or “Messiah.” The expression is used in three ways in the Gospels:
(1) The background to Jesus’ use of the title is Dan 7:13-14 ^at, where an exalted messianic figure “like a son of man” (that is, having human form) comes with the clouds of heaven and is given great glory and power. Jesus understood himself as the one who would return to earth in the clouds of heaven (see Mark 8:38 ^au; 13:26 ^av; 14:62 ^aw). Sometimes Jesus used “Son of Man” in this sense, to refer to his role as judge, deliverer, savior, and vindicator (Matt 10:23 ^ax; 13:41 ^ay; 16:27 ^az; 19:28 ^ba; 24:27 ^bb, 30 ^bc, 37 ^bd, 44 ^be; 25:31 ^bf; 26:64 ^bg).
(2) Often Jesus used “Son of Man” to describe himself as a suffering redeemer (12:40 ^bh; 17:9 ^bi, 12 ^bj, 22 ^bk; 20:18 ^bl, 28 ^bm; 26:2 ^bn, 24 ^bo, 45 ^bp). This sense is rooted in Isa 52:13–53:12 ^bq.
(3) At times, Jesus apparently used “Son of Man” to refer to himself as the representative of humans (Matt 8:20 ^br; 11:19 ^bs; 12:8 ^bt, 32 ^bu; 13:37 ^bv). The book of Ezekiel uses “son of man” in a similar sense (e.g., Ezek 2:1-8 ^bw).
Jesus did not use “Son of Man” to distinguish his humanity from his deity (“Son of God”). By using this title, Jesus could define himself as Messiah on his own terms. He used “Son of Man” to describe his total identity and as a veiled suggestion that those who watched and heard him should pay attention to who he is.

Passages for Further Study
Ezek 2:1-8 ^bx; 3:1 ^by, 4 ^bz, 10 ^ca, 17 ^cb, 25 ^cc; 4:1 ^cd; Dan 7:13-14 ^ce; 8:17 ^cf; Matt 8:18-22 ^cg; 9:6 ^ch; 10:23 ^ci; 11:19 ^cj; 12:8 ^ck, 32 ^cl, 40 ^cm; 13:37 ^cn, 41 ^co; 16:13 ^cp, 27-28 ^cq; 17:9 ^cr, 12 ^cs, 22 ^ct; 19:28 ^cu; 20:18 ^cv, 28 ^cw; 24:27 ^cx, 30 ^cy, 37-39 ^cz, 44 ^da; 25:31 ^db; 26:2 ^dc, 24 ^dd, 45 ^de, 64 ^df; Mark 2:10 ^dg; John 1:51 ^dh; 3:13-14 ^di; 5:27 ^dj; 6:27 ^dk, 53 ^dl, 62 ^dm; 8:28 ^dn; 9:35 ^do; 12:23 ^dp, 34 ^dq; 13:31 ^dr; Acts 7:56 ^ds; Heb 2:6 ^dt; Rev 1:13 ^du; 14:14 ^dv

Profile: The Pharisees
The Pharisees were one of three major Jewish sects, along with the Sadducees and the Essenes. The Pharisees comprised a non-political lay movement within Judaism. They arose from the hasidim (pious ones), who opposed the syncretizing (combining together) of Greek culture and religion with Judaism in the second century BC.
The Pharisees attempted, by rigorous examination of the details of the Old Testament law, to make the law accessible and practical to people seeking to be obedient Jews. They taught strict adherence to the law, not only the written law of Moses (torah), but also the oral traditions which they claimed Moses had passed down to them. Their goal was to defend the written law against any possible infringement. They were God-fearing and law-abiding people. They were known for passing their interpretations from generation to generation by word of mouth, establishing an oral tradition concerning legal matters. They made the law applicable by extracting from it specific guidelines for many possible situations. They argued that if the law were obeyed by all, the nation would be purged of sin and God would establish his Kingdom over all the nations. This gave their concern for obedience a goal in the future. The traditions of the Pharisees developed into the rabbinic writings known as the Mishnah and the Talmud.
Although the Pharisees were small in number, their influence on Israel was widespread (see Matt 15:12-14 ^dw; see also Josephus, War 2.8.14; Antiquities 13.10.5). The primary influence of the Pharisees was in the local synagogue communities, while the Sadducees were more influential in the worship at the Temple in Jerusalem and in the Sanhedrin, the Jewish high council.
Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees had a strong belief in the resurrection of the dead (see Acts 23:6-8 ^dx). After the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70, the Pharisees provided leadership and direction for the people of Israel.
Jesus often came into conflict with the Pharisees, accusing them of hypocrisy and of elevating human rules over God’s righteous standards. Jesus opposed the Pharisees because they were leading people away from God’s plan for redemption. They were the theological shepherds of Israel, but Jesus castigated them as hypocrites for their perversions of doctrine and practice (see Matt 23 ^dy). And the Pharisees were antagonistic toward Jesus, rejecting both him and his work, largely because of his shocking disregard of their traditions (see e.g., Matt 15:1-20 ^dz).

Passages for Further Study
Matt 3:7 ^ea; 5:20 ^eb; 9:10-14 ^ec, 34 ^ed; 12:1-14 ^ee, 22-24 ^ef, 38-40 ^eg; 15:1-14 ^eh; 16:1-12 ^ei; 19:3 ^ej; 21:45 ^ek; 22:15 ^el, 34 ^em; 23:1-7 ^en, 13-31 ^eo; 27:62-64 ^ep; Mark 2:23-25 ^eq; 3:1-6 ^er; 7:1-13 ^es; 8:11-12 ^et; 12:13-17 ^eu; Luke 5:17-21 ^ev, 29-32 ^ew; 6:6-11 ^ex; 7:28-30 ^ey, 36-49 ^ez; 11:37-54 ^fa; 12:1-3 ^fb; 13:31 ^fc; 14:1-6 ^fd; 15:1-2 ^fe; 16:13-15 ^ff; 17:20-21 ^fg; 18:9-14 ^fh; 19:38-40 ^fi; John 1:24-25 ^fj; 3:1 ^fk; 7:31-32 ^fl, 45-52 ^fm; 8:3-10 ^fn, 13 ^fo; 9:13-34 ^fp, 40 ^fq; 11:46-57 ^fr; 12:17-19 ^fs, 42 ^ft; 18:3 ^fu; Acts 5:27-40 ^fv; 15:5 ^fw; 23:6-10 ^fx; 26:4-5 ^fy; Phil 3:5-7 ^fz

Profile: Matthew (Levi)
Matthew was a tax collector for the Romans and became one of Jesus’ twelve apostles. According to early tradition, he was the author of the Gospel of Matthew.
Though he is called Matthew in all the lists of the apostles (Matt 10:3 ^ga; Mark 3:18 ^gb; Luke 6:15 ^gc; Acts 1:13 ^gd), he is referred to as Levi—his other name—in two of the accounts of his calling (Mark 2:14-15 ^ge; Luke 5:27-29 ^gf; cp. Matt 9:9-10 ^gg). His father was named Alphaeus (Mark 2:14 ^gh), but there is no certainty that he is the brother of James the son of Alphaeus (the two are not linked in the lists of the apostles, as the other pairs of brothers are).
Jews who collected taxes for the Romans were generally considered despicable sinners by their fellow Jews. They profited from working for the occupying forces and engaged in legalized extortion. Thus it is significant that Jesus called a tax collector to become one of his followers. When Jesus was criticized by the Pharisees for accepting Matthew’s invitation to his home for dinner, and for eating with tax collectors and other disreputable sinners, Jesus used the occasion to teach the importance of compassion. He emphasized that it was precisely for such sinners—not those who considered themselves righteous—that he had come (Matt 9:9-13 ^gi; Mark 2:14-17 ^gj; Luke 5:27-32 ^gk). Matthew responded immediately to Jesus’ call, leaving everything behind to follow Jesus (Luke 5:28 ^gl). The implication is that he never turned back to tax collecting or his former way of life.
Matthew’s Gospel, written for his fellow Jews, gives us a Jewish perspective on the life and teachings of Jesus, and it includes topics of special interest for those from a Jewish background. His Gospel was the most popular Gospel in the early church, which is probably why it occurs first in the canonical sequence.

Passages for Further Study
Matt 9:9-10 ^gm; 10:3 ^gn; Mark 2:14-15 ^go; 3:18 ^gp; Luke 5:27-29 ^gq; 6:15 ^gr; Acts 1:13 ^gs