Study Desk

While Jesushe">[fn] was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen.Matthew 4:18; Luke 5:4;">[xr]

Going on a little farther he saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat repairing their nets.Matthew 4:21;">[xr]

The peopleThey">[fn] were utterly amazed at his teaching, for he was teaching them like one with authority and not like their scribes.Matthew 7:28;">[xr]

At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.

Simon and his companions searched diligently for him.

Then a leper[fn] came to Jesushim">[fn] and began pleading with him. He fell on his knees and said to him, "If you want to, you can make me clean."Matthew 8:2; Luke 5:12;">[xr]

Moved with compassion, Jesushe">[fn] reached out his hand, touched him, and said to him, "I do want to. Be made clean!"

At once, Jesus knew in his spirit what they were saying to themselves. He said to them, "Why are you arguing about such things among yourselves?in your hearts">[fn]Matthew 9:4;">[xr]

So the manhe">[fn] got up, immediately picked up his cot, and went out before all of them. As a result, all of the people were amazed and began to glorify God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Later he was having dinner at Levi'shis">[fn] house. Many tax collectors and sinners were also eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who were following him.Matthew 9:10;">[xr]

When the scribes and the Pharisees saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, "Why does he eat and drinkand drink">[fn] with tax collectors and sinners?"

JesusHe">[fn] happened to be going through the grainfields on the Sabbath. As they made their way, his disciples began picking the heads of grain.Deuteronomy 23:25; Matthew 12:1; Luke 6:1;">[xr]

He said to them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need?1 Samuel 21:6;">[xr]

How was it that he went into the House of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the Bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for anyone but the priests to eat, and gave some of it to his companions?"Exodus 29:32-33; Leviticus 24:9;">[xr]

JesusHe">[fn] looked around at them with anger, for he was deeply hurt because of their hardness of heart. Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." The manHe">[fn] held it out, and his hand was restored to health.

So Jesus retired with his disciples to the sea. A large crowd from Galilee, Judea,Luke 6:17;">[xr]

JesusHe">[fn] told his disciples to have a boat ready for him so that the crowd wouldn't crush him.

Then he went home. The crowd came together again, so that Jesus and his disciplesso that they">[fn] couldn't even eat.Mark 6:31;">[xr]

When his family heard about it, they went to restrain him. For they kept saying, "He's out of his mind!"John 7:5; 10:20;">[xr]

So if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand. Indeed, his end has come.