Memory Text: Mark 1:41 NIV “Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man.”I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"”

Sunday, April 3 The Demon-Possessed Man
Mark 1:21-28 NRSV “21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. 23 ¶ Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God." 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!" 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching—with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him." 28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.”
Mark 1:21 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY Instead of dwelling upon what men of past ages had thought and written, and appealing to this as authority, He spoke forth as having authority in Himself directly from the Father. The scribes were wont to say that a certain rabbi had said thus and so, whereas Jesus declared, “I say unto you” (Matt. 5:21, 22). It is true today as it was then that only the preaching of spiritual certainties can bring healing to the sin-sick souls of men.
Mark 1:24 COMMENTARY ROBERTSON’S NT WORD PICTURES The man speaks for the demon and himself, double personality. The recognition of Jesus by the demons may surprise us since the rabbis (the ecclesiastics) failed to do so. They call Jesus "The Holy One of God" (ho hagios tou theou). Hence the demon feared that Jesus was come to destroy him and the man in his power.

Monday, April 4 Peter’s Mother-In-Law
Mark 1:29-34 MKJV “29 ¶ And immediately after they had come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30 But Simon’s wife’s mother lay sick of a fever, and at once they told Him about her. 31 And He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. And instantly the fever left her, and she served them. 32 And at evening, when the sun set, they brought all those who were diseased to Him, and those who had been demon-possessed. 33 And all the city had gathered at the door. 34 And He healed many who were sick of different diseases, and cast out many demons. And He did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew Him.”
Mark 1:34 GENEVA BIBLE NOTES it is not proper for the demons to preach the gospel.
Matthew 10:8 NKJV “"Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
John 15:12 BBE “This is the law I give you: Have love one for another, even as I have love for you.”
1 John 5:2-3 God’s Word to the Nations “2 We know that we love God’s children when we love God by obeying his commandments. 3 To love God means that we obey his commandments. Obeying his commandments isn’t difficult”

Tuesday, April 5 The Leper
Mark 1:40-45 ASV “40 ¶ And there cometh to him a leper, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41 And being moved with compassion, he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou made clean. 42 And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. 43 And he strictly charged him, and straightway sent him out, 44 and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 45 But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.”
Mark 1:40-41 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES Make me clean. Canst heal me of this loathsome and offensive disease--in the eye of the law justly regarded as unclean--and render me legally clean, and restore me to the privileges of the congregation. And Jesus--touched him. It was by the law considered as unclean to touch a leprous man. See Nu 5:2. The fact that Jesus touched him was evidence that the requisite power had been already put forth to heal him; that Jesus regarded him as already clean.

Wednesday, April 6 The Paralytic
Mark 2:1-12 KJ21 “1 ¶ And again He entered into Capernaum some days later, and it was reported that He was in the house. 2 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not even about the door; and He preached the Word unto them. 3 And they came unto Him, bringing one sick with the palsy, who was borne by four. 4 And when they could not come nigh unto Him because of the throng, they uncovered the roof where He was. And when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the one sick with the palsy lay. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said unto the one sick with the palsy, "Son, thy sins are forgiven thee." 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there and reasoning in their hearts, 7 "Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?" 8 And immediately, when Jesus perceived in His spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, He said unto them, "Why reason ye these things in your hearts: 9 whether it is easier to say to the sick with the palsy, ‘Thy sins are forgiven thee,’ or to say, ‘Arise, and take up thy bed and walk’? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins" —He said to the one sick with the palsy, 11 "I say unto thee, arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house." 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all, insomuch that they all were amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw it in this fashion!"”
Mark 2:4 SDA BIBLE COMMENTARY As is common in the Middle East, this house doubtless had a flat roof, with a stairway or ladder on the outside which gave access to it from the courtyard below (see Acts 10:9; cf. on Deut. 22:8). Apparently the roof was made by laying tiles over the rafters.

Thursday, April 7 Levi Matthew
Mark 2:13-21 KJ21 “13 ¶ And He went forth again by the seaside; and all the multitude resorted unto Him, and He taught them. 14 And as He passed by, He saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the custom booth, and said unto him, "Follow Me." And he arose and followed Him. 15 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat at Levi’s house, that many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him. 16 And when the scribes and Pharisees saw Him eating with publicans and sinners, they said unto His disciples, "How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?" 17 When Jesus heard it, He said unto them, "They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." 18 ¶ And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast; and they came and said unto Him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?" 19 And Jesus said unto them, "Can the attendants of the bridechamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days. 21 "No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment, else the new piece that filled it up teareth away from the old, and the rent is made worse.”
Mark 2:13 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY This Levi is here said to be the son of Alpheus or Cleophas, husband to that Mary who was sister or near kinswoman to the virgin Mary and if so, he was own brother to James the less, and Jude, and Simon the Canaanite, so that there were four brothers of them apostles, It is probable that Matthew was but a loose extravagant young man, or else, being a Jew, he would never have been a publican.