Christ the Controversialist
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Christ the Controversialist

Mark 2:18–22  (ID: 2684)

The Pharisees had a unique ability to turn God’s blessings into burdens, expecting the people of Israel to keep the rules they created. Jesus, however, exposed their erroneous theology. As Alistair Begg explains, Jesus’ theology sparked controversy because it contradicted the Pharisees’ teaching that rule-keeping and good works would earn eternal life. The only work that can save us is the work of Jesus. Are we trusting in Him alone for our salvation?

Series Containing This Sermon

A Study in Mark, Volume 1

“Repent and Believe” Mark 1:1–3:6 Series ID: 14101


A Question About Fasting

18Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, “Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. 20The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. 21No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. 22And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins.”3

Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Text provided by the Crossway Bibles Web Service.

Alistair Begg
Alistair Begg is Senior Pastor at Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Bible teacher on Truth For Life, which is heard on the radio and online around the world.