Mark 3

Mark 3 begins with Jesus healing a man inside a synagogue on the Sabbath. Pharisees were waiting intently to see him break the law on the Sabbath. Jesus confronted them, asking which is lawful on Sabbath “to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?”. The Pharisees remained silent and once Jesus had healed the man, they left to go plot how they would kill Jesus.

This story is another example of the authority Jesus had here on earth. We see the Pharisees transition from curious to defensive, and thus becoming destructive toward Jesus, planning his demise.

Jesus knew that because he had been healing so many, many more diseased people would be seeking him out to be healed. Jesus asked his disciples to have a boat ready on the lake as to not be crowded by the following. Verse 12 reminds us that although Jesus has the power to cast out demons, he does not allow the demons to speak out or identify who he is. This could be because God wants his followers to bear testimony, not those who are against him, for they would spread inaccurate, deceitful, dangerous messages.

We also come upon a major event in chapter 3. Here, Jesus, officially calls upon and appoints his twelve disciples: Simon (Peter), James son of Zebedee, John (Boanerges), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas. These twelve men would be called upon to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.

Jesus’ own family begins to question him. As Jesus and his disciples are in a home, unable to eat due to the persistence of a crowd, his family proclaims that “He is out of his mind”; and teachers of the law say he must be possessed by the prince of demons in order to cast out demons like he does.

Jesus, as we have learned is known for speaking in parables. And the confrontation with his family is no different. Here Jesus rebuttals their claim that he must be possessed by the Prince of demons; referencing that a house divided cannot stand, thus if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand and his end has come. It makes no sense that Jesus would be possessed by Satan casting out other demons.

Verse 28 and 29 give us direct insight into who will not be forgiven. Here we are given clear indication: Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of eternal sin.

What does blasphemy of the Holy Spirit mean? A continued, steady, rejection of the work of God throughout one’s life. Those who despite having the word shared with them, despite seeing the works of God, despite having the knowledge, continue to reject the Holy Spirit- those are the individuals which will not be forgiven and deemed guilty of eternal sin.

We end Mark 3 with the Christian definition of family. Those who are brothers and sisters in Christ, those are the family you should concern yourself with.

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