Stories of the Rabbi 5
Notes
Transcript
Mark 3:7-34 – Big crowds, inmate group, and the unforgivable sin
1. Big crowds (3:7-12)
· Vss. 7- 9: Jesus draws crowds from a wide area, not just Galilee.
o South – Judea and Jerusalem
o East - Idumea
o North – Tyre and Sidon
· Vss. 10-11- healing of two types
o Physical healing – diseases
o Spiritual healing – casting out demons
o Jesus is exerting His authority over the physical as well as the spiritual. There is nothing that is not under His authority.
o Mark contrasts the previous passages, where teachers are openly hostile to Jesus’ teaching and authority.
1. This passage (and the next two) shows how Jesus’ Galilean ministry is controlled and popular among the people as opposed to the religious and political leaders.
2. It is a radical departure from how movements in the ancient world got their power. Political and religious movements were top-down, not bottom-up. As with everything else with Jesus, He flips that all around.
· Vs. 12 - Messianic secret – Jesus forbids the demons from proclaiming Jesus as God.
o Why?
1. “You are the son of God” is a futile attempt by the demons to gain control over Jesus by naming Him. If you know someone’s identity, then you can control them.
2. Jesus casts His authority over them by silencing the demons
3. The time for the clear revelation of Jesus’ true identity had not yet come and could not come from evil spirits
2. The disciples (3:13-19)
· Vs. 13 – Set the scene
o Who?
1. Jesus
2. The 12
o Where – up on a mountain, out of the towns, and out of the synagogue
· Vss. 14-15 – A special commission for 12 of the followers
o Where – up a mountain, probably the hill country of central Galilee
o Luke 6:12 points out that Jesus spent the whole night in prayer.
o The terms “apostle” and “disciple.”
1. They are interchangeable terms referring to the twelve selected followers of Jesus.
2. ἀπόστολος, apostolos - one sent to bring Good News
a. Αποστολος refers to a follower, messenger, or an envoy.
b. Usually, one who is appointed by a higher authority
c. As for the term “apostle,” Paul, a convert after Jesus’ passion and ascension, was not one of the original twelve, yet took the title (Rom. 1:1; 1 Cor. 1:1 plus others). Apostleship is also a title ascribed to Jesus by the writer of Hebrews (Heb. 3:1).
i. For Mark, an apostle (αποστολος apostolos) preaches, casts out demons (3:14; 6:12-13), and heals (6:13).
ii. Mathew and Luke also use the word in their narrative in commissioning the twelve (Matt. 10:2; Luke 6:13).
iii. Luke goes an extra step and separates the twelve Jesus chose to be apostles from the rest of his followers – disciples (Luke 6:13).
1. It would lead us to believe that more than just the twelve were following Jesus and were labeled“disciples.”
iv. At that point, only the twelve were called to be “apostles.”
3. Mark 3:9 μαθητής mathetes – student, pupil
a. Disciple (μαθητης mathetes) is used in reference to a follower, but more of a student as opposed to an ambassador.
b. The word is far more common in the Gospels than αποστολος in reference to those who followed Jesus.
c. In most cases, the use of μαθητης is when his followers are learning fromJesus either by instruction (Mark 4:34; Matt. 5:1; Luke 6:17-20) or demonstration (Mark 8:10).
d. Therefore, the twelve were both apostles and disciples. They were emissaries for Jesus as well as followers.
e. The term “disciple” is also used to describe the twelve not only after they had received the Holy Spirit (Acts 4:13) but also while they were with Jesus (Mark 2:15, 16, 18, 23).
4. Just before Jesus ascended, after his resurrection, he commanded those twelve (and others) to make more disciples (Matt. 28:19).
· Vss. 14-15 – A special commission for 12 of the followers
1. Preach.
2. Have the authority to drive out demons.
3. Jesus is extending His authority to the 12.
· Vss. 16-19 - The 12
o Peter – given a Greek name Πέτρος Petros, meaning rock.
o James – identified as the son of Zebedee
o John – James’ brother
1. The two of them together were given the nickname “sons of thunder.”
o Andrew – identified in John 6:8 as Simon’s brother.
o Philip – Not the Philip of Acts 8
o Bartholomew – meaning son of Talmai – maybe Nathaniel
o Matthew – Levi from 2:13-17
o Thomas
o James – identified as the son of Alphaeus – Little James
o Thaddaeus – Also identified as Judas, the son of James in Luke 6:16 (Acts 1:13).
o Simon – identified as a Zealot
o Judas – identified as Iscariot, or man from Kerioth.
1. Further identified and foreshadowed as the betrayer.
3. The unforgivable sin (3:20-30)
· Vss. 20-21: an interesting two sentences that show how Jesus’ ministry was taking a toll on his family – they wanted to control Jesus.
· Vs. 21 - Scribes – these were religious lawyers who argued the technicalities of the law
· Vs. 22: The scribes accused Jesus of using Satanic powers to drive out Satanic powers
· Vss. 23-26: Jesus shows the idiocy of this statement
o Vs. 23 – rhetorical question – obvious answer – “he can’t” or “he wouldn’t.”
o Vss. 24-25 Two examples
1. Divided kingdom
2. Divided house (or family)
o Their logic is a fallacy – Satan would not willingly divide himself to his own destruction.
· Vss. 27-30: Jesus doubles down on his accusations back to the Scribes
o Vs. 27 – an analogy of robbing a strong man.
1. Satan is strong – he enters the house, binds up the person, and then uses them up.
o Vs. 28: Jesus offers forgiveness for all sins, even (gasp) the sin of blasphemy
o Vss. 20-30: Jesus states that those who attribute the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan are committing an unforgivable sin. What does this mean? What is the “unforgivable sin? Several interpretations are understood as to what this means:
1. Rejecting Jesus throughout life and dying in sin
2. Rejecting Jesus so much that God hardens the heart of the sinner and is thus beyond redemption (think Pharaoh or Judas)
3. Attributing miracles that Jesus does through the Holy Spirit to Satan – could only be committed when Jesus was on Earth
4. Two things to note about this sin, whatever your position:
a. If you are afraid that you have committed an unforgivable sin, then you haven’t committed it.
b. Only non-Christians can commit this sin
4. Jesus’ Family (3:31-34)
· Vss. 31-32 – the family tries to take control
o Mother (μετερ meter) and brothers (αδελφοσ adelphos) – these were direct relatives, not distant relatives (or cousins).
o The crowd points out that the family is near.
1. In Eastern cultures, the family is the strongest bond in the community. It would be unthinkable to reject or ignore one’s family.
· Vs. 33 - Jesus identifies his immediate family as those who do God’s will (literally “the desire of God”) is His family.
· Vs. 34 - Being in fellowship with God and being a part of God’s family means that one is following the desires of God – that is, loving Him and loving others.