Sermon Tone Analysis

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Scripture Reading

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Introduction

Mark began this in verse 20-21

Family of Christ

We turn our attention this week to this situation of Jesus being called out by His own family, because they do not understand who He is, and the work that He’s come to do.

You will recall that last week I mentioned that there are two stories taking place within this text (3:20-35).

“In 3:20–35 a story about the scribes accusing Jesus of being possessed by a demon (vv.

22–30) has been inserted into a story about Jesus’ family in order to allow for the family’s travel time from Nazareth (cf.

1:9) to wherever Jesus was...”

But more importantly, there is theological significance for what is done here by Mark.

He has done this in order “to show that Jesus’ family as well as the religious authorities misunderstood and opposed him.

But more importantly, there is theological significance for what is done here by Mark.

He has done this in order “to show that Jesus’ family as well as the religious authorities misunderstood and opposed him.

“Mark portrayed opposition by one as serious as opposition by the other.

Both stories contrast those who opposed Jesus and those who embraced his teaching.

“Both are pronouncement stories” [1]

In verses 28-29, there is the pronouncement concerning all the sins and blasphemies of men being forgiven them, except the eternal sin (being rejection of the work of God through His Son).

And the in verses 34-35, which we’ll see today, we see the pronouncement concerning who it is that is truly the family of Christ.

In 3:20–35 a story about the scribes accusing Jesus of being possessed by a demon (vv.

22–30) has been inserted into a story about Jesus’ family in order to allow for the family’s travel time from Nazareth (cf.

1:9) to wherever Jesus was and—more importantly—to show that Jesus’ family as well as the religious authorities misunderstood and opposed him.

Mark portrayed opposition by one as serious as opposition by the other.

Both stories contrast those who opposed Jesus and those who embraced his teaching.

Both are pronouncement stories (vv.

28–29, 34–35, respectively).

1. Introduction

1.1.

Mark began this in verse 20-21

1.2.

Broke away for 22-30 - spoke about another topic.

1.3.

Now he returns to this matter of those close to Jesus arriving

1.

The Arrival of Christ's family

We will begin our current study this morning then this family of Christ coming to Jesus.

Going back firstly to verse 21, we read...

And so in verse 21, we read...

A few things that we should note from this verse.

Firstly, the word that is translated in the NIV as “his family” is more properly translated as “those who were close to him” - but the word family is used deriving the context from verse 31 and following, where it specifically says that it was his mother and brothers who came.

More importantly, notice that concern that drove them to seek Christ out.

It says they went to take charge of Him, for they said “He is out of His mind”.

Christ’s family would have by this time heard that Christ was healing people, and that he was driving out demons.

Everyone knew who this man Jesus was.

News of Him had spread far and wide.

But just like the pharisees and scribes came to the wrong conclusions about Christ and what He was doing, so too, Christ’s very own family came to the wrong conclusions about what He was doing.

They were literally of the opinion that Jesus was not in his right mind.

He’s gone crazy they think.

Why were they concerned?

Probably a number of reasons.

One of those would have been that Christ seemed to have forsaken the opportunity of making a living in Nazareth with his father’s business.

His father was a carpenter, and usually in that day, the sons would continue in the father’s line of work, kind a family business, which is what we’ve seen with Simon and Peter, and James and John, who were fishermen.

Instead of continuing in this business, where there would have at least been a steady source of income, Christ had forsaken this, and he wandered from place to place as one who had no place to lay His head.

But the concern of his family was not likely limited to a concern for him only.

It was in all likelihood a concern for the reputation of their own family.

In their estimation of Him, he was acting in a fanatical and even an insane way.

The religious leaders were being stirred up.

The family would have heard of the opposition that he was getting from the religious leaders.

And sometimes, there are those people that you simply don’t cross paths with or upset.

Typically those who hold much power, and aren’t afraid to use that power, you simply steer clear of, and at the very least keep them happy!

But Christ was stirring up those who in that day were the powerful in terms of Jewish society and the lives of the Jewish people.

And so Jesus’ family goes to take charge of Him.

Literally what that means is that they were going to forcibly take hold of him and take him back to Nazareth.

The same word is used in , where Herod had given the order to have John arrested.

It’s also used a number of times in instances where the religious leaders wanted to have Jesus arrested (, etc.).

So quite literally the family of Jesus were wanting to arrest Him!!

1.1.

What was their purpose?

According to verse 21

1.2.

Who was it that arrived?

Let us then consider briefly who it is that arrived to arrest Him.

In verse 31, we read that it is His brothers and His mother that have traveled together the long road from Nazareth to find Him.

Firstly, we need to be aware that Jesus did indeed have brothers and sisters.

He was not the only child of His mother.

When Christ performed miracles in Nazareth, and the people were amazed, they asked the question:

And so we see that Jesus had a broader family than simply his mother and father, Mary and Joseph.

Let us consider briefly something concerning Christ’s brothers and mother.

Jesus' mother and brothers.

Christ’s Brothers

Notice that His brothers knew Him, but they mocked Him.

This reminded me of Joseph and his brothers, and the time that Joseph had various dreams showing that his brothers would ultimately bow down to him.

And his brothers were indignant, and spoke harsh words against him.

Well in the case of Christ, his brothers didn’t think very highly of Christ, and they certainly didn’t understand His ministry.

In we read these words:

John 7:3-5

Christ’s Mother?

Christ’s Mother?

Mother

We need to consider the strange fact that His mother was with, and that she too failed to recognise the work that Christ had come to do.

It was after all Christ’s mother who had an angel appear to her, with the message of the fact that she was with child due to the very working of God, and that the Son to whom she would give birth would be great.

These were the words of the angel to Mary:

Luke 1:30-33

Quite literally, Mary had been directly informed that her son would be the one to sit on the throne of David.

He would be the promised Messiah!!

Luke

And even Mary, this one who had seen an angel, and received this message, and had even been found to be with child even though she had had no relations with a man, was at a point where she couldn’t recognise what Christ was doing.

So confused were even Christ’s family concerning the work that He was doing.

1.3.

They send a message to Christ

As a mother, she would have had a deep concern

Worried that her son not well.

And so standing at the door to the house where Christ was busy teaching, they send a message through the crowds to Him.