Exegetical Work on Mark 3.20 thru 35

Exegetical Work on Mark 3:20-35

·        Vs. 20-21 introduces Jesus’ family and is not in Matt or Luke-Difficult! It concludes in 31-35. They say He is out of His mind! This is a more explicit rejection of Jesus than anywhere else in the gospels! This is not simply a failure to follow Jesus, but a positive and offensive repudiation. Beyond this Mark gives very little account of Jesus’ family aside from naming them in the 6th chapter.

o       This is also a fulfillment of Ps. 69:8 “I have become a stranger to my kindred, an alien to my mother’s children.”

o       But before they can “take charge of him.” Just what they were trying to avoid happens. He becomes an embarrassment because the Scribes from Jerusalem accuse him of being of the Devil.

·        Teacher’s of the Law from Jerusalem

o       This was a delegation sent from the capitol

§         Thus far he had opposition locally from Pharisees and Herodians in Galilee but now this was more serious and could turn sentiment away from Jesus as they had with John.

§         Their immediate accusation does not suggest a neutral fact-finding visit; they have come looking for a sustained fight.

o       This was a serious accusation

§         He had obvious supernatural power and they were trying to turn this perception against Jesus by attributing it to evil.

§         This is the reason for Jesus’ stern counter and the sighting of the unforgivable sin.

·        Satan or God in Jesus

o       Exorcism has revealed the power of Jesus in His ministry

§         No this is about who Jesus is

·        Is He of God or of Satan

o       To confuse good and evil in this defining of Jesus’ ministry is unforgivable

o       Jesus’ ministry is, in fact, the turning point of good and evil.

§         The power that Satan has had is coming to a terminal ending through Jesus

·        The strong man is now bound

o       They are accusing him of Demon possession, not just drawing on demonic power.

o       Gen. 3 is also like this (Satan or Yahweh)

o       Each is trying to rein

o       Unforgivable sin not to focus on

o       1st family side w/Satan then the scribes

·        We either love Him or you hate Him

o       At first the family does not react to Him well nor did the scribes.

§         The scribes blaspheme the Holy Spirit

·        Jesus just shows them how dumb they are through the parable of the divided kingdom/house

o       Through parable Jesus points out that strength depends on unity and an attack on any part of Satan’s domain is a sign not of collusion with him but of threat to his power.

o       This is hypothetically posed in a negative that if Satan acted this way it would be suicidal but would have to conclude the positive that Satan is under attack from the outside and it is successful!

·        Jesus is entering Satan, the strong man’s, house and is plundering it through His death and resurrection

o       With his explanation through parable Jesus is explaining who He is and what His ministry is all about-the destruction of Satan’s rival kingdom and the establishment of the Kingdom of God!

·        The “Unforgivable Sin”

o       If you fear you have done this you probably haven’t.

·        Then the Intercalation of the Family

o       You are either with Him or against Him

o       No ties closer that Mother and Brothers

§         He answers, “Who is my mother and my brother?”

·        Those that do God’s will are my mother and my brothers

·        No Luke warmness

o       Multicultural/political correctness

·        Great Comfort

o       Christ has the power to rescue us from Satan’s house through the cross (Christus Victor)

§         He binds the strong man and plunders his house fulfilling Gen. 3 and will “crush your head.”

o       Victory in the battle