Mark 3

The Man with the Withered Hand (1-6)

Mark 3:1–6 NASB95

He entered again into a synagogue; and a man was there whose hand was withered. They were watching Him to see if He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Get up and come forward!” And He said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save a life or to kill?” But they kept silent. After looking around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

Healing on the Sabbath was a major source of contention between Jesus and the Pharisees

Observing the sabbath was a factor that set them apart from the Gentiles

The Jews actually revered a day as holy

Nehemiah 13:15–22 NASB95

In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food. Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? “Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.” It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day. Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. Then I warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

Clearly they took working on the sabbath seriously

Jesus is exercising freedom on the sabbath by healing the man

They were lying in wait for Jesus

More concerned about catching Him than worshipping

Jesus actually calls him to “get up in the middle” because there were benches all around the room

This brings the actions of Jesus front and center—no hiding

Would not helping this man in need be evil?

If it was evil, then healing him would be good

What should we do on the sabbath?

As is often the case, the Pharisees are unable to answer because no matter how they answer, their argument falls apart

Jesus is angry and grieved

Mark (5) Over Healing the Man with the Shriveled Hand on the Sabbath (3:1–6)

“Looking round at them with anger and sorrow at their obstinate stupidity.” Jesus was angry not only at insensitivity toward suffering but at the entire system of legalism where the letter is more important than the spirit.

It’s at this point that the religious leaders begin to plot Jesus’ death

Mark 3:6 NASB95

The Pharisees went out and immediately began conspiring with the Herodians against Him, as to how they might destroy Him.

Jesus’ Popularity Grows (7-12)

Mark 3:7–17 NASB95

Jesus withdrew to the sea with His disciples; and a great multitude from Galilee followed; and also from Judea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and beyond the Jordan, and the vicinity of Tyre and Sidon, a great number of people heard of all that He was doing and came to Him. And He told His disciples that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him; for He had healed many, with the result that all those who had afflictions pressed around Him in order to touch Him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw Him, they would fall down before Him and shout, “You are the Son of God!” And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was. And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out the demons. And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”);

Jesus is withdrawing

probably just to take His ministry elsewhere

The people what were coming to Jesus were coming from areas populated by Gentiles

This already begins to show a key difference in how the Jews would see what the messiah was supposed to do vs. what Jesus did

What happens is what we would expect

People are pushing and shoving

The scene is somewhat chaotic

We again see the demons identify Jesus by who He is

The Son of God

Mark 6. The Popularity of Jesus (3:7–12)

Mark probably intended to contrast what the demons acknowledged as a fact with what the religious leaders were not willing to consider as a possibility.

The Call of the Twelve

Mark 3:13–19 NASB95

And He went up on the mountain and summoned those whom He Himself wanted, and they came to Him. And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach, and to have authority to cast out the demons. And He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom He gave the name Peter), and James, the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James (to them He gave the name Boanerges, which means, “Sons of Thunder”); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him.

In the listing of the twelve

Peter is always listed first

Philip is always fifth

James the son of Alphaeus is always ninth

Judas Iscariot is always twelfth

Matthew/Mark- Thaddaeus, Luke/Acts- Judas son (or brother) of James

The rest of the apostles are listed in various orders

John has no list

The number recalls the twelve tribes

They are the nucleus of this new, restored people of God

They are the ones He wanted

Two Purposes

Be with Jesus (in a discipleship sense)

Go on mission to proclaim the kingdom and cast out demons

A sign that this is the kingdom of God and has power over the kingdom of Satan

Simon

He called him Peter-rock

Only he wasn’t

God who calls that which is not as though it is

Sons of Thunder

may indicate their personalities

Luke 9:54 NASB95

When His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”

The names of some of these men differ from account to account and from language to language

Nathaniel and Bartholomew were probably the same person

Simon the Zealot

In the same list as Matthew

These are the men tasked with bringing the gospel to the nations and leading the church after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension

Demon Possession and the Unforgivable Sin (22-30)

Mark 3:22–30 NASB95

The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. “If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. “If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished! “But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will plunder his house. “Truly I say to you, all sins shall be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they utter; but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

Jesus has gotten the attention of the Scribes and Pharisees

They came down from Jerusalem

Not down as in south, but down as in off of the mountain

Everyone traveled down from Jerusalem

He was so noticeable that He got the attention of the leaders in Jerusalem

Beelzebul or Baalzebul is the best translation of the name here

Caananite deity

Means lord of the house/temple

Mark identifies him with Satan

If Jesus were working for Satan by casting out demons He would be working against His own plan

That would be foolish

Three parables

Divided Kingdom

Think Civil War

Divided House

Division in the house or family

Binding of a Strong Man

Satan is the strong man

Jesus is the stronger man

Ties him up

carries off his possessions

The Unpardonable Sin?

Mark 9. The Accusation of Demon Possession and the Warning against the Unforgivable Sin (3:22–30)

That sin probably is refusal to identify the divine Christ with the human Jesus. Thus in both Mark and 1 John the unforgivable sin is the stubborn refusal to acknowledge that God is working/ has worked in the man Jesus.

The Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day committed the unpardonable sin by accusing Jesus Christ (in person, on earth) of being demon-possessed. They had no excuse for such an action. They were not speaking out of ignorance or misunderstanding. The Pharisees knew that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God to save Israel. They knew the prophecies were being fulfilled. They saw Jesus’ wonderful works, and they heard His clear presentation of truth. Yet they deliberately chose to deny the truth and slander the Holy Spirit. Standing before the Light of the World, bathed in His glory, they defiantly closed their eyes and became willfully blind. Jesus pronounced that sin to be unforgivable. (Got Questions)

Mark C. The Supreme Sin (3:20–30)

The one sin that would not be forgiven, Jesus said, is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The scribes and Pharisees were guilty of an eternal sin. Through their superior knowledge and study of the Old Testament, the scribes, Pharisees, and religious leaders should have recognized Jesus. Rather than plotting to kill him, they should have been leading people to him. When faced with Jesus’ love, compassion, and authority, they attributed them to Satan. “When a man so steels his heart against God’s love, there can be no hope for him; for only to a broken and repentant heart can forgiveness come, and this is the way that he himself has consistently refused to take” (Cole, Mark, p. 78). Their sin was eternal because they would not accept the only remedy for their sin. Instead, they attribute God’s work to the devil.

Jesus and His Family (20-21, 31-35)

Mark 3:20–21 NASB95

And He came home, and the crowd gathered again, to such an extent that they could not even eat a meal. When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody of Him; for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.”

Mark 3:31–35 NASB95

Then His mother and His brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called Him. A crowd was sitting around Him, and they said to Him, “Behold, Your mother and Your brothers are outside looking for You.” Answering them, He said, “Who are My mother and My brothers?” Looking about at those who were sitting around Him, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! “For whoever does the will of God, he is My brother and sister and mother.”

Jesus was misunderstood by his family

They’ve traveled to where He is in order to take Him home

He was probably bringing shame on the family as much as causing concern

Brothers

Those who hold that Mary was a perpetual virgin don’t believe that these are brothers but may be cousins instead

This doesn’t seem to make sense

Joseph is not mentioned

May have already died by this time

There’s a contrast between the disciples with Jesus inside the house and His family waiting outside

Eventually Mary and at least 2 of His brothers will be inside

Mark 8. The Family of Jesus (3:20–21, 31–35)

relationship with God is not a matter of genetics but of obedience to God’s will. It is difficult to conceive of a more meaningful symbol than being a part of the family of God and his Son