Mark chapter 3

Jesus sends the Twelve on a mission. The scribes accuse him. He warns against blaspheming the Holy Spirit. His true family are those who do the will of God.

 


 

JESUS HEALS A MAN WITH A WITHERED HAND

 

VERSE 1. He entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man there who had his hand withered.

 

VERSE 2. They watched him, whether he would heal him on the Sabbath day, that they might accuse him.

 

VERSE 3. He said to the man who had his hand withered, “Stand up.”

 

VERSE 4. He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good, or to do harm? To save a life, or to kill?” But they were silent.

 

VERSE 5. When he had looked around at them with anger, being grieved at the hardening of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored as healthy as the other.

When the Lord Jesus encounters a problem, he speaks directly to it. He commands the problem itself. The Gospel of Mark has many such narratives. Read more »

 

VERSE 6. The Pharisees went out, and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

how they might destroy him. The Pharisees are conspiring to commit murder.

 

A GREAT MULTITUDE GATHERS AT THE SEASHORE

 

VERSE 7. Jesus withdrew to the sea with his disciples, and a great multitude followed him from Galilee, from Judea,

 

VERSE 8. from Jerusalem, from Idumaea, beyond the Jordan, and those from around Tyre and Sidon. A great multitude, hearing what great things he did, came to him.

those from around Tyre and Sidon. People are hungry for the Lord Jesus Christ.

They come from very far away!

 

VERSE 9. He spoke to his disciples that a little boat should stay near him because of the crowd, so that they wouldn’t press on him.

 

VERSE 10. For he had healed many, so that as many as had diseases pressed on him that they might touch him.

 

VERSE 11. The unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, “You are the Son of God!”

 

VERSE 12. He sternly warned them that they should not make him known.

 

JESUS SENDS THE TWELVE ON A MISSION

 

VERSE 13. He went up into the mountain, and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him.

 

VERSE 14. He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach,

He appointed twelve. This verse and the next one give us the job description of an apostle. He assigned them four key tasks.

be with him. This is the first item on the job description of an apostle. An apostle walks closely with Jesus Christ. They have a living relationship with him. If a Christian leader does not have a close relationship with Jesus Christ, they are an impostor.

preach. This is the second item on the job description of an apostle. Preaching follows after the relationship. The preaching of apostles flows from their relationship with Jesus Christ.

It is not uncommon to become a preacher yet have no relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

VERSE 15. and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons:

heal sicknesses. This is the third item on the job description of an apostle. They are to heal the sick. This does not mean curing with medicines or herbs. Rather, it is to heal by a spontaneous miracle.

cast out demons. This is the fourth item on the job description of an apostle. In our day, many Christian leaders scoff at the idea of demonic possession. However, Jesus Christ did not. It is a reality that must be dealt with. An apostle who trivializes the demonic element is an impostor.

 

VERSE 16. Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);

 

VERSE 17. James the son of Zebedee; and John, the brother of James, (whom he called Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder);

 

VERSE 18. Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot;

 

VERSE 19. and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. Then he came into a house.

 

THE SCRIBES ACCUSE JESUS OF WORKING WITH SATAN

 

VERSE 20. The multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

 

VERSE 21. When his friends heard it, they went out to seize him; for they said, “He is insane.”

 

VERSE 22. The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons.”

 

BINDING THE STRONG MAN

 

VERSE 23. He summoned them, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?

 

VERSE 24. If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

 

VERSE 25. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

 

VERSE 26. If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end.

 

VERSE 27. But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder unless he first binds the strong man; then he will plunder his house.

This verse is fantastic! Would you consider memorizing it? More great verses to memorize from the Gospel According to Mark and from the entire Bible.

the strong man. Some Christians speak of “binding the devil,” or “binding the strong man.” Read more »

 

BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

VERSE 28. Most certainly I tell you, all sins of the descendants of man will be forgiven, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme;

 

VERSE 29. but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation.”

KJV translation. But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.

blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. The Lord Jesus says whoever commits blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. What is this Unforgivable Sin, and how can we avoid doing it? Read more »

 

VERSE 30. —because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

 

THE TRUE FAMILY OF JESUS

 

VERSE 31. His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.

His mother. Mary of Nazareth. Many people, particularly Catholics, have a cultural intuition that Jesus had a great reverence for Mary. However, here we see that the reality was quite different from that.

his brothers. The Greek word is ἀδελφοὶ (“adelphoi”). Who were these brothers of Jesus? Did Mary have other children besides Jesus? Were they Joseph’s children from a former marriage? Were they the cousins of Jesus?

standing outside. His mother and brothers were not even in the group. They were outside.

 

VERSE 32. A multitude was sitting around him, and they told him, “Behold, your mother, your brothers, and your sisters are outside looking for you.”

 

VERSE 33. He answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”

Who are my mother? A Catholic might reply to Jesus, “Your Mother is the Immaculate ever-virgin Mother of God!” However, Jesus Christ has a very different answer …

 

VERSE 34. Looking around at those who sat around him, he said, “Behold, my mother and my brothers!

Behold, my mother and my brothers! Jesus says that his mother (and brothers) are not those of his biological family.

Rather, his mother (and brothers) are those who do the will of God.

 

VERSE 35. For whoever does the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother.”

This verse seems like a command! Would you consider acting on it? More commands of Jesus Christ from the Gospel According to Mark and from the entire Bible.

 


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MARK

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize, Commands, Spirituality, Miracles

Unless otherwise noted, all Bible quotations on this page are from the World English Bible and the World Messianic Edition. These translations have no copyright restrictions. They are in the Public Domain.