Mark's Gospel
Mark 3v20-35 - Who is in Gods family?
Intro: where have we got up to?
- Jesus burst onto the scene in chapter 1, the narrative thrusting forward - 'immediately this' 'straight away that'. In the very first chapter he is proclaiming the good news and calling disciples to follow him.
- In the second chapter we see more healing - not just of the body but of the soul where he forgives a man his sins - something that only God could do. No wonder people were starting to question 'who is this man? Where does his authority come from?'
- Now in the third chapter we see the Pharisees start to ally with their traditional enemies the Herodians in order to oppose Jesus. Crowds still follow Jesus everywhere. Jesus picks out from his disciples 12 special people, an inner core who he names apostles (who will be with him , and be sent out to preach and have authority to drive out demons )
In general we see more of Jesus the servant, helping all those who come to him without rest or pause; we see increasing opposition from the scribes, and we see Jesus calling out his new kingdom which he is preaching about. The calling of 12 apostles brings to mind the 12 tribes that comprise Israel.
Do you remember what I said when we started Mark about the sandwich technique? Where Mark carefully splits a story and inserts another related story in the middle? In v20-35 we see that happening, and so that is the part of this chapter I'd like to concentrate on today. In the bread of the sandwich we see Jesus' family trying to restrict him, in the filling of the sandwich we see Jesus, unbound himself and freeing those trapped by Satan.
There are three groups of people in this passage who are expressing their thoughts about Jesus, and who exist in one kind of relationship or another to him.
The religious thinkers, his family and the crowd who had sought him out.
The religious thinkers attack
The teachers of the law, the scribes - religious professionals - who come to tackle Jesus here are not just the local wise men - they 'came down from Jerusalem (v22). These are some of the big guns of Judaism come to tackle the man who is making a name for himself out in the sticks.
It is interesting to notice right up front that they don't attempt to deny that Jesus is actually doing the miracles. If they could they would have, but the evidence was all around them. The evidence of changed lives was irrefutable.
Apart from anything else it is an interesting counter to the idea of "seeing is believing". These men had seen Jesus' handiwork but would not believe. Whether evidence is readily available or not, faith is still required to apprehend Jesus.
These scribes will not attribute these healings and exorcisms to God. Instead they attribute it to the work of Satan, attempting to destroy Jesus' credibility and reputation amongst his disciples and the crowd. The title they use for the prince of demons is Beelzeboul, a name derived from the Syrian god of Ekron which means 'Lord of the House'.
Jesus responds to them in telling parables. He starts off with simple logic - If he is demolishing Satan's kingdom by freeing people from demons, how could Satan's plans be furthered by the diminishment of his own kingdom? "Divide and Rule" was a principle used by all the 19 th Century colonial powers in order to enable them to conquer and rule large territories with small forces. History illustrates Jesus' words in v24 - a kingdom which is divided against itself really can't stand.
Then we have the interesting parable about the Strong mans house - surely a play on words with Beelzebul, 'lord of the house'! The one who is able to rob the strong man of his possessions is stronger still; he has the power to bind the strong man and liberate his possessions. Jesus' power dwarfs that of Satan (who is merely a fallen archangel, not an equal and opposite power to God).
By driving out demons, Jesus has been demonstrating conclusively that he has the will and the power to overcome Satan, freeing those people who have been bound by him.
The scribes had been continually saying "he has an evil spirit" (v30), thus the stern words in v28-29 must be understood in the context of their assertion that Jesus was motivated and empowered by evil.
"I tell you the truth" in v28 is one of the strongest ways Jesus could start a statement, an expression used more than a dozen times in Mark. I solemnly declare that all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. BUT whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, he is guilty of an eternal sin.
Many people have fretted about whether or not they have committed the unforgivable sin. Considering the reason why Jesus responded such (v30) and the context of this particular passage too, I don't think that this is something that anyone here has to worry about.
The issue is this: If you say and believe in your heart that Jesus has an evil spirit, then there is nothing in heaven and earth that can save you, for you would be turning your back on the ONLY source of salvation. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life and no man comes to the father except by him .
I think Jesus may have been warning the scribes and not condemning them at this point - there was still the opportunity for them to repent of their ways, repent of their beliefs and accept that it is indeed the Holy Spirit of God who fills and empowers Jesus. But that doesn't make the warning any the less serious.
Sadly the entire history of the church is stained with those theologians who have actively opposed Gods work - the anti-revivalists of the 18 th Century who opposed John Wesley, those in the 16 th Century who burnt people like us at the stake for our beliefs. Who knows how history will paint our century as they look back on us?
Being a religious or spiritual expert doesn't make us part of the family of God!
Jesus' mother and brothers presume
In both ends of our narrative 'sandwich' we see Jesus family and close friends attempting to take charge of him. We read in v21 of Jesus' family (literally 'his own people') going to 'take charge' of him because they thought he was out of his mind. The Greek text is pretty stark - it literally says "they went to seize him, believing Jesus had gone berserk". In v31 Jesus' mother and brothers send someone into the crowd to call Jesus out to them, to get him to do their bidding.
Perhaps we can understand what might have been going through his family's mind. After all, he was socialising with tax collectors, prostitutes and sinners, he was breaking the Sabbath, flouting the traditions of the elders, wandering around with no fixed abode and, worst of all, getting into trouble with the secular and religious rulers of the land! How mad is that?
His response "Who are my mother and my brothers" isn't a direct insult, but it isn't an affirmation either. It perhaps warns those who have long and comfortable association with Jesus to think again, and not to presume.
In our modern context I think there are two warnings. Firstly , we do not control Jesus. He doesn't come at our beck and call, he doesn't fulfil our desires. Jesus can and does work to his own agenda and it is well for us to remember that, especially if we are taken by surprise by what He appears to be doing.
Secondly , if Mary and Jesus' brothers such as James cannot be automatically considered to be part of Jesus' spiritual family in the new kingdom, none of us should think that we can gain access to Jesus' kingdom by proxy - by the fact that members of our family are disciples, or neighbours, or friends.
Being related to someone who is a Christian doesn't make us part of the family of God!
The people who sat around him obey
Jesus is surrounded by a crowd, people who would do anything to be near him, to hear him. People who already are becoming devoted to him. Many of them are those despised by the world around them; indeed they might mutually despise each other in normal circumstances - the prostitute looking down on the tax collector, the tax collector looking down on the others. Yet here they are, sitting in a circle around Jesus. Their own differences don't matter because their focus is entirely upon Jesus.
Jesus who looks at them and in one sweeping statement redefines family. "Here are my mother and my brothers!"
Who are the ones who are part of Gods family? It is those who gather round Jesus and do God's will. And that doesn't mean fretting about the details of what God wants you to do with your life - this job, that place to live - it means trusting Jesus, following Jesus, daily being obedient to the things he has commanded us - you know, 'love your neighbour', 'love your brothers and sisters in Christ', 'go and make disciples of all nations'. That kind of thing.
Whoever does God's will is part of the family of God.
The first step is accepting Jesus as your saviour and Lord. As it says in 2 Peter 3v9 "The Lord is. not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance". There is no more significant step than that, and if you have not taken that step before today then please do not delay!
And what next?
I've often thought that the big issue facing most of us Christians nowadays is not ignorance, it is obedience. It isn't that we don't know what God expects of us, because the broad brush strokes of what he expects are pretty clear in our Bibles.
We just need to make sure that we work out what obedience to Gods will looks like for me at this time, in this place, in my current circumstances. And then DO it.
Alex White
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