Mark 3:20-34 (New International Version, ©2010)
Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law
20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family[a] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”
23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”
30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”
31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
There are a couple things that I find particularly interesting about this passage.Mark 3:20-34 (New International Version, ©2010)
Jesus Accused by His Family and by Teachers of the Law
20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family[a] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” 22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”23 So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. 28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”
30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”
31 Then Jesus’ mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
33 “Who are my mother and my brothers?” he asked.
34 Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!
First, Jesus' family stages an intervention, under the premise that he is "out of his mind." This is odd, because his mother, at least, knows that he is not exactly your average thirty-something man. In other places, you even see her asking Jesus to perform miracles, when he didn't want to yet--ie., turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana. But obviously, what Jesus is doing is making them very uncomfortable.
This is pure speculation, but I wonder if the "out of his mind" part had as much or more to do with the danger he was putting himself in by going against the grain of the established religious leaders of the day than with concerns about his mental stability. I mean, I can see how his brothers might think he was didelusional, but still--he was performing all these miracles, and doing all these amazing things. That's not delusion--that's reality.
And then there were the Pharisees, who insisted that he was doing all those miracles because he was possessed by the prince of Beelzebul, the prince of demons. No big surprise in their negative response. But the reason it's notable is because this is where that "blaspheming the Holy Spirit" passage comes up. People talk a lot about the "eternal sin" of "blaspheming the Holy Spirit," and I've known people who are afraid that they could somehow commit this "unforgivable sin" by accident.
But look at what is going on here. Jesus is God in the flesh, doing the Father's work through the power of the Holy Spirit. But the Pharisees are saying it's Satan at work. They are saying that God is Satan, that God is evil--they are blaspheming the Holy Spirit. And you can never seek God's forgiveness or accept his salvation when you are insisting that God is not God, that God is anything less than God.
Application: Don't try to squelch the work of the Holy Spirit (like Jesus' family was trying to do), even when it makes you uncomfortable, worried, or embarrassed. And don't malign God's work in the world, even when it makes you feel uncomfortable, threatened, or you don't like the people who are doing it.
Wow. I'm finding lots of application in Mark about how we should treat our brothers and sisters in Christ. Good stuff--but I guess this means I can't make fun of TBN, LOL! What if we used all the energy we spent bickering with other Christians trying to reach out to those who aren't? What a revolutionary concept!
it seems like "Expectation" always get humans in trouble. Why are we always suprized when people act or say things other then what we are prepared for. We expect others to think just like we do, but I think that we were always meant to be unique. Certainly Jesus was that! and why this study group should be interesting and fun!
ReplyDeleteI think one thing in particular to notice in Mark 3 is the different groups that are mentioned. As we saw in Mark 3:7-8, Jesus’ ministry is now well established and when they heard of the things He did they came to Him from all over the land. Mark 1:45 says they came from every quarter.
ReplyDeleteHere is a list: man with withered hand, Pharisees, Herodians, disciples, multitudes from every quarter, the twelve that were ordained as apostles, his friends (Mark 3:21 – my copy of the scriptures say it was His friends that wanted to “lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.” (Mark 3:21), scribes from Jerusalem, and finally his physical family members.
There is such diversity within these groups of people, but one thing that stands out is there are those that believe and those that do not believe that He is the Christ. Mark has shown us many of the things that Jesus Christ has done and according to Deuteronomy 13, all the healings and miracles that were being done confirmed the Word that He was teaching and who He is.
I think that what we need to understand in this chapter is that Jesus’ ministry is now well established and it is now time for Israel to make a decision: to believe or not. Remember back in Mark 1:15. He began His ministry saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and BELIEVE the gospel. The chapter ends with all those who do believe are those who have a relationship with Him, emphasis is on the spiritual rather than the physical.
Concerning blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, I have never met anyone who thought they had done this and consequently can never be forgiven. What would I say to them if I did?
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to realize that Jesus, in His earthly ministry, is giving the scribes and Pharisees a warning. Matthew records a bit more information:
Matthew 12:31-32 KJV Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. (32) And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.
Remember, when Jesus was on the cross He said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.” In Acts 3:17, Peter says that they crucified the Lord through ignorance they killed the Prince of life. It is almost like God was giving them a second chance until after His resurrection. The last sign to be given was the sign of Jonah. After His resurrection, in the early Acts period, we see that Israel is not without excuse for their blasphemy.
Acts 6:8-10 KJV And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. (9) Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. (10) And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.
…
Acts 7:51-58 KJV Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. (52) Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: (53) Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. (54) When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. (55) But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, (56) And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. (57) Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran upon him with one accord, (58) And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul.
Mark 3:29 KJV But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Matthew 12:32 KJV And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, NEITHER IN THIS WORLD, NEITHER IN THE WORLD TO COME.
Saul, who later became the Apostle Paul – the apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13), was among that group:
1 Timothy 1:15-16 KJV This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. (16) Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.
“IN ME FIRST Jesus Christ might show forth all longsuffering… WOW! Stephen saw Jesus Christ standing… (Isaiah 3:13 says He standeth to judge the people) Paul was among that nation that the stoning of Stephen sealed their fate; except God had a secret (Ephesians 3:1-11, Colossians 1:25-27) and instead of coming to judge He began to something new, something different than what He had promised to the nation of Israel. Otherwise, there would have been no forgiveness for Saul (Paul).
Concerning blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, I have meet a couple people that feel this way.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jenny for giving me something to say!
I spent many years extremely confused about the "blaspheming against the Spirit" verse. Jenny, I think you gave a great summary of what it means, in my opinion. The blasphemy is calling God evil. As long as you are doing that, you are denying the Holy Spirit the ability to work in and through you and you cannot be in fellowship with God. Resisting the working of the Spirit is rejecting God.
ReplyDelete