The New Testament – Verse by Verse Bible Study – Part 31 – Mark 3
In this Bible Study series on Internet Pastor we will be studying through the New Testament verse by verse. You can watch or listen to the study by going to the Online Church page.
Mark 3:1-35 (NIV)
1 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. 2 Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. 3 Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.” 4 Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. 5 He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. 6 Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. 7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. 8 When they heard all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. 9 Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. 10 For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. 11 Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But he gave them strict orders not to tell who he was. 13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve–designating them apostles–that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach 15 and to have authority to drive out demons. 16 These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 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 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 Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” 23 So Jesus called them and spoke 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 and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house. 28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.” 30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an evil 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! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
We left off last week with Jesus explaining that the Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Jesus was demonstrating that the established religious order had missed the mark and that instead of a deep intimate relationship based on love, what the religious order promoted was a shallow type of duty based on rules and regulations.
Mark 3:1-6
As we open Chapter 3 we see another encounter on the Sabbath. A man with a shriveled hand is there and the Pharisees are watching to see if Jesus will heal him so that they can accuse Him of being a Sabbath breaker. The Pharisees would rather have their rules followed then see people healed by the power of God.
When Jesus heals the man, the Pharisees go out and begin to plot with the Herodians about how they can kill Jesus. It seems to me they have forgotten one of the commandments!
Jesus is concerned about people, and the stories that Mark uses illustrate the fact that what God desires is not a relationship based on legalism but based on love. The Pharisees had taken the law, which was initially given to demonstrate how God’s people should live together in loving community, and reduced it to rules and regulations. They had stripped away the love of God! I can’t emphasize enough how easy it is as God’s people to do the same thing that the Pharisees did.
Mark 3:7-12
Mark gives us another overview of Jesus ministry. Jesus and His disciples would go to a place, and crowds of people would show up, wanting to be ministered to by Jesus.
Mark 3:13-19
Jesus appoints the Apostles.
Mark 3:20-21
When Jesus family hears about what Jesus is doing and the crowds that are coming they decide they need to go and get Him and have Him committed or something.
Mark 3:22-31
The Pharisee jump on the He is crazy band wagon and begin to accuse Him of being possessed by Beelzebub. Jesus refutes the accusation by saying:
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
There are a couple of verses in this section that I want to look at a little more closely. The first one is verse 27:
27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house.
In this verse, the strongman is the Evil One. As Jesus inaugurated the Kingdom, He is tying up the Evil One making it possible to “rob his house”. The people who have been in darkness will now be able to see and accept the Kingdom of God if they choose to.
The other verses I want to look at are verses 28 and 29.
28 I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin.”
On the Internet Pastor site I get a lot of email from people who are worried they have committed the “unpardonable sin”.
In the simplest way I know how to tell people they haven’t committed the “unpardonable sin”, let me put it this way. The unpardonable sin would be to not accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, which is the ultimate aim of the work of the Holy Spirit.
Mark 3:32-35
Jesus family shows up, and Jesus makes the following statement:
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! 35 Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”
If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior and are trying to live out His will for your life, welcome to the family of God!
Come back often to see the latest sermons or bible studies on your Online Pastor site. We are blessed to be your Pastor Online!
Related posts:
- The New Testament – Verse by Verse Bible Study – Part 41 – Mark 13 In this Bible Study series on Internet Pastor we will...
- The New Testament – Verse by Verse Bible Study – Part 44 – Mark 16 In this Bible Study series on Internet Pastor we will...
Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.
Category: Studying the Bible
