Mark 3

Healing on the Sabbath

1 Jesus returned to the synagogue. A man with a withered hand was there.

2 Wanting to bring charges against Jesus, they were watching Jesus closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.

3 He said to the man with the withered hand, " Step up where people can see you."

4 Then he said to them, " Is it legal on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they said nothing.

5 Looking around at them with anger, deeply grieved at their unyielding hearts, he said to the man, " Stretch out your hand." So he did, and his hand was made healthy.

6 At that, the Pharisees got together with the supporters of Herod to plan how to destroy Jesus.

Healing and throwing demons out

7 Jesus left with his disciples and went to the lake. A large crowd followed him because they had heard what he was doing. They were from Galilee,

8 Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the area surrounding Tyre and Sidon.

9 Jesus told his disciples to get a small boat ready for him so the crowd wouldn't crush him.

10 He had healed so many people that everyone who was sick pushed forward so that they could touch him.

11 Whenever the evil spirits saw him, they fell down at his feet and shouted, "You are God's Son!"

12 But he strictly ordered them not to reveal who he was.

Jesus appoints twelve apostles

13 Jesus went up on a mountain and called those he wanted, and they came to him.

14 He appointed twelve and called them apostles. He appointed them to be with him, to be sent out to preach,

15 and to have authority to throw out demons.

16 He appointed twelve: Peter, a name he gave Simon;

17 James and John, Zebedee's sons, whom he nicknamed Boanerges, which means "sons of Thunder";

18 and Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, Alphaeus' son; Thaddaeus; Simon the Cananaean;

19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus.

Misunderstandings about Jesus

20 Jesus entered a house. A crowd gathered again so that it was impossible for him and his followers even to eat.

21 When his family heard what was happening, they came to take control of him. They were saying, "He's out of his mind!"

22 The legal experts came down from Jerusalem. Over and over they charged, "He's possessed by Beelzebul. He throws out demons with the authority of the ruler of demons."

23 When Jesus called them together he spoke to them in a parable: " How can Satan throw Satan out?

24 A kingdom involved in civil war will collapse.

25 And a house torn apart by divisions will collapse.

26 If Satan rebels against himself and is divided, then he can't endure. He's done for.

27 No one gets into the house of a strong person and steals anything without first tying up the strong person. Only then can the house be burglarized.

28 I assure you that human beings will be forgiven for everything, for all sins and insults of every kind.

29 But whoever insults the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. That person is guilty of a sin with consequences that last forever."

30 He said this because the legal experts were saying, "He's possessed by an evil spirit."

31 His mother and brothers arrived. They stood outside and sent word to him, calling for him.

32 A crowd was seated around him, and those sent to him said, "Look, your mother, brothers, and sisters are outside looking for you."

33 He replied, " Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?"

34 Looking around at those seated around him in a circle, he said, " Look, here are my mother and my brothers.

35 Whoever does God's will is my brother, sister, and mother."

Mark 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The withered hand healed. (1-5) The people resort to Christ. (6-12) The apostles called. (13-21) The blasphemy of the scribes. (22-30) Christ's relatives. (31-35)

Verses 1-5 This man's case was piteous; he had a withered hand, which disabled him from working for his living; and those that are so, are the most proper objects of charity. Let those be helped that cannot help themselves. But stubborn infidels, when they can say nothing against the truth, yet will not yield. We hear what is said amiss, and see what is done amiss; but Christ looks at the root of bitterness in the heart, the blindness and hardness of that, and is grieved. Let hard-hearted sinners tremble to think of the anger with which he will look upon them shortly, when the day of his wrath comes. The great healing day now is the sabbath, and the healing place the house of prayer; but the healing power is of Christ. The gospel command is like that recorded here: though our hands are withered, yet, if we will not stretch them out, it is our own fault that we are not healed. But if we are healed, Christ, his power and grace, must have all the glory.

Verses 6-12 All our sicknesses and calamities spring from the anger of God against our sins. Their removal, or the making them blessings to us, was purchased to us by the blood of Christ. But the plagues and diseases of our souls, of our hearts, are chiefly to be dreaded; and He can heal them also by a word. May more and more press to Christ to be healed of these plagues, and to be delivered from the enemies of their souls.

Verses 13-21 Christ calls whom he will; for his grace is his own. He had called the apostles to separate themselves from the crowd, and they came unto him. He now gave them power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils. May the Lord send forth more and more of those who have been with him, and have learned of him to preach his gospel, to be instruments in his blessed work. Those whose hearts are enlarged in the work of God, can easily bear with what is inconvenient to themselves, and will rather lose a meal than an opportunity of doing good. Those who go on with zeal in the work of God, must expect hinderances, both from the hatred of enemies, and mistaken affections of friends, and need to guard against both.

Verses 22-30 It was plain that the doctrine of Christ had a direct tendency to break the devil's power; and it was as plain, that casting of him out of the bodies of people, confirmed that doctrine; therefore Satan could not support such a design. Christ gave an awful warning against speaking such dangerous words. It is true the gospel promises, because Christ has purchased, forgiveness for the greatest sins and sinners; but by this sin, they would oppose the gifts of the Holy Ghost after Christ's ascension. Such is the enmity of the heart, that unconverted men pretend believers are doing Satan's work, when sinners are brought to repentance and newness of life.

Verses 31-35 It is a great comfort to all true Christians, that they are dearer to Christ than mother, brother, or sister as such, merely as relations in the flesh would have been, even had they been holy. Blessed be God, this great and gracious privilege is ours even now; for though Christ's bodily presence cannot be enjoyed by us, his spiritual presence is not denied us.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or zealot