Mark 3

1 And he entered again into the synagogue, and there was a man having a dry hand.

2 And they espied him, if he healed in the sabbaths, to accuse him. [And they espied him, if he healed in the sabbaths, that they should accuse him.]

3 And he said to the man that had a dry hand, Rise into the middle. [And he saith to the man having a dry hand, Rise thou into the midst.]

4 And he saith to them, Is it leaveful to do well in the sabbaths, either evil [or evil]? to make a soul safe, either to destroy [or to lose]? And they were still.

5 And he beheld them about with wrath, and had sorrow on the blindness of their heart [having sorrow upon the blindness of their heart], and saith to the man, Hold forth thine hand. And he held forth, and his hand was restored to him.

6 Soothly [the] Pharisees went out at once [anon], and made a counsel with Herodians against him, how they should destroy him [how they should lose him].

7 But Jesus with his disciples went to the sea; and much people from Galilee [and much company from Galilee] and from Judaea followed him,

8 and from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan, and they that were about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, hearing the things that he did, came to him.

9 And Jesus said to his disciples, that the [little] boat should serve to him, for the people, lest they thrust him [that the little boat should serve him, for the company of people, lest they oppressed him];

10 for he healed many, so that they felled fast to him, to touch him. And how many ever had sicknesses [Forsooth how many ever had sores, or wounds],

11 and unclean spirits, when they saw him, felled down to him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

12 And greatly he menaced them, that they should not make him known.

13 And he went into an hill [And he ascending to an hill], and called to him whom he would; and they came to him.

14 And he made, that there were twelve with him, to send them to preach. [And he made, that twelve were with him, and that he should send them for to preach.]

15 And he gave to them power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out fiends.

16 And to Simon he gave a name, Peter,

17 and he called James of Zebedee and John [and James of Zebedee and John], the brother of James, and he gave to them names Boanerges, that is, the sons of thundering [that is, the sons of thunder].

18 And he called Andrew and Philip [And Andrew and Philip], and Bartholomew and Matthew, and Thomas and James [of] Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon Canaanite,

19 and Judas Iscariot, that betrayed him. And they came to an house,

20 and the people [and the company of people] came together again, so that they might not [neither] eat bread.

21 And when his kinsmen had heard, they went out to hold him; for they said, That he is turned into madness.

22 And the scribes that came down from Jerusalem, said, That he hath Beelzebub, and that in the prince of devils he casteth out fiends.

23 And he called them together, and he said to them in parables, How may Satan cast out Satan?

24 And if a realm be parted against itself, that realm may not stand.

25 And if an house be parted against itself, that house may not stand.

26 And if Satan hath risen against himself, he is parted, and he shall not be able to stand, but hath an end.

27 No man may go into a strong man's house, and take away his vessels, but he bind first the strong man, and then he shall spoil his house.

28 Truly I say to you, that all sins and blasphemies, by which they have blasphemed, shall be forgiven to the sons of men.

29 But he that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost [Soothly he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost], hath not remission into without end, but he shall be guilty of everlasting trespass.

30 For they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

31 And his mother and his brethren came, and stood withoutforth, and sent to him, and called him. [And his mother and brethren come, and standing withoutforth, sent to him, calling him.]

32 And the people sat about him [And the company sat about him]; and they said to him, Lo! thy mother and thy brethren withoutforth seek thee.

33 And he answered to them, and said, Who is my mother and my brethren?

34 And he beheld them that sat about him, and said, Lo! my mother and my brethren.

35 For who that doeth the will of God, he is my brother, and my 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.