Mark 3

1 et introivit iterum synagogam et erat ibi homo habens manum aridam

2 et observabant eum si sabbatis curaret ut accusarent illum

3 et ait homini habenti manum aridam surge in medium

4 et dicit eis licet sabbatis bene facere an male animam salvam facere an perdere at illi tacebant

5 et circumspiciens eos cum ira contristatus super caecitatem cordis eorum dicit homini extende manum tuam et extendit et restituta est manus illi

6 exeuntes autem statim Pharisaei cum Herodianis consilium faciebant adversus eum quomodo eum perderent

7 et Iesus cum discipulis suis secessit ad mare et multa turba a Galilaea et Iudaea secuta est eum

8 et ab Hierosolymis et ab Idumea et trans Iordanen et qui circa Tyrum et Sidonem multitudo magna audientes quae faciebat venerunt ad eum

9 et dixit discipulis suis ut navicula sibi deserviret propter turbam ne conprimerent eum

10 multos enim sanabat ita ut inruerent in eum ut illum tangerent quotquot habebant plagas

11 et spiritus inmundi cum illum videbant procidebant ei et clamabant dicentes

12 tu es Filius Dei et vehementer comminabatur eis ne manifestarent illum

13 et ascendens in montem vocavit ad se quos voluit ipse et venerunt ad eum

14 et fecit ut essent duodecim cum illo et ut mitteret eos praedicare

15 et dedit illis potestatem curandi infirmitates et eiciendi daemonia

16 et inposuit Simoni nomen Petrus

17 et Iacobum Zebedaei et Iohannem fratrem Iacobi et inposuit eis nomina Boanerges quod est Filii tonitrui

18 et Andream et Philippum et Bartholomeum et Mattheum et Thomam et Iacobum Alphei et Thaddeum et Simonem Cananeum

19 et Iudam Scarioth qui et tradidit illum

20 et veniunt ad domum et convenit iterum turba ita ut non possent neque panem manducare

21 et cum audissent sui exierunt tenere eum dicebant enim quoniam in furorem versus est

22 et scribae qui ab Hierosolymis descenderant dicebant quoniam Beelzebub habet et quia in principe daemonum eicit daemonia

23 et convocatis eis in parabolis dicebat illis quomodo potest Satanas Satanan eicere

24 et si regnum in se dividatur non potest stare regnum illud

25 et si domus super semet ipsam dispertiatur non poterit domus illa stare

26 et si Satanas consurrexit in semet ipsum dispertitus est et non potest stare sed finem habet

27 nemo potest vasa fortis ingressus in domum diripere nisi prius fortem alliget et tunc domum eius diripiet

28 amen dico vobis quoniam omnia dimittentur filiis hominum peccata et blasphemiae quibus blasphemaverint

29 qui autem blasphemaverit in Spiritum Sanctum non habet remissionem in aeternum sed reus erit aeterni delicti

30 quoniam dicebant spiritum inmundum habet

31 et veniunt mater eius et fratres et foris stantes miserunt ad eum vocantes eum

32 et sedebat circa eum turba et dicunt ei ecce mater tua et fratres tui foris quaerunt te

33 et respondens eis ait quae est mater mea et fratres mei

34 et circumspiciens eos qui in circuitu eius sedebant ait ecce mater mea et fratres mei

35 qui enim fecerit voluntatem Dei hic frater meus et soror mea et mater est

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.