Sunday, May 11, 2025

Through the Bible -- Mark 3

Sunday summaries of Mark continue for Through the Bible. Previously:

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1. At the end of Mark 2, Jesus got into his first conflict over the Sabbath. There, it was because his disciples were picking grain to eat as they walked through a field. In the story, the Pharisees consider this harvesting -- working on the Sabbath and thus breaking the commandment. Jesus quotes Scripture to show that the Sabbath commandment is not an absolute. There are exceptions, and he is one of them.

Immediately following at the beginning of Mark 3, we have another Sabbath story involving Pharisees (3:1-6). [1] In ths case, there is a man who is not whole physically. Jesus senses that some who are more legalistic are watching to see if he will "break the Law" by healing on the Sabbath. Of course, this is not breaking the Law. This is breaking their interpretation of the Law, which was wrong. [2]

Jesus sets their priorities straight. Life is more important than a rule for its own sake. It angers him, their out-of-focus view of things. God's laws are for our benefit, not mere tests of obedience. They need to grow up in their sense of God's priorities. God makes exceptions. He heals the man, and we see for the first time the beginnings of plots to kill him. 

This is one of only three times that the Herodians are mentioned in the New Testament. We have to make an educated guess about who they were. Quite possibly, they were a group that wanted to see a Herod as ruler of Israel again, as opposed to a Roman governor like Pontius Pilate.

2. Word gets out that people get healed when Jesus is around. Those possessed with evil spirits are liberated. The result is that Jesus is mobbed. Here he gets a little offshore in a boat to preach to the crowds so he doesn't get mobbed (3:7-12). We see him withdrawing for the first time.

We see the second instance of Mark's "messianic secret" theme. When Jesus engages evil spirits, he commands them not to tell others that he is the Son of God (3:11-12). They must obey. It is not Jesus' time yet. Peter is the first human to confess it in Mark 8:29. But the first human to get that this means he will die for humanity is the centurion at the cross in 15:39.

3. In 3:13-19, we have the chosing of the 12 core disciples. This number seems to echo the twelve tribes of Israel. The implication seems to be that Jesus mission involves the restoration of Israel. This is certainly how the disciples themselves seem to have understood it (Acts 1:6).

The lists in the Gospels differ a little from each other, leading tradition to line up various ones from the different accounts. The list here in Mark 3 is Simon (Peter), his brother Andrew, and the brothers James and John the sons of Zebedee. These are the core disciples in Mark. Then there was Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas. There is James the son of Alphaeus, sometimes called "James the Less." Then the list finishes out with Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot.

Mark adds some details. We are reminded that Peter or "Rock" was a name that Jesus gave Simon. It wasn't his given name. In Aramaic, the actual name Jesus gave him was Cephas. We are told that Jesus called James and John the "sons of thunder" (3:17). We can see that thunder in the book of Revelation! Thaddaeus might be Judas son of James in Luke 6:16. 

It is interesting that the second Simon is called "Simon the Zealot." The Zealots were not an organized group until around the time of the Jewish War in AD66-70. Mark would have known this group. It seems natural therefore to think that Simon may have participated in the war. Otherwise, he surely would have avoided the term as Matthew does.

4. In the final part of the chapter, the opposition to Jesus increases (3:20-35). Interestingly, his family tries to talk some sense into him (3:21). His mother and brothers arrive and try to get him to come out of a house where he has been so mobbed that they can't even eat (3:20, 31). 

Jesus distances himself from his family. They don't see the big picture. Perhaps there is also some envy. You think of his brothers who were born legitimately and so could do what siblings do, needling Jesus for being born before their parents were fully married. Later, his brother James still seems a little too preoccupied with purity laws in the face of the mission (Gal. 2:12).

Jesus astoundingly (especially for that day) puts the will of God above his family. "Those who do the will of my Father are my brothers and sisters" (Mark 3:35). The church is a new family that is more real than one's biological family. Note that even Mary does not seem to fully understand what is going on. Joseph, quite possibly, is already out of the picture.

5. "Headquarters" is getting involved. Teachers of the Law have heard about Jesus and have come "down" from Jerusalem. "Down" in this context relates to the fact that Jerusalem is elevated but also reminds us that our sense of north as up is part of our worldview. They are there to exert their power and control over things religious. Jesus is a charismatic fly in their ointment. He hasn't gone through the proper ordination process that might involve their approval. Who does he think he is? He needs to be brought under control or at least knocked down to size.

Not going to happen. They accuse him of using the power of Satan (Beelzebul) to cast out demons. Jesus looks at them like they're crazy. Don't put any of these guys in charge of a battle because they'll have their own side attacking their own side. Satan doesn't fight himself!

Organizationally, there is great insight here, as we would expect. If an organization is full of infighting and backstabbing, without trust between its members, it's not going to do so well. "A house divided against itself cannot stand," Jesus said (3:25). These are words Lincoln would quote during the Civil War as he tried to keep the country together as a union.

6. It is in this context that Jesus articulates what is called the "unpardonable sin." The unpardonable sin is attributing to Satan what is actually the work of the Holy Spirit. It is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. It is a warning to us today not to attribute to Satan works that could actually be the work of God. I have sometimes thought of those who might suggest tongues-speaking is of the Devil. I would be very careful.

Some of those with a overly sensitive conscience have wondered if they might have committed such a sin. I remember hearing a story of a man who was faithful to the church, tithed faithfully, and was in all respects one of the most eager helpers. But when asked if he would join the board, he said he couldn't because he had once committed the unpardonable sin.

No one should worry about the unpardonable sin. If it is true that the Holy Spirit draws us to him, then anyone who truly comes to God in repentance has not committed this sin. After all, it is the Spirit that makes that repentance possible. Any prodigal can return if his or her repentance is genuine.

In this case, these teachers of the law are way past that point. They have a form of godliness but without the power. They once had a choice but now their heart is hardened of their own doing. They have the official position but no position in God's kingdom. So often those who hold official positions of power on earth are nothing from a heavenly perspective.

[1] Remember that the chapter divisions were added later. Mark has clustered these two stories together side by side likely because of their common engagement of the Sabbath. Mark did.not likely arrange all of the stories in chronological order. In these early chapters, we see some thematic grouping and also a sense of increasingly conflict.

[2] We should not think that these individuals represented all Pharisees either. It is hard to see the famous Hillel having any problem with Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath.

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