Mark 3 – Quarterlife Study
In this chapter, the events described by Mark illustrate the
relationships Jesus had with those around him. These range from interaction
between Jesus and his enemies, the crowds, his disciples, and his family. I
would like to look at this chapter through the lens of relationships.
His Enemies
This relationship is developed through two accounts. In the
first, the Pharisees are watching Jesus for a way to accuse him. It is clear by
this point they have made their decision about him. His is a threat to their
power. He is their enemy. This is incredible because the Pharisees expected
Jesus to perform the healing. They did not doubt his power to heal. They expected
him to be moved with compassion the man
with the withered hand. Jesus calls up a man with a withered hand and asks them
a penetrating question: “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm,
to save life or to kill?”
This puts the Pharisees in a dilemma. If they say it is
lawful to do good, then they are approving on him healing the man’s hand. They
cannot say it is lawful to do harm on the Sabbath. They might argue “yes, you
can do good, but healing the man’s hand is not good.” Of course, that would be
obviously foolish, and would expose the evil in their hearts.
So, they pick the only option of defiance available to them.
They are silent. This makes Jesus mad. We do not often see Jesus angry. Why is
he angry? Their hearts were hardening. They did not care about the need of the
man with the withered hand. They had no compassion for him. All they cared
about was their interpretation of the law.
But Jesus is also grieved. As he looks around at their
faces, both emotions rise in him. Anger at the sin that hardens their hearts,
and grief that they won’t repent. We know that God “…desires all people to be
saved, and come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4) Jesus loves
these people. He has compassion on the man with the withered hand and the
Pharisees. Jesus truly loved his enemies. This is a good thing for us, because
we were once enemies of God ourselves. But “While we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us.” (Romans 5:8)
The second run in with his enemies is found in verses 22-30.
The Pharisees try a new tactic. They cannot deny his power, so they resort to
calling it the work of Satan. Jesus quickly shows the foolishness of their
argument. They would have Satan working against himself. It is a ridiculous
charge. Then he goes on to say that “whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”. This is a powerful
statement. But what is this sin? Verse 30 explains, “For they were saying, ‘He
has an unclean spirit.’” What they were
doing was attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to the Devil. It was an
absolute rejection of the Holy Spirit.
Why is this sin eternal? Think about what is happening here.
The Pharisees have rejected the Holy Spirit. Remember the Holy Spirit descending
like a dove on Jesus in chapter 1 when he began his ministry? He ministered
through the power of the Holy Spirit. He healed people by the Spirit. We get born again through the Spirit. If we
completely reject the Holy Spirit, how then can we be brought to repentance? There
is no other route. John 6:44 says, “No one can come to me unless the Father who
sent me draws them…”
Jesus warns that the relationship can be completely cut off.
In blaspheming the Holy Spirit, they are separating themselves from access to a
relationship with God for eternity. It is possible for a person to come to a
place where they are no longer able to repent or even experience conviction of their
sin.
Keep in mind in mind the words of Jesus, “This is the will
of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should
have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40) The
only thing that matters in this life is your relationship with the Son of God.
Was he your friend? Or did you make yourself his enemy?
The Crowds
The next relationship that Mark explores in this chapter is
that of Jesus with the masses. Huge crowds heard about his works and came to
see him. In verses 7-12, we see Jesus swarmed by crowds. He literally needs an
escape plan, because the crowds are trying to crush him. We get the impression
that these people are desperate. We see this kind of desperation in modern
times when humanitarian aid is brought to places experiencing famine. It is
heart wrenching to see people mob the trucks, desperately trying to reach the
supplies. You get the same kind of feeling here. People who are suffering see a
glimmer of hope, and they jostle and push and crush just to get close. The
people believe that if they can just touch him, they will be healed.
Jesus responds to the crowds with compassion. In another
place, he calls them sheep without a shepherd. He loves them, but he does not
give himself to them. He teaches them, he feeds them, but he leaves them. He
repeated tries to ditch them, going into the wilderness, or traveling to a new
place, once even walking on water in the night to escape them.
Why does he do this? We might say what his brothers said to
him, “You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such
wonderful things, show yourself to the world!!” (John 7:4 NLT). Doesn’t he want
the people to follow him?
After he feeds the 5000, they try to make him king by force.
But Jesus slips away. He doesn’t want followers who are just there for the
bread. He could have set up a kingdom, using his miracles, and having the
people follow him, but that would not have accomplished his purpose. He didn’t
just come for our obedience; he came for our hearts.
And the crowds are fickle. In his passion week, they cheer
and praise him as he enters the city. “Hosanna!” they shouted, “Save us!” They
worshipped him with palm branches, laying their cloaks on the ground for him to
ride over. But those same crowds would be shouting “Crucify!” a few days later.
His Disciples
Which leads us to the disciples. Mark tells how Jesus called
up to himself a select few. Twelve followers he calls apostles. These became
his closest followers. Contrast them with the crowds. While he teaches the
crowds in parables, he explains everything to the disciples. The crowds follow
him because of what he can do for them. Because he can feed them or heal them.
The disciples follow because of who he is. This is the essential distinction. The
disciples travel with him and live with him and get to be a part of his life.
Jesus gives them everything.
His Family
The last relationship that is address in this chapter is
that with his family. When they first appear, they are coming to collect Jesus.
They thought he was crazy. This is a completely different response we see than
after his resurrection. At that point, his family becomes true believers. But
for now, they think he needs someone to reign him in.
They finally show up when he is teaching in a house. It is
another one of those meetings that are so packed that no one can even get in
the doors. They send word to Jesus to come out to them. The response that Jesus
gives almost sounds like a snub. “Who are my mother and brothers?”
Jesus follows this with “Here are my mother and my brothers!
For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” This
is the awesome promise of God. We can be adopted into his family. He offers us
the most precious of relationships. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those
who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John
1:12).
Jesus uses the moment to teach an eternal truth, but he doesn’t
dishonor his mother. His family came to him in the flesh, opposing the work of
God. He could not give into them. But he still honored his mother. We see a
beautiful instance of him following the commandment to honor your father and
mother at the cross. Jesus has been beaten, whipped, mocked, and hung upon the
cross, and still he has concern for his mother. He makes sure that he is taken
care of, even as he is dying, entrusting her care to his closest disciple (John
19:27).
Jesus cared about relationships. He spent years pouring into
his relationships with his disciples. That alone should show us that relationships
are important. Nothing else will pass with us into the next life. This leads us
to the question we need to ask ourselves. What is my relationship with Christ?
Am I his enemy? God offers reconciliation (Romans 5:10). Am
I a part of the crowd? God offers to draw us near (James 4:8). Am I a disciple?
God is calling you deeper (Luke 12:48).
Let me encourage you today, take time for your relationship
with God.
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