Unholy Alliance March 5
Mark 3:6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
The Pharisees have little in common with the Sadducees, one the guardian of the religious law and the other the guardian of the secular law. Even though they have even less in common with the Herodians, the Pharisees find common ground with this political sect in their enmity for Jesus.
The religious law is often a double standard with rulings in favor of the interpreters of the law and against those for whom they interpreted the law. After all, the Pharisees make allowances for the necessity of the work of preparing sacrifices on the Sabbath. And they allow the exchange of Roman coin for Temple coin in order to buy sacrifices on the Sabbath.
Herod looks to Rome as the ultimate source of his power, not the people of Israel. He governs as an intermediary, empowered to do what is necessary to keep order with the day to day administration of secular law. That he and his supporters become wealthy is but a fortunate happenstance.
Against Jesus’ challenge, the Pharisees can present no argument. But such an act of mercy promotes hatred in hearts of stone, promotes the desire to curb the offense of unmerited love in any way possible. This is not their way.
Alliances with no common ground other than a common enemy are based on hatred, a lack of love worthy of Satan.
The only true alliance is based on love of God and love of the people of His creation. Any other alliance is built on shifting sand.
Bound by the Law March 6
Mark 3:6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
When we look at all of the interactions between Jesus and the Pharisees, we may see the common thread to their objections: Jesus is free from the burden of the law, and the Pharisees feel the law’s weight upon them with their every breath.
The Pharisees are bound by the law of their own making and interpretation. They scarcely have room to move or breathe.
Jesus states an overarching principle involving the Commandment regarding the seventh day, a statement that casts new light on an old law: The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.
The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus speaks as a man for mankind, and as a part of the Trinity for God. God has created us and blessed us. A day of rest is a gift, not a sentence. Sabbath is an opportunity, not a punishment.
All of the law, represented by the agape love of Jesus on earth and in the law that infuses each piece of creation, is bound only by love, in love.
The Mercy Seat sits on top of the Ark of the Covenant, the container for the stones of the law. Jesus will not let law rise above mercy. He will model love of mankind, and love and obedience toward God. The hardness of the hearts of mankind grieves Him, rouses Him to stand against the willful foolishness of it.
The Pharisees align with the politicians, the Herodians. Tension builds.
A Multitude Follow March 7
Mark 3:7 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. 9 So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.
The common people who recognize His power and identity flock to Him. The evil spirits know Him and cry out against Him. And His human opponents join with the evil spirits and plot against Him.
Being followed by a great multitude is not the experience of the Pharisees and scribes. Crowds do not follow them. Evil spirits do not run from them. Disease is unmoved by their touch.
Jealousy is not too strong a word for the emotion stirred within them by Jesus’ power. For all of the righteousness they have earned by their works, God appears to give them little support. Surely these works of Jesus – especially on the Sabbath – are of Satan!
Mercy calls Jesus to heal the sick, but He also has come to set the captives free. Widespread fame obscures His message for each person: their identity as a child of God, and their home as heaven, the kingdom of God here and now.
The crowd standing before Him seeks the good that He can give them rather than the best He can give them. He has far to go before He is done.
Healing Many March 8
Mark 3:10 For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. 11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.
There are two Greek words used for heal in the Gospels. Except for Mark 5:29, Mark uses only Strong’s G2323, therapeuo, as in verse 10. It comes from a word meaning to wait upon menially, and is defined as to cure, heal, worship. We get our English word, therapy, from this.
The other Greek word is G2390, iaomai, from a verb meaning to cure (literally or figuratively) and means heal or make whole. The other Gospels use this word frequently. When Mark writes of Jesus casting out demons, he is using therapeuo to emphasize Jesus’ humble service on the Sabbath. He uses iaomai for the miraculous healing event of the woman who touches the tassels of His garment.
Making a person whole is to make them a single entity in body, mind, and spirit. Whether an unclean spirit is a literal evil spirit or demon, or perhaps a negative characteristic such as those listed in the fruit of the flesh in Galatians 5, is open to discussion. The point is that being whole means not being fractured, neither afflicted with competing ideas or emotions, nor with competing spirits.
That a touch can bring a person into unity of spirit, into a wellness based on wholeness, is indeed miraculous. This is Jesus as a conduit for the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus brings right doing, thinking, and being into the heart through a simple touch. Who would not follow Him to receive this healing power?
Calling the Twelve March 9
Mark 3:13 And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 16 Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.
Jesus had many followers in those days. He wants followers, but He also wants those who will go out and preach the word that they have received. To listen and take heed is good; to follow and to grow in wisdom is better; to understand and take the message to others is best.
Jesus goes up to a mountain and calls out to those He wants to join Him. Jesus appoints twelve, symbolic of the number of tribes of Israel
The word for appointed (Strong’s G4160) has a wide range of translations into English centered on the words make or do. Some translations have it as ordained.
Mark uses this word in Mark 10:6 - But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ We have a similar sense here in Mark 3 that Jesus made these twelve His disciples.
By beholding, these twelve become changed. By reflecting the light they have received, they change the world.
Crazy! March 10
Mark 3:20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
While Jesus and His followers are on the mountain, the crowd disperses, and news goes to Jerusalem (verse 22) and to Jesus’ own family (verses 21 and 31).
When Jesus, His newly designated disciples, and His other followers come down from the mountain, the multitude came together again pressing all around them. Jesus and His followers have no opportunity to get away from the throng, even to eat.
During the interval, which must have been well over a week, scribes come from Jerusalem. Local religious leaders had no doubt sent word alerting them to the nature of events surrounding Jesus and His followers.
Jesus’ family, His mother and brothers (verse 31 clarifies vs. 21), also arrive about the same time. We are told in John 7:5 of his brothers’ disbelief, but we are never given reason to doubt His mother’s faith in Jesus. That she traveled with her other sons is not surprising, but the comment in verse 22 is attributed to the brothers.
Jesus’ brothers (some would say “half-brothers) have not reconciled themselves to the true nature of Jesus.
Ironically, the brothers seek to save Jesus, their crazy brother (for so He must be to speak as He does!). They are concerned that the crowd will turn on their brother since they see Jesus is just a man like themselves.
His Own Family March 11
Mark 3:20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
Prior to Jesus’ baptism by the Holy Spirit, His brothers have probably never seen Him perform a miracle. No matter what He has said or how wise or faithful He may have been, the stir that Jesus is causing among the people is baffling to His brothers. He appears insane from their perspective.
Jesus speaks in Matthew 10 of the difficulties a convert to true faith will have, particularly within their own family: “…and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household’" (Matt. 10:36). He is quoting Micah 7:6, again showing there is nothing new under the sun.
The brothers see Jesus as another son of Joseph, a man like themselves. To think of Himself as greater than them, even to being the Son of God, is beyond ridiculous.
Family members are the people who are most tied to the identity of their relative as like themselves, people in and of the world. The spiritual conversion of their relative means the old identity that is a part of their own reality is gone, that they can no longer depend upon the person to fulfill their needs as before.
Jesus’ brothers try to pull Him from the crowd, believing their brother mad. Their plan is to rescue Jesus from the crowd and Himself.
Jesus is breaking all sorts of Laws, and the scribes’ charges that follow only add to the brothers’ concerns.
Next day
Mark 3:6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
The Pharisees have little in common with the Sadducees, one the guardian of the religious law and the other the guardian of the secular law. Even though they have even less in common with the Herodians, the Pharisees find common ground with this political sect in their enmity for Jesus.
The religious law is often a double standard with rulings in favor of the interpreters of the law and against those for whom they interpreted the law. After all, the Pharisees make allowances for the necessity of the work of preparing sacrifices on the Sabbath. And they allow the exchange of Roman coin for Temple coin in order to buy sacrifices on the Sabbath.
Herod looks to Rome as the ultimate source of his power, not the people of Israel. He governs as an intermediary, empowered to do what is necessary to keep order with the day to day administration of secular law. That he and his supporters become wealthy is but a fortunate happenstance.
Against Jesus’ challenge, the Pharisees can present no argument. But such an act of mercy promotes hatred in hearts of stone, promotes the desire to curb the offense of unmerited love in any way possible. This is not their way.
Alliances with no common ground other than a common enemy are based on hatred, a lack of love worthy of Satan.
The only true alliance is based on love of God and love of the people of His creation. Any other alliance is built on shifting sand.
Bound by the Law March 6
Mark 3:6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
When we look at all of the interactions between Jesus and the Pharisees, we may see the common thread to their objections: Jesus is free from the burden of the law, and the Pharisees feel the law’s weight upon them with their every breath.
The Pharisees are bound by the law of their own making and interpretation. They scarcely have room to move or breathe.
Jesus states an overarching principle involving the Commandment regarding the seventh day, a statement that casts new light on an old law: The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.
The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath. Jesus speaks as a man for mankind, and as a part of the Trinity for God. God has created us and blessed us. A day of rest is a gift, not a sentence. Sabbath is an opportunity, not a punishment.
All of the law, represented by the agape love of Jesus on earth and in the law that infuses each piece of creation, is bound only by love, in love.
The Mercy Seat sits on top of the Ark of the Covenant, the container for the stones of the law. Jesus will not let law rise above mercy. He will model love of mankind, and love and obedience toward God. The hardness of the hearts of mankind grieves Him, rouses Him to stand against the willful foolishness of it.
The Pharisees align with the politicians, the Herodians. Tension builds.
A Multitude Follow March 7
Mark 3:7 But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. 9 So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.
The common people who recognize His power and identity flock to Him. The evil spirits know Him and cry out against Him. And His human opponents join with the evil spirits and plot against Him.
Being followed by a great multitude is not the experience of the Pharisees and scribes. Crowds do not follow them. Evil spirits do not run from them. Disease is unmoved by their touch.
Jealousy is not too strong a word for the emotion stirred within them by Jesus’ power. For all of the righteousness they have earned by their works, God appears to give them little support. Surely these works of Jesus – especially on the Sabbath – are of Satan!
Mercy calls Jesus to heal the sick, but He also has come to set the captives free. Widespread fame obscures His message for each person: their identity as a child of God, and their home as heaven, the kingdom of God here and now.
The crowd standing before Him seeks the good that He can give them rather than the best He can give them. He has far to go before He is done.
Healing Many March 8
Mark 3:10 For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. 11 And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” 12 But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.
There are two Greek words used for heal in the Gospels. Except for Mark 5:29, Mark uses only Strong’s G2323, therapeuo, as in verse 10. It comes from a word meaning to wait upon menially, and is defined as to cure, heal, worship. We get our English word, therapy, from this.
The other Greek word is G2390, iaomai, from a verb meaning to cure (literally or figuratively) and means heal or make whole. The other Gospels use this word frequently. When Mark writes of Jesus casting out demons, he is using therapeuo to emphasize Jesus’ humble service on the Sabbath. He uses iaomai for the miraculous healing event of the woman who touches the tassels of His garment.
Making a person whole is to make them a single entity in body, mind, and spirit. Whether an unclean spirit is a literal evil spirit or demon, or perhaps a negative characteristic such as those listed in the fruit of the flesh in Galatians 5, is open to discussion. The point is that being whole means not being fractured, neither afflicted with competing ideas or emotions, nor with competing spirits.
That a touch can bring a person into unity of spirit, into a wellness based on wholeness, is indeed miraculous. This is Jesus as a conduit for the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus brings right doing, thinking, and being into the heart through a simple touch. Who would not follow Him to receive this healing power?
Calling the Twelve March 9
Mark 3:13 And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. 14 Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, 15 and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: 16 Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; 18 Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; 19 and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.
Jesus had many followers in those days. He wants followers, but He also wants those who will go out and preach the word that they have received. To listen and take heed is good; to follow and to grow in wisdom is better; to understand and take the message to others is best.
Jesus goes up to a mountain and calls out to those He wants to join Him. Jesus appoints twelve, symbolic of the number of tribes of Israel
The word for appointed (Strong’s G4160) has a wide range of translations into English centered on the words make or do. Some translations have it as ordained.
Mark uses this word in Mark 10:6 - But from the beginning of the creation, God ‘made them male and female.’ We have a similar sense here in Mark 3 that Jesus made these twelve His disciples.
By beholding, these twelve become changed. By reflecting the light they have received, they change the world.
Crazy! March 10
Mark 3:20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
While Jesus and His followers are on the mountain, the crowd disperses, and news goes to Jerusalem (verse 22) and to Jesus’ own family (verses 21 and 31).
When Jesus, His newly designated disciples, and His other followers come down from the mountain, the multitude came together again pressing all around them. Jesus and His followers have no opportunity to get away from the throng, even to eat.
During the interval, which must have been well over a week, scribes come from Jerusalem. Local religious leaders had no doubt sent word alerting them to the nature of events surrounding Jesus and His followers.
Jesus’ family, His mother and brothers (verse 31 clarifies vs. 21), also arrive about the same time. We are told in John 7:5 of his brothers’ disbelief, but we are never given reason to doubt His mother’s faith in Jesus. That she traveled with her other sons is not surprising, but the comment in verse 22 is attributed to the brothers.
Jesus’ brothers (some would say “half-brothers) have not reconciled themselves to the true nature of Jesus.
Ironically, the brothers seek to save Jesus, their crazy brother (for so He must be to speak as He does!). They are concerned that the crowd will turn on their brother since they see Jesus is just a man like themselves.
His Own Family March 11
Mark 3:20 Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. 21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
Prior to Jesus’ baptism by the Holy Spirit, His brothers have probably never seen Him perform a miracle. No matter what He has said or how wise or faithful He may have been, the stir that Jesus is causing among the people is baffling to His brothers. He appears insane from their perspective.
Jesus speaks in Matthew 10 of the difficulties a convert to true faith will have, particularly within their own family: “…and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household’" (Matt. 10:36). He is quoting Micah 7:6, again showing there is nothing new under the sun.
The brothers see Jesus as another son of Joseph, a man like themselves. To think of Himself as greater than them, even to being the Son of God, is beyond ridiculous.
Family members are the people who are most tied to the identity of their relative as like themselves, people in and of the world. The spiritual conversion of their relative means the old identity that is a part of their own reality is gone, that they can no longer depend upon the person to fulfill their needs as before.
Jesus’ brothers try to pull Him from the crowd, believing their brother mad. Their plan is to rescue Jesus from the crowd and Himself.
Jesus is breaking all sorts of Laws, and the scribes’ charges that follow only add to the brothers’ concerns.
Next day