Mark 3:20-35
Summary for Mark 3:20-35: 3:20-35 a This story about Jesus and his family (3:20-21 b and 31-35 c) brackets a controversy story about Jesus’ exorcisms (3:22-30 d); this arrangement identifies Jesus’ family with the religious leaders in opposing him. 3:20 e That Jesus and the disciples can’t find time to eat emphasizes Jesus’ great popularity with the crowds (3:7-9 f).3:21 g He’s out of his mind: Mark does not explain whether the attempt by Jesus’ family to seize him was motivated by sincere but misguided concern, or by hostility. Jesus’ brothers and sisters were not among his followers until after his resurrection (3:31-35 h; John 7:3-5 i; 1 Cor 15:7 j mentions James, the brother of Jesus, who became a leader of the Jerusalem church, Acts 15:13-21 k).
3:22 l The teachers of religious law (see study note on 1:22) from Jerusalem attributed Jesus’ apparent madness to his being possessed by Satan (Greek Beelzeboul; see study note on Matt 10:25). Jesus’ opponents credited his miracle-working ability to Satan (as in the rabbinic work, Sanhedrin 3:43a, where miracle-working is ascribed to sorcery).
Summary for Mark 3:23-27: 3:23-27 m Jesus showed the absurdity of this charge by giving several analogies. Satan would not undo his own work.
3:27 n Jesus provided a better explanation for his ability to cast out demons: Someone stronger than Satan had arrived (1:7 o) and was able to loot Satan’s house. Jesus, the Messiah, the Son of God (1:1 p), was introducing God’s Kingdom and rescuing people from Satan’s power.
Summary for Mark 3:28-30: 3:28-30 q The phrase I tell you the truth introduces many of Jesus’ sayings and gives emphasis to what follows (see also 8:12 r; 9:1 s, 41 t; 10:15 u, 29 v; 11:23 w; 12:43 x; 13:30 y; 14:9 z, 18 aa, 25 ab, 30 ac).
• All sin and blasphemy can be forgiven, but there is a sin with eternal consequences—blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. To blaspheme the Holy Spirit is to attribute the work of God to an evil spirit. Resisting and denouncing the work of God in this way prevents the convicting work of the Spirit that leads to repentance, saving faith in God, and pardon for sin (see study notes on Matt 12:31-32; cp. Heb 6:4-6 ad; 1 Jn 5:16-17 ae).
Summary for Mark 3:31-35: 3:31-35 af Mark resumes from 3:20-21 ag.
• Your mother and your brothers: Jesus’ brothers are commonly understood to have been children born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus’ birth (see also 6:3 ah; Matt 1:25 ai; 12:46 aj; John 19:26-27 ak); some interpreters instead believe that they were either Joseph’s children by an earlier marriage or Jesus’ cousins, due to the Roman Catholic belief that Mary was perpetually a virgin.
Summary for Mark 3:33-34: 3:33-34 al In God’s Kingdom, one’s true relatives are determined not by blood but by a faith relationship (see also 10:29-30 am).
3:35 an Doing God’s will includes repentance from sin, faith in God, and following Jesus (1:15 ao, 18 ap, 20 aq).
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