Mark 3

And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.

And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judaea,

And from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea, and from beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came unto him.

And he spake to his disciples, that a small ship should wait on him because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

For he had healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon him for to touch him, as many as had plagues.

And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known.

And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.

And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:

And Simon he surnamed Peter;

And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:

And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,

And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.

And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils.

And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.

Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme:

But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.

And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

What does Mark 3:12 mean?

Explanation

In Mark 3:12, the verse states, "And he straitly charged them that they should not make him known." This verse follows several instances where Jesus healed those who were sick and cast out demons.

The phrase "straitly charged" indicates a strong command or urgent instruction given by Jesus to the demons.

He commanded them not to reveal His identity.

The deeper meaning here can be linked to the concept of the "Messianic Secret," where Jesus seeks to keep His divine identity hidden from the masses, possibly to control the timing and manner of how His true purpose and mission were revealed to the world.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

This verse is situated within the Gospel of Mark, believed to be written around 60-70 AD, the earliest of the four canonical Gospels. At this time, there was expectation amongst the Jewish people for a messiah.

However, the messianic expectation was often for a political or military leader who would liberate them from Roman rule. Jesus' ministry and message did not align with these expectations, and He often sought to redefine what it meant to be the Messiah.

Theological Insights

Theologically speaking, the verse captures an aspect of Christ's ministry where He seeks to prevent premature identification of Himself as the Messiah.

From a Christian viewpoint, this could be understood as Jesus moderating the spread of His reputation to avoid drawing too much attention before the appropriate time, His crucifixion and resurrection.

Other theological interpretations might consider the command to demons as indicative of the spiritual authority Jesus holds over evil forces. It also reflects His wisdom in managing public perceptions and the trajectory of His ministry.

Practical Applications

In terms of practical applications, this verse can lead one to reflect on the importance of humility and the discernment of when to reveal personal information or achievements.

It suggests that there are right times and places for recognition and that premature publicity can sometimes hinder the unfolding of one's true purpose.

Cross-References

Mark 1:34 - "And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him."
Matthew 12:16 - "And charged them that they should not make him known:"
Luke 4:41 - "And devils also came out of many, crying out, and saying, Thou art Christ the Son of God.

And he rebuking them suffered them not to speak: for they knew that he was Christ."

Language Study

The key phrase "straitly charged" comes from the Greek word "epetimao," which can mean to admonish, warn, charge, or rebuke strongly. This indicates a sense of urgency and authority in Jesus' command.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient cultures and myths, certain characters are also known for keeping their true identities hidden. For instance, Greek gods sometimes disguised themselves as humans to walk undetected.

However, the purpose behind Jesus' command differs significantly, as it pertains more to divine timing and mission rather than capriciousness or deceit.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, this verse does not intersect directly with empirical methodologies or theories.

However, it does touch upon psychology in the sense of understanding crowd dynamics and the impact of reputation on one's mission or social movements, which can be studied by social psychologists.

Commentaries

Various Biblical scholars and theologians have different takes on this verse:

William Lane (New International Commentary on the New Testament) suggests that Jesus' command is partly to prevent confusion about His mission and to ensure that His messianic role is not misunderstood by the public as merely a wonder-worker.
John Calvin emphasizes the subversion of human expectation and the idea that the kingdom of God does not come with outward pomp or grandeur, but rather in humility and sacrificial love.
R.T.

France (The New International Greek Testament Commentary) views the prohibition as part of the broader narrative strategy of Mark's Gospel, identifying how Jesus maintained control over His identity and messianic revelation until the proper time, the crucifixion.

Mark 3

Mark 3

What does Mark 3:12 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 3:12 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?