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 3:22 mean?

Explanation

Mark 3:22 describes the accusation levied against Jesus by scribes from Jerusalem.

They claimed that Jesus was casting out devils by the power of "Beelzebub," a name for Satan.

Essentially, these religious leaders are saying that Jesus is in league with the prince of demons, which is why he has the power to exorcise them.

This challenge to Jesus' authority and source of power is significant since it speaks to the broader conflict between Jesus and the religious establishment of his time.

Moreover, it begs a deeper consideration of Jesus' identity and the source of his miraculous works.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, scribes were learned men who were well-versed in the Jewish Law and often played roles as teachers and interpreters of the Mosaic Law.

Their authority was respected, and their opinions were highly influential.

The claim that Jesus has Beelzebub suggests that these scribes traveled from Jerusalem to Galilee to confront Jesus, seeing him as a threat to the established religious order.

The historical context here underscores the tension between Jesus' ministry and the traditional Jewish religious authority.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, the accusation brings up the issue of spiritual discernment: discerning the source of Jesus' power.

The scribes attribute Jesus' exorcisms to demonic influence, which raises the question of how God's work is distinguished from that of evil spirits.

Christian theologians have debated this passage, with most asserting that Jesus' works, being good and healing, could not be attributed to demonic power.

This verse also touches on the theme of spiritual warfare and the kingdom of God confronting the kingdom of darkness.

Practical Applications

The verse can serve as a caution against hasty judgment, especially regarding the work of the Holy Spirit. It encourages believers to exercise discernment, to recognize the true source of power behind actions and teachings, and to be wary of unfounded accusations.

Additionally, it brings to light the importance of understanding the motivations behind others’ criticisms and being prepared to face misunderstanding or misrepresentation in one's own journey of faith.

Cross-References

Matthew 12:24 – "But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, This fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils."
Luke 11:15 – "But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils."
Matthew 9:34 – "But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils."

Language Study

The key words in this verse are "Beelzebub" (Βεελζεβούλ), which is a name of ridicule derived from "Baal-Zebub," an ancient Philistine god (meaning "lord of the flies") and transformed in Hebrew culture to symbolize a demon or the prince of demons.

The phrase "casteth he out devils" (ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια) implies exorcising demons or driving out unclean spirits, a significant aspect of Jesus' ministry.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The name Beelzebub is also mentioned in other ancient texts as a deity or a demonic figure.

Cultural comparisons show that many ancient cultures had concepts of chief demonic beings that parallel the figure of Beelzebub.

Religiously, the confrontation between good and evil spirits is a common theme in many belief systems, which offer different interpretations of how to discern and deal with such forces.

Scientific Perspectives

The concept of demonic possession and exorcism does not have empirical evidence or support in modern scientific understandings.

From a psychological perspective, behaviors historically attributed to demonic possession may today be understood as manifestations of mental illness or neurological disorders.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians offer diverse interpretations of this passage:

Some see this as a key moment where Jesus' divine authority is challenged by religious leaders, representing a stark ideological clash between the emerging Christian movement and traditional Judaism.
Others focus on how Jesus uses the accusation to teach about the illogic of Satan casting out Satan, emphasizing the internal consistency of his ministry.
Commentators often point out the danger of the unforgivable sin, which Jesus discusses in the succeeding verses, where attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to demonic forces signifies a hardened heart against God’s revelation through Jesus.

Mark 3

Mark 3

What does Mark 3:22 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 3:22 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?