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 3:24 mean?

Explanation

The verse [Mark 3:24], "And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand," speaks to the fundamental need for unity in any organization or group.

Jesus was responding to accusations that He was casting out demons by the power of Satan, essentially saying that it would make no sense for Satan to oppose his own demons as it would lead to self-destruction.

On a literal level, this verse suggests that any society or group which is fragmented by internal conflict is destined to fail.

On a deeper level, it is a call for harmony and a warning against the dangers of division within a community.

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Historical Context

Mark 3:24 is found in the context of Jesus' ministry in Galilee where He was performing miracles, including exorcisms.

The religious leaders of the time, the Pharisees, accused Jesus of being in league with Beelzebub, the prince of demons, alleging that it was by the power of Satan that He cast out demons.

The verse is part of Jesus' response to these accusations, using logical arguments to demonstrate the irrationality of the Pharisees' allegations against Him. The historical context of the verse is marked by tension between Jesus and the Jewish religious authorities.

Theological Insights

This verse has been interpreted from various theological perspectives:

In Christian theology, it underscores the importance of unity within the Church and among believers.
From a Christological perspective, it defends Jesus' divine authority and mission, distancing Him from any association with demonic powers.
Eschatologically, some see this as pointing to the ultimate downfall of Satan's kingdom, which is inherently divided and thus doomed to collapse.

Practical Applications

In daily life, Mark 3:24 can be applied by:

Advocating for unity and teamwork within families, communities, and organizations.
Recognizing the destructive power of internal strife and working towards conflict resolution.
Reflecting on interpersonal relationships and striving for harmony and mutual support.

Cross-References

"Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth." (Luke 11:17)
"But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth." (Luke 11:17)
"For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?" (1 Corinthians 14:8)

Language Study

In the original Greek, key terms of Mark 3:24 include:

"Kingdom" (βασιλεία, basileia): Typically means a sovereign state, realm, or territory.

It can also refer to the reign or authority of a king.

"Divided" (μερισθῇ, meristhēi): The aorist passive subjunctive form of the verb μερίζω (merizō), meaning to divide or distribute.

In this context, it suggests a division where once there was unity.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The idea of a house divided is a common motif in other cultures and religious traditions as well:

In Hinduism's Bhagavad Gita, the concept of unity is essential for a rightful way of living.
Confucianism emphasizes the importance of societal harmony and the roles individuals play in maintaining balance and order.
The African concept of Ubuntu stresses the importance of community unity and interdependence.

Scientific Perspectives

From a sociological and psychological perspective, this verse coincides with theories on group cohesion and collective efficacy.

Groups that are fragmented are less likely to succeed, as internal discord undermines collective goals and can impede effective cooperation.

This is supported by social identity theory and other studies on group dynamics.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have commented on Mark 3:24, including:

John Calvin, who emphasized that a house or kingdom divided against itself leads to ruin, reflecting the absurdity of thinking Jesus could be in league with Satan.
William Barclay pointed out that this saying of Jesus is so self-evidently true that it has passed into a proverb nearly universally acknowledged.
Modern commentaries also discuss the strategic use of this reasoning by Jesus to not only refute the Pharisees but also to teach about the nature of His mission and the inevitable self-destruction of evil.

Mark 3

Mark 3

What does Mark 3:24 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 3:24 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?