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 3:5 mean?

Explanation

Mark 3:5 captures a moment of confrontation and miraculous healing.

Jesus, surrounded by a critical audience that includes Pharisees, is about to heal a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath.

The Pharisees are watching to see if Jesus would heal on the Sabbath, hoping to accuse him of breaking the law.

Jesus asks the man to step forward, asks the crowd a probing question about the lawfulness of doing good or harm on the Sabbath, and is met with silence.

This verse notes Jesus' emotional response; he is described as both angry and grieved by the stubbornness and lack of compassion shown by the Pharisees. Despite their hardness of heart, Jesus instructs the man to stretch out his hand, which is then restored.

The deeper meaning here lies in the contrast between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law. Jesus challenges legalistic interpretations and demonstrates God's desire for mercy and goodness.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

During the time of this narrative, Jewish society was strictly governed by the Torah, which included regulations about what could and could not be done on the Sabbath.

Healing was viewed as work, and thus some sects, like the Pharisees, saw it as a violation of the Sabbath.

Jesus' actions and the Pharisees' scrutiny occur against this backdrop of differing interpretations of religious law.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this passage underscores the concept of Jesus as Lord of the Sabbath which is emphasized in other parts of the Gospels.

Some interpret Jesus' anger as a righteous indignation towards hypocritical religiosity that values rules over mercy and compassion. This passage is also seen as a testament to Jesus' divine authority to heal and overrule traditional Sabbath prohibitions.

From a more conservative standpoint, Jesus' healing is seen as an affirmation of God’s laws being designed for the well-being of humankind, not as burdensome restrictions.

In a liberative theological perspective, Jesus' actions also symbolize breaking free from oppressive interpretations of the law that do not serve life or justice.

Practical Applications

In practical applications, this verse encourages believers to consider the intent behind religious practices and to prioritize compassion and mercy over rigid adherence to tradition.

It calls for an evaluation of one's actions to ensure they reflect the heart of God's teachings.

One might also be motivated to stand against social norms when they are in conflict with the greater good.

Cross-References

Matthew 12:10-13: Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath.
Luke 6:6-11: Another account of Jesus healing on the Sabbath.
Mark 2:27: Jesus states, "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."

Language Study

The key words in the original Greek text for Mark 3:5 are:

"Orge" (ὀργή) translates to "anger", suggesting a deep emotion from Jesus.
"Syllypeo" (συλλυπέω) means "grieved", indicating a sorrowful disappointment.
"Porosis" (πώρωσις) refers to "hardness", often used to describe a spiritual dullness or stubbornness.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Compared to other ancient myths, the gods often exhibited anger, but not typically sorrow or grief over human behavior. In Greco-Roman myths, deities might punish humans for failing to honor them correctly, whereas Jesus' anger is directed at the lack of compassion and legalism.

In the religious context, Jesus' actions contrast with the Pharisaic tradition of strict Sabbath observance without consideration for human need. This healing on the Sabbath breaks norms to emphasize moral priorities.

Scientific Perspectives

Modern scientific perspectives do not offer an empirical basis for miraculous healing as described in the Bible.

From a psychosocial standpoint, one might consider the positive effects of compassionate acts on individual and community well-being, aligning with Jesus' prioritization of human need over legalistic constraints.

Commentaries

Commentators provide diverse interpretations of Mark 3:5.

John Calvin saw Jesus' anger as a holy response to religious corruption.

Matthew Henry viewed the event as a rebuke to Sabbath legalism and as evidence of Jesus’ divine authority.

More recent scholars, like R.T.

France, point to the wider context of Mark's Gospel in presenting Jesus as one who brings new teaching with authority, contrasting with the established religious leadership.

Most agree that the verse displays Jesus challenging the prevailing interpretation of the law and demonstrating compassion for the afflicted.

Mark 3

Mark 3

What does Mark 3:5 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 3:5 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?