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 3:6 mean?

Explanation

Mark 3:6 describes a significant moment of mounting opposition to Jesus Christ from the Pharisees, a group of Jewish leaders who were known for their strict adherence to the Law of Moses, and the Herodians, a political group that supported the rule of Herod and consequently the Roman Empire.

This collaboration between the two groups was unusual because the Pharisees and Herodians typically had conflicting interests; the Pharisees were primarily religious leaders, while the Herodians were political.

Nevertheless, they found common ground in their desire to eliminate Jesus, who they saw as a threat to both their authority and stability of the socio-political order.

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Historical Context

The Gospel of Mark is believed to have been written in the first century AD, a time when early Christians were facing persecution.

During Jesus' ministry, Jewish leaders felt threatened by His increasing popularity and challenge to their authority.

The Herodians, as supporters of the Herodian dynasty, were likely concerned about any potential unrest that could undermine their political status and displease the Roman authorities.

Their unusual alliance highlights the extent of their concern over Jesus' actions and teachings.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse underscores the foreseen conflict between Jesus and the political and religious systems of the day.

Some may view this as a manifestation of the spiritual battle between the forces of good and evil, with the Pharisees and Herodians representing the resistance against the divine mission of Jesus.

Practical Applications

This verse illustrates the challenges that arise when confronting entrenched systems of power.

In daily life, this can be applied to situations where one's moral and ethical stance may lead to opposition or persecution.

It teaches the value of steadfastness in the face of adversity and the importance of commitment to one's beliefs even when faced with significant opposition.

Cross-References

Matthew 22:16: "And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regardest not the person of men."
Mark 12:13: "And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of the Herodians, to catch him in his words."
Luke 13:31: "The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek for this verse are:

"Herodians" (Ἡρῳδιανοί): This likely refers to the political party who supported the rule of the Herod family.
"Destroy" (ἀπολέσωσιν): Translated from the Greek verb "apollymi," which can mean to destroy completely, kill, or bring to ruin.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The collaboration between the Pharisees and Herodians against Jesus draws parallels with other ancient stories where political and religious coalitions form to suppress threats to power.

This phenomenon is not unique to Judeo-Christian texts and can be observed in other historical and mythological records, where the rise of a new power often leads to conspiracies and alliances among established elites.

Scientific Perspectives

While there are no direct scientific perspectives on this particular verse, the field of social psychology can offer insights into the dynamics of group behavior, such as the formation of alliances between opposing parties when facing a common threat.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and commentators have offered interpretations of Mark 3:6.

Some focus on the irony of the Pharisees and Herodians working together despite their differences, while others emphasize the escalating conflict between Jesus and the Jewish authorities.

The consensus among many experts is that this alliance indicates the profound impact of Jesus' ministry and the lengths to which the established order would go to maintain control.

Mark 3

Mark 3

What does Mark 3:6 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 3:6 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?