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 3:9 mean?

Explanation

Mark 3:9 describes a logistical step taken by Jesus to manage the large crowds that were following him.

In this verse, Jesus instructs his disciples to keep a small boat ready for him. The primary reason stated for this preparation is to prevent the pressing of the multitude upon Him, which might impede His movement or make it difficult for Him to speak and interact with the people effectively.

On a deeper level, this verse demonstrates Jesus' practical wisdom and foresight.

He understood the challenges of His ministry and took practical steps to address them.

The mention of a small boat also signifies Jesus' human need for space and perhaps a means of retreat from the overwhelming demands of the crowds.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of Mark is believed to have been written around 70 A.D., several decades after the events it describes.

At this time, Christianity was beginning to spread throughout the Roman Empire, often facing persecution.

Mark intended to present the life and teachings of Jesus to a primarily non-Jewish audience in a way that was relatable and clear.

During the time of Jesus, travel by boat was a common mode of transportation in the regions surrounding the Sea of Galilee. Given the context of the verse, Jesus was likely near this body of water, where large crowds would gather to hear Him teach and witness His miracles.

Theological Insights

Different theological perspectives may offer varied insights into this passage:

Traditional Christian theology might view this as a display of Jesus' divine knowledge, foreseeing the needs of the moment and instructing accordingly.
A more humanistic perspective could focus on Jesus as a wise teacher who used practical methods to manage large groups.
Liberation theology may highlight Jesus' accessibility to the multitudes, suggesting He aimed to speak to all, yet also needed to maintain certain boundaries for the sake of His mission.

Practical Applications

This verse can teach the importance of foresight and preparation in everyday life. Just as Jesus planned ahead for the potential challenges of His ministry, so too can individuals anticipate their own needs in various situations and prepare accordingly.

Additionally, it suggests that boundaries are important, even in serving others. Jesus understood the need for personal space to carry out His work effectively, which can be a model for self-care in the context of helping and leading others.

Cross-References

Matthew 14:22-23: "And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away."
Luke 5:3: "And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon's, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land.

And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship."

Language Study

The original Greek text uses the term πλοιάριον (ploiarion), which translates to "small boat" or "little ship." The usage of this specific word underscores the modest means that Jesus chose for his practical need, emphasizing His humility and prudent approach.

The Greek word for "throng" is θλίβω (thlibo), which means "to press," "afflict," or "trouble." The connotation is that the crowd could potentially create a stressful or difficult environment for Jesus' ministry.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient religions and mythologies, leaders and deities might retreat to mountains or heavens to find solitude or to escape from the masses. For example, in Greek mythology, the gods resided on Mount Olympus, away from human affairs.

In contrast, this verse from Mark shows Jesus remaining accessible to people while still taking steps to manage the practical aspects of His ministry.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern perspective, the wisdom in Jesus' approach to crowd management can be seen as aligning with principles found in social psychology and stress management.

Crowds can generate physical and psychological stress, and having a means of retreat, like the small boat, would allow Jesus to find respite and maintain His well-being, facilitating His ability to continue His work.

Commentaries

Various Biblical scholars and theologians offer different interpretations of Mark 3:9:

John Calvin suggests that Jesus had the boat prepared as an escape for His own safety, not just to avoid inconvenience but possibly danger from the overwhelming crowds.
The Pulpit Commentary notes the practicality of Jesus' command, as it ensured He could withdraw if the enthusiasm of the crowd became excessive and posed a risk.
Matthew Henry's Commentary emphasizes the intention behind the request for a boat, citing the overzealousness of the crowd in wanting to touch Jesus for healing, and connects it to the virtue of prudence in preparing for such eventualities.

Mark 3

Mark 3

What does Mark 3:9 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 3:9 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?