Mark 3 starts off like a wicked horror movie (by "wicked," of course, I mean "cool," kinda like "sick," except not "sick" as in "ill," but "sick" as in crazy cool, though being really crazy is not cool, but a terrible bad thing, but not "bad" as in "baaaaaaad, dude!" Not at all).
"Another time He went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there."
At this point in the story, you're supposed to yell out loud -- either at the movie screen or to the story teller reading out of the book. "Run away, Jesus! Run! Get out of there! There's a man with a shriveled hand! Get out now!"
The Pharisees, who had a few good qualities as spiritual leaders but became twisted in their reaction to Jesus, they watched Him closely to see if He would heal the man with the shriveled hand on the Sabbath. Jesus openly asked everyone, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent. This made Jesus mad. He was bummed out about their stubborn hearts. In fact, the NIV I'm reading says He was "deeply distressed" over this. They were not happy with His behavior, either. They left and started plotting how they might kill the guy (Who happened to be God...how ironic is that?).
This chapter includes a short description of the naming of the 12 apostles. Jesus called them to be with Him and that He might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. This was true empowerment. It's always odd to read a story that adds an anecdote about one of the 12 -- "Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Him." (Again, this book was apparently written by John Mark, who hung out with Peter in the years after the resurrection, and was a written collection of the stories about Jesus' ministry that Peter had shared verbally.)
Jesus addressed the rumors that were circulating about Him. They said He was possessed by the devil (labeled "Beelzebub" here). He answered that with a reference to His exorcising ability: "How can Satan drive out Satan?" It was funny how he was so logical and thorough with His arguments and replies to His accusers. Sometimes when I read the Gospel accounts of His mockery of a trial, I secretly wish that He would argue like that with Pilate, getting Him out of trouble. It's almost frustrating to watch Him remain silent in that setting.
The end of chapter three almost serves as a rebuke to some parts of the body of Christ. Earlier, it is referenced that His own family wants to come get Him. "You must be up out your mind!" One of His brothers must have said. At the end of the chapter, Jesus is in a building when His mother and brothers arrived. Someone tells Him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." He replies with an answer that seems to make it clear that His physical mother and brothers and sisters are no more important than those who simply follow Him. He looked at those seated in a circle around Him and said, "Here are My mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
We used to sing a really cool worship song at Mission Hills Church back in the late 80s and early 90s. "God is my Father, the church is my mother. The church is my sister and my brother..."
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at October 23, 2008 09:04 AM