Frameworks:
Mark's Gospel chapter 3
(The
objective of these ‘Frameworks' is to provide an easy-to-read
layout of the text in order then to use these individual verses
for verse-by-verse study or meditation. To focus each
verse we have also added in italic a description of what is happening)
CHAPTER
3
v.1-6
Synagogue Healing on the Sabbath
v.7-12
Crowds Follow Jesus
v.13-19
Jesus Appoints the Twelve
v.20,21
Jesus Accused by His Family
v.22-27
Jesus Accused by Teachers of the Law
v.28-30
Jesus speaks about the ultimate sin
v.31-35
Jesus' Family come
v.1-6
Synagogue Healing on the Sabbath
v.1
(an unmet need in the synagogue) Another
time Jesus went into the synagogue, and a man with a shrivelled
hand was there.
v.
2 (accusers watch) Some
of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched
him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.
v.
3 (the man called out)
Jesus said to the man with the shrivelled
hand, “Stand up in front
of everyone.”
v.
4 (Jesus questions about doing
good) Then Jesus asked them,
“Which is lawful on the Sabbath:
to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But
they remained silent.
v.
5 (angry at their callousness,
he heals the man) He looked
around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn
hearts, said to the man, “Stretch
out your hand.” He stretched
it out, and his hand was completely restored.
v.
6 (the opposition start to
plot Jesus' death) Then the
Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how
they might kill Jesus.
v.7-12
Crowds Follow Jesus
v.
7 (Jesus leaves, the crowds
follow) Jesus withdrew with
his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed.
v.
8 (good news draws people)
When they heard about all he was
doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea,
and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon.
v.
9 (Jesus uses a boat to preach)
Because of the crowd he told his
disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people
from crowding him.
v.
10 (to avoid being swamped
by people) For he had healed
many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to
touch him.
v.
11 (demons fell before him)
Whenever the impure spirits saw him,
they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”
v.
12 (he silenced them)
But he gave them strict orders not
to tell others about him.
v.13-19
Jesus Appoints the Twelve
v.
13 (Jesus goes aside to call
his apostles) Jesus went up
on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they
came to him.
v.
14,15 (12 appointed for ministry)
He appointed twelve that they
might be with him and that he might send them out to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons.
v.
16-19 (the 12 named)
These are the twelve he appointed:
Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and
his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means
“sons of thunder”), Andrew,
Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus,
Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
v.20,21
Jesus Accused by His Family
v.
20 (in a home he is swamped
by people) Then Jesus entered
a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples
were not even able to eat.
v.
21 (his family misunderstand)
When his family heard about
this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out
of his mind.”
v.22-27
Jesus Accused by Teachers of the Law
v.
22 (the opposition accuses
him of being possessed ) And
the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said,
“He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he
is driving out demons.”
v.
23 (Jesus' question no.1) So
Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How
can Satan drive out Satan?
v.
24 (principle declared no.1)
If a kingdom is divided against itself,
that kingdom cannot stand.
v.
25 (principle declared no.2)
If a house is divided against itself,
that house cannot stand.
v.
26 (principle declared no.3)
And if Satan opposes himself and
is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.
v.
27 (principle declared no.4)
In fact, no one can enter a strong
man's house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the
strong man's house.
v.28-30
Jesus speaks about the ultimate sin
v.
28 (a general principle)
Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven
all their sins and every slander they utter,
v.
29 (the exception) but
whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven;
they are guilty of an eternal sin.”
v.
30 (reason) He
said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”
v.31-35
Jesus' Family come
v.
31 (his family arrive)
Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing
outside, they sent someone in to call him.
v.
32 (he is told) A
crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother
and brothers are outside looking for you.”
v.
33 (he asks a pertinent question)
“Who are my mother and my brothers?” he
asked.
v.
34 (he includes the crowd)
Then he looked at those seated in
a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my
brothers!
v.
35 (he lays down general principle)
Whoever does God's will is my brother
and sister and mother.”