Download: Mission Expansion

The news about Jesus keeps spreading: “and a large crowd from Galilee followed him. And people from Judea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and from beyond the Jordan, and around Tyre and Sidon” (vv. 7-8).

Mark 3:7-8 highlights something profound and often overlooked: the diversity and widespread appeal of Jesus’ ministry early on.

The evil spirits fall down before Jesus and cry out, confessing, “You are the Son of God.” The spirits here are conveying the truth about Jesus—the Son of God. The “unclean spirits” know that they are in the presence of a power and authority that is greater than theirs. But they foretell the truth of what Jesus’ companions are trying to figure out.

Mark’s Secrecy Motif: Jesus commanded the spirits they do not reveal his identity (3:12)

The “Messianic Secret” is a major theme in the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus repeatedly works to conceal his identity as the Messiah and Son of God. It shows up in various ways—especially through Jesus telling people not to reveal who he is after performing healings, miracles, exorcisms, or people’s confession.

Jesus names twelve of his followers as “apostles”:

Jesus specifically appoints them to:

To address his opponents’ accusation, Jesus offers a refutation and an explanation. He simply doesn’t just say, “You are wrong!” But he shows them why they are wrong. He doesn’t retort with vitriol or anger but simply dismantles their faulty proposition by showing the incongruity in it.

Jesus’ rhetorical question “How is the Adversary able to cast out the Adversary?” isn’t meant to raise suspicion as to the mechanism by which it might happen, but rather the purpose of why would it happen in the first place?

“First, he would be sending out his envoys, the demons, to work havoc in the hearts and lives of men, destroying them body and soul, often little by little. Afterward, as it were in base ingratitude and suicidal folly, he would be supplying the very power needed for the shameful defeat and expulsion of his own obedient servants. No kingdom thus divided against itself, can maintain itself.” (William Hendricksen, Mark, 136)

After refuting the Pharisees accusation with tact and collectedness in the face of intense opposition, he proceeds to answer their inquiry with a short parable that indirectly alludes to the fact that he has greater power and authority than Satan.

In a sobering follow-up, Jesus warns that to claim his work is the work of Satan is to “blaspheme the Holy Spirit,” which is unforgivable. This harsh rebuke seems to be aimed at presenting the seriousness of the religious leaders’ accusations and the gravity of the consequences they would face.

Jesus is essentially pronouncing judgment upon them, and in order to pronounce judgment it means that he has higher authority than they do.

In the ancient culture, the family unit was the basis of all social and civil life. Families would often live near each other, or even share a home, and have everything in common (i.e., share everything).

Israelite culture highly valued the family relationship; it was the very fabric of their community and society. Loyalty to one’s family was paramount to a proper honoring of God and living out the covenant blessings that God had promised. A person was to see their identity as being part of the family, and thus by extension, the community.

“The gospel [good news], and allegiance to Jesus, produce a division, often an unexpected and unwelcome one, in every group or society where they make their way. Mark’s call to his readers then and now is to stick with Jesus whatever the cost.” (N. T. Wright, Mark For Everyone, 30).

In the next session, we will see how Mark strategically uses some of Jesus’ parables to teach about God’s kingdom.