In Mark’s attempt to convince us that Jesus is the Son of God, he introduces two groups of people in Mark 3 with their corresponding theories.
The first is Jesus’ family. Verse 21 identifies them as “his own people” or his kinsmen. “And when his own people heard of this (that he’d come home and crowds of people were gathering), they went out to take custody of him for they were saying, “He has lost His senses.”
His own family thought he was out of his mind. Of course they did. For years, he’d been a member of the family, great guy, fit right in, did his part and then at age 30, he flipped. Now he gives up carpentry and begins touring the country identifying himself not as Jesus, the son of Mary and Joseph, but as the Messiah, the Son of God. Wouldn’t that rattle you if you were his brother or sister? You bet it would. Perhaps Mary forgot the whole angel thing 30 years ago and had become so accustomed to him as a regular kid, she just….forgot!
Interesting to me that some interfaced with Jesus just one time and knew. They just knew he was God. Others stood at a distance and watched and went home and thought about what they’d seen. Showed up at his next engagement, watched and went home and thought about what they’d seen. I believe that’s what his family did.
The scribes, Jewish legal experts, were the next group who voiced an opinion. ”And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” (vs 22)
Jesus responds (in vs 23) by saying, “How can Satan cast out Satan?” And in vs 26, “If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished! But no one can enter the strong man’s house and plunder his property unless he first binds the strong man and then he will plunder his house.”
John’s gospel records Jesus’ opinion of Satan in 10:9-10. He said, “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they might have life and might have it more abundantly.”
Diametrically opposed. In other words Jesus is saying, “If I were from Satan, I would be supporting his efforts. I would not be trying to get rid of him or throw him out. I’d be his #1 cheerleader. “Go ahead and blow yourself up, buddy! Just wait a little bit longer until there are lots of little moms and kiddos in the marketplace.””
Obviously Satan wields great power. In order to throw him out of his house, I first have to bind him so he can’t keep me from doing what I want to do….which is to throw the demon out. The guy we met in 1:23 is a good example. He knows who Jesus is, “…the Holy One of God; have you come to destroy us?” “Yep.” And he throws the demons out of the man, out of his “house.” Obviously Jesus bound the strong man first so he could do just that.
Satan had stolen the man’s life and body and was slowly destroying both. Jesus overpowered him with a word and cast him out. The man returned to wholeness, health and life. If Jesus were sent from Satan or was Satan himself, that would not be his goal.
We see that all around us…the effects, the fall out of this angel of light, Satan. That’s why women are beaten and abused, why children are targets of sexual predators and pornographers, why babies are destroyed in the womb. That’s why innocent people are blown up in airplanes and the marketplace. That’s why there is so much greed that produces the destruction of entire companies and retirement funds that faithful employees have squirreled away.
Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy. In contrast, everything Jesus was doing improved the quality of peoples’ lives. “I came that they might have life and have it abundantly.”
Nope, I’m not crazy and I’m not Satan. Keep watching.
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