Orlagh in the cityMark 3:20-35
Jesus went home with his disciples; 20 and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” 23 And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without Girst tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
Mark 3:28 “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Mark 3:31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” 33 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
Mark 3:28 “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Mark 3:31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” 33 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
INITIAL OBSERVATIONS
The passage before us manages to be both intriguing and disturbing. It is intriguing because it gives us a window onto the perception of Jesus’ own family. This account of their reaction to Jesus is likely to be historical, on the basis of the criterion of embarrassment. It is also disturbing: what could this “sin against” the Holy Spirit mean? Is there really such a thing as a sin which cannot be forgiven?
Verses 29-30 V. 29 immediately contradicts v. 28. It does happen in the Bible that a general statement is followed by a specific exception: Gen 2:16-17 or Ex 12:10. This problematic verse is best given its contextual meaning from the gloss in v. 30: the scribes sided against the Holy Spirit and as long as that is their stance, they placed themselves somehow beyond forgiveness. This sin is different to a single misdeed; instead it indicates a false fundamental option.
Thought for the day
In our time, those who “persist” in religious faith can seem to outsiders “beside themselves.” The question needs to be asked: who is more sane, those who say life has a deep purpose and meaning and those who evidently content themselves with a “this world only” view. The apparently more rational view is ultimately irrational, in the literal sense that life has finally no reason, no ratio. By contrast, for the believer, behind the gift of creation stands a Giver. Within the gift of love, we come to know the Lover. As we gain and lose in life, finally nothing is ever truly lost. Faith is ultimately wholesome and utterly sane.
KIERAN O’MAHONY OSA - tarsus.ie
The passage before us manages to be both intriguing and disturbing. It is intriguing because it gives us a window onto the perception of Jesus’ own family. This account of their reaction to Jesus is likely to be historical, on the basis of the criterion of embarrassment. It is also disturbing: what could this “sin against” the Holy Spirit mean? Is there really such a thing as a sin which cannot be forgiven?
Verses 29-30 V. 29 immediately contradicts v. 28. It does happen in the Bible that a general statement is followed by a specific exception: Gen 2:16-17 or Ex 12:10. This problematic verse is best given its contextual meaning from the gloss in v. 30: the scribes sided against the Holy Spirit and as long as that is their stance, they placed themselves somehow beyond forgiveness. This sin is different to a single misdeed; instead it indicates a false fundamental option.
Thought for the day
In our time, those who “persist” in religious faith can seem to outsiders “beside themselves.” The question needs to be asked: who is more sane, those who say life has a deep purpose and meaning and those who evidently content themselves with a “this world only” view. The apparently more rational view is ultimately irrational, in the literal sense that life has finally no reason, no ratio. By contrast, for the believer, behind the gift of creation stands a Giver. Within the gift of love, we come to know the Lover. As we gain and lose in life, finally nothing is ever truly lost. Faith is ultimately wholesome and utterly sane.
KIERAN O’MAHONY OSA - tarsus.ie
The question that links the different parts of this narrative is “What is the appropriate response to Jesus and his ministry? The difficulty for his relatives at the beginning is that they fear he is losing his reason, perhaps because of the growing difficulties with the authorities. These tensions surface again as the Scribes assert that he is possessed. Jesus immediately rejects this charge and points out that his ministry is an attack on the forces of evil. So the appropriate response to Jesus is to be with him in his doing of God’s will. This forges a link that is greater than any blood relationship and highlights that inclusion in the kingdom is based in true conversion of heart and nothing else.
SEAN GOAN - Let the Reader Understand
SEAN GOAN - Let the Reader Understand
POINTERS FOR PRAYER
1. Looking on at what Jesus was doing, some of his family thought he was out of his mind. When you think of successful initiatives that you took in your life, were there times when people thought you were a little crazy? Perhaps some regard your interest in faith, or church, in the same way? What sustained you in those circumstances?
2. Successful ventures can arouse jealousy as well as admiration. Jesus was often the target of the jealousy of religious leaders. They questioned his motivation. When have you seen your good efforts, or the good efforts of others, spoiled by the jealousy or hostility of some? Did it help when there were people prepared to stand together in face of the criticism? 3. For many people their blood family provides an enduring, reliable and supportive network. Jesus had another family as well: those of one mind and heart with him in seeking to do God’s will. When and where have you experienced encouragement from people of shared vision and faith?
JOHN BYRNE OSA - Intercom
1. Looking on at what Jesus was doing, some of his family thought he was out of his mind. When you think of successful initiatives that you took in your life, were there times when people thought you were a little crazy? Perhaps some regard your interest in faith, or church, in the same way? What sustained you in those circumstances?
2. Successful ventures can arouse jealousy as well as admiration. Jesus was often the target of the jealousy of religious leaders. They questioned his motivation. When have you seen your good efforts, or the good efforts of others, spoiled by the jealousy or hostility of some? Did it help when there were people prepared to stand together in face of the criticism? 3. For many people their blood family provides an enduring, reliable and supportive network. Jesus had another family as well: those of one mind and heart with him in seeking to do God’s will. When and where have you experienced encouragement from people of shared vision and faith?
JOHN BYRNE OSA - Intercom
People today have become accustomed to living without seeking an answer to the most important question of their lives: why and for what should we live? What is serious about this is that when people lose touch with their inner being and mystery, life degenerates into banality and meaninglessness
The great theologian Paul Tillich said that only the Spirit can help us discover “the path to what is profound within us”. On the contrary, to sin against the Holy Spirit would be to “endure our sin forever”.
The Spirit can awaken within us the desire to struggle for something nobler and better than the banality of daily life. It can give us the courage needed to begin an inner life in us.
The Spirit can make a different joy flourish in our hearts; it can enliven our ageing life; it can kindle with use love even for these toward whom we feel the least interest.
The Spirit is “a power that acts in us that is not ours”. It is God himself who inspires and transforms our lives. No one can say that the Spirit does not live in him/her.
JOSÉ A PAGOLA - Following in the Footsteps of Jesus
The great theologian Paul Tillich said that only the Spirit can help us discover “the path to what is profound within us”. On the contrary, to sin against the Holy Spirit would be to “endure our sin forever”.
The Spirit can awaken within us the desire to struggle for something nobler and better than the banality of daily life. It can give us the courage needed to begin an inner life in us.
The Spirit can make a different joy flourish in our hearts; it can enliven our ageing life; it can kindle with use love even for these toward whom we feel the least interest.
The Spirit is “a power that acts in us that is not ours”. It is God himself who inspires and transforms our lives. No one can say that the Spirit does not live in him/her.
JOSÉ A PAGOLA - Following in the Footsteps of Jesus
Today, talk of demons probably makes us feel uncomfortable, but it is hard to get through Mark’s Gospel without noticing that they have quite a presence as characters. Mark uses the demands in the narrative to show the power of Jesus, to show that Jesus is the superior one, the Son of God. For Mark, Jesus is an exorcist and a healer. While the demons seem to have zero impact on other characters in the narrative, they confirm to us (the reader) what we already know: that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.
The theme of insiders and outsiders recurs throughout the Gospel and we might be horrified to see that while the demons frequently announce the real truth of who Jesus is, Jesus’ own family are outsiders, they do not understand him. Jesus is abandoned by his family in Mark, and continuously by the religious leaders; this theme gathers pace as the gospel moves on. Jesus forms a new family: his family of disciples and wider circle of followers who “do the will of God (3:35). Finally, the accusations of the scribes are not totally untrue - Jesus is possessed - but with the Spirit of God Mark 1:10)
There are many times when we feel misunderstood by those close to us. Occasionally hindsight, with God’s grace, helps us to reflect on what was really going on. Can you resonate with Jesus’ experience in today’s text.
Who is in your close circle - those wo whom you turn when you feel accused, abandoned or anxious? Give thanks for them today.
TRÍONA DOHERTY & JANE MELLET - Go Deeper
The theme of insiders and outsiders recurs throughout the Gospel and we might be horrified to see that while the demons frequently announce the real truth of who Jesus is, Jesus’ own family are outsiders, they do not understand him. Jesus is abandoned by his family in Mark, and continuously by the religious leaders; this theme gathers pace as the gospel moves on. Jesus forms a new family: his family of disciples and wider circle of followers who “do the will of God (3:35). Finally, the accusations of the scribes are not totally untrue - Jesus is possessed - but with the Spirit of God Mark 1:10)
There are many times when we feel misunderstood by those close to us. Occasionally hindsight, with God’s grace, helps us to reflect on what was really going on. Can you resonate with Jesus’ experience in today’s text.
Who is in your close circle - those wo whom you turn when you feel accused, abandoned or anxious? Give thanks for them today.
TRÍONA DOHERTY & JANE MELLET - Go Deeper
