The Gospel of Mark

[paradox3]

Mark 3:7-12 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
A Multitude at the Seaside
7 Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; 8 hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. 9 He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; 10 for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. 11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.

 

[paradox3]

Reflection Mark 3:7-12

Here we see the crowds gathering around Jesus, seeking healing because He has cured so many.

What are we to make of these unclean spirits? Why do they recognize Jesus as the Son of God? Is it a matter of knowing their enemy, as @Mendalla suggested on the Matthew thread? It is interesting that the unclean spirits seem to have more insight into Jesus than the Pharisees.

And why does Jesus not want to be made known? Is he afraid of being crushed by the multitudes?

 

[paradox3]

Mark 3:13-19 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Jesus Appoints the Twelve
13 He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, 15 and to have authority to cast out demons. 16 So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

 

[Luce NDs]

Mark 3:13-19 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Jesus Appoints the Twelve
13 He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, 15 and to have authority to cast out demons. 16 So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Illegal gathering without a permit in Latin terms?

 

[paradox3]

Reflection: Mark 3:13-19

Did Jesus call more than 12 (those He wanted) to come to Him on the mountain? Did He appoint the 12 from a larger group? It seems like this could be what happened. It makes me wonder how those who were not chosen would have felt.

The apostles are now being sent out to proclaim the message and have been given authority to cast out demons.

Mark is certainly giving us a fast moving story!

 

[Waterfall]

Reflection Mark 3:7-12

Here we see the crowds gathering around Jesus, seeking healing because He has cured so many.

What are we to make of these unclean spirits?

Its interesting that Mark 1:32 makes a distinction between the sick and the demon possesed. One category for the physically sick and another for the spiritually sick. Its made clear that demon possessed is different and not a physical condition.

 

[Mendalla]

Its made clear that demon possessed is different and not a physical condition.

Which doesn't preclude it being an understanding of mental illness, which was not seen as a physical condition until comparatively recently.

 

[paradox3]

Think that unclean spirits and demons are the same things?

 

[blackbelt1961]

Which doesn't preclude it being an understanding of mental illness, which was not seen as a physical condition until comparatively recently.

agreed, even though there is mental illness, there is also spiritual illness as in demon possession. I know the RC church is very careful of this before they declare its a spiritual disease rather than a mental one

 

[Waterfall]

Which doesn't preclude it being an understanding of mental illness, which was not seen as a physical condition until comparatively recently.

Yes and its also made clear in the NT that demons are under control of divine authority and require permission....much like the Job story.
The question becomes why are they permitted to exist? Or why does a divine belief cast them out.

 

[blackbelt1961]

Yes and its also made clear in the NT that demons are under control of divine authority and require permission....much like the Job story.

many times, we give them that authority

The question becomes why are they permitted to exist?

good question, i guess its part of Gods ultimate Devine plan

Or why does a divine belief cast them out.

Only Jesus/God/Holy Spirit has that divine authority

 

[Waterfall]

Think that unclean spirits and demons are the same things?

Interesting ....do we just need to create and accept a new "script" or message to clean our minds? Were Jesus healings always instant?

 

[Waterfall]

many times, we give them that authority



good question, i guess its part of Gods ultimate Devine plan



Only Jesus/God/Holy Spirit has that divine authority

But the apostles healed also.

 

[blackbelt1961]

But the apostles healed also.

they did it in the name of Jesus, not there own ,

we are just the pen , in Gods hands

 

[unsafe]

Mark 3;1-6 ---

unsafe says
Jesus here in the synagogue is doing the work of His Father -----He is showing that on matter where He is in the synagogue or elsewhere His presents and work is not confined to one area or another ----He heals and preaches in the synagogue and out of the synagogue ------The Pharisees cannot grasp the Mission of Jesus because of their hardened Hearts toward who He was -----

unsafe says ----the healing of this withered hand was Jesus saying again doing good on the Sabbath was not unlawful -----the Pharisees had Hardened their hearts to what God had intended the Sabbath to be used for and made their own rules -----

This shows us today ----that when we follow the worlds way our hearts are Hardened to the message that God by and through His word is trying to say to us -----

unsafe says -------Jesus healing the man 's hand was not done in any defiance in my view as Jesus actually ask them the question about doing Good or bad on the Sabbath and they refused to answer Him so they had an opportunity to speak up but they refused -----it is only after they refused to answer Him that He called the man up ------

unsafe posting here from the Expanded Bible Mark3 -----

4 Then Jesus asked ·the people [L them; C probably the Pharisees], “Which is lawful [C according to the law of Moses] on the Sabbath day: to do good or to do evil, to save a life or to kill?” But they ·said nothing to answer him [remained silent].


unsafe says -----the angry look Jesus gives them is a form of Punishment in this scripture ------- the Greek word used in this scripture for anger is----- orgé:------

Strong's Concordance ----orgé: impulse, wrath ---anger, wrath, passion; punishment, vengeance.
HELPS Word-studies
with anger), Mark 3:5; χωρίςὀργῆς, anger exhibited in punishing,hence, used for the punishment itself


I personally think the Pharisees were not interested in answering the question from Jesus cause they just wanted Him to do the Healing so they could go and report Him and plot His Death to get Him off their backs and out of their way -------

 

[unsafe]

This is the Greek word for unclean spirit

Strong's #169: akathartos (pronounced ak-ath'-ar-tos)

from 1 (as a negative particle) and a presumed derivative of 2508 (meaning cleansed); impure (ceremonially, morally (lewd) or specially, (demonic)):--foul, unclean.

unsafe says ---Mark 3:7-12

Jesus knew the plotting that was going on behind His back so He withdrew from the synagogue and went to the sea to protect Himself which was a common sense move ------He didn't want to expose His Disciples to an danger as well so they retreated to the boat

The unclean spirits knew exactly who Jesus was and they were scared of Him ------ so the demons were more informed and Believed --had faith in who Jesus was then the Pharisees did -----

unsafe says in my view ------He told the demons not to make Him known because unclean spirits were deemed Crazy and Deranged people and by them letting it known who He was people would not believe that He was the Messiah as He had not finished His word to Claim that He was the Messiah ------

There are 3 types of Faith and demonic Faith is among the 3 types ------- They had great Faith in who Jesus was ----

 

[Mendalla]

demonic Faith is among the 3 types

Faith in the existence of demons? Faith in demons (ie. demon worship)? Or something else I'm missing?

 

[Jaebius]

Mark 3: 1-6 - The Man with the Hand

On a Sabbath, Jesus entered into a synagogue. There, as one of the congregation, was a man whose right hand was withered. He was unable to use it.

It seems that the man had been asked to come there by Christ's enemies, who were watching whether or not Jesus would heal on the Sabbath.

The Pharisees and scribes hated Jesus - but that didn't stop him from attending the synagogue's services. He went for his own spiritual strengthening.

The Pharisees felt that they'd have to change their ways if they were to harmonize with this new teacher, and this they absolutely refused to do.

They had even now determined to find some way of removing this teacher. They purposed to find an accusation against him before the government.

Jesus told the man with the withered hand to approach the middle of the synogogue. He wanted him standing before the whole congregation as a demonstration.

Jesus tried to win his enemies by persuasion, by causing them to see the rightness of his position. He asked them if it's morally the right thing to do good on the Sabbath.

Not doing a good deed is equal to murder in a case where the wellness of a neighbor is concerned.

The Pharisees hardened their hearts. They refused to give Jesus the satisfaction of yielding to him.

Jesus gazed around in the circle, from one to the other. He was angry about stubbornness. And, he was grieved over their refusal to change.

The anger of Jesus' is always directed against shame; for the shameful people themselves, Jesus has only sorrow.

Christ's decision was carried out. He told the man to stretch out his hand.

And the man obeyed, and his hand was restored to health, so that he could now use it as before.

This angered the Pharisees, and they left the synagogue. Their minds about what to do next were made up. They just had to decide on how ways to carry out their plan.

The problem they had was that Jesus' miracle made him look good and them look bad - they'd been unable to answer his question without making their own position unsupportable. It was spite that nowbmoved them.

And they sought allies and chose the Herodians. This society might be influenced against Christ, if the Pharisees would point out Jesus' influence over the people, who might soon be ready to hail him as the Messiah. So these two parties agreed in counsel how they might destroy Jesus.

 

[unsafe]

Mendalla ---your quote -----Faith in the existence of demons? Faith in demons (ie. demon worship)? Or something else I'm missing?

reposting my quote from above ----- There are 3 types of Faith and demonic Faith is among the 3 types ------- They had great Faith in who Jesus was ----

unsafe says -----demons believed and knew who Jesus was and the power He had over them -----they were afraid of Him and bowed before Him ------

 

[paradox3]

But the apostles healed also.

Yes, but they were given this power by Jesus.