-THE LIFE OF CHRIST - THE GALILEAN MINISTRY

-False Accusations Made

-Matthew 12:22-37, Mark 3:19-30, Luke 11:14-23*

-With the events of these passages, we find the beginning of a very long day for our Savior.

-We must remember that the verse and chapter distinctions were made by men and are very
  helpful.  However, it seems that in the KJV (and some others) the latter half of Mark 3:19
  actually belongs with verse 20.  It is arranged as such in the NASB and the NIV.

            -In Mark’s account we are told that Jesus entered into a house (“came home”, NASB).  This

             seems to indicate that Jesus had returned to Capernaum.  This seems to be supported in verse

             20 with the reference to the multitude gathering “again”.  Also, we’ll see that when Jesus left

             this house He “began again to teach by the sea side” (Mark 4:1) which lends additional support

             for Capernaum as the location.

-Again, we find a multitude pressing on Jesus.  This time, He wasn’t even given the opportunity

  to eat.  Mark 3:21 says when His “friends” (KJV), “own people” (NASB), “family” (NIV)

  heard of the situation, they tried to “lay hold on him” (KJV), “take custody of Him” (NASB),

  “take charge of him” (NIV) thinking He was “beside himself” (KJV), had “lost His senses”

  (NASB), was “out of his mind” (NIV). 

     -“The phrase hoi para autou, in Mark 3:21, "his friends," lit. means "the (ones) beside Him,"

       i. e., those belonging to him” (Vines).

     -It seems that this is the family of Jesus due to the fact that later in this context we are told

      that “his brethren and his mother” (Mark 3:31) came seeking Him and wanting to talk to Him.

     -“They regarded Jesus as carried away by his religious enthusiasm…and thought that he acted

      with reckless regard for his personal safety.  They foresaw the conflict with the military

      authorities and the religious leaders into which the present course of Jesus was leading, and

      were satisfied that the case called for their interference.  Despite her knowledge as to Jesus,

      Mary sympathized with her sons in this movement, and feared for the safety of Jesus”

      (McGarvey, Pendleton, pg 299).

     -Keep in mind that Jesus’ brothers held doubts even at a later date in the life of Christ –

      John 7:3-4.

     -Many people have felt the painful criticism and rejection of family.  Our Saviour was certainly

      not immune to this same hurtful difficulty.  For those who face these circumstances, may you

      always draw comfort and strength from Jesus in knowing that He endured the same. 

-Heb 4:14-15, Heb 2:16-18
-Also, in a world dominated by selfishness, if you sacrifice your own time for a prolonged period
 in an effort to help another, some will be critical of your efforts and will seemingly look at you
 as if you’ve “lost your mind”.  Those critics need to carefully consider their attitudes in the light
 of the life of Jesus.

-Blasphemous Accusations

-While in the house, a man who was possessed, blind and dumb was brought to Jesus and healed.

-Upon the healing of this man, the “Pharisees” (Matt 12:24) and the “scribes which came down from

  Jerusalem” (Mark 3:22) made blasphemous accusations against Jesus.

-*“Luke’s account of the Pharisees’ blasphemous accusations may have taken place at a different
  time and place – but it is so similar that it can be profitably studied with the accounts in Matthew
  and Mark” (Roper, 4, pg 39, fn).  A.T. Robertson placed Luke’s account involving these
  blasphemous accusations in the Later Judean ministry.  In doing so, Robertson made the following
  comments in his footnotes, “It is perfectly natural that the blasphemous accusation made in
  Galilee…and probably more than once… should be repeated a year or so afterward in Judea or
  Perea, and that Jesus should make substantially the same argument in reply.  This sort of thing
  occurs to every traveling religious teacher.  Our Lord does not here give the solemn warning that
  such an accusation is really blaspheming against the Holy Spirit, and is unpardonable.  And the
  subsequent occurrences are quite different in the two cases.  In [the first occurrence] he
  afterwards goes out by the lake-side and gives the great group of parables, presently explaining
  some of them to the disciples in a house, and then crosses the lake of Gerasa, etc.  Here in
  [the latter occurrence] he breakfasts with a Pharisee, and utters such solemn woes against the
  Pharisees as are found only in the closing months of his ministry, and then gives to vast multitudes
  a series of instructions wholly unlike the great group of parables.  So it is quite unsuitable to identify
  this occurrence” [Luke’s account] “with that of” [Matthew 12 and Mark 3] (pgs 123-124).

-Contrasted to the thoughts of Robertson, we find that McGarvey and Pendleton wrote the following: 

  “While Luke does not mention the blindness, the similarity of the narratives makes it most likely that
  he is describing the same circumstances which are recounted in Matthew and Mark…” (pg 299).

     -I favor Robertson’s viewpoint; but, as stated by Roper, the events are so similar that they can be
      beneficially studied together.

-Seeing the multitude impressed with the power of Jesus and asking “Is not this the son of David?”,
 the Jewish leaders (undoubtedly angry and jealous) accused Jesus of casting out demons by the
 power of Satan.
     -Jesus refuted their claims by indicating that if He was acting by the power of Satan, then Satan
      would be divided against himself.  Clearly, this would make no sense.  Also, Jesus turned their
      accusations toward them by asking about those who claimed to have the ability to cast out
      demons.  Did they claim to do so by the power of Satan or the power of God?  Also, by casting
      out the demons, who were in association with Satan, Jesus was demonstrating the fact that His
      power surpassed that of Satan.

-In regards to the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, Jesus indicated that it would not be forgiven.
 This in no way indicates any unwillingness on the part of Deity to forgive sin.  Instead, it reveals
 a lowly condition of the heart that has no desire to ever seek repentance.  Without repentance
 forgiveness is not obtained.  Therefore, the hardened hearts within these Jewish leaders would
 never be forgiven because they would never have the willingness to repent.

-In Jesus’ response to these false accusations we find that there in no middle ground upon which
 to stand when it comes to religious allegiance and service.  We are either for Jesus or against
 Jesus.  We are either a good tree bringing forth good fruit or we are a corrupt tree bringing forth
 corrupt fruit.

     -In these regards, I like C.E.W. Dorris’ comments:  “There is now, as there has ever been,
      no middle ground, between the truth and error, right and wrong, true worship and vain worship.
      The fact that one endeavors to be noncommittal, ‘indifferent’ or ‘on the fence,’ places him on
      the wrong side.  If one is not actively engaged in the service of Christ, he is against Christ. 
      One must work, climb up, and prove faithful until life ends to be saved; but he can be lost by
      doing nothing.  He who does nothing is lost.  But one of the most dangerous and despicable
      characters is he who identifies himself with God’s true worshippers while he works subtly to
      undermine the truth and to advance false systems of worship” (pg 86).