Mark 3

1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there who had a withered hand.

2 And they watched him, [to see] whether he would heal him on the sabbath; that they might accuse him.

3 And he saith to the man who had the withered hand, Stand forth.

4 And he saith to them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? but they held their peace.

5 And when he had looked around on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched [it] out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

6 And the Pharisees went forth, and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

7 But Jesus withdrew himself with his disciples to the sea: and a great multitude from Galilee followed him, and from Judea.

8 And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, and [from] beyond Jordan; and they about Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they had heard what great things he did, came to him.

9 And he spoke to his disciples, that a small boat should wait on him, because of the multitude, lest they should throng him.

10 For he had healed many; so that they pressed upon him to touch him, as many as had diseases.

11 And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

12 And he strictly charged them, that they should not make him known.

13 And he goeth up upon a mountain, and calleth [to him] whom he would: and they came to him.

14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,

15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out demons.

16 And Simon he surnamed Peter.

17 And James the [son] of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, (and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, Sons of thunder,)

18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the [son] of Alpheus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite,

19 And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him: and they went into a house.

20 And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread.

21 And when his friends heard [of it], they went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself.

22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem, said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the demons he casteth out demons.

23 And he called them [to him], and said to them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan?

24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.

25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.

26 And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end.

27 No man can enter into a strong man's house, and seize his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will plunder his house.

28 Verily I say to you, All sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men, and any blasphemies with which they shall blaspheme:

29 But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never hath forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:

30 Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.

31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and standing without, they sent to him, calling him.

32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said to him, Behold, thy mother, and thy brethren without seek for thee.

33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?

34 And he looked around on them who sat about him, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren!

35 For whoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

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Mark 3 Commentary

Chapter 3

The withered hand healed. (1-5) The people resort to Christ. (6-12) The apostles called. (13-21) The blasphemy of the scribes. (22-30) Christ's relatives. (31-35)

Verses 1-5 This man's case was piteous; he had a withered hand, which disabled him from working for his living; and those that are so, are the most proper objects of charity. Let those be helped that cannot help themselves. But stubborn infidels, when they can say nothing against the truth, yet will not yield. We hear what is said amiss, and see what is done amiss; but Christ looks at the root of bitterness in the heart, the blindness and hardness of that, and is grieved. Let hard-hearted sinners tremble to think of the anger with which he will look upon them shortly, when the day of his wrath comes. The great healing day now is the sabbath, and the healing place the house of prayer; but the healing power is of Christ. The gospel command is like that recorded here: though our hands are withered, yet, if we will not stretch them out, it is our own fault that we are not healed. But if we are healed, Christ, his power and grace, must have all the glory.

Verses 6-12 All our sicknesses and calamities spring from the anger of God against our sins. Their removal, or the making them blessings to us, was purchased to us by the blood of Christ. But the plagues and diseases of our souls, of our hearts, are chiefly to be dreaded; and He can heal them also by a word. May more and more press to Christ to be healed of these plagues, and to be delivered from the enemies of their souls.

Verses 13-21 Christ calls whom he will; for his grace is his own. He had called the apostles to separate themselves from the crowd, and they came unto him. He now gave them power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils. May the Lord send forth more and more of those who have been with him, and have learned of him to preach his gospel, to be instruments in his blessed work. Those whose hearts are enlarged in the work of God, can easily bear with what is inconvenient to themselves, and will rather lose a meal than an opportunity of doing good. Those who go on with zeal in the work of God, must expect hinderances, both from the hatred of enemies, and mistaken affections of friends, and need to guard against both.

Verses 22-30 It was plain that the doctrine of Christ had a direct tendency to break the devil's power; and it was as plain, that casting of him out of the bodies of people, confirmed that doctrine; therefore Satan could not support such a design. Christ gave an awful warning against speaking such dangerous words. It is true the gospel promises, because Christ has purchased, forgiveness for the greatest sins and sinners; but by this sin, they would oppose the gifts of the Holy Ghost after Christ's ascension. Such is the enmity of the heart, that unconverted men pretend believers are doing Satan's work, when sinners are brought to repentance and newness of life.

Verses 31-35 It is a great comfort to all true Christians, that they are dearer to Christ than mother, brother, or sister as such, merely as relations in the flesh would have been, even had they been holy. Blessed be God, this great and gracious privilege is ours even now; for though Christ's bodily presence cannot be enjoyed by us, his spiritual presence is not denied us.

Taken from Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)