^2:1Now¹ after some days, when he returned to Capernaum,² the news spread³ that he was at home. ^2:2So many gathered that there was no longer any room, not even by⁴ the door, and he preached the word to them. ^2:3Some people⁵ came bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.⁶^2:4When they were not able to bring him in because of the crowd, they removed the roof⁷ above Jesus.⁸ Then,⁹ after tearing it out, they lowered the stretcher the paralytic was lying on. ^2:5When Jesus saw their¹⁰ faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”¹¹^2:6Now some of the experts in the law¹² were sitting there, turning these things over in their minds:¹³^2:7“Why does this man speak this way? He is blaspheming!¹⁴ Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ^2:8Now¹⁵ immediately, when Jesus realized in his spirit that they were contemplating such thoughts,¹⁶ he said to them, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?¹⁷^2:9Which is easier,¹⁸ to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up, take your stretcher, and walk’? ^2:10But so that you may know¹⁹ that the Son of Man²⁰ has authority on earth to forgive sins,”—he said to the paralytic²¹—^2:11“I tell you, stand up, take your stretcher, and go home.”²²^2:12And immediately the man²³ stood up, took his stretcher, and went out in front of them all. They were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

The Call of Levi; Eating with Sinners

^2:13Jesus²⁴ went out again by the sea. The whole crowd came to him, and he taught them. ^2:14As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax booth.²⁵ “Follow me,” he said to him. And he got up and followed him. ^2:15As Jesus²⁶ was having a meal²⁷ in Levi’s²⁸ home, many tax collectors²⁹ and sinners were eating with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. ^2:16When the experts in the law³⁰ and the Pharisees³¹ saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”³²^2:17When Jesus heard this he said to them, “Those who are healthy don’t need a physician, but those who are sick do.³³ I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

The Superiority of the New

^2:18Now³⁴ John’s³⁵ disciples and the Pharisees³⁶ were fasting.³⁷ So³⁸ they came to Jesus³⁹ and said, “Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don’t fast?” ^2:19Jesus⁴⁰ said to them, “The wedding guests⁴¹ cannot fast while the bridegroom⁴² is with them, can they?⁴³ As long as they have the bridegroom with them they do not fast. ^2:20But the days are coming when the bridegroom will be taken from them,⁴⁴ and at that time⁴⁵ they will fast. ^2:21No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; otherwise, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear becomes worse. ^2:22And no one pours new wine into old wineskins;⁴⁶ otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins will be destroyed. Instead new wine is poured into new wineskins.”⁴⁷

Lord of the Sabbath

^2:23Jesus⁴⁸ was going through the grain fields on a Sabbath, and his disciples began to pick some heads of wheat⁴⁹ as they made their way. ^2:24So⁵⁰ the Pharisees⁵¹ said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is against the law on the Sabbath?” ^2:25He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry—^2:26how he entered the house of God when Abiathar was high priest⁵² and ate the sacred bread,⁵³ which is against the law⁵⁴ for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to his companions?”⁵⁵^2:27Then⁵⁶ he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for people,⁵⁷ not people for the Sabbath. ^2:28For this reason the Son of Man is lord⁵⁸ even of the Sabbath.”

Healing a Withered Hand

^3:1Then¹ Jesus² entered the synagogue³ again, and a man was there who had a withered⁴ hand. ^3:2They watched⁵ Jesus⁶ closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath,⁷ so that they could accuse him. ^3:3So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.”⁸^3:4Then⁹ he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent. ^3:5After looking around¹⁰ at them in anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts,¹¹ he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.¹²^3:6So¹³ the Pharisees¹⁴ went out immediately and began plotting with the Herodians,¹⁵ as to how they could assassinate¹⁶ him.

Crowds by the Sea

^3:7Then¹⁷ Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him.¹⁸ And from Judea, ^3:8Jerusalem,¹⁹ Idumea, beyond the Jordan River,²⁰ and around Tyre²¹ and Sidon²² a great multitude came to him when they heard about the things he had done. ^3:9Because of the crowd, he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so the crowd²³ would not press toward him. ^3:10For he had healed many, so that all who were afflicted with diseases pressed toward him in order to touch him. ^3:11And whenever the unclean spirits²⁴ saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” ^3:12But²⁵ he sternly ordered them not to make him known.²⁶

Appointing the Twelve Apostles

^3:13Now²⁷ Jesus went up the mountain²⁸ and called for those he wanted, and they came to him. ^3:14He²⁹ appointed twelve (whom he named apostles³⁰),³¹ so that they would be with him and he could send them to preach ^3:15and to have authority to cast out demons. ^3:16He appointed twelve:³² To Simon³³ he gave the name Peter; ^3:17to James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee,³⁴ he gave the name Boanerges (that is, “sons of thunder”); ^3:18and Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,³⁵ Matthew, Thomas,³⁶ James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus,³⁷ Simon the Zealot,³⁸^3:19and Judas Iscariot,³⁹ who betrayed him.⁴⁰

Jesus and Beelzebul

^3:20Now⁴¹ Jesus⁴² went home, and a crowd gathered so that they were not able to eat. ^3:21When his family⁴³ heard this they went out to restrain him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” ^3:22The experts in the law⁴⁴ who came down from Jerusalem⁴⁵ said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,”⁴⁶ and, “By the ruler⁴⁷ of demons he casts out demons.” ^3:23So⁴⁸ he called them and spoke to them in parables:⁴⁹ “How can Satan cast out Satan? ^3:24If⁵⁰ a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom will not be able to stand. ^3:25If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ^3:26And if Satan rises against himself and is divided, he is not able to stand and his end has come. ^3:27But no one is able to enter a strong man’s⁵¹ house and steal his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can thoroughly plunder his house.⁵²^3:28I tell you the truth,⁵³ people will be forgiven for all sins, even all the blasphemies they utter.⁵⁴^3:29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin”⁵⁵^3:30(because they said, “He has an unclean spirit”⁵⁶).

Jesus’ True Family

^3:31Then⁵⁷ Jesus’⁵⁸ mother and his brothers⁵⁹ came. Standing⁶⁰ outside, they sent word to him, to summon him. ^3:32A crowd was sitting around him and they said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers⁶¹ are outside looking for you.” ^3:33He answered them and said, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”⁶²^3:34And looking at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he said, “Here⁶³ are my mother and my brothers! ^3:35For whoever does the will of God is⁶⁴ my brother and sister and mother.”

Read in Logos

Footnotes

1 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
2 Capernaum was a town on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, 680 ft (204 m) below sea level. It was a major trade and economic center in the North Galilean region. For location see ; ; .
3 Grk “it was heard.”
4 Some translations (e.g., , ) take the preposition πρός (pros), which indicates proximity, to mean “outside the door.” Others render it as “in front of the door” (, ), and still others, “around the door” (). There is some ambiguity inherent in the description here.
5 Grk “they”; the referent (some unnamed people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 The redundancy in this verse is characteristic of the author’s rougher style.
7 A house in 1st century Palestine would have had a flat roof with stairs or a ladder going up. This access was often from the outside of the house.
8 Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
9 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
10 The plural pronoun their makes it clear that Jesus was responding to the faith of the entire group, not just the paralyzed man.
11 The passive voice here is a divine passive ( ). It is clear that God does the forgiving.
12 Or “some of the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
13 Grk “Reasoning within their hearts.”
14 Blaspheming meant to say something that dishonored God. To claim divine prerogatives or claim to speak for God when one really does not would be such an act of offense. The remark raised directly the issue of the nature of Jesus’ ministry.
15 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the shift from the thoughts of the experts in the law to Jesus’ response.
16 Grk “they were thus reasoning within themselves.”
17 Grk “Why are you reasoning these things in your hearts?”
18 Which is easier is a reflective kind of question. On the one hand to declare sins are forgiven is easier, since one does not need to see it, unlike telling a paralyzed person to walk. On the other hand, it is harder, because for it to be true one must possess the authority to forgive the sin.
19 Now Jesus put the two actions together. The walking of the man would be proof (so that you may know) that his sins were forgiven and that God had worked through Jesus (i.e., the Son of Man).
20 The term Son of Man, which is a title in Greek, comes from a pictorial description in Dan 7:13 of one “like a son of man” (i.e., a human being). It is Jesus’ favorite way to refer to himself. Jesus did not reveal the background of the term here, which mixes human and divine imagery as the man in Daniel rides a cloud, something only God does. He just used it. It also could be an idiom in Aramaic meaning either “some person” or “me.” So there is a little ambiguity in its use here, since its origin is not clear at this point. However, the action makes it clear that Jesus used it to refer to himself here.
21 Jesus did not finish his sentence with words but with action, that is, healing the paralytic with an accompanying pronouncement to him directly.
22 Grk “to your house.”
23 Grk “he”; the referent (the man who was healed) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
24 Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
25 While “tax office” is sometimes given as a translation for τελώνιον (telōnion, so L&N 57.183), this could give the modern reader a false impression of an indoor office with all its associated furnishings. The tax booth was a booth located on the edge of a city or town to collect taxes for trade. There was a tax booth in Capernaum, which was on the trade route from Damascus to Galilee and the Mediterranean. The “taxes” were collected on produce and goods brought into the area for sale, and were a sort of “sales tax” paid by the seller but obviously passed on to the purchaser in the form of increased prices (L&N 57.183). It was here that Jesus met Levi (also named Matthew [see Matt 9:9]) who was ultimately employed by the Romans, though perhaps more directly responsible to Herod Antipas. It was his job to collect taxes for Rome and he was thus despised by Jews who undoubtedly regarded him as a traitor.
26 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
27 Grk “As he reclined at table.” As Jesus was having a meal. 1st century middle eastern meals were not eaten while sitting at a table, but while reclining on one’s side on the floor with the head closest to the low table and the feet farthest away.
28 Grk “his.”
29 The tax collectors would bid to collect taxes for the Roman government and then add a surcharge, which they kept. Since tax collectors worked for Rome, they were viewed as traitors to their own people and were not well liked.
30 Or “the scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
31 Pharisees were members of one of the most important and influential religious and political parties of Judaism in the time of Jesus. There were more Pharisees than Sadducees (according to Josephus, 17.2.4 [17.42] there were more than 6,000 Pharisees at about this time). Pharisees differed with Sadducees on certain doctrines and patterns of behavior. The Pharisees were strict and zealous adherents to the laws of the OT and to numerous additional traditions such as angels and bodily resurrection.
32 The issue here is inappropriate associations. Jews were very careful about personal associations and contact as a matter of ritual cleanliness. Their question borders on an accusation that Jesus is ritually unclean.
33 Jesus’ point is that he associates with those who are sick because they have the need and will respond to the offer of help. A person who is healthy (or who thinks mistakenly that he is) will not seek treatment.
34 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
35 John refers to John the Baptist.
36 See the note on Pharisees in .
37 John’s disciples and the Pharisees followed typical practices with regard to fasting and prayer. Many Jews fasted regularly (Lev 16:29–34; 23:26–32; Num 29:7–11). The zealous fasted twice a week on Monday and Thursday.
38 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “So” to indicate that in the narrative this question happened as a result of the fasting of John’s disciples and the Pharisees.
39 Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
40 Grk “And Jesus.”
41 Grk “sons of the wedding hall,” an idiom referring to wedding guests, or more specifically, friends of the bridegroom present at the wedding celebration (L&N 11.7).
42 The expression while the bridegroom is with them is an allusion to messianic times (John 3:29; Isa 54:5–6; 62:4–5; 4 Ezra 2:15, 38).
43 Questions prefaced with μή (mē) in Greek anticipate a negative answer. This can sometimes be indicated by using a “tag” at the end in English (here the tag is “can they?”).
44 The statement the bridegroom will be taken from them is a veiled allusion by Jesus to his death, which he did not make explicit until the incident at Caesarea Philippi in 8:27ff. (cf. 8:31; 9:31; 10:33).
45 Grk “then on that day.”
46 Wineskins were bags made of skin or leather, used for storing wine in NT times. As the new wine fermented and expanded, it would stretch the new wineskins. Putting new (unfermented) wine in old wineskins, which had already been stretched, would result in the bursting of the wineskins.
47 The meaning of the saying new wine is poured into new skins is that the presence and teaching of Jesus was something new and signaled the passing of the old. It could not be confined within the old religion of Judaism, but involved the inauguration and consummation of the kingdom of God.
48 Grk “He”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
49 Or “heads of grain.” While the generic term στάχυς (stachus) can refer to the cluster of seeds at the top of grain such as barley or wheat, in the NT the term is restricted to wheat (L&N 3.40; 1).
50 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
51 See the note on Pharisees in .
52 A decision about the proper translation of this Greek phrase (ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως, ejpi Abiathar ajrchiereōs) is very difficult for a number of reasons. The most natural translation of the phrase is “when Abiathar was high priest,” but this is problematic because Abiathar was not the high priest when David entered the temple and ate the sacred bread; Ahimelech is the priest mentioned in 1 Sam 21:1–7. Three main solutions have been suggested to resolve this difficulty. (1) There are alternate readings in various manuscripts, but these are not likely to be original: D W {271} it sys and a few others omit ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως, no doubt in conformity to the parallels in Matt 12:4 and Luke 6:4; {A C Θ Π Σ Φ 074 f13 and many others} add τοῦ before ἀρχιερέως, giving the meaning “in the days of Abiathar the high priest,” suggesting a more general time frame. Neither reading has significant external support and both most likely are motivated by the difficulty of the original reading. (2) Many scholars have hypothesized that one of the three individuals who would have been involved in the transmission of the statement (Jesus who uttered it originally, Mark who wrote it down in the Gospel, or Peter who served as Mark’s source) was either wrong about Abiathar or intentionally loose with the biblical data in order to make a point. (3) It is possible that what is currently understood to be the most natural reading of the text is in fact not correct. (a) There are very few biblical parallels to this grammatical construction (ἐπί + genitive proper noun, followed by an anarthrous common noun), so it is possible that an extensive search for this construction in nonbiblical literature would prove that the meaning does involve a wide time frame. If this is so, “in the days of Abiathar the high priest” would be a viable option. (b) It is also possible that this phrasing serves as a loose way to cite a scripture passage. There is a parallel to this construction in Mark 12:26: “Have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush?” Here the final phrase is simply ἐπὶ τοῦ βάτου (ejpi tou batou), but the obvious function of the phrase is to point to a specific passage within the larger section of scripture. Deciding upon a translation here is difficult. The translation above has followed the current consensus on the most natural and probable meaning of the phrase ἐπὶ Ἀβιαθὰρ ἀρχιερέως: “when Abiathar was high priest.” It should be recognized, however, that this translation is tentative because the current state of knowledge about the meaning of this grammatical construction is incomplete, and any decision about the meaning of this text is open to future revision.
53 Grk “the bread of presentation.” The sacred bread refers to the “bread of presentation,” “showbread,” or “bread of the Presence,” twelve loaves prepared weekly for the tabernacle and later, the temple. See Exod 25:30; 35:13; 39:36; Lev 24:5–9. Each loaf was made from 3 quarts (3.5 liters; Heb “two tenths of an ephah”) of fine flour. The loaves were placed on a table in the holy place of the tabernacle, on the north side opposite the lampstand (Exod 26:35). It was the duty of the priest each Sabbath to place fresh bread on the table; the loaves from the previous week were then given to Aaron and his descendants, who ate them in the holy place, because they were considered sacred (Lev 24:9). See also Matt 12:1–8, Luke 6:1–5.
54 Jesus’ response to the charge that what his disciples were doing was against the law is one of analogy: “If David did it for his troops in a time of need, then so can I with my disciples.” Jesus is clear that on the surface there was a violation here. What is not as clear is whether he is arguing a “greater need” makes this permissible or that this was within the intention of the law all along.
56 Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
57 The Greek term ἄνθρωπος (anthrōpos) is used twice in this verse in a generic sense, referring to both men and women, thus “people.”
58 The term “lord” is in emphatic position in the Greek text. A second point in Jesus’ defense of his disciples’ actions was that his authority as Son of Man also allowed it, since as Son of Man he was lord of the Sabbath.
1 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
2 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
3 See the note on synagogue in .
4 Withered means the man’s hand was shrunken and paralyzed.
5 The term translated watched … closely is emotive, since it carries negative connotations. It means they were watching him out of the corner of their eye or spying on him.
6 Grk “him”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
7 The background for this is the view that only if life was endangered should one attempt to heal on the Sabbath (see the , Shabbat 6.3; 12.1; 18.3; 19.2; Yoma 8.6).
8 Grk “Stand up in the middle.” Most likely synagogues were arranged with benches along the walls and open space in the center for seating on the floor.
9 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
10 The aorist participle περιβλεψάμενος (periblepsamenos) has been translated as antecedent (prior) to the action of the main verb. It could also be translated as contemporaneous (“Looking around … he said”).
11 This term is a collective singular in the Greek text.
12 The passive was restored points to healing by God. Now the question became: Would God exercise his power through Jesus, if what Jesus was doing were wrong? Note also Jesus’ “labor.” He simply spoke and it was so.
13 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
14 See the note on Pharisees in .
15 Grk inserts “against him” after “Herodians.” This is somewhat redundant in English and has not been translated. The Herodians are mentioned in the NT only once in Matt (22:16 = Mark 12:13) and twice in Mark (3:6; 12:13; some also read “Herodians” instead of “Herod” in Mark 8:15). It is generally assumed that as a group the Herodians were Jewish supporters of the Herodian dynasty (or of Herod Antipas in particular). In every instance they are linked with the Pharisees. This probably reflects agreement regarding political objectives (nationalism as opposed to submission to the yoke of Roman oppression) rather than philosophy or religious beliefs.
16 Grk “destroy.”
17 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
18 The word “him” is not in the Greek text, but is implied. Direct objects were often omitted in Greek when clear from the context.
19 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
20 “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity. The region referred to here is sometimes known as Transjordan (i.e., “across the Jordan”).
21 For location see ; ; ; ; .
22 These last two locations, Tyre and Sidon, represented an expansion outside of traditional Jewish territory. Jesus’ reputation continued to expand into new regions. For location see ; ; .
23 Grk “they”; the referent (the crowd) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
24 Unclean spirits refers to evil spirits.
25 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
26 Jesus did not permit the demons to make him known because the time for such disclosure was not yet at hand, and such a revelation would have certainly been misunderstood by the people. In all likelihood, if the people had understood him early on to be the Son of God, or Messiah, they would have reduced his mission to one of political deliverance from Roman oppression (cf. John 6:15). Jesus wanted to avoid, as much as possible, any premature misunderstanding about who he was and what he was doing. However, at the end of his ministry, he did not deny such a title when the high priest asked him (14:61–62).
27 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
28 Or “up a mountain” (εἰς τὸ ὅρος, eis to horos). The expression up the mountain here may be idiomatic or generic, much like the English “he went to the hospital” (cf. 15:29), or even intentionally reminiscent of Exod 24:12 (), since the genre of the Sermon on the Mount seems to be that of a new Moses giving a new law.
29 Grk “And he.”
30 The term apostles is rare in the gospels, found only here and Mark 6:30, Matt 10:2, and six more times in Luke (6:13; 9:10; 11:49; 17:5; 22:14; 24:10).
31 The phrase “whom he named apostles” is lacking in the majority of (A C2 [D] L f1 33 𝔐 latt sy). Several primary Alexandrian and Caesarean witnesses (א B [C* W] Θ f13 28 co) include the phrase, so the external evidence is strongly in favor of this reading, especially since Alexandrian witnesses tend to witness to the shorter reading. It is possible that the Alexandrian witnesses have inserted these words to bring the text in line with Luke 6:13 ( ), but against this is the internal evidence of Mark’s style: Mark tends toward gratuitous redundancy. Thus the inclusion of this phrase is supported by both internal and external evidence and should be regarded as more likely original than the omission.
32 The phrase “he appointed twelve” is lacking in the majority of manuscripts (A C2 D L Θ f1 33 2427 𝔐 lat sy bo). Some important witnesses include the phrase (א B C* Δ 565 579 ), but perhaps the best explanation for the omission of the clause in the majority of witnesses is haplography in combination with homoioarcton: The first word of the clause in question is καί (kai), and the first word after the clause in question is also καί. And the first two letters of the second word, in each instance, are επ (ep). Early scribes most likely jumped accidentally from the first καί to the second, omitting the intervening material. Thus the clause was most likely in the original text. (See above for a related textual problem.)
33 In the various lists of the twelve, Simon (that is, Peter) is always mentioned first (see also Matt 10:1–4; Luke 6:13–16; Acts 1:13) and the first four are always the same, though not in the same order after Peter.
34 Grk “to James, the son of Zebedee, and John, the brother of James.”
35 Bartholomew (meaning “son of Tolmai” in Aramaic) could be another name for Nathanael mentioned in John 1:45.
36 This is the “doubting Thomas” of John 20:24–29.
37 This disciple is called Λεββαῖον (Lebbaion, “Lebbaeus”) in D it; see the discussion of the parallel text in where conflation occurs among other witnesses as well.
38 Grk “the Cananean,” but according to both Καναναῖος and L&N 11.88, this term has no relation at all to the geographical terms for Cana or Canaan, but is derived from the Aramaic term for “enthusiast, zealot” (see Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13), possibly because of an earlier affiliation with the party of the Zealots. He may not have been technically a member of the particular Jewish nationalistic party known as “Zealots” (since according to some scholars this party had not been organized at that time), but simply someone who was zealous for Jewish independence from Rome, in which case the term would refer to his temperament.
39 There is some debate about what the name Iscariot means. It probably alludes to a region in Judea and thus might make Judas the only non-Galilean in the group. Several explanations for the name Iscariot have been proposed, but it is probably transliterated Hebrew with the meaning “man of Kerioth” (there are at least two villages that had that name). For further discussion see D. L. Bock, Luke (), 1:; also D. A. Carson, John, 304.
40 Grk “who even betrayed him.”
41 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “now” to indicate the transition to a new topic.
42 Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
43 Western witnesses D W it, instead of reading οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ (hoi par’ aujtou, here translated “family”), have περὶ αὐτοῦ οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ λοιποί (peri autou hoi grammateis kai hoi loipoi, “[when] the scribes and others [heard] about him”). But this reading is obviously motivated, for it removes the embarrassing statement about Jesus’ family’s opinion of him as “out of his mind” and transfers this view to the Lord’s opponents. The fact that virtually all other witnesses have οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ here, coupled with the strong internal evidence for the shorter reading, shows this Western reading to be secondary. On the meaning “family” for οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ (hoi par’ autou), see παρά A.3.b.β.ב. The incident involving the religious leaders accusing Jesus of being in league with the devil (3:22–30) is sandwiched between Mark’s mention of Jesus’ family coming to restrain him (the Greek word for restrain here is also used to mean arrest; see Mark 6:17; 12:12; 14:1, 44, 46, 49, 51) because they thought he was out of his mind (3:21). It is probably Mark’s intention in this structure to show that Jesus’ family is to be regarded as not altogether unlike the experts in the law [scribes] in their perception of the true identity of Jesus; they are incorrect in their understanding of him as well. The tone is obviously one of sadness and the emphasis on Jesus’ true family in vv. 31–35 serves to underscore the comparison between his relatives and the scribes on the one hand, and those who truly obey God on the other.
44 Or “The scribes.” See the note on the phrase “experts in the law” in .
45 For location see ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
46 Grk “He has Beelzebul.” Beelzebul is another name for Satan. So some people recognized Jesus’ work as supernatural, but called it diabolical.
47 Or “prince.”
48 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of previous action(s) in the narrative.
49 Jesus spoke two parables to demonstrate the absurdity of the thinking of the religious leaders who maintained that he was in league with Satan and that he actually derived his power from the devil. The first parable (vv. 23–26) teaches that if Jesus cast out demons by the ruler of the demons, then in reality Satan is fighting against himself, with the result that his kingdom has come to an end. The second parable (v. 28) about tying up a strong man proves that Jesus does not need to align himself with the devil because Jesus is more powerful. Jesus defeated Satan at his temptation (1:12–13) and by his exorcisms he clearly demonstrated himself to be stronger than the devil. The passage reveals the desperate condition of the religious leaders, who in their hatred for Jesus end up attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan (a position for which they will be held accountable, 3:29–30). For an explanation of what a parable is, see the note on parables in .
50 The three conditional statements in vv. 24–26 express the logical result of the assumption that Jesus heals by Satan’s power, expressed by the religious leaders. The point is clear: If the leaders are correct, then Satan’s kingdom will not stand, so the suggestion makes no sense. Satan would not seek to heal.
51 The strong man here pictures Satan.
52 Some see the imagery here as similar to Eph 4:7–10, although no opponents are explicitly named in that passage. Jesus has the victory over Satan. Jesus’ acts of healing mean that the war is being won and the kingdom is coming.
53 Grk “Truly (ἀμήν, amēn), I say to you.”
54 Grk “all the sins and blasphemies they may speak will be forgiven the sons of men.”
55 Is guilty of an eternal sin. This passage has troubled many people, who have wondered whether or not they have committed this eternal sin. Three things must be kept in mind: (1) the nature of the sin is to ascribe what is the obvious work of the Holy Spirit (e.g., releasing people from Satan’s power) to Satan himself; (2) it is not simply a momentary doubt or sinful attitude, but is indeed a settled condition which opposes the Spirit’s work, as typified by the religious leaders who opposed Jesus; and (3) a person who is concerned about it has probably never committed this sin, for those who commit it here (i.e., the religious leaders) are not in the least concerned about Jesus’ warning. On this last point see W. W. Wessel, “Mark,” 8:.
56 Unclean spirit refers to an evil spirit.
57 Grk “And.” Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
58 Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
59 The issue of whether Jesus had brothers (siblings) has had a long history in the church. Epiphanius, in the 4th century, argued that Mary was a perpetual virgin and had no offspring other than Jesus. Others argued that these brothers were really cousins. Nothing in the text suggests any of this. See also John 7:3.
60 Because of the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
61 Many read “and your sisters” here after “your brothers” (A D Γ 700 it). However, the pedigree of several of the which lack this phrase is considerable (א B C K L W Δ Θ f1, 13 28 33 565 892 1241 1424 2542 lat sy). It seems likely that this phrase was added by an early Western scribe to harmonize this statement with Jesus’ response in v. 35. has the words in brackets, indicating some doubt as to their authenticity.
62 Grk “Who is my mother and my brothers?” The use of the singular verb ἐστιν (estin) here singles out Mary above Jesus’ brothers, giving her special prominence (see ). This is slightly unnatural in English since the predicate nominative is plural, though, so a plural verb was used in the translation.
63 Grk “Behold my mother and my brothers.”
64 The pleonastic pronoun οὖτος (houtos, “this one”) which precedes this verb has not been translated.

Cross references

55 See 1 Sam 21:1–6.