The Gospel of Mark
The Family of Jesus: Mk 3,20-35
This passage is the first time we meet the sandwich construction of episodes which is a feature of the Gospel of Mark. The evangelist likes to split a story in half and insert another story between them. The inner story is then related to the outer story, as a commentary or as a contrast.
I suggested a look at 5,21-43 because it may be a more obvious example than our present episode. There the story of the healing of a woman who has been bleeding for 12 years has been inserted into story of the healing of a 12 year old girl. Although it is usual to include 3,20-35 among Mark's sandwiches, I find the middle portion (3,22-30) rather too complicated for this to be a good example of the technique.
In this instance, we begin with Jesus' natural family (3,20-21) and we end with his true family (3,31-35). In between, we may speak of a divided family (3,22-30) as we will see when we read more closely.
The Family of Jesus: 3,20-21
The scene is set in verse 20 as Jesus returns home and the crowd gathers "again" around him. Home is probably Capernaum (1,29). The Greek word is "house" meaning "home" which is different to "hometown" of 6,1.
The notion that the family of Jesus thought he was out of his mind might seem surprising. It is not surprising that it is omitted by the other Gospels. However, we must not read the Gospel of Mark with St Luke's Gospel in mind. Taking this evangelist on his own terms, verse 21 literally speaks of "those about him". Especially in view of verse 31, it is generally accepted that the reference is to Jesus' natural family. As far as Mark is concerned, Jesus' family were not accepting him or his mission. They are not "with him" as the Twelve are to be (3,14). That his family thought Jesus was out of his mind, could mean they thought he was possessed by a demon. That would set the scene for the middle portion of this section.
Now return to continue our reading.
Jesus and the demon family: Mark 3,22-30
Both verse 22 and verse 30 concern accusations about Jesus being possessed by unclean spirits. In between it is Jesus who is speaking. We have a strong "but" opening verse 27 (the "but" of verse 29 is weak) and the solemn "Amen" at the beginning of verse 28. Thus verse 27 concludes verses 23-26 while verse 28 opens the second half of Jesus' comments.
The inserted episode begins in verse 22 and the scribes coming down from Jerusalem. Only Mark has them present. Jerusalem is of course the centre and Jesus has no friends there. Jesus' reputation has now spread there and so also have concerns about him. From the scribe's point of view, the Law and only the law represents the will of God. As Jesus is going beyond the Law, therefore in their minds the only alternative source of authority must be Satan. However, they are also accepting that Jesus is a successful exorcist, that he is driving out demons.
Thus they make two statements: that Jesus is possessed and that he exorcises because he is possessed. Jesus answers the accusations in reverse order.
Not much is known about the demons of verse 22. Beelzebul is linked with Baal (2 K 1,2) and the prince of demons will be identified as Satan by Jesus.
Parables cover a wide range of figures of speech. They are the means by which Jesus speaks to outsiders (4,11) and we see in verse 31 that Jesus' family are outside.
After Jesus states his position with a question (verse 23) which he answers with three "if's" in verses 24-26. The first too highlight the weakness of division. The parallel between kingdom and house suggests a royal dynasty (2 Sam 7,16). The house of David quickly fell apart (1 Kings 12). That is the destructiveness of civil war.
Verse 26, the third "if" statement, then applies this directly to Satan.
In verse 27, Jesus answers the first accusation of the scribes, that he is possessed. The strong man can only be Jesus himself. God is on his side (Is 49,24-25). He has already overcome Satan at his temptation (1,12). He is therefore the stronger and so he is not possessed but rather he is successfully freeing people from Satan by his exorcisms.
"Amen" in verse 28 is the way Jesus uses to begin solemn statements, thirteen times in this Gospel. Jesus is unique in opening a sentence with Amen; when we pray we follow the Old Testament custom of using it for confirmation at the end (Ps 41,14).
Jesus then begins with the possibility of forgiveness in verse 28; all their sins but there is one exception. The sin against the Holy Spirit is to attribute Jesus' powers to Satan and to absolutely refuse to recognise the coming of the kingdom in Jesus (1,15). Jesus is himself the possessor not of an unclean spirit (verse 30) but of the Holy Spirit (1,8.10.12).
Now return to continue to the third part.
Jesus and his true family
The family are outside, the crowd is inside. This we can take to be the same crowd as in 3,20. Yet while the crowd is further in than the family, the crowd also has to make a commitment.
This brings to a climax the unfolding of the family theme following on from the naming of the inner group in 3,13-18. Jesus typically poses a question in verse 33. Doing the will of God is the key to belonging to the family of Jesus, just as Jesus himself does the will of God above all. That means accepting the proclamation of 1,14-15: repent and believe the good news and that is fulfilled in the teaching and person of Jesus who calls together his true family.
Return now to the main page.
The Sunday Gospel
Our reading of the passage saw that it was a presentation of the true family of Jesus, those who do the will of God regardless of blood or ethnic ties.
The editors of the lectionary by contrast seem to have concentrated on Satan, just the middle part of the sandwich. The dysfunctional relations between Adam and Eve might bring in the family dimension as clearly they are not doing the will of God.
Return now to the main page so that we can move on to chapter 4.