Who Is Jesus?
Mark 3:20-35
The question “Who is Jesus?” has baffled minds for ages. This is a very dangerous question because your eternity depends on how you answer it. There are lots of people today, even in churches who still don’t know who Jesus is. I love the first line in the gospel of Mark. He wrote this gospel so that people would know who Jesus is. Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
When Jesus came in the scene, not many people quite understood who he truly is. If you were to interview those who got to see Jesus or hear him. You would get answers like. He is a miracle worker. He is a prophet, a Jewish rabbi, a great teacher; a very popular person, always surrounded by large crowds. His disciples would tell you that they followed him because they believed him to be the expected Messiah.
The gospel of Mark also tells us how people perceived Jesus. It informs us about the different opinions people had about him, especially early in his ministry.
In Mark 3:20-35 we read about how Jesus just appointed the twelve apostles and gave them power to preach and drive out evil spirits. In this text, we find different groups of people which had varying opinions about Jesus.
1st Group: the crowds (v.20) Then we read that Jesus and his followers entered a house and a large crowd gathered that he and his disciples were not able to eat. The crowd was indecisive (uncertain) about Jesus. Though they followed Jesus everywhere, they didn’t quite know him or understand him.
– They were amazed at his teaching (Mk.1:22)
– Amazed at Jesus’ authority over demons. (Mk.2:12)
The crowd came from all over to see this preacher, miracle worker, prophet. They wanted to see the one everyone was talking about. The crowd is not certain who Jesus is, but they can see what he can do.
2nd Group: Jesus’ family (v.21)
Jesus’ family lived not too far from Galilee, so they traveled to where Jesus was. The reason they came was to stop him and take him home.
They went to take charge of him. (To take custody of Jesus). Why? you ask. Because they thought Jesus had lost his mind. For them Jesus was crazy, he had mental issues. They came to take him home.
3rd Group: The teachers of the Law (The Scribes). (v.22)
– He is possessed by Beelzebub,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” ESV
For this group, Jesus was demon-possessed.
Jesus responded to the Scribes to show them how mistaken they were in their thinking.
If Satan cast out Satan then his kingdom is divided, a kingdom divided cannot stand. A house divided against itself cannot stand.
“But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.” (v.27). Jesus is the one who can bind the strong man; he is casting out demons because he is stronger than they are.
The scribes’ thinking is blasphemous. Jesus pointed out that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not forgiven. Blasphemy means to slander or speak abusively against someone or something. It is also to attribute God’s work to the devil or the devil’s work to God.
The scribes were saying that Jesus had an evil spirit. (v.30)
Jesus’ family arrived at the scene. (Mark tells us it was his mother and brothers who came) (v.31). They came and stood outside and sent someone in to call Jesus. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, “Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you.”
Who is my mother and my brothers? Those who do the will of the Father.
Here is the fourth group: you.
Jesus makes it clear that anyone can and is able to become member of his family. To be part of God’s family is for everyone (whoever does the will of God)
What is God’s will? John 6:40 tells us that God’s will is to give eternal life to those who believe in Jesus. God gives eternal life to those who belong to him. Those who become part of his family by saying yes to Jesus.
Who is Jesus? He is the one that connects us to God; HE is the one by whom we have eternal life. The crowd was uncertain about Jesus’s identity; Jesus’ family thought he was crazy; the scribes thought he was demon possessed.
What say you?
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