Mark 3:20-35

Another time Jesus and the disciples enter a house, and yet a crowd gathers so that they cannot even eat a meal in peace.  Jesus’ reputation seems to be spreading now like wildfire, but not everyone is convinced by the stories they are hearing.  Sick of the nonsense I guess, Jesus’ family comes convinced that Jesus is out of his mind.

It’s not only Jesus’ family that isn’t convinced that Jesus speaks the word of God.  The religious teachers also have their doubts, yet they have seen too many of his miracles to be able to deny that Jesus possesses extraordinary supernatural power.  Unable to equate Jesus’ teaching and fragrant disregard for their religious law, they conclude that Jesus must then be an agent of Beelzebud, the prince of demons.

Jesus is quick to point out the obviously flawed logic in their accusation.  Why would the prince of demons drive demons out of people, rather it would be his aim to leave the demons where they are at in order to secure great power.  Jesus asks the accusers ‘How can Satan drive out Satan?’   And then Jesus gets to the heart of the matter, he tells the religious leaders that all sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven, but the person who sins against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

The great sin that the religious teachers were promoting was that Jesus’ power was not from God, but from Satan.  They were denying the divine nature of Jesus Christ, and anyone who fails to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, in unable to be forgiven of their sins.  The great sin is to fail to put your faith in Jesus, to be a witness to Jesus’ miraculous power but yet still refuse to believe.

Now: Mark 20-35

Then: Go Swedish (what’s this?)