MAR 3The Son of Man, as Lord of the Sabbath, would not allow man's thoughts of it to hinder Him from meeting the need of a ruined world and showing mercy to the needy ones who came before Him. It is God in grace, telling out His heart to His needy creature: it is love finding its true rest, amidst evil, in blessing man.
Verses 1-5. He was in the synagogue again and it was the Sabbath day. There was a man there, who had a withered hand, and they watched Him, whether He would heal on the Sabbath day; that they might accuse Him. He knew what they were thinking and said to the man which had the withered hand, "Stand forth," and He saith unto them, "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath day or to do evil? to save life, or to kill?" But they held their peace. Their guilty consciences would not own their state. They would do any evil their traditions allowed them to do, but, of mercy for the needy man, they had none. They were silent before Him. He was angry with their wickedness, being grieved at the hardness of their hearts, and saith unto the man, "Stretch forth thine hand." And he stretched it out and his hand was restored whole as the other. His heart was in His work. It was God who delighted to bless and to give: His service declared it. It was not law, demanding; it was grace, giving. Divine goodness thus set aside a Sabbath that was only an ordinance, to bring in mercy and to show if they had eyes to see their need of that mercy, and that it was for them. They had not kept the law and He could not honor their keeping of a Sabbath.
Verse 6. And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him. Such was their wickedness, that even the Sabbath did not hinder them plotting for His destruction, and these hitherto enemies to each other, became of one mind in their zeal to destroy the Lord. The most open enemies united to oppose Him.
The Lord set aside the dispensation of law since Jewish forms could not be mixed with Christian grace. God's love and delight to bless ruined men was manifest in the works and words of Jesus, but it ran counter to man's religion and worldly opposition. This was the character of the Lord's service, yet men counseled how they might destroy Him.
Verses 7-12. Jesus withdrew Himself with His disciples to the sea. A great multitude from many places followed Him, having heard what great things He did. He spoke to His disciples, that a little ship should wait on Him, that the multitude might not throng Him; for He healed many; insomuch that they pressed upon Him for to touch Him. As many as had plagues, and unclean spirits, when they saw Him, fell down before Him, and cried, saying. "Thou art the Son of God." He straightly charged them that they should not make Him known. Man's enmity could not drive Him out of His path, as the servant doing the Father's will. He went into new and larger fields, to proclaim the truth, to heal the diseased to deliver the captives out of Satan's power. The love and power of God were seen in Him. It was not demanding righteousness from man, but giving to him, blessing, forgiveness and the righteousness of God.
Verses 13-19. He went apart from the multitude up into a mountain, and called unto Him whom He would: and they came unto Him. He appointed twelve, that they should be with Him, and that He might send them forth to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils. Not only could He work miracles, but He could give the power to others to do the same, that is, the power and authority of God. These twelve were His apostles for His mission on earth. He gave some of them names, according to their character, which He knew from the first.
Verses 20, 21. In the house the crowd was so great that they could not so much as eat bread. His relatives thought it was time for them to interfere and went out to lay hold on Him: for they said, "He is beside Himself" (out of His mind). How little any of them understood who He was!
Verses 22-26. And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, "He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth He out devils." They owned that He had the power, and that He could cast out devils, but they said it was the power of Satan. He called them to Him and reasoned with them in parables. How can Satan cast out Satan? A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Satan divided against himself hath an end.
Verses 27-30. This world was Satan's house. A stronger than he was now come and had bound the strong man, Satan (in the temptations), and now was spoiling Satan's goods by delivering the captives out of his power. But their malice and enmity to God showed itself in ascribing to Satan what they knew was done through the power of God. They might not and did not understand the person of the Son of Man, but they knew that none, but the power of the Holy Ghost, could cast out Satan. This was the sin that had never forgiveness, for he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost is in danger of eternal damnation. This does not refer to a Christian at all. It was in the dispensation of law, when the Lord was on earth, and when they said, "He hath an unclean spirit" (v. 30). In this time, we can say, "The blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, cleanseth us from all (every) sin" (1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7)), and, "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev. 22:1717And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. (Revelation 22:17)).
Verses 31-35. We find in the figure of His mother and His brethren (His natural relationships), Israel set aside. Here the principle is seen of not knowing any man after the flesh. Relationship is doing the will of God and this is formed by the word of God, when received into the soul.
Israel's story ended in their rejection of Christ, until grace restores them again, after the Church is removed from the earth.