By:
William John Hocking, Editor
Chapter 3:19-30.
19 AND they come to a house [or, home]; 20and again the crowd cometh together, so that they can not even eat bread. 21And his relatives when they heard (of it) went out to lay hold of him; for they said, He is beside himself. 22And the scribes that came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebul, and, By the prince of the demons he casteth out the demons. 23And he called them to [him] and said in parables to them, How can Satan cast out Satan? 24And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26Ancl if Satan rose up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. 27 But no one can enter into the house of the strong one, and plunder his goods, unless he (will) first bind the strong one, and then he will plunder his house. 28Verily I say to you, that all sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men, and their blasphemies how much soever they may blaspheme; 29but whosoever shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit hath no forgiveness for eternity, but is guilty of everlasting sin; 30because they said, He hath an unclean spirit.
Notes and Suggestions.
Verse 19. — Into a house. It is instructive to note that there are many references to the indoor life of the Lord. The testimony of Jehovah’s Servant was not by the seaside nor in the streets only, but also at home. In this Gospel alone we find the following passages: —
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Text.
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House.
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Event.
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1:29
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Peter’s
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Mother-in-law healed.
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2:01
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Own
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Crowd gathers.
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2:15
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Levi’s
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Eats with Publicans.
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3:19
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Own
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Crowd gathers.
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5:38
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Jairus’
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Damsel raised.
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7:17
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Own
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Explains parable.
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7:24
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Near Tyre and Sidon
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Demon cast out in another house, 7:30.
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9:28
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?
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Disciples question Lord.
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9:33
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Own
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Lord questions disciples
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10:10
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Beyond Jordan
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Disciples question Lord.
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14:03
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Simon the leper’s
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Jesus anointed.
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There appears to have been a particular house in Capernaum specially used by the Lord. It is referred 10 in the above table as His “own,” only in this sense.
Some of those who were healed were expressly directed to go to their own houses. See the cases of the
Palsied man (2:11).
Demoniac (5:19).
Blind man (8:26).
Verse 20. — Cannot even eat bread. How diligent was this Servant! If the crowd prevented Him eating for Himself, He was none the less ready to “fill the hungry with good things” (Luke 1:5353He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away. (Luke 1:53)). He saw in the people who had followed Him an occasion to do His Father’s will; and that was His meat (John 4:3434Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34)).
Verse 21. — His relatives. What a world the Lord came to! He was here as an absolute Stranger. Even “His brethren did not believe in Him” (John 7:55For neither did his brethren believe in him. (John 7:5)). As it was said in the Psalms, “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children” (Psa. 69:88I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children. (Psalm 69:8)). They could not understand the Lord’s zeal. They said, “He is deranged;” His enemies went farther and said, “He is mad” (John 10:2020And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? (John 10:20)). But both “friends” and enemies were one in opposing Him.
Verse 22. — Scribes from Jerusalem. No doubt the local scribes, having been baffled (2:6-12) sought the assistance of experts from the metropolis that they might prove Him wrong. These were more violent than the first; while the one said that He blasphemed, the others said, “He hath Beelzebub.”
Beelzebub. What an awful expression from representatives of a divinely established religion! They did not say, “He hath a demon,” or even, “He hath a legion of demons,” but, “He hath Beelzebub,” the prince of all the demons.
The more correct form of the name is Beelzebul; for it is not quite the same as Baalzebub, the god of Ekron (2 Kings 1).
Verses 23-27. The Lord shows the utter folly of their hateful charge. How could Satan take up arms against himself? The divided kingdom or divided house cannot stand. Did not their own fall as a kingdom date from its division in the days of Rehoboam and Jeroboam? And their restoration cannot be until the “whole house of Israel” is no longer “divided into two kingdoms” (Ezek. 37). The truth was, not that “the strong man’s house” was divided, but that it was entered by a stronger than he, who would bind him and spoil his goods (Heb. 2:14,1514Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; 15And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. (Hebrews 2:14‑15); 1 John 3:88He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)).
Verse 29.―Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Many fear lest they have committed what they term “the unpardonable sin.” Observe that it is not sin against, but blasphemy against the Holy Ghost that is spoken of here. In saying, “He hath Beelzebub,” they were speaking against the “Spirit of holiness” by Whom He was anointed and sealed (Mark 1:10, 1210And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: (Mark 1:10)
12And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. (Mark 1:12); Matt. 12:2828But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. (Matthew 12:28)). “What the Lord denounces is blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. Keeping that distinctly in view would save many souls a great deal of needless trouble. How many have groaned in terror through fear of being guilty of sin against the Holy Ghost! That phrase admits of vague notions and general reasoning about its nature. But our Lord spoke definitely of blasphemous unforgivable sin against Him... (not that vague sense of evil which troubled souls dread as ‘sin against the Holy Ghost,’ but blasphemy against Him). What is this evil never to be forgiven? It is attributing God’s power that wrought in Jesus to the devil. How many troubled souls would he instantly relieved, if they laid hold of that simple truth! It would dissipate what really is a delusion of the devil, who strives hard to plunge them into anxiety, and drive them into despair, if possible ... What our Lord referred to was neither a sin, nor the sin, but blasphemy against the Holy Ghost. It was that which the Jewish nation was then rapidly falling into and for which they were neither forgiven then, nor will ever be forgiven. There will be a new stock, so to speak; another generation will be raised up who will receive the Christ Whom their fathers blasphemed; but as far as that generation was concerned they were guilty of this sin, and they could not be forgiven. They began it in the lifetime of Jesus. They consummated it when the Holy Ghost was sent down and despised.”
FALSE messengers of peace, who bear the olive branch, yet join the fray.