loudandclear

Mark 3:1-19

Jesus went into the synagogue again and noticed a man with a deformed hand. ² Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus’ enemies watched him closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.

 ³ Jesus said to the man with the deformed hand, “Come and stand in front of everyone.” ⁴ Then he turned to his critics and asked, “Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?” But they wouldn’t answer him.

 ⁵ He looked around at them angrily and was deeply saddened by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Hold out your hand.” So the man held out his hand, and it was restored! ⁶ At once the Pharisees went away and met with the supporters of Herod to plot how to kill Jesus.

Crowds Follow Jesus

 ⁷ Jesus went out to the lake with his disciples, and a large crowd followed him. They came from all over Galilee, Judea, ⁸ Jerusalem, Idumea, from east of the Jordan River, and even from as far north as Tyre and Sidon. The news about his miracles had spread far and wide, and vast numbers of people came to see him.

 ⁹ Jesus instructed his disciples to have a boat ready so the crowd would not crush him. ¹⁰ He had healed many people that day, so all the sick people eagerly pushed forward to touch him. ¹¹ And whenever those possessed by evil spirits caught sight of him, the spirits would throw them to the ground in front of him shrieking, “You are the Son of God!” ¹² But Jesus sternly commanded the spirits not to reveal who he was.

Jesus Chooses the Twelve Apostles

 ¹³ Afterward Jesus went up on a mountain and called out the ones he wanted to go with him. And they came to him. ¹⁴ Then he appointed twelve of them and called them his apostles. They were to accompany him, and he would send them out to preach, ¹⁵ giving them authority to cast out demons. ¹⁶ These are the twelve he chose:

   Simon (whom he named Peter),
 ¹⁷ James and John (the sons of Zebedee, but Jesus nicknamed them “Sons of Thunder”),
 ¹⁸ Andrew,
   Philip,
   Bartholomew,
   Matthew,
   Thomas,
   James (son of Alphaeus),
   Thaddaeus,
   Simon (the zealot),
 ¹⁹ Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

(((This chapter starts with the Pharisees again trying to trap Jesus into “sinning.”  God says in the Old Testament not to work on the Sabbath, so the Pharisees considered doing miracles on the Sabbath.  Jesus points out that the Sabbath is a day to do good, not evil (ignoring this man with the crippled hand.)))

(((The next section shows how Jesus’ popularity was growing but also how Jesus had compassion on so many sick people.  He truly came to serve and not be served.  When Jesus would cast out evil spirits, they say that He was the son of God, but Jesus strangely told them to keep quiet about it.  Many scholars believe that Jesus did this for many reasons a.)  Jesus hadn’t completed His ministry yet, so the time wasn’t right for the world to know b.) The mouth of demons was not the best way to announce that Jesus was God.  c.) Jesus did not want his mission to be interpreted in a political way where many would assume He was there just to overthrow the government.)))

(((The last part of this section shares the names and the call of Jesus’ disciples or close followers.  I love Jesus calls and the disciples followed.  No questions. No buts.  Jesus calls and we follow, such a great example for us today)))