# Mark 03 đź“–: Jesus Chooses the Twelve
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
#### Healing a Withered Hand
**Principle**: Doing good for the sake of good reveals hearts.
[[#Verse 01.]] Then Jesus entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand.Â
[[#Verse 02.]] They watched Jesus closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they could accuse him.Â
[[#Verse 03.]] So he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Stand up among all these people.”
[[#Verse 04.]] Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or evil, to save a life or destroy it?” But they were silent.Â
[[#Verse 05.]] After looking around at them in anger, grieved by the hardness of their hearts, he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.Â
[[#Verse 06.]] So the Pharisees went out immediately and began plotting with the Herodians, as to how they could assassinate him.
#### Crowds by the Sea
**Principle**: Nothing too hard for Jesus.
[[#Verse 07.]] Then Jesus went away with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him. And from Judea,
[[#Verse 08.]] Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan River, and around Tyre and Sidon a great multitude came to him when they heard about the things he had done.Â
[[#Verse 09.]] Because of the crowd, he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him so the crowd would not press toward him.Â
[[#Verse 10.]]Â For he had healed many, so that all who were afflicted with diseases pressed toward him in order to touch him.Â
[[#Verse 11.]] And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.”Â
[[#Verse 12.]] But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.
#### Appointing the Twelve Apostles
[[Matthew 10]]
**Principle**: Jesus Mentors Us.
[[#Verse 13.]] Now Jesus went up the mountain and called for those he wanted, and they came to him.Â
[[#Verse 14.]] He appointed twelve so that they would be with him and he could send them to preachÂ
[[#Verse 15.]] and to have authority to cast out demons.Â
[[#Verse 16.]] To Simon he gave the name Peter;Â
[[#Verse 17.]] to James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee, he gave the name Boanerges (that is, “sons of thunder”);Â
[[#Verse 18.]] and Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot,Â
[[#Verse 19.]] and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
#### Jesus and Beelzebul
**Principle**: If you reject the Holy Spirit, there is nothing left for you.
[[#Verse 20.]] Now Jesus went home, and a crowd gathered so that they were not able to eat.Â
[[#Verse 21.]] When his family heard this they went out to restrain him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”Â
[[#Verse 22.]] The experts in the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and, “By the ruler of demons he casts out demons!”
[[#Verse 23.]] So he called them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan?Â
[[#Verse 24.]] If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom will not be able to stand.Â
[[#Verse 25.]] If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.Â
[[#Verse 26.]] And if Satan rises against himself and is divided, he is not able to stand and his end has come.Â
[[#Verse 27.]] But no one is able to enter a strong man’s house and steal his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can thoroughly plunder his house.Â
[[#Verse 28.]] I tell you the truth, people will be forgiven for all sins, even all the blasphemies they utter.Â
[[#Verse 29.]] But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven, but is guilty of an eternal sin”Â
[[#Verse 30.]] (because they said, “He has an unclean spirit”).
#### Jesus’ True Family
**Principle**: Jesus invites all into His family.
[[#Verse 31.]] Then Jesus’ mother and his brothers came. Standing outside, they sent word to him, to summon him.Â
[[#Verse 32.]] A crowd was sitting around him and they said to him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are outside looking for you.”Â
[[#Verse 33.]] He answered them and said, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”Â
[[#Verse 34.]] And looking at those who were sitting around him in a circle, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!Â
[[#Verse 35.]] For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
###### Verse 28.
###### Verse 29.
###### Verse 30.
###### Verse 31.
###### Verse 32.
###### Verse 33.
###### Verse 34.
###### Verse 35.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. The Herodians (3:6) supported the rule of the Herod family. They and the Pharisees were usually on opposite sides, yet they joined forces against Jesus.
2. Mark mentions Jesus' emotions more often than the other Gospels, such as His anger and grief in 3:5.
3. Crowds came from Idumea, Tyre, and Sidon (3:8), regions far beyond Galilee, including Gentile areas.
4. Choosing twelve apostles (3:14) intentionally echoes the twelve tribes of Israel.
5. Jesus nicknamed James and John "Boanerges," which Mark translates as "sons of thunder" (3:17).
6. Simon "the Zealot" (3:18) is literally "Simon the Cananean," from an Aramaic word meaning zealous.
7. Judas Iscariot is listed last in every list of the Twelve, always with a note about his betrayal.
8. Beelzebul (3:22) is related to Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron in 2 Kings 1:2. The name came to be used for the prince of demons.
9. Jesus' own family thought He was "out of His mind" (3:21). His brothers did not believe in Him until after the resurrection (John 7:5; Acts 1:14).
10. Mark often sandwiches one story inside another. Here the scribes' accusation (3:22-30) is placed inside the account of Jesus' family coming for Him (3:20-21, 31-35).
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the stronger man who ties up the strong man and plunders his house (3:27), setting Satan's captives free. He makes all who do God's will His family (3:35), the firstborn among many brothers and sisters (Romans 8:29).
## 🔎 Key Observations / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. Jesus was angry and grieved at the hard hearts in the synagogue (3:5). What does His reaction teach us about what matters to God?
2. Jesus appointed the Twelve first to be with Him and then to be sent out (3:14). Why does being with Jesus come before working for Him?
3. Jesus said whoever does God's will is His brother, sister, and mother (3:35). How should that shape the way we treat one another in the church?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verse 4: Jesus asks whether it is lawful on the Sabbath to do good or evil, to save life or to kill.
- đź“– verse 14: Jesus appoints the Twelve to be with Him and to be sent out to preach.
- đź“– verse 35: Whoever does the will of God is Jesus' brother, sister, and mother.
## đź”— Related Passages
- đź”— [[Psalm 02#Verse 02.|Psalm 2:2]] - Rulers plot together against the Lord's Anointed.
- đź”— [[Luke 06#Verse 12.|Luke 6:12-16]] - The choosing of the Twelve.
- đź”— [[Acts 04#Verse 13.|Acts 4:13]] - They recognized that these men had been with Jesus.
- đź”— [[John 07#Verse 05.|John 7:5]] - Even His brothers did not believe in Him.
- đź”— [[Isaiah 49#Verse 24.|Isaiah 49:24-25]] - The captives of the mighty are taken away.
- đź”— [[Matthew 12#Verse 31.|Matthew 12:31-32]] - Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
- đź”— [[Romans 08#Verse 29.|Romans 8:29]] - Christ the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[Mark 03- SOAP|Family of God]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes