Daily Bible reading Mark Chapter 3

     I know these daily readings are coming every other day at this point, That's because my schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays makes writing difficult. We are still studying on a daily basis, but we are about 5 days ahead of what I am posting online.

Mark 3: 4-6
⁴ Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent. ⁵ He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. ⁶ Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus.


    What I find most interesting here is Jesus emotional state, his reaction to the stubbornness of the religious leaders and hardness of their hearts. Many of Jesus miracles have a greater purpose that just the effect of the miracle itself. in this instance, Jesus it trying to teach the importance of compassion for others over the legalistic keeping of the law. We also see here why Jesus has been trying to keep his miracles quiet, for the pharisees are now beginning to realize what type of threat he represents.

Mark 3:20-21
²⁰ Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. ²¹ When his family^[b] heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”


     The word used for family can also be translated as "neigbors" or "associates", so it is unclear if this is a reference to his mother and brothers who show up a few verses later.

Mark 3;22-30
²² And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.” ²³ So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. ²⁶ And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. ²⁷ In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. ²⁸ Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, ²⁹ but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.” ³⁰ He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”


     So what does it mean to blaspheme the Holy Spirit? What is this "Unforgivable Sin"?  It appears for the text that this means that you know and recognise the works of God and the willfully attribute them to Satan,
to know and understand who God is and to choose to oppose him. This is not a sin someone would commit by accident or without realizing what they are commiting to. This is clearly understanding God's Side and Satan's side, and siding with evil. He does not seem to be declaring that they have already committed it, but warning them that they have stepped onto that path.