Mark 3:22-26 - A House Divided

Mark 3:22-26
22 The scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “He casts out the demons by the ruler of the demons.” 23 And He called them to Himself and began speaking to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished!

Message: A House Divided

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying:

Summary
As I continue to walk through the Gospel of Mark, I continue to see the different themes being presented. John came on the scene, preaching and baptized with water. Jesus then comes and is baptized, is tempted, and proclaims his message: Repent and Believe in the Gospel. He calls the first 4 disciples. Jesus goes to the synagogue and casts out demons while he speaks a new teaching with an authority very different. He heals Peter's mother-in-law and then he heals others, but Jesus retreats to a time of seeking the Lord and sees that he must go to other places to continue to preach the Gospel, that being his mission. He heals a leper but tells him to tell no one, though he does.

Because of the faith of friends, Jesus first forgives the sins of a paralytic, then heals him, perplexing the scribes. He calls the tax collector Matthew. Jesus said he came to call sinners, not the righteous. He offers a parable about the new work and message he has to bring. He clarifies that he has authority over everything, including traditions of the past regarding Sabbath work. He heals on the Sabbath.

The Pharisees and Herodians begin to come against him. He goes to the sea, to leave that area. He continues to tell people to not make him known. He selects all 12 disciples. His family and/or friends misunderstand him, are concerned about him and mention he is beside himself.

A House Divided
The scribes now, also, mention that Jesus is possessed by Satan for he casts out demons. He is confronted as doing this by the power of Satan. Jesus very clearly is speaking a message that is different. He is claiming in various ways -- in the synagogue, regarding the Sabbath, working on the Sabbath -- that he has an authority, different from what they have known previously. He heals people, casts out demons, and many are following him, some just to have him heal, but he has a message to preach and teach to people. And so, they come to him, concerned about what he is saying.

I could see how they could think that he is of the devil. In verse 21, it says that even his families and friends were confused by him. Jesus had clearly a radical message and many people didn't know how to deal with it all, digest it all, take it all in. Any time there is something different from what we are accustomed to, we tend to think that it may not have right sources or holy sources. The scribes then conclude he is of the devil.

But Jesus responds, first with words also speaking in parables:

"How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. If Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but he is finished!

Jesus confronts the scribes theology or method of argument. The scribes are claiming that Satan is casting out Satan and Jesus responds with, "How can that be?" In essence, he says, if something is divided, how can it be that the source of the division will also remove the division? If someone is demon-possessed, how can a demon then remove the demon? Thus, He is saying that an outside source is needed to remove the possession or division.

This actually reminds me of a problem that is occurring right now in our family, with our youngest son, and the division that has resulted between him and us. It is causing us to not stand and often, we try to solve this division on our own. We think its all about finding the right mix of answers, but this morning, as I woke up, I realized that instead we need to go to God. God needs to be the one that decides what we are to do. We need outside help and we need to consult God first. Whether we are talking about a kingdom, a house, or Satan - division requires something outside of itself to be removed. Jesus can't be from Satan because Satan can't work against itself.

Promise: When Jesus deals with Satan, it is no temporary victory but permanent conquest. The Devil cannot retake the ground Jesus recovers.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for speaking clearly. Thank you for speaking to the root of the problem and showing me that division, of any kind, needs your help. Thank you Holy Spirit for being active and here.