MARK 2:18-3:30 Decide about Jesus: good or evil? Who is Jesus? All of us have to make up our minds about Jesus: Was he evil? Was he insane? Or was he God? This is not a new question. We see in this passage that the people in Jesus’ time also had to decide between these three options. Jesus was not just a great religious teacher. He clearly regarded himself as far more than that. Jesus made astonishing claims about himself. Even in this relatively short part of Mark’s gospel we see a number of such claims. C. S. Lewis pointed out that: ‘A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.’ He would either be insane or else he would be ‘the Devil of Hell’. ‘You must make your choice,’ he writes. But C. S. Lewis goes on, ‘let us not come up with any patronising nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.’ There really are only three options: either he was evil or insane or else the claims were true. Was he evil? The teachers of the law said, ‘He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons’ (v.22). They were saying, ‘He has an evil spirit’ (v.30b, NIV). Was he insane? People were saying about Jesus, ‘He is out of his mind’ (v.21b). Was he right? Jesus is implicitly saying that he is the bridegroom (see 2:18–19). He describes himself as ‘Lord even of the Sabbath’ (v.28), and when the evil spirits cry out ‘You are the Son of God’ (3:11), Jesus did not deny it but ‘gave them strict orders not to tell others about him’ (v.12). After spending three years with him his disciples came to the conclusion that he really was the unique Son of God, the Word made flesh, a man whose identity was God (2:21–22). Our decision about whether Jesus is evil, insane or God has huge consequences. Jesus says to those who are describing him as evil, ‘Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven’ (v.29). This verse has caused great anguish to many people. But anyone who is worried about it will not have committed the sin. Scripture is clear that those who are repentant will be forgiven. The fact that they are troubled (that is, are willing to repent) is sure proof that they have not committed it. What is referred to here is not the uttering of a sentence but a fixed attitude of mind. Jesus does not say that they have committed a sin – but warns them of the danger they are in. These are not ordinary people. The scribes were duly accredited theological teachers of God’s people. They were in daily contact with the word of God. This sin is an attitude that regards good as evil and evil as good. Such a person has sunk to a point where they cannot repent and be forgiven. The New Testament assures us that anyone who does repent and turn to Jesus will be forgiven. Jesus, I worship you today as the bridegroom, my Lord and the Son of God. Thank you that you call me first to be with you and then to take your message to the world. Thank you that you call me to new ways with new wine and new wineskins.
Posted on: Mon, 17 Feb 2014 06:11:13 +0000
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