SEE (head)
Jesus visits the place where people gather to learn about God. By choosing to heal the man with the deformed hand, Jesus shows the importance of helping someone in need when it is within our power to do so. Well aware that his actions will bring him into direct conflict with those trying to trap him, Jesus nonetheless chooses to help rather than hide. 

Deformed hand (v. 1). The language used (in the original Greek) indicates that the man's "shrunken and paralyzed" [ref] hand "was not congenital, but the result of injury by accident or disease." [ref] For their part, the religious leaders "kept watching" [ref] Jesus "on the side (or sly)" [ref] - that is, they were spying on him [ref] - in hopes of catching him in some wrongdoing. Their main concern was with the law; they had little interest in mercy. [ref] 

Rabbinic law went to great lengths to keep the Sabbath holy. Steps could be taken to help someone only if that person's life was in danger. But this man's illness was not life-threatening, and Jesus could easily have waited one more day before healing him. Jesus' response amounted to an assertion that since evil is always working, good can never afford to take a day off. [ref] [ref] [ref] Moreover, Jesus' actions showed that God intended the Sabbath to be a blessing rather than a burden.  

Good ... evil (v. 4). Jesus' question regarding doing good versus doing evil and saving life versus killing "closely echoes the very choice that the law itself offers, particularly as expressed in Deut. 30:15 LXX." [ref] Within its original context, Moses's final speech/sermon (Deuteronomy 29-30) amounted to an urgent plea for faithfulness - an irrevocable commitment to God [ref] - on the part of Israel, as evidenced by her continued obedience to God's commands. As the embodiment of "God's presence and his Torah," and the one "in whom God's will is fully expressed," [ref] Jesus offers the good life that faithfulness to God brings. In choosing to reject Jesus, the religious leaders were in fact rejecting God - and inviting the "death and disaster" (Deuteronomy 30:15, NET) that inevitably accompanies such a decision. [ref] 

Notice Jesus' response toward the religious leaders: he felt momentary anger mixed with continuing pity. [ref] Why? Because they had made themselves hard, callous, blind, and insensitive. [ref] Rather than compromise his mercy or his mission, Jesus performed the miraculous healing, restoring the man's hand instantly and completely. As one source aptly puts it: "Subsequent treatments or check-ups were not required." [ref] 

"Jesus does good and saves life; his opponents plot his destruction." [ref] Rather than accept the fact that God was present and active in/through Jesus, the religious leaders go so far as to form an alliance with "their bitter enemies" [ref] in order to get rid of him. In an act of supreme irony, the religious leaders used the Sabbath to plot evil and plan destruction. [ref] [ref] 

HEAR (heart)
Morally Obligated

The story is told of a particular legal case that came before the courts of Massachusetts.

In 1928 a man was walking on a boat deck when he tripped and fell into the ocean bay. Unable to swim, he thrashed about, desperately yelling for help.

His friends were too far away to help, but very close by was a young man who happened to be an excellent swimmer. Rather than dive in and help bring the drowning man to safety, however, the young man did nothing.

The family of the drowned man sued the young man - and lost.

With reluctance the court ruled that the bystander had no legal responsibility whatsoever to help the man who had drowned. [ref] (paraphrased)

We may not be legally obligated to help someone in need but, in keeping with Jesus' example, we certainly have a moral responsibility to do so. Moreover, this illustration speaks volumes regarding the myriad of spiritually drowning people, their need for the life-saving Gospel, and our obligation to share it with them.

DO (hands)
??? Jesus was determined to do good even though it meant the disapproval of influential people. What can we learn from his example in this?

SEE (head)
Jesus' fame has spread far and wide, and people come out in droves to see him. In their eagerness to find relief from their suffering, the needy press in upon Jesus. He heals many of them and sternly warns the demons to remain silent. 

They came (v. 7). While Jesus' reputation was floundering among the religious leaders, it was flourishing among the common folk, as evidenced by both the size and origin of the crowds that came to Jesus.  

One source [ref] provides the following information regarding the regions from which the crowds came:  

Galilee - At this time the land of Palestine was divided into three parts: Galilee, on the north; Samaria, in the middle; and Judea, on the south.  

Judea - The southern division of the land of Palestine. 

Jerusalem - Jerusalem was "in" Judea. It is mentioned particularly to show that not only the people of the surrounding country came, but also many from the capital, the place of wealth, and honor, and power. 

Idumea - The country formerly inhabited by the "Edomites." In the time of the Saviour it was embraced in the country belonging to the Jews. It was south of Judea proper. ... [T]he country of Idumea was bounded by Palestine on the north. During the Babylonian captivity the Edomites spread themselves into the country of Judea, and occupied a considerable part of the south of Palestine. They had, however, submitted to the rite of circumcision, and were incorporated with the Jews. From them sprang Herod the Great. 

From beyond Jordan - From the region lying east of the river Jordan. The sacred writers lived on the west side of Jordan, and by the country "beyond Jordan" they meant that on the east side. 

Tyre and Sidon - These were cities of Phoenicia, formerly very opulent, and distinguished for merchandise. They were situated on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea, and were in the western part of Judea. They were therefore well known to the Jews. (quoted verbatim) 

Not to reveal (v. 12). Why was Jesus unwilling to accept the testimony of the demons? There are several possible reasons:

1. The person and the work of the Savior are so holy and exalted that it would not be fitting to allow corrupt, filthy demons to proclaim them.

2. The title "the Son of God" implied at least that Jesus was the long expected Messiah. However, most of the people conceived of the Messiah in a nationalistic sense: one who could deliver them from the yoke of the foreign oppressor. So, before publicly revealing himself as the Messiah, or allowing himself to be thus proclaimed, Jesus must first make clear the nature of his Messianic office: that he has to suffer and die for the sins of his people, etc. The time to proclaim this publicly, or to have it thus proclaimed, has not as yet arrived.

3. The scribes were telling the people that Jesus and the demons were allies (MARK 3:22). If, then, Jesus permitted himself to be advertised by demons, would he not seem to be confirming the allegation of these scribes? [ref] (quoted verbatim) 

There is also a very practical lesson to be learned here. "The evil (unclean) spirits knew that Jesus was the Son of God, but they had no intention of following him. Many people followed Jesus but didn’t understand his true purpose for coming. Some people came for miracles, some came to hear his teaching, but they didn’t understand the way of the cross. Knowing about Jesus, or even believing that he is God’s Son, does not guarantee salvation. You must also follow and obey him (see also James 2:17)." [ref]

HEAR (heart)
A multi-millionaire once told a struggling would-be minister: "You are going about this all wrong. Why, I could take a tent, put it in the middle of town, start preaching, and soon have more people - and more money - coming in than you could shake a stick at!" Which speaks volumes regarding the nature of people - whether as leaders or followers.  

The same crowds that came to witness Jesus' miracles would later abandon him after discovering the demands of true discipleship. Eventually they would turn against him entirely as, at the behest of the jealous religious leaders, they clamored for his crucifixion.

DO (hands)
??? Why did large crowds follow after Jesus? How did he react?

SEE (head)
From among the many people following Jesus, twelve are chosen to be his official ambassadors. These men will live with Jesus day in and day out, and will share in his mission and message. They are a diverse group made up of different - and at times conflicting - personality types. 

His apostles (v. 14). "Apostle" refers to "one who is sent, usually as a messenger, agent, deputy, or ambassador. It was understood that an apostle was commissioned by a higher authority and acted in behalf of this authority." [ref] The number twelve is representative of the twelve tribes of Israel (and the twelve patriarchs), and at first both Jesus and his apostles limit their ministry to Israel. The renewal of Israel, including "a new conquest of the promised land" through direct physical confrontation, was a common theme during this time, and a number of self-professed deliverers arose between the time Jesus departed and the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. [ref]   

The twelve apostles lived with Jesus. They saw his miracles, heard his messages, and felt the sting of his rebukes. They joined with Jesus in proclaiming the Gospel and serving people in obvious need. Within this group of twelve specially chosen disciples, Peter, James and John comprised the inner circle. [ref] Whenever the apostles are listed in the NT, Peter is first, followed by Andrew, James, and John, with Judas Iscariot last (Mark 3:13-19; Matthew 10:1-4; Luke 6:13-16; Acts 1:13). [ref] 

Jesus chose the twelve from among his followers and publicly commissioned them to be his special representatives, or "apostles" - thus bestowing upon them a status which would prove highly significant following the birth of the Christian Church and the worldwide spread of the Gospel. [ref] 

HEAR (heart)
We Are All Sinners

In the midst of a sermon, a man jumped up. "Brethren!" he shouted. "I have been a miserable, contemptible sinner for years, and never knew it before tonight."

A man in the nearby pew announced, "Sit down, Brother. The rest of us knew it all the time." [ref] (quoted verbatim)

 The apostles were sinners in, upon, and through whom Jesus did a mighty work.  

From its very beginning, the Church has been comprised of sinners saved by grace. Provided we are first willing to admit what everyone else already knows, God can and will work to remake us from the inside out.

DO (hands)
??? What first comes to mind when you think of the twelve apostles? What can the fact that they were flawed human beings teach us about our own relationship with Jesus?

SEE (head)
Jesus is so preoccupied with meeting the needs of others that he ignores his own. Out of concern for his personal well-being, his family tries to persuade him to stop what he's doing and return home. The religious leaders, meanwhile, say that Jesus' power derives from Satan. Jesus responds by showing that his power cannot be from Satan - and therefore must be from God.  

His family ... out of his mind (v. 21). Jesus' family accused him of being "beside himself" ( KJV; "out of his mind" NLT), a term describing an "excess of zeal overpowering judgment." [ref] Lightfoot says it refers to a "vehement passion" causing one to lose all awareness of the present, and offers this expanded paraphrase: ""His knowledge is snatched away; he hath forgotten himself, and his own health; he is so vehement and hot in discharging his office, and in preaching, that he is transported beyond himself, and his understanding is disturbed, that he neither takes care of his necessary food nor of his sleep." [ref]    

This "was a crucial moment for Jesus. His family or friends came to take him home, to lay hold of him (kratesai), forcibly if need be." [ref] (The phrase rendered "his family" literally means "they who were from beside him" [ref] or "those from his side" [ref], indicating closeness. While some have taken this to mean nothing more than Jesus' close associates or followers, [ref] it is more common to understand it as referring to "the kinspeople or family of Jesus" [ref] - that is, "those who constituted the household of Jesus," although their exact relationship (brothers? cousins?) is not specified here [ref]) Why was Jesus' family so concerned about him? The immediate context indicates it was due to Jesus' putting his ministry ahead of even his own physical needs. [ref] Behind this, however, stands a number of broader considerations:

• Jesus had walked away from a secure, stable job as a carpenter to become a vagrant preacher. ("Accusations of madness were sometimes made against prophets, exorcists, and healers." [ref])
• Jesus was directly confronting the most powerful and respected element of his society: the religious leaders.
• Jesus was keeping close company with a group of men, the apostles, who by worldly standards did not amount to much.

And so it could be argued that Jesus had abandoned all concern for security, safety, and the opinions of others. [ref]  And, of course, not to be overlooked is the bald fact of natural concern for the family name, in which case their actions would have been intended "to prevent any injury, or envy, or dishonor, from arising to the whole family." [ref]   

Possessed by Satan (v. 22). Matthew's parallel account shows the crowd wondering if, in fact, Jesus might not be the promised "Son of David" (Matthew 12:23) which, in turn, prompted a very strong reaction from the religious leaders. Unable to deny the reality of Jesus' miraculous power but nonetheless desperate to discredit any notion of his being the Messiah, the religious leaders attempt to play their he-is-of-the-Devil trump card. "They intend to say that Jesus is so far from being the Messiah that he is in league with Satan himself." [ref] The accusation that Jesus was "indwelt by and in league with" [ref] the Devil would remain in the air for quite some time, as seen in the writings of later critics of Christianity who put forward the notion that Jesus had learned the magical arts while working in Egypt, then returned to Palestine and there used his knowledge to claim for himself "the title of God." [ref] 

So serious is this blasphemous charge that Jesus takes the unusual step of calling - that is, summoning [ref] [ref] - the religious leaders to himself. [ref] Jesus used three illustrations to demonstrate the futility of his critics' thinking: A kingdom at war with itself cannot survive; a family "splintered by feuding will fall apart"; and a strong man's house can be robbed only after he has been tied up by someone stronger. Beyond the obvious application to the slanderous accusation being made against Jesus, it is possible to see in all three illustrations an allusion to Jesus' mission: Jesus has come to further God's kingdom; expand God's family; and defeat God's chief enemy.  

Someone even stronger (v. 27). As noted earlier (in Mark 1), Jesus depicts himself as the one able to overpower the strong man in order to plunder - or "thoroughly ransack" [ref] - his house. Satan is the strong man, his house "is the realm of sin, sickness, demon possession, and death," and Jesus plunders Satan's house by "releasing the enslaved victims." [ref] This is a major point worthy of repetition: "Jesus' authority over the demons constitutes the inbreaking of God's reign, heralding and effecting the demise of Satan's dominion over humanity." [ref] It should not surprise us, then, to find this same theme reiterated throughout the NT:

• "'The time for judging this world has come, when Satan, the ruler of this world, will be cast out.'" - John 12:31
• "He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross." - Colossians 2:14-15
• "Because God's children are human beings - made of flesh and blood - the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying." - Hebrews 2:14-15
• "Dear children, don't let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil." - 1 John 3:7-8 (all NLT)

Blasphemes the Holy Spirit (v. 29). There is much debate regarding the exact meaning of Jesus' solemn - that is, true and authoritative [ref] - warning regarding "blaspheming ['the work of' [ref]] the Holy Spirit." First and foremost, it must be noted that to reject the Holy Spirit is to reject God, and that to reject God is to make him our enemy. [ref] In the immediate context, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit involves a stubborn refusal to acknowledge the true source of Christ's miracles - even to the point of attributing them to Satan. This is very serious indeed, as Jesus' miracles were intended to authenticate his status as God's final, authoritative messenger. [ref] Of course, "[t]he tragic and profound irony" in all this "is that when the bona fide Lord of the House casts out unclean spirits, they confess him to be the Holy One/Son of God, but those responsible for the purity of Israel and the house of God instead accuse him of having an unclean spirit." [ref] 

Because Jesus is no longer present in bodily form, some believe blasphemy of the Holy Spirit was limited to the immediate (= first-century) context, and thus is not applicable today. On the other hand, many believe the modern equivalent of this sin involves a life-long rejection of the Holy Spirit's witness concerning who Jesus is. The latter view is in keeping with the fact that although Jesus did not specifically mention repentance, his audience would have been fully aware of the link between repentance and forgiveness. What's more, it was the religious leaders' absolute refusal to repent of their sinful attitudes and actions - particularly regarding Jesus' true identity - that led them to go so far as to attribute Jesus' power to Satan. [ref]

HEAR (heart)
A New Nature

The story is told of a Hindu man who expressed to a native Christian missionary his conviction that his (the Hindu man's) efforts to live a morally upright life would be met with God's approval and acceptance into Heaven. 

The missionary acknowledged that most people today reason along those same lines. Then he called the Hindu man's attention to the babul tree, a tree known for its especially long, sharp thorns.  

"Suppose," said the missionary, "you break off a hundred of the thorns from the babul tree. Would it then cease to be a babul tree?" 

"Of course not," replied the Hindu man. 

"Well, it's the same with people. You can give up a hundred bad habits, but in the end you will still be a sinful human being. In order to please God you need a new nature - you need to be a new person. And only Jesus Christ can do that for us." [ref] (paraphrased)

 The religious leaders who opposed Jesus thought they were earning their way to God by reforming their behavior through the keeping of religious rituals. They adamantly refused to accept Jesus and the new nature he offers.

DO (hands)
We can learn something from everyone - even if it's only what not to do. What can the Pharisees' spiritual blindness teach us about why and how to sharpen our own spiritual focus?

SEE (head)
Again Jesus' family expresses concern for his well-being. Jesus uses the opportunity to teach that the most important type of kinship is the one based on obedience to God (see Romans 8:29; Hebrews 2:11).  

Mother and brothers (v. 31). "Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him," the text tells us. The precise relationship between Jesus and his siblings is much debated due mainly to the Roman Catholic doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, which claims that Mary was miraculously kept a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus. However, Matthew tells us that after taking Mary to be his wife, Joseph "kept her a virgin until she gave birth" to Jesus (see Matthew 1:24-25).  As one source notes: "Joseph lived in continence with Mary till the birth of Jesus. Matthew does not say that Mary bore no other children than Jesus. ... The perpetual virginity of Mary is not taught here. Jesus had brothers and sisters and the natural meaning is that they were younger children of Joseph and Mary and not children of Joseph by a previous marriage" [ref] - in which case Jesus would not have been the firstborn and thus not heir to the Davidic throne. [ref] 

Asking for you (v. 32). Jesus was in the middle of teaching his followers when he was rudely interrupted. How does he react? "Jesus uses the interruption to good advantage. He always did exactly that with interruptions. Interrupted while he was praying (Mark 1:35), addressing a crowd (Mark 2:1 ff.), sleeping in a boat (Mark 4:37 ff.), conversing with his disciples (Mark 8:31 ff.), or traveling (Mark 10:46 ff.), he always knew how to turn an interruption into a springboard for the utterance of a great saying or for the performance of a marvelous deed." [ref] While we may tend to see interruptions as obstacles, Jesus saw them as opportunities. Why? Might it not be because Jesus valued people more than plans or programs? 

God's will (v. 35). Simply put, God's will is that we follow Jesus. This involves nothing less than, by God's grace, repenting and believing, turning from our sins, and by faith receiving God's pardon in Christ Jesus. [ref] We become members of God's family "[b]y means of a new birth, a special birth from above (John 3:1–7; 1 Peter 1:22–25). When the sinner trusts Jesus Christ as Saviour, he experiences this new birth and enters into God's family. He shares God's divine nature (2 Peter 1:3–4) and can call God 'Father' (Romans 8:15–16). This spiritual birth is not something that we accomplish for ourselves, nor can others do it for us (John 1:11–13). It is God's work of grace; all we can do is believe and receive (Ephesians 2:8–9)." [ref] 

God's family is both inclusive and exclusive: Jesus says anyone (= inclusive) who does God's will (= exclusive) is his spiritual kinsman. [ref] Everyone is responsible for realizing his or her need and then acting upon that need by accepting Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior. Beyond that, we must continually, and with much humility, seek to make God's will as revealed in his inspired, authoritative Word, the Bible, our absolute priority.

HEAR (heart)
Strong Families
Professor Nick Stinnett, chairman of the Department of Human Development and the Family at the University of Nebraska, headed a research project to "discover what makes families strong." Their team observed and interviewed three thousand strong families in South America, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, South Africa, and the United States. From all of this research they concluded that strong families have six main qualities:

1. Family members are committed to the family.
2. They spend time together.
3. They have good family communication.
4. They express appreciation to each other.
5. They have a spiritual commitment.
6. They are able to solve problems in a crisis. [ref] (quoted verbatim)

Jesus announced the creation of a new family based on one's relationship to God. 

Because God's spiritual family is modeled on the natural family he created, it should come as no surprise that the qualities that make for strong natural families also make for strong spiritual ones.

DO (hands)
We become close to other believers by sharing: experiences; interests, obedience, and goals. [ref] What are some practical things we can do to become closer to other Christians?