Day 11: Jesus’ family thinks He’s crazy
In the Disney film Moana, Moana is chosen from early childhood for the mission of saving her people. The ocean gives her the magic stone that will enable their island to be restored. But her father doesn’t understand that this is what she needs to do, and he keeps trying to stop her. He isn’t Moana’s enemy; he loves her. But he’s opposing her. In our passage today, we’ll see how Jesus’ own family reacted to His mission, even while He was under attack, and how Jesus redefined what family means.
In verses 20–21, Jesus has gone back to His home base, and He’s being swamped by crowds. How does His family react?
In verse 22, we hear that the “teachers of the law” have come from Jerusalem to check Jesus out. We met them in Mark 2:6–7, when Jesus told the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven, and the teachers of the law thought Jesus was blaspheming because only God has the right to forgive sins. What do these teachers of the law say about Jesus in verse 22?
Beelzebul was another name for Satan or the devil.
In verses 23–26, how does Jesus respond to the claim that He is possessed by Satan?
In verse 27, Jesus draws an analogy. In this comparison, Satan is like the strong man. But Jesus is like an even stronger man who comes into the strong man’s house and ties him up before taking things out of his house. Jesus has been casting out demons from people. So, in this analogy, what (or who) do you think Jesus has been plundering from Satan’s house?
In chapter 2, the teachers of the law thought Jesus was blaspheming against God by forgiving the paralyzed man’s sins. In verses 28–29, who is really blaspheming against God?
In Mark 1:10, we saw the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus when He was baptized. In Matthew and Luke, we find that Jesus didn’t have a human father, but that He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. So, Jesus is not possessed by Satan; He’s filled with the Holy Spirit of God!
In verses 31–32, who arrives and what do they do?
In verses 33–35, how does Jesus respond to the message from His family?
In the New Testament, Christians are often called “brothers and sisters.” Followers of Jesus are family. The Bible teaches that our biological families (our parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, etc.) are very precious, and that we should especially honor our parents. But the Bible also teaches that we are even more connected to our brothers and sisters in Christ than to our biological family.
Jesus’ reaction to His family seems shocking to us. What point do you think He is making by responding this way?
How does it make you feel to hear that other Christians are your family?
If everyone in your family is a Christian and supports you in following Jesus, thank God for this and pray that He would encourage them in their faith. If some or all of your family members are not following Jesus, and maybe even oppose you in following Jesus, pray for the Lord to open their eyes to who Jesus is. Pray for strength to keep following Him despite opposition from your family.