Chapter # 3 Paragraph # 5 Study # 2
November 19, 2019
Moss Bluff, Louisiana
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Thesis:   The decision of "official Judaism" is directly confronted by Jesus by a single question: where, in this material realm in which you are living, is there any example of a unity, self-destructing?

Introduction:   Thus far, we have seen Mark presenting the three "decision-options" of first century (and, by extension, every century thereafter) Judaism (and, by extension, all of humanity). There is the "decision" of those whom Jesus wanted: they yielded to Him and His agenda (with the necessary exception of Judas Iscariot). Then, there is the "decision" of those who were supposed to be "alongside of" Jesus by the pull of familial loyalty: they opted to attempt to keep Him from "the reason He had been sent from heaven by God" (1:38) by "impossible reasoning" (being "beside oneself" does not impart supernatural power) because of their fear of where His words and actions were taking Him (and, maybe, by extension, themselves also). And, now, we are considering the "impossible charge" of those whose animosity Mark has already established (3:6).

• I. The Main Issues of the "Setting".
  • A. Jesus summoned His adversaries to Himself.
    • 1. This is the second time Mark used this verb in his record (of nine total uses) and it is a kind of anomaly in that it is the "middle voice" of a widely used verb that is differentiated from its "wide" use by the affixing of a prefix to it and using the "middle voice" when that prefix is attached.
    • 2. The strong implication of the verb form Mark used is that the "scribes who descended from Jerusalem" were going around spreading their "official decision" in a kind of "behind His back" way (much like the record of 2:16).
    • 3. Therefore, Mark records that Jesus "forced" the issue by "calling them to Himself".
      • a. The reason for Jesus' action of bringing this out into the light of day is that the "scribes" were attempting to present their "decision" to the multitude as a "this is from God" kind of way (because they "came down from Jerusalem" to deliver this declaration).
      • b. This is the "capstone" of Jesus' responses to their animosity: He declares that this "decision" doomed the scribes to an eternal condition of being unforgiven.
  • B. Jesus "was delivering doctrinal truth" (Imperfect tense, Active voice; designed to bring the hearers into the position of mentally "watching a past historical event as if it was happening right before them") to them in "parables".
    • 1. The verb "saying" is the use of a verb that is used when the user is presenting his/her actual doctrinal convictions.
    • 2. The noun "parables" is clarified as to meaning by 4:30 coupled to 4:11-12.
      • a. In 4:30 the issue is attempting to use a physical/material realm reality to make known the nature of the kingdom of God because the hearers had never been "in it" so that they had a solid awareness of its characteristics.
      • b. In 4:11-12 the issue is keeping the "mystery" of the kingdom of God from being understood by "those who are without" in order to keep them "out" (in an "unforgiven" state) [reflect on Jesus' statement in Matthew 11:21 under the reality that those "repentance-producing" activities were deliberately not done there].
        • 1) This reality testifies to the hostility God has toward those whose pursuit of wickedness is entrenched and long-term.
        • 2) "Sin" is a dynamic, progressive reality that has the ability to make sentient creatures impervious to "repentance" until it is too late and God settles hostility upon such.
        • 3) This is the issue of this paragraph.
• II. Jesus' Refutation of the Scribes' Doctrine.
  • A. It is rooted in His claim that they cannot find any example of what they are doing in their "material world".
    • 1. For a "parable" to be effective, there must be a "material world" parallel to the "relational world".
    • 2. Jesus is asking the scribes to produce, in their world, an example of someone who can actually "cast himself out of himself".
      • a. The impossibility is highlighted by the verb translated "can" (Authorized Version) because it is the verb for the most powerful of powers known to men.
      • b. The impossibility is essentially "one dissolving his own 'unity' and remaining in existence".
  • B. There is a "circle" in Jesus' argument.
    • 1. It begins with the question of "Satan" casting out "Satan" (1:23).
    • 2. It moves to a "this-worldly" parable-possibility in the form of "a kingdom having become divided against itself" with the conclusion that such a thing makes it impossible to "stand" (survive) in 1:24.
    • 3. Then it moves to another "this-worldly" parable possibility in the form of "a house divided against itself" with the same conclusion (1:25).
    • 4. Then it moves to the third issue which was the first: Satan rising against himself (1:26).
  • C. The point: Jesus reveals the inherent illogic of the "official decision" of Judaism.
    • 1. For Him to be casting out demons by the power of the prince of the demons, He would have to be doing something fundamentally impossible (the self-destruction of a "unity"): Satan casting out himself.
    • 2. For Him to be casting out demons by the power of the prince of the demons, He would, as every "this-world" example proves, be guaranteeing the failure of the agenda of that "prince".
  • D. Satan is not very intelligent, but even he would not deliberately sabotage his own greatest desire.

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This is article #124.
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