Mark 3

Christ cureth a man that had withered hands and proved that the Sabbath was not prophaned thereby 1 the Pharisees and Herodians took counsel together against him whose wiles he escapeth and had a great confluence of people from all parts amongst which he healeth many commanding the devils whom he cast out not to make him manifest 6 chuseth twelve apostles 13 whose names are rehearsed 16 his kinsmen take him to be out of his wits 21 the scribes blasphemy his miracles as if he did them by Beelzebul which blasphemy he confutes by divers similitudes 22, teacheth that the blasphemy against the holy ghost is never forgiven 28 and declared who is his mother brother and sister 31.

1. And he went again into the synagogue [for the Jews assembled every Sabbath in their synagogue to hear the law expounded see Acts 15:21] and there was a man having a withered hand [Luke 6:6 it appears that it was his right hand

2. And they [namely the scribes and the Pharisees Luke 6 verse7] observed him whether he will heal him on the Sabbath [Gr. Sabbaths] that they might charge him.

3. And he said to the man which had withered hand stand up in the midst.

4. And he said unto them is it lawful on the Sabbath day to do good or to do evil? to save a man or to kill him ?[Gr. a soul which is taken sometimes for the life sometimes for the whole man]and they held their peace .

5. And when he had looked upon them round about with anger [this anger was a zealous passion in the mind against their sin and hardness which passion is good in itself remaining with the due bounds Ephisians 4.26]being grieved with all because of the hardness of their heart [the Greek word properly signifies the hardness which growth on their hand or feet called brawny whereby they become hard and past feelings]he said to the man stretch forth thy hand and he stretched it out and his hand was restored whole as the other .

6. And the Pharisees being gone straightway held a counsel together with the Herodians [the Herodians see Matthew 12:16]against him how they might kill him.

7. And Jesus departed with his disciples towards the sea, [namely, to escape their lying in wait, Matth. 12.15] and there followed him a great multitude from Galilee, and from Judea,

8. And from Jerusalem, and from Idumea, [where the posterity of Esau, or the Edmites dwelt, Numb. 20.15] and Tyre and Sidon, [of these two cities see Matth. 11.21] a great multitude [or with a great multitude, or making together, or making together a great multitude] having heard how great things he did, came unto him.

9. And he said [that is, commanded, as Matth. 8.8] unto his Disciples, that a small ship should continually stay about him, because of the multitude, that they should not oppress him.

10. For he had heald many; in so much that all those that had (any) pains, (maladies) [gr. Scourages, by which nam all manner of sickness and diseases, incident to men are called, because God punisheth or chastiseth men by them, Mark 5:29] prest upon him, that they might touch him.

11. And the unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, [namely, in the persn which they had possessed] and cryed saying, thou art the son of God.

12. And he charged them sharply, that they should not discover him. [See the reason hereof before, chapter 1. verse 25]

13. And he went up into the mount, [namely, for to pray and afterwards to chuse his Apostles] and called to him whom he would, and they came unto him.

14. And he appointed twelve, [Gr. Made; [namely to be his Apostles, Luke 6 verse 13] that they should be with him; and he might send them forth to preach.

15. And to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out devils.

16. And to Simon he gave some have it [namely Simon to whom he gave surname Peter that is stone John 1.43whereof the reason is given Matthew 16:18.]

17. And James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James and gave them surname Boanerges [this is a broken Hebrew or Syarick word signifying as also is declared here sons of thunder and this name also given by their singular zeal and power manner of preaching as is yet to be seen in the writings of John]which is sons of thunder .

18. And Andrew and Philip and Bartholomew and Matthew and Thomas and James the son of Alpheus and Theddeus[otherwise called Libbeus see Matthew 10:3] and Simon the Canaanite [see Matthew 10:4 and also the rest .]

19. And Judas Iscariot who also betrayed him.

20. And they came into the house [namely Capernaum where he dwelt Matthew 4:13] from thenceforth to follow him and to be at his service] and there together a multitude again so that they could not so much as bread [that is take their meat or necessary repast in due time.]

21. And when they that were of kin to him [Gr. those of his or that were of his for even many of his kinsmen did not believe in him John 7:5] heard this they went forth to lay hold of him for they said he is out of his wits [Gr. put out of besides himself]

22. And the Scribes which were come down from Jerusalem [see hereof Matthew 10:25] said he had Bethelzebul and by the chief of the devils he casteth out devils.

23. And having called them unto him he said unto them in similitude how can Satan cast out Satan?

24. And if a kingdom be divided against it then cannot that kingdom stand.

25. And if house be divided against it then cannot that house stand.

26. And if Satan rise up against himself and be divided they cannot he stand but hath an end [that is it is done with him and his kingdom.]

27. There can no man into a strong mans house and bereave him of his vessels [see the exposition Matthew 12:29] if he donor first bind the strong man and then he will spoil his house.

28. Verily I say unto ye that all sins shall be forgiven to the sons of men [that is unto man a very usual phrase with the Hebrew] and all of blasphemies where with they shall have blasphemy.

29. But who so shall have blasphemed against the holy ghost [of this blasphemy against the Holy Ghost see Matthew 12:31] he hath no forgiveness forever but he is guilty of eternal judgment [that is damnation which he not only hath deserved but shall certainly undergo.]

30. For they saith he had an unclean spirit.

31. Then came his brethren [that is kindred see in the annotations on Matthew 12:46 and 13.55] and his mother and standing without they sent unto him and called unto him.

32. And the multitude sate round about him and they said unto him behold thy mother and thy brethren there without seek thee.

33. And he answered them and said who is my mother or my brethren? [Christ doth not hereby despise his mother but shew that in matters of salvation the spiritual kin red must be preferred before the carnal.]

34. And having surveyed round about those that sate about him he said beholds my mother and my brethren.

35. For who so doth the will of God [to do the will of God is to believe in Christ and to live holily John 6:40 1 Thessalonians 4:3] he is my brother and my sister and my mother.