“…the multitude gathered again…” Mark 3:20-30
Enough is enough. Who does he think he is, bringing all these people into town? He’s out of control – he can’t even eat a meal without being interrupted! He must be out of his mind.
The experts chimed in, “And if he’s vacated the premises, someone else must have moved in. Do you really think God is behind this? He is possessed by the prince of demons! How else can he cast out evil spirits?”
Jesus must have shuddered at their lack of faith and even simple logic. A nation is never stronger during a civil war. And if Satan’s demons are being cast out, there must be a greater power present, and that could only be the power of the Holy Spirit. To credit that power to anything else was blasphemy – and there was no worse form!
The people were at least open to the idea that Jesus was the coming Messiah. Open enough to travel far in the hopes of being healed. Jesus’ friends and family were afraid for his safety and well-being. The religious leaders were not so ready to believe. Things were not happening the way they thought they should.
It is ironic that the ones charged with preserving and propagating the faith would be so blind as to miss the very things they had hoped for and proclaimed for so long. In fact, the ones who were so skilled at identifying blasphemy were now committing it themselves. May God guard our minds and souls against making those same errors!
Copyright 2019 David J. Cooley