The Killers

Jesus comes into a synagogue to reveal that some people don't want to receive the promise God gave them.

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Transcript

Killers

by Eric Engelmann

All content © 2024 Static Force, LLC

When are we?

A Sabbath in or around the year 28. After Moses and the ministry of John the Baptist and before the Apostle John wrote the book of Revelation.

Where are we?

Not far from the Sea of Galilee and probably not far from Capernaum on the northwestern shore. Somewhere in Galilee north of Jerusalem.

Why are we here now?

Jesus is showing that He's Lord of the Sabbath in Mark 3. This has ripple effects among different people. The Pharisees in the region become agitated by Jesus' goodness. We're going to look at that interaction.

By Way Of Background

In the presence of the burning bush, Moses was given three signs to show that the Almighty had spoken with him. One of them was to make his hand leprous and then to restore it as it was. The sign was given through Moses so that the nation would believe that God had sent him. It was intended to affect their faith.

Exodus 4 has some words spoken to Moses talking about Pharaoh and Egypt. If these words weren't spoken by Jesus' mouth in the burning bush, they were certainly said in His hearing.

Exodus 4

6 Furthermore the Lord said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow. 7 And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh. 8 “Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign. 

Scripture Passage

Listen for how these people respond to Jesus.

Mark 3 

Verse 1 And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 

NOTE: Jesus is literally in their midst. He entered the synagogue again. Just as Moses was sent to Egypt to perform all kinds of wonders in the midst of Egypt, Jesus is getting close to a man with a withered hand in the middle of a synagogue.

Verse 2 So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. 

NOTE: These people in the synagogue are ready for a fight.

Verse 3 And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” 

4 Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. 

NOTE: The Pharisees in the synagogue had already decided what they were going to do when Jesus heals this man! 

Verse 5 And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. 

NOTE: There is a "hardness of heart" Jesus sees in this crowd. The miraculous hand restoration Jesus just performed sounds similar to the sign Moses performed in front of the elders of Israel centuries before.

Verse 6 Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.

NOTE: That's why I call these Pharisees "Killers". They surely didn't say, "This man has been sent by God to lead us like Moses did." 

– Mark 3:1-6

In the Future

Later in Mark 3, Jesus will start talking in parables. In chapter 4 He will describe a hardened path. Seeds falling on the path will be easily gobbled up by birds.

Further in Mark 4 -- in private -- he will describe these seeds on the path as people who hear the word from the Son of Man and don't retain it. The birds will represent the devil, who snatches the word from people's hearts and they don't remember it.

Further in the future, Jesus will get into a lot of arguments with Pharisees and scribes, as well as Saducees and Teachers of the Law, and Herodians. For the most part, members of these groups will agree that Jesus needs to be crucified.

Further in the future, Jesus will rise from the dead and give life and forgiveness to many people. He will more than undo the work of killers.

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