In this episode, Jesus interacts with various groups of people—the crowd, the disciples, his family and religious leaders—making a distinction between “insiders” who follow him and “outsiders” who oppose him. Mark highlights the irony when those we expect to be insiders are left outside and those we expect to be outsiders are circled around him inside. This encourages us to reflect on our own relationship with Jesus. For those who think they are insiders, Jesus invites us to ponder carefully. For those who think they must be outsiders, Jesus offers an invitation to join his inside circle.

00:00 Opening Comments

02:28 Jesus' Expansive Ministry (3:7-12)

07:02 Jesus Appoints the Twelve (3:13-19)

14:21 Insiders or Outsiders (3:20-35)

29:52 Final Comments

Study Questions for Mark 3:7-35[1]

1. How far were people traveling to come see Jesus (v. 8)? What motivated them to come? What would have motivated you, if you had lived then?

2. What commitment did the crowd have to Jesus (vv. 9-10)?

3. What did it mean for Jesus disciples to be with him (v. 14)? What does it mean for you?

4. Writing approximately 30 years after Judas’ betrayal, why didn’t Mark simply leave off Judas’ name from the list of twelve (v. 19)?

5. Why was Jesus’ family worried about him (vv. 20-21)?

6. What is the significance of where the teachers of the law were from (v. 22)?

7. How must the crowd have felt when they heard what these educated, respected leaders had to say about Jesus (v. 22)?

8. How do Jesus’ metaphors of a kingdom and a house answer the teacher’s charge against him (vv. 24-26)?

9. What point is Jesus making with his story of plundering a strong man’s house (v. 27)? In what way has this story been acted out in your life?

10. What did the crowd expect in vv. 31-32?

11. Is doing God’s will an action or a belief (v. 35?

12. Of the various responses to Jesus in this chapter (v. 8, 13, 21,22, 34-35) which best describes your relationship with him now? Why?

[1] Serendipity House. (1988). Mark 3. In Serendipity Bible for Groups (p. 1297).

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