Mark 3:22-27

And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.” 

If a football player shoots into his own goal, his side will lose. A traitor in the castle and the castle will fall. The accusation made by the scribes is foolish, because Satan, otherwise known as Beelzebul, is in control of his own demons.

It is also the worst possible kind of sin to call bad what is so good. (The next 3 verses will have a solemn warning)

The King of Demons opposed God and was thrown down from heaven. He speaks against God, and has built his high castle, where he offers to those who will serve him a good life, security and a joyous liberation from God’s laws. But he is a deceiver, for that is what his name means.

Who can bind him? Who can set free his captives and their wealth? Who is this Mighty Person stronger than the strong? What does the parable mean?

Mark 3:20,21

Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

Now that he was driven by the Spirit, those close to Yeshu did not understand him.

As for those who became Yeshu’s disciples he said that they, like him, would not be understood by their friends and family.

And we people who are his followers in the 21st century can testify that this is also true for us.

Mark 3:13-19

And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired. and they came to him. And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach and have authority to cast out demons. He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew,  and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus,  and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

These were the 12 representative disciples.

They were men of Galilee, and conversed with Yeshu in the Galilean dialect. For three years they accompanied him everywhere. They were not highly educated; but they did preach, and they also healed and cast out demons.

The Twelve followed him until his betrayal and arrest. At the arrest they ran away in fear.  The betrayal is described by Mark as though he had been present there himself to see it (See Chapter 14).