Mark 3:20

And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. For the exposition, see the notes at Matthew 12:22, and at Luke 11:21....

Mark 3:20._And they come into the house. Mark _undoubtedly takes in a somewhat extended period of time, when he passes from the miracles to that wicked conspiracy which the relatives of Christ formed with each other, to bind him as if he had been a _madman. Matthew _and _Luke _mention not more than a single miracle, as having given to the Pharisees an opportunity of slander; but as all the three agree in this last clause which is contained in Mark’s narrative, I have thought it proper to insert it here. It is wonderful that such wickedness should have been found among the relatives of Christ, who ought to have been the first to aid him in advancing the kingdom of God. When they see that he has already obtained some reputation, their ambition leads them to desire that he should be admired in Jerusalem; for they exhort him to go up to that city, that he may show hi

13-21 Christ calls whom he will; for his grace is his own. He had called the apostles to separate themselves from the crowd, and they came unto him. He now gave them power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils. May the Lord send forth more and more of those who have been with him, and have learned of him to preach his gospel, to be instruments in his blessed work. Those whose hearts are enlarged in the work of God, can easily bear with what is inconvenient to themselves, and will rather lose a meal than an opportunity of doing good. Those who go on with zeal in the work of God, must expect hinderances, both from the hatred of enemies, and mistaken affections of friends, and need to guard against both....

Verse 20. _EAT BREAD._] Had no time to take any necessary refreshment....

THEY COULD NOT SO MUCH AS EAT BREAD - Their time and attention were so occupied that they were obliged to forego their regular meals. The affairs of religion may so occupy the attention of ministers and others as to prevent their engaging in their customary pursuits. Religion is all-important - far more important than the ordinary business of this life; and there is nothing unreasonable if our temporal affairs sometimes give way to the higher interests of our own souls and the souls of others. At the same time, it is true that religion is ordinarily consistent with a close attention to worldly business. It promotes industry, economy, order, neatness, and punctuality - all indispensable to worldly prosperity. Of these there has been no more illustrious example than that of our Saviour himself....

EXPOSITION This chapter begins with the record of another case of healing on the sabbath day; and it closes with the notice of a combination of the Pharisees with the Herodians to bring about the destruction of the Saviour. We may observe that he again chose the sabbath for a new miracle, that he might again and again confute the error of the scribes and Pharisees with regard to the observance of the sabbath. MARK 3:1 HE ENTERED AGAIN INTO THE SYNAGOGUE. St. Matthew (Matthew 12:9) says, "their synagogue" (εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν) This would probably be on the next sabbath after that named at the close of the last chapter. And there was a man there which had a withered hand (ἐξηραμμένην ἔχων τὴν χεῖρα);_ _literally, which had his hand withered

AND THE MULTITUDE COMING TOGETHER AGAIN,.... Either the multitude that were about the door of this house; insomuch that there was no room about, nor any coming near it, Mark 2:2, or the multitude that came from different parts, and had thronged about him at the sea side, before he went up into the mountain: these understanding that he was come down from thence, and was returned to Capernaum, and was at Simon's house, flocked thither, in great numbers, to see his person, hear his doctrines, and observe his miracles; SO THAT THEY COULD NOT SO MUCH AS EAT BREAD; the press was so great, and their importunities so urgent, either to hear him preach, or have their sick healed, that Christ, and his disciples, had neither room nor opportunity to eat some food for the refreshment of nature; though it was very necessary, and high time they had, especially Christ, who had been up all night, wh

MARK 3:20 e;rcetai {B} The singular number, read by early witnesses of the Alexandrian and the Western types of text, was altered in most witnesses to the plural, which is the easier reading following upon verses Mark 3:17-19....

CHAPTER 3 _ 1. In the synagogue. The man with the withered hand healed. (Mark 3:1. Matthew 12:9; Luke 6:6 .)_ 2. The Withdrawal of the Servant. Many healed. (Mark 3:7 .Matthew 12:15; Luke 6:17 .) 3. On the Mountain calling the Twelve. (Mark 3:13. Matthew 10:1;...

THE ANSWER OF JESUS TO THE VERDICT OF THE JERUSALEM SCRIBES AND THE INTERVENTION OF HIS FAMILY. The introduction of this section would naturally link with Mark 3:6. Jesus returns home (presumably, to the house of Simon in Capernaum) after the second scene in the synagogue in Mark 3:1. Mk. has broken the thread of the original tradition in order to insert the list of the apostles. He certainly divides Mark 3:20 f. from Mark 3:31 in order to associate with the judgment of the relatives of Jesus the still more outrageous verdict of the scribes from Jerusalem. The statement that the relatives of Jesus thought Him beside Himself (perhaps in a state of unbalanced ecstacy),