These small group studies of the gospel of Mark 3:13-35 contain commentary, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, and applications to encourage life change. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more practical studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Mark 3:13-35 Bible Study Guide and Discussion Questions
Outline
I. Jesus commissions the twelve (13-19)
II. A house divided against itself cannot stand (20-30)
III. Jesus’ spiritual family (31-35)
I. Jesus commissions the twelve (13-19)
Discussion Questions
• Why do you think He went up onto the mountain instead of staying by the sea?
• What did He do on the mountain?
• What did He appoint the twelve to do?
• What was their new purpose as His disciples?
• Why did He choose twelve?
• Did they have a choice?
• What excuses might they have made for not answering the call?
• Were there any trained leaders from the religious establishment? Why not?
• What authority did Jesus give to them?
• What does “Peter” mean?
Cross-References
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 – For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
John 4:34 – Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.
Matthew 10:2-4 – The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. Jesus went up on the mountain – It might seem odd to us to read that Jesus often went to the wilderness or to the mountaintop. But there seems to be a clear reason. In verse 9, we see that the crowds are pressing around him. Whenever he spent time around the populated areas, people would flock to him in great numbers. The result was that He had no privacy.
Some incorrectly think that Jesus’ key ministry was preaching to the crowds. His most vital ministry was actually discipling the twelve. The masses were largely unchanged by Jesus’ teaching. Many were fickle. Some would eventually call for His crucifixion.
The disciples would be called to fulfill the Great Commission by making disciples of all nations.
They would eventually turn the world upside down.
Acts 17:6 – And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also.”
Much of Jesus’ time was spent with His selected disciples, teaching and training them so that they would be well prepared to fulfill the mission He gave to them. To do this, He needed privacy and tiem away from the crowds. That is why He would withdraw to remote areas where others could not find Him easily.
Application – If you are in ministry, you need to consider what your core ministry is. Preaching to thousands might seem exciting, but does it accomplish the goal of life change? Discipleship goes deeper than preaching.
3. Jesus chose His disciples – The Twelve were personally chosen by Jesus.
John 15:16 – You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
While He freely preached to the crowds and offered them the chance for repentance, He did not ask everyone to be one of the Twelve disciples.
Reflect – Why did He not ask hundreds to be His disciple?
4. Jesus appointed the Twelve – He could have appointed eight or sixteen or some other number. Why twelve? Israel had twelve tribes. The number twelve is significant as it symbolically represents one for each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Luke 22:28-30 – You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
5. That they would be with Him – The first thing Jesus appointed them to do was to simply spend time with Him. This came first. By spending time with Jesus, they could learn the truths of God and their character could be transformed as they grew in faith. This required a major sacrifice on their part. To truly spend time with Jesus, the disciples had to make changes to their lives. Certain things had to be sacrificed. They had to give something up.
In addition to their jobs, they gave up time with family and friends as well as leisure time spent for pleasure or entertainment. Quite simply, they could not spend the time required to be with Jesus and keep living the same type of life they had before. They had to make a decision about which life to follow.
Application – What can we learn from this? When we become believers, we also have a decision to make. To spend time with Jesus, we also have to give something up. We cannot live the same life we lived before becoming a believer and follow Jesus at the same time. What are some things that distract you from spending time with Jesus?
Being with Jesus is what changed their lives. It transformed them from uneducated commoners into bold preachers.
Acts 4:13 – Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.
6. And that He could send them out – The second thing Jesus appointed them to do was to send them out to preach. The term apostle means “sent one.” In the gospels, we see them sent out to the towns and cities of Israel. In Acts, they are sent out to faraway nations. History tells us they were sent out in all directions around the world. These two things, being with Jesus and being sent out, were happening simultaneously.
Luke 10:1 – After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
Notice that they were sent out long before the end of Jesus’ ministry and His death and resurrection. They were sent out during their training. They went out and preached and then came back and reported to Jesus the problems they encountered. He then gave feedback and guidance. They were learning by doing.
Matthew 17:17-20 – And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Luke 10:17 – The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!”
The disciples’ training was literally on the job. Much of what Jesus taught them stemmed from a question, an event, or some situation around them. The world was their classroom.
Reflect – What are the positives and negatives of learning in real-life situations compared to a classroom environment?
Jesus appointed them for a clear purpose. It was not only for their personal growth (spending time with Jesus), but it was for them to become equipped so that they could reach out to others and reproduce.
If they learned all the theology in the world but didn’t go out to preach, it would be pointless. Jesus didn’t want them just to be sitters and listeners but to be doers. A person learns best by doing rather than listening to a lecture.
The best way to learn how to fix cars is not by reading a book. It is by getting under the hood. Likewise, the best way to learn how to minister for God and share the good news is to get out and do it.
Application – Are you actively using what you learn in the Bible? When you learn about marriage on Sunday morning, do you go home and apply it right away? Biblical knowledge without action is useless.
7. He gave them authority to cast out demons – Jesus gave the disciples special authority, the authority to cast out demons. Sometimes, they failed to exercise this authority properly (Matthew 17:17-20).
Application – It is vital to continue to rely on the one who sent us out while making use of the resources He has given us to complete the task He has put before us. A ministry that is devoid of God’s power is useless. We need to make sure that we are not relying on our own strength to serve God.
John 15:5 – I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
8. The list of twelve disciples – Compare the lists of disciples in Matthew 10:2-4, Luke 6:13-16, and Acts 1:13.
Notice that the lists are very similar. Each list includes three groups of four. The first group is always led by Peter and includes James, John, and Andrew. The second is led by Phillip and includes Bartholomew, Thomas, and Matthew. The third is led by James (son of Alpheus) and includes Thaddeus (also called Judas son of James), Simon, and Judas Iscariot. Peter is always mentioned first as the leader and spokesman. The first four are the inner circle. The second four are also significant but not as famous. The last several are not well-known. Judas Iscariot is always mentioned last. We can make several conclusions from this.
A. Even Jesus was not able to spend equal time and energy discipling twelve people. He spent more time with His inner circle.
Time limitations mean that we must set priorities.
B. Each group seemed to have a leader. This “small group” leader likely was the spokesman for his group, kept them accountable, and passed on info to the rest of the group members. This shows that some amount of structure and order is helpful for dividing up labor.
The same was true for Moses, who found it impossible to carry out all the duties necessary to lead a nation (Exodus 18).
Not every disciple would be equally famous. In the parable of the sower, Jesus said that seeds would bear fruit 30, 60, or 100-fold. It is not important who is more famous. What is important is that every true disciple of God bears fruit.
9. Jesus gave Simon a new name – Here is the first record in the book of Mark that Jesus gave Simon a new name, Peter.
His new name is the Greek word “petra,” which means “rock.”
Reflect – Why does Jesus name him this?
Peter was not originally like a rock. He was volatile. At times, he lacked self-control, saying whatever was on his mind. Though he claimed that he would never leave Jesus, he denied him three times.
Jesus did not call Peter rock because he was one already. Rather, it was because Jesus would mold Peter into becoming a rock. Through modeling, patience, compassion, and instruction, Jesus discipled Peter, helping him eventually become like a rock of the church.
Jesus was like a master sculptor. A sculptor who looks at an ugly stone looks past what it is to what it can become. He has a vision. The sculptor chips away the ugly parts and turns the material into a work of art.
God also desires to sculpt us as He did Peter.
Application – Humble yourself and be pliable clay in the hands of the master.
Isaiah 64:8 – But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.
10. Jesus did not select any members of the religious establishment – He didn’t choose a Pharisee, a scribe, or a Sadducee. Rather, he chose fishermen, a tax collector, and a zealot, all commoners or outcasts. This was an indictment against the religious leaders of that day.
This group would have been much more teachable and humble than the religious leaders. We never see Jesus’ disciples challenging Him like the Pharisees did. The disciples did ask many questions, some of them dumb. They sometimes doubted. Often, they didn’t understand. But they were always willing to learn. We should be too.
Application – What lessons do you learn from this passage? What applications should we make to be faithful followers of Jesus? Can you learn anything about how to reproduce and make more disciples?
Ephesians 4:11-12 – And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.
It was not an apostle’s job to do all the work but rather to equip the saints. As we become equipped, we can then join in this work of reaching out to others.
II. A house divided against itself cannot stand (20-30)
Discussion Questions
• Where is “home?”
• What happened when he went there?
• What do you learn of Jesus’ “busyness” level?
• What did His family think of Him?
• What did they try to do?
• How would you feel if your family rejected you and your ministry?
• Why did they think he had lost his senses?
• What did the scribes accuse Jesus of?
• How did Jesus respond to the accusation that He cast out demons by Satan’s power?
• What does the parable in verse 27 mean?
• What lessons can we learn from this passage?
• Are there any implications for your own families?
• How were the leaders blaspheming?
• What did Jesus say about that blasphemy?
• What lesson can we learn from this about our speech?
Cross-References
John 8:44 – You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
John 10:10 – The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
Luke 10:18 – And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
Hebrews 2:14 – Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. When Jesus came down from the mountain, He was immediately swarmed again –
This time there were so many people pressing around Him making requests that He didn’t even have time or space to eat. Some likely wanted to hear His teaching. Others would have been seeking healing.
When Jesus’ family heard about this, they came to forcibly take Him away. In their minds, He was crazy. Jesus had several brothers (Mark 6:3). The most famous of these was James.
In the gospel of John, we learn that His own brothers did not believe.
John 7:5 – For not even his brothers believed in him.
It was likely hard for them to accept that the person they grew up with and had lived with was doing all of these amazing things.
Reflect – Why did they think Jesus was going mad?
Jesus was placing the needs of the crowds above His own. He was using up His time helping all types of people. His family thought it was too much. They didn’t really understand Jesus’ mission or His purpose. Although it seems that they were concerned for Jesus’ welfare, their lack of understanding about Jesus’ mission precluded them from making a valid judgment.
Application – Do not be surprised if your family members do not support you when you serve God.
Jesus said we should expect resistance from those closest to us.
Mark 6:4 – And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.”
2. The scribes accused Jesus –
They came all the way from Jerusalem to Nazareth (90 miles, 145 km) to oppose Jesus.
When I read this passage, one word comes into my mind, “chaos.” There are all kinds of people around Jesus, each one with their own agenda. In this passage, we see four distinct groups: the disciples, the crowds, Jesus’ family, and the scribes.
The crowds were largely motivated out of curiosity and a desire for physical healing. Jesus’ family wants to exert control over them and have Him follow their agenda. The scribes are there just to accuse Him and argue with Him. Jesus is like the calm in the middle of the storm, always maintaining His composure and answering with grace and authority.
Application – There will be times when there are storms and chaos all around you. If you are a parent with multiple kids, you likely experience that almost every day. God can give you the patience to be at peace in the midst of chaos.
The scribes accused Jesus of the worst possible thing they could. They said that He was in league with Satan and doing miracles with Satan’s power, not God’s.
Amazingly, Jesus does not appear to get angry.
Reflect – How would you react if you were serving God and accused of being a Satanist?
Jesus spent all of His time and energy helping people. He helped everyone who asked and healed them. He did so to the point of physical exhaustion and skipping meals.
A more unselfish servant of the people never existed. These people had the audacity to observe all of that and say He was doing it through Satan’s power.
Some lesser men would be tempted to say, “I don’t think Satan can do this”, and then send lightning out of heaven to scorch them. Fortunately, Jesus had more restraint.
Jesus logically argued that Satan would not work against himself. Why would the demons be sent to possess and control certain people and then Satan demand that they come out again?
If Satan was doing that, it would be a civil war between Satan and his demons. None of them would stand. Jesus instead said that the strong man (Satan) didn’t want Jesus doing this but that He bound the strong man. Jesus was at war with Satan.
He came into Satan’s realm (the strong man’s house) and set people free from his dominion.
Demon-possessed men would sometimes say things like the following.
Luke 4:34 – Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?
The good news for us is that Jesus did decide to have something to “do with us.” He could have stood aloof. He could have abandoned us to Satan and his devices. But He didn’t. Jesus did not leave this world under the darkness of Satan. He came into it to bring the light and set us free.
This is His mission.
Isaiah 61:1-2 – The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
Jesus is more powerful than Satan and by the authority of His word, could render Satan powerless to stop him from casting out all of these demons.
He is claiming to be so much more powerful than Satan that Satan can do nothing to stop him. God is the only one with this kind of power. Therefore Jesus is implying that He is divine.
3. Warning against blasphemy – In this passage, we see a dire warning. Jesus said that it is unforgivable to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. The scribes were blaspheming because they attributed the good and holy work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. This was not even a casual or flippant comment. It was well-thought-out. These scribes came all the way from Jerusalem, seemingly for the purpose of making this accusation.
Application – The warning to us is very clear. Be careful what you say. Do not say something is the work of Satan unless you are completely sure it is. Do not use your own opinion to make judgments; instead, always look to Scripture.
III. Jesus’ spiritual family (31-35)
Discussion Questions
• Who do we know by name from the people mentioned in verse 31?
• Why did they have to send word to Jesus instead of just going in and talking to Him directly?
• How did Jesus respond to the message?
• Why did He respond that way?
• What do we learn about the relationship we can have with Christ in these verses?
• What do you learn about the spiritual family we have as believers?
• How does this encourage you?
• How can these verses especially encourage those who have been rejected by their families?
• Is there anything we need to do based on what we learned today?
Cross-References
Matthew 12:46-50 – This is the parallel passage in Matthew.
John 1:12 – But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Matthew 13:53-58 – This passage gives more information on Jesus’ family, including his four brothers.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. It was crowded – We can see again how crowded it was. His family was probably standing outside because it was too jammed with people to even get into the house. They had to pass the message to Jesus by word of mouth.
2. Jesus was not disrespecting his family –
Later, while hanging on the cross, he told John to take care of His mother (John 19:25-27). Also, Jesus said that the common practice of children giving what they had to God when their parents needed help was wrong (Mark 7:11). In John 2, Jesus supernaturally helped Mary when she came to him with a need, even though it wasn’t according to His planned schedule.
Other biblical passages tell us we must honor our parents.
Ephesians 6:2-3 – “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
Jesus’ point here is not about who is not part of His physical family but who is part of His spiritual family. Jesus often used situations He and the people around Him were part of as object lessons. This is one of those examples. The issue of “family” came up and Jesus taught them that anyone who obeyed God could be part of His spiritual family.
4. Jesus welcomes anyone into His family –
There are many people from distressing family situations. Fathers abandon their children. Parents get divorced. Many children don’t have parents. Some have parents who drink, take drugs, are abusive physically or verbally, argue all the time, ignore them, berate them, dominate them, etc.
Siblings are often selfish towards one another, even to the point of fighting over their parents’ money after they pass away. Some biblical examples include the story of the prodigal son, the rivalry between Esau and Jacob, and Joseph’s brothers selling him. Abimelech is one of the worst brothers in history. He killed seventy of his brothers (Judges 9).
As bad as your family might be, there is hope. He experienced a physical family that was not supportive, so he knew from personal experience what that feels like. Jesus offers a different kind of family. He offers the love, care, peace, mercy, and kindness that is absent in many homes around the world.
Application – Perhaps you have an abusive family. Maybe they oppose your faith. Take comfort in the fact that God gives you a bigger family.
Matthew 19:29 – And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.
Jesus is teaching the truth that the spiritual family is more important than the physical family. Everyone is welcome in His family.
Galatians 6:10 – So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Our physical family is very important. Paul said that if we don’t care for the members of our family, we are worse than unbelievers.
1 Timothy 5:8 – But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
However, many believers are tempted to place the opinions and commands of family members above the commands of God, who is our heavenly Father.
You can see this with married couples where one spouse still listens to his parents first instead of creating a new family unit as the Bible says (Genesis 2:24).
You can also see this happen when a child decides not to continue following God because of pressure from his parents. Those who go down this road have made the decision that their physical family is more important than their spiritual family. This is the wrong decision. Jesus Himself said that He came to bring a sword, not peace.
Matthew 10:34, 37 – Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Application – Your loyalty to God should be higher than to your physical family. If your family pressures you to do something contrary to God’s Word, obey Him first.
5. Model your family after God’s – Don’t let your family become like those mentioned, where the members are divided, lonely, bitter, and angry. Follow God’s rules for your own family and you can have one that reflects God’s own.
6. Treat brothers and sisters well – One complaint many have is that the church is divided and people often argue with each other there. Don’t be one of those divisive or argumentative people. Treat other believers like God wants us to treat a brother and sister. Remember that the church is a family. No matter how you might disagree with someone in your family, they are still your family! Therefore, you have to find a way to get along.
Following this instruction in Ephesians would go a long way.
Ephesians 4:32 – Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
7. There is an entrance requirement to be part of His family –
Mark 3:35 – For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.
Not everyone is part of God’s family. He is not everyone’s Father. Only those who do His will (which is enabled by having faith in Him) can be part of His family.
John 1:12 – But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.
Application Questions – Are you in His family? Are you leading your home to be a model of God’s family or does it look like every other broken household? Do you treat brothers and sisters in the church like family or do you treat them like strangers, nuisances, or even enemies?
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