Pages

Background Music

Now Playing:

Easing from Journey

By Jamendo (track 16)

https://www.jamendo.com/en/track/643145/easing

Nature

Heartsong from Inner Music

By Madeleine Doherty (CD1 track 2)

Instrumental harp music based on Madeline's meditations. www.madeleinedoherty.ie

Shen Khar Venakhi from Crux Vocal Ensemble

By Crux Vocal Ensemble

Crux is a gathering of voices on the Atlantic fringe of Europe in the historic city of Dublin. www.cruxvocalensemble.com

Nature from

By

No music playing

Fade Speed

Text Size

Privacy Cookies Terms of use

Home Mark 3:22-30 NRSVue

Mark 3:22-30 NRSVue

22And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” 23And he called them to him and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.

28“Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin”—30for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE)

“Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.”

Some thoughts on this scripture

Reflection
The unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit here means what the scribes have just done: attributing the work of the Holy Spirit (i.e. Jesus’ healing miracles) to the power of Satan. It was a blasphemy in bad faith. The other half of Jesus’ sentence is remarkable: /All sins will be forgiven, all blasphemies./ Even when our hearts condemn us, when we feel deep-dyed in guilt for actions that shame us, God does not condemn us. He always sees us as his children.

Reflection
Jesus is scathing of those who cannot recognise goodness and who see only evil. If I wish to listen for the voice of God, I need to take care not to heed any voice that speaks only negatively or in condemnation.

Reflection
The image of the house with its strong occupant is a picture of integrity and wholeness. I take some time to tidy the house that is my heart, to allow it to be a home for the spirit of Jesus.

Reflection
Jesus opens us up here to a global mission, the fight against evil, which does not always wear a uniform, yet is recognised by the human mind, whether in the form of hatred, sickness or injustice, or the sort of barbarisms that we hear of daily. Those who struggle against such evil are on the side of Jesus, whatever they call themselves.

Reflection
When Jesus talks of the sin against the Spirit (in the Old Testament sense, the spirit of God which enables us to recognise truth when it enters our lives), he seems to refer to those who defend themselves against the truth by claiming it is diabolical. They look at good and call it evil, perverting their moral perception, stifling their own conscience

Reflection
Jesus is scathing of those who cannot recognise goodness and who see only evil. If I wish to listen for the voice of God, I need to take care not to heed any voice that speaks only negatively or in condemnation.