When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.” Mark 3:21 NABRE
Mark provides a little passage of Jesus returning home after the selection of His twelve Apostles. He arrives in Capernaum, Peter and Andrews’ home and His home base. Many people hear of His healings and teachings overcrowding the home and Jesus and His Apostles could not even get a meal. Jesus’ family living in Nazareth, about twenty miles away, hear the “commotion” about Jesus and are worried for Him. They travel to Capernaum, to take Him back to the quiet life He lived before entering into public His ministry. Jesus was creating such a fuss, invoking the ire of the religious authorities and in time might bring the Roman authorities against Him. Therefore His extended family, who would have included elders responsible for Him and His mother as Joseph was no longer in the picture, wanted to seize Him, taking Him against His will. They sincerely thought He was showing mental imbalance. Jesus’ relatives do not see anything in Him other than an ordinary relative whom they have known their entire life. The people of Nazareth would also say He is ordinary as well, which we read in a later passage when Jesus does return home (see Mark 6:1-3.)
It is not unusual to be devout and be challenged for a mental imbalance. We don’t step into the world a bible knowledgeable Christian, it is something we grown into slowly. At a certain point we hopefully become dedicated completely and our discipleship leads us to care more for others than ourselves. Those who have known us our entire life will think we struggle with reality and challenge us to return to who we were before our conversion. It is beautiful that even in this Jesus leads by example.
Have you changed as a follower of Jesus? Do your relatives think you are imbalanced?
We don't step into the world a bible knowledgeable Christian, it is something we grown into slowly. Those who have known us our entire life will think we struggle with reality and challenge us to return to who we were before our conversion. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity #dailybibleverse @youversion #BeAnEncourager #seize #imbalance #Mark #everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist #jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion #biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse #verseoftheday #cross #last #Matthew #loveeachother #godisgreat #thisVineyard #youversion #everythingalways