Kata Markon

[Khbonnell AT aol.com]

    Jesus' message in Mark 3:23-27 may be more general than as usually interpreted.  The base meaning of "satanas" is "adversary."  When it is understood in this sense, "How can one adversary cast out another?"  "By raising a division within his own house."  Back in verse 20 we are told, "He comes into a house."  The context of this is verse 13, which is in the historic presence, while the list of the disciples is in the perfect tense, ending in verse 19.  The present tense is resumed at verse 20.  It can be inferred from this progression of tenses that the list is and editorial insertion into the text.

    The "house" may be a shrine dedicated to Yahveh's Canaanite adversary, Baal Hadad, that Jesus had invaded, occupied at that time by "lost children of Israel," who had taken to observing devotion to Canaanite gods.  Jesus' efforts are to bring those out of the "sin" of apostasy, that was warned about at various times during the Exodus.  (Joshua 9 has Canaanites embedded into Israelite society as "hewers of wood and drawers of water in the house of Yahveh.")

    This interpretation is consonant with Jesus' cry of "Repent." (Mark 1:15)

Kenneth H. Bonnell

Los Angeles, CA

 

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