Jesus was thought to be crazy

JESUS WAS THOUGHT TO BE CRAZY
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
Mark 3:21 21Whenhis family heard about this, they
went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of
his mind."
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Christ Hindered By His Friends
Mark 3:20, 21
A.F. Muir
I. THROUGH IGNORANCE. Owing
(1) to want of sympathy with him in his higher aims; and
(2) consequentfailure of spiritual perception.
II. BY CHARGING HIM WITH MADNESS. Theyhad so little of the spirit of
self-denial in themselves that they could not understand enthusiasm which
would not admit of his attending to his own wants, "so much as to eatbread."

1. They fearedalso the consequences whichmight arise from the presence of
his enemies. The scribes were there "from Jerusalem," onthe alert to find
accusationagainsthim; and they must have been observed.
2. But by this charge they discredited the characterof his ministry. Who
should be supposedto know whether he was sane or not, if not his own
family? In attributing to maniacy the Divine works and words of Christ, they
did him and all who might through him have life and peace, a cruel,
irreparable wrong. So Paul was chargedwith being beside himself; and all
who for Christ's sake try to live above the maxims and aims of the world will
meet with similar judgment. The blow thus struck is not at an individual, but
at the spiritual prospects and hopes of a whole race.
III. BY UNAUTHORIZED AND UNTIMELY INTERFERENCE.
1. A sin of presumption. The judgment was hasty and mistaken;the action
was unjustifiable, both foolishand wicked.
2. Enmity to God. - M.
Biblical Illustrator
He Is beside Himself.
Mark 3:21
The sinner mad, not the saint
Thomas Fuller, D. D.

I find St. Paul in the same chapter confessesand denies madness in himself.
Whilst he was mad indeed, then none did suspector accusehim to be
distracted; but when converted, and in his right mind, then Festus taxeth him
of madness. (See Acts 26:11.)
(Thomas Fuller, D. D.)
Mad because exceptional
There is a country in Africa wherein all the natives have pendulous lips,
hanging down like a dog's ears, always raw and sore. Here only such as are
handsome are pointed at for monsters.
Troubled with a goodson
When the son of Dr. Innes became a missionary, the goodold man, who sorely
grudged parting with his boy, said, "Some people are troubled with a bad son,
but I am troubled with a goodone."
He is Beside Himself'
Alexander Maclaren
Mark 3:21
And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they
said, He is beside himself.

'And when His friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on Him: for they
said, He is beside Himself' -- Mark iii.21.
There had been greatexcitement in the little town of Capernaum in
consequence ofChrist's teachings and miracles. It had been intensified by His
infractions of the RabbinicalSabbath law, and by His appointment of the
twelve Apostles. The sacerdotalparty in Capernaum apparently
communicated with Jerusalem, with the result of bringing a deputation from
the Sanhedrim to look into things, and see what this new rabbi was about. A
plot for His assassinationwas secretlyonfoot. And at this juncture the
incident of my text, which we owe to Mark alone of the Evangelists, occurs.
Christ's friends, apparently the members of His own family -- sad to say, as
would appear from the context, including His mother -- came with a kindly
design to rescue their misguided kinsman from danger, and laying hands
upon Him, to carry Him off to some safe restraint in Nazareth, where He
might indulge His delusions without doing any harm to Himself. They wish to
excuse His eccentricities onthe ground that He is not quite responsible --
scarcelyHimself; and so to blunt the point of the more hostile explanation of
the Phariseesthat He is in league with Beelzebub.
Conceive of that! The Incarnate Wisdom shielded by friends from the
accusationthat He is a demoniac by the apologythat He is a lunatic! What do
you think of popular judgment?
But this half-pitying, half-contemptuous, and wholly benevolent excuse for
Jesus, though it be the words of friends, is like the words of His enemies, in
that it contains a distorted reflection of His true character. And if we will
think about it, I fancy that we may gatherfrom it some lessons not altogether
unprofitable.

I. The first point, then, that I make, is just this -- there was something in the
characterof Jesus Christwhich could be plausibly explained to commonplace
people as madness.
A well-knownmodern author has talked a greatdeal about 'the sweet
reasonablenessofJesus Christ.' His contemporaries calledit simple insanity;
if they did not say 'He hath a devil,' as well as 'He is mad.'
Now, if we try to throw ourselves back to the life of Jesus Christ, as it was
unfolded day by day, and think nothing about either what preceded in the
revelation of the Old Covenant, or what followedin the history of
Christianity, we shall not be so much at a loss to accountfor such explanations
of it as these of my text. Remember that charges like these, in all various keys
of contempt or of pity, or of fierce hostility, have been castagainstall
innovators, againstevery man that has broken a new path; againstall
teachers that have cut themselves apart from tradition and encrusted
formulas; againstevery man that has wagedwarwith the conventionalisms of
society;againstall idealists who have dreamed dreams and seenvisions;
againstevery man that has been touched with a lofty enthusiasm of any sort;
and, most of all, againstall to whom Godand their relations to Him, the
spiritual world and their relations to it, the future life and their relations to
that, have become dominant forces and motives in their lives.
The short and easywaywith which the world excuses itselffrom the poignant
lessons andrebukes which come from such lives is something like that of my
text, 'He is beside himself.' And the proof that he is beside himself is that he
does not actin the same fashion as these incomparably wise people that make
up the majority in every age. There is nothing that commonplace men hate
like anything fresh and original. There is nothing that men of low aims are so
utterly bewilderedto understand, and which so completely passesallthe
calculus of which they are masters, as lofty self-abnegation. And whereveryou

get men smitten with such, or with anything like it, you will find all the low-
aimed people gathering round them like bats round a torch in a cavern,
flapping their obscene wings and uttering their harsh croaks, and only
desiring to quench the light.
One of our cynicalauthors says that it is the mark of a genius that all the
dullards are againsthim. It is the mark of the man who dwells with God that
all the people whose portion is in this life with one consentsay, 'He is beside
himself.'
And so the Leaderof them all was served in His day; and that purest,
perfectest, noblest, loftiest, most utterly self-oblivious, and God-and-man-
devoted life that ever was lived upon earth, was disposedof in this extremely
simple method, so comforting to the complacencyof the critics -- either 'He is
beside Himself,' or 'He hath a devil.'
And yet, is not the saying a witness to the presence in that wondrous and
gentle careerof an element entirely unlike what exists in the most of
mankind? Here was a new star in the heavens, and the law of its orbit was
manifestly different from that of all the rest. That is what 'eccentric'means --
that the life to which it applies does not move round the same centre as do the
other satellites, but has a path of its own. Away out yonder somewhere, in the
infinite depths, lay the hidden point which drew it to itself and determined its
magnificent and overwhelmingly vast orbit. These men witness to Jesus
Christ, even by their half excuse, half reproach, that His was a life unique and
inexplicable by the ordinary motives which shape the little lives of the masses
of mankind. They witness to His entire neglectof ordinary and low aims; to
His complete absorption in lofty purposes, which to His purblind would-be
critics seemto be delusions and fond imaginations that could never be
realised. They witness to what His disciples remembered had been written of
Him, 'The zealof Thy house hath eatenMe up'; to His perfect devotion to

man and to God. They witness to His consciousnessofa mission; and there is
nothing that men are so ready to resentas that. To tell a world, engrossedin
self and low aims, that one is sent from God to do His will, and to spread it
among men, is the sure way to have all the heavy artillery and the lighter
weapons ofthe world turned againstone.
These characteristics ofJesus seemthen to be plainly implied in that
allegationof insanity -- lofty aims, absolute originality, utter self-abnegation,
the continual consciousnessofcommunion with God, devotion to the service of
man, and the sense ofbeing sentby God for the salvationof the world. It was
because ofthese that His friends said, 'He is beside Himself.'
These men judged themselves by judging Jesus Christ. And all men do. There
are as many different estimates of a greatman as there are people to estimate,
and hence the diversity of opinion about all the characters that fill history and
the galleries ofthe past. The eye sees whatit brings and no more. To discern
the greatnessofa greatman, or the goodnessofa goodone, is to possess, in
lowermeasure, some portion of that which we discern. Sympathy is the
condition of insight into character. And so our Lord said once, 'He that
receivetha prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's
reward,' because he is a dumb prophet himself, and has a lowerpower of the
same gift in him, which is eloquent on the prophet's lips.
In like manner, to discern what is in Christ is the test of whether there is any
of it in myself. And thus it is no mere arbitrary appointment which suspends
your salvationand mine on our answerto this question, 'What think ye of
Christ?' The answerwill be -- I was going to say -- the elixir of our whole
moral and spiritual nature. It will be the outcome of our inmost selves. This
ploughshare turns up the depths of the soil. That is eternally true which the
grey-bearded Simeon, the representative of the Old, saidwhen he took the
Infant in his arms and lookeddown upon the unconscious, placid, smooth

face. 'This Child is set for the rise and fall of many in Israel, that the thoughts
of many hearts may be revealed.'Your answerto that question discloses your
whole spiritual condition and capacities. And so to judge Christ is to be
judged by Him; and what we think Him to be, that we make Him to ourselves.
The question which tests us is not merely, 'Whom do men saythat I am?' It is
easyto answerthat; but this is the all-important interrogation, 'Whom do ye
say that I am?' I pray that we may eachansweras he to whom it was first put
answeredit, 'Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel!'
II. Secondly, mark the similarity of the estimate which will be passedby the
world on all Christ's true followers.
The same elements exist to-day, the same intolerance of anything higher than
the low level, the same incapacityto comprehend simple devotion and lofty
aims, the same dislike of a man who comes and rebukes by his silent presence
the vices in which he takes no part. And it is a greatdeal easierto say, 'Poor
fool! enthusiastic fanatic!' than it is to lay to heart the lessonthat lies in such a
life.
The one thing, or at leastthe principal thing, which the Christianity of this
generationwants is a little more of this madness. It would be a greatdeal
better for us who call ourselves Christians if we had earned and deserved the
world's sneer, 'He is beside himself.' But our modern Christianity, like an
epicure's rare wines, is preferred iced. And the lastthing that anybody would
think of suggesting in connectionwith the demeanour -- either the conduct or
the words -- of the average Christianman of this day is that his religion had
touched his brain a little.
But, dear friends, go in Christ's footsteps and you will have the same missiles
flung at you. If a church or an individual has earnedthe praise of the outside

ring of godless people because its or his religion is 'reasonable and moderate;
and kept in its proper place;and not allowedto interfere with social
enjoyments, and political and municipal corruptions,' and the like, then there
is much reasonto ask whether that church or man is Christian after Christ's
pattern. Oh, I pray that there may come down on the professing Church of
this generationa baptism of the Spirit; and I am quite sure that when that
comes, the people that admire moderation and approve of religion, but like it
to be 'kept in its own place,'will be all ready to say, when they hear the 'sons
and the daughters prophesying, and the old men seeing visions, and the young
men dreaming dreams,' and the fiery tongues uttering their praises of God,
'These men are full of new wine!' Would we were full of the new wine of the
Spirit! Do you think any one would sayof your religion that you were 'beside
yourself,' because youmade so much of it? They said it about your Master,
and if you were like Him it would be said, in one tone or another, about you.
We are all desperatelyafraid of enthusiasm to-day. It seems to me that it is
the want of the Christian Church, and that we are not enthusiastic because we
don't half believe the truths that we say are our creed.
One more word. Christian men and women have to make up their minds to go
on in the path of devotion, conformity to Christ's pattern, self-sacrificing
surrender, without minding one bit what is saidabout them. Brethren, I do
not think Christian people are in half as much danger of dropping the
standard of the Christian life by reasonof the sarcasmsofthe world, as they
are by reasonof the low tone of the Church. Don't you take your ideas of what
a reasonable Christianlife is from the men round you, howsoeverthey may
profess to be Christ's followers. And let us keepso near the Masterthat we
may be able to say, 'With me it is a very small matter to be judged of you, or
of man's judgment. He that judgeth me is the Lord.' Never mind, though they
say, 'Beside himself!' Never mind, though they say, 'Oh! utterly extravagant
and impracticable.' Better that than to be patted on the back by a world that
likes nothing so well as a Church with its teeth drawn, and its claws cut;
which may be made a plaything and an ornament by the world. And that is
what much of our modern Christianity has come to be.

III. Lastly, notice the sanity of the insane.
I have only space to put before you three little pictures, and ask you what you
think of them. I dare say the originals might be found among us without much
search.
Here is one. Suppose a man who, like the most of us, believes that there is a
God, believes that he has something to do with Him, believes that he is going
to die, believes that the future state is, in some way or other, and in some
degree, one of retribution; and from Monday morning to Saturday night he
ignores all these facts, and never allows them to influence one of his actions.
May I venture to speak direct to this hypothetical person, whose originals are
dotted about in my audience? It would be the very same to you if you said'No'
instead of 'Yes' to all these affirmations. The fact that there is a God does not
make a bit of difference to what you do, or what you think, or what you feel.
The fact that there is a future life makes just as little difference. You are going
on a voyage next week, and you never dream of getting your outfit. You
believe all these things, you are an intelligent man -- you are very likely, in a
greatmany ways, a very amiable and pleasantone; you do many things very
well; you cultivate congenialvirtues, and you abhor uncongenialvices;but
you never think about God; and you have made absolutely no preparation
whateverfor stepping into the scene in which you know that you are to live.
Well, you may be a very wise man, a student with high aims, cultivated
understanding, and all the rest of it. I want to know whether, taking into
accountall that you are, and your inevitable connectionwith God, and your
certain death and certainlife in a state of retribution -- I want to know
whether we should call your conduct sanity or insanity? Which?

Take anotherpicture. Here is a man that believes -- really believes -- the
articles of the Christian creed, and in some measure has receivedthem into
his heart and life. He believes that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for him
upon the Cross, andyet his heart has but the feeblesttick of pulsating love in
answer. He believes that prayer will help a man in all circumstances, and yet
he hardly ever prays. He believes that self-denial is the law of the Christian
life, and yet he lives for himself. He believes that he is here as a 'pilgrim' and
as a 'sojourner,' and yet his heart clings to the world, and his hand would fain
cling to it, like that of a drowning man swept overNiagara, and catching at
anything on the banks. He believes that he is sent into the world to be a 'light'
of the world, and yet from out of his self-absorbedlife there has hardly ever
come one sparkle of light into any dark heart. And that is a picture, not
exaggerated, ofthe enormous majority of professing Christians in so-called
Christian lands. And I want to know whether we shall call that sanity or
insanity?
The lastof my little miniatures is that of a man who keeps in close touchwith
Jesus Christ, and so, like Him, can say, 'Lo! I come; I delight to do Thy will, O
Lord. Thy law is within my heart.' He yields to the strong motives and
principles that flow from the Cross ofJesus Christ, and, drawn by the
'mercies of God,' gives himself a 'living sacrifice'to be used as God will. Aims
as lofty as the Throne which Christ His Brother fills; sacrifice as entire as that
on which his trembling hope relies;realisationof the unseenfuture as vivid
and clearas His who could say that He was 'in Heaven' whilst He walkedthe
earth; subjugation of selfas complete as that of the Lord's, who pleasednot
Himself, and came not to do His own will -- these are some of the
characteristicswhichmark the true disciple of Jesus Christ. And I want to
know whether the conduct of the man who believes in the love that God hath
to him, as manifested in the Cross, andsurrenders his whole self thereto,
despising the world and living for God, for Christ, for man, for eternity --
whether his conductis insanity or sanity? 'The fearof the Lord is the
beginning of wisdom.'

Mad BecauseExceptional
Mark 3:21
hanging down like a dog's ears, always raw and sore. Here only such as are
handsome are pointed at for monsters.
The Sinner Mad, not the Saint
Mark 3:21
of madness. (See Acts 26:11.)

STUDYLIGHTRESOURCES
Adam Clarke Commentary
His friends - Or, relations. On this verse severalMSS. differ considerably. I
have followedthe reading of the Syriac, because Ithink it the best: οἱ παρ
'αυτου signify merely his relatives, his brethren, etc., see Mark 3:31; and the
phrase is used by the best writers to signify relatives, companions, and
domestics. See Kypke in loc.
They said, He is beside himself - It was the enemies of Christ that raised this
report; and his relatives, probably thinking that it was true, went to confine
him. Let a Christian but neglectthe care of his body for a time, in striving to
enter in at the strait gate;let a minister of Christ but impair his health by his
pastorallabors; presently "he is distracted;" he has "not the leastconduct nor
discretion." But let a man forgethis soul, let him destroy his health by
debaucheries, lethim expose his life through ambition, and he may,
notwithstanding, pass for a very prudent and sensible man!
Schoettgencontends that the multitude, and not Christ, is here intended.
Christ was in the house: the multitude, οχλος, Mark 3:20, pressedupon him so
that he could not eat bread. His disciples, or friends, went out, κρατησαι
αυτον(scil. οχλον), to restrain it, viz. the multitude, to prevent them from
rushing into the house and disturbing their Master, who was now taking some
refreshment. This conjecture should not be lightly regarded.

Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/mark-
3.html. 1832.
Return to Jump List return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
When his friends - Greek, “theywho were of him.” Not the apostles, but his
relatives, his friends, who were in the place of his nativity.
Heard of it - Heard of his conduct: his preaching;his appointing the apostles;
his drawing such a multitude to his preaching. This shows that by “his
friends” were not meant the apostles, but his neighbors and others who
“heard” of his conduct.
They went out to lay hold on him - To take him awayfrom the multitude, and
to remove him to his home, that he might be treated as a maniac, so that, by
absence from the “causes”ofexcitement, he might be restoredto his right
mind.
They said - That is, common report said; or his friends and relatives said, for
they did not believe on him, John 7:5. Probably the enemies of Jesus raised
the report, and his relatives were persuaded to believe it to be true.

He is beside himself - He is delirious or deranged. The reasonwhy this report
gained any belief was, probably, that he had lived among them as a carpenter;
that he was poor and unknown; and that now, at 30 years of age, he broke off
from his occupations, abandonedhis common employment, spent much time
in the deserts, denied himself the common comforts of life, and setup his
claims to be the Messiahwho was expectedby all the people to come with
greatpomp and splendor. The charge of “derangement” onaccountof
attention to religion has not been confined to the Saviour. Let a man be made
deeply sensible of his sins, and spend much of his time in prayer, and have no
relish for the ordinary amusements or business of life; or let a Christian be
much impressed with his obligation to devote himself to God, and “act” as if
he believed there was an “eternity,” and warn his neighbors of their danger;
or let a minister show uncommon zeal and spend his strength in the service of
his Master, and the world is not slow to call it derangement. And none will be
more ready to originate or believe the charge than an ungodly and infidel
parent or brother, a self-righteous Pharisee orprofessorin the church. At the
same time, men may endangerthemselves on the bosomof the deep or in the
bowels of the earth for wealth; or may plunge into the vortex of fashion, folly,
and vice, and break in upon the hours of repose, and neglecttheir duties to
their family and the demands of business, and in the view of the world it is
wisdom and proof of a sane mind! Such is the consistencyofboastedreason;
such the wisdomand prudence of worldly men!
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon Mark 3:21". "Barnes'Notes onthe Whole
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/mark-3.html.
1870.

The Biblical Illustrator
Mark 3:21
He Is beside Himself.
The sinner mad, not the saint
of madness. (See Acts 26:11.)(Thomas Fuller, D. D.)
Mad because exceptional.
hanging down like a dog’s ears, always raw and sore. Here only such as are
handsome are pointed at for monsters. (Thomas Fuller, D. D.)
Troubled with a goodson
When the son of Dr. Innes became a missionary, the goodold man, who sorely
grudged parting with his boy, said, “Some people are troubled with a bad son,
but I am troubled with a goodone.”

Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Exell, JosephS. "Commentary on "Mark 3:21". The Biblical Illustrator.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tbi/mark-3.html. 1905-1909.
New York.
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
And when his friends heard it, they went to lay hold on him: for they said, He
is beside himself.
His friends ... These words are made to read "his family" in GNNT, IV, and
the New EnglishBible (1961), andthis reading is supposed by McMillan,
Cranfield; and many other recentcommentators;but there are solid reasons
for rejecting this change from the English RevisedVersion(1885), RSV, and
KJV. To begin with, Mark referred to the immediate family of Jesus as "his
mother and his brethren" just six verses later(Mark 3:27), and why he should
have calledthem by another term here cannotbe explained. To make Mark
3:27 an "explanation" of Mark 3:21 is sheerguesswork. Goodspeed,
Weymouth, Phillips, Wesley, and others translate "relatives" or"relations,"
which in contextcannot mean family.

To lay hold on him ... means something like "to take into custody," or "to take
charge of";those misguided friends or "neighbors," which is as likely a guess
as any, were seeking to restrain Jesus. It is important to note that "his mother
and brethren" (Mark 3:27) were not saidto have been seeking to "lay hold on
him," nor is there any hint that they said, "He is beside himself," these actions
being attributed not to his "family" but to his "friends";and there has always
been a world of difference in THOSE words.
He is beside himself ... The true meaning is simply that the zeal of Jesus had,
in the view of his neighbors, gone too far, or as Ryle translated, he has been
"transportedtoo far," that is, "carriedawaywith his work."
Zeal in the service of God has never been intelligible to carnal and
unregeneratedmen. Zeal for business, war, science, pleasure, politics, or
nearly any earthly pursuit, is admired, complimented, and emulated; but let a
man devote himself fully to the service of holy religion, and the neighbors
begin to shake their heads and say, "He's getting carried awaywith it!"
Copyright Statement
James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/mark-3.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
When his friends heard of it,.... Nothis spiritual friends, his disciples and
followers, that believed in him; but his kinsmen, as the Syriac and Ethiopic
versions render the words, who were so according to the flesh; when they
heard where he was, and what a crowd was about him, so that he could not so
much as take the necessariesoflife for his refreshment and support,
they went out to lay hold on him: either out of their houses at Capernaum, or
they went forth from Nazareth, where they dwelt, to Capernaum, to take him
from this house, where he was thronged and pressed, along with them; where
he might have some refreshment without being incommoded, and take some
rest, which seemedvery necessary:so that this was done in kindness to him,
and does not design any violent action upon him, in order to take him home
with them, and to confine him as a madman; though the following words seem
to incline to such a sense;
for they said, he is beside himself: some render it, "he is gone out": that is, out
of doors, to preach againto the people, which they might fear would be
greatly detrimental to his health, since, he had had no sleepthe night before;
had been much fatigued all that morning, and for the throng of the people
could take no food; so that for this reasonthey came to take him with them, to
their own habitations, to prevent the ill consequences ofsuch constantexercise
without refreshment. Moreover, though this may not be the sense ofthe word,
yet it is not to be understood of downright madness and distraction, but of
some perturbation of mind, which they imagined, or heard, he was under; and
answers to a phrase frequently used by the Jews, that such an one, ‫הפרטנ‬ ‫,ותעד‬
"his knowledge is snatchedaway", orhis mind is disturbed; which was
sometimes occasionedby disorder of body: so it is saidF26,

"a deaf woman, or one that is foolish, or blind, ‫התעד‬ ‫,הפרטנשו‬ or "whose mind
is disturbed"; and if there are any wise women, they prepare themselves, and
eat of the oblation.'
On that phrase, "whose mind is disturbed", the note of Maimonides is,
"it means a sick person, whose understanding is disturbed through the force
of the disease:'
and was sometimes the case ofa personwhen near deathF1:and it was usual
to give a person that was condemnedto die, and going to be executed, a grain
of frankincense in a cup of wine, ‫ףרטתש‬‫ותעד‬ ‫,ידכ‬ "that so his knowledge may
be snatched away", orhis mind disturbedF2, and: be intoxicated; that so he
might not be sensible of his pain, or feel his misery; in all which cases, there
was nothing of proper madness:and so the kinsmen and friends of Christ,
having heard of the situation that he was in, said one to another, he is in a
transport and excess ofmind; his zeal carries him beyond due bounds; he has
certainly forgotten himself; his understanding is disturbed; he is unmindful of
himself; takes no care of his health; he will certainly greatly impair it, if he
goes onat this rate, praying all night, and preaching all day, without taking
any restor food: wherefore they came out, in order to dissuade him from such
excessive labours, and engage him to go with them, where he might have rest
and refreshment, and be composed, and retire.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.

A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
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Bibliography
Gill, John. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "The New John Gill Expositionof
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/mark-
3.html. 1999.
Geneva Study Bible
4 And when his n friends heard [of it], they went out to lay hold on him: for
they said, He is beside himself.
(4) None are worse enemies of the gospelthan they that should be enemies of it
the least.
(n) Literally, "they that were of him", that is, his relatives:for they that were
mad were brought to their relatives.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Mark 3:21". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/mark-3.html.
1599-1645.

John Lightfoot's Commentary on the Gospels
21. And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for
they said, He is beside himself.
[He is beside himself.] In the Talmudists it is his judgment is gone, and his
understanding is ceased. "Ifany becomes mute, and yet is of a sound mind,
and they sayto him, Shall we write a bill of divorce for thy wife? and he nods
with his head, they try him thrice, &c. And it is necessarythat they make trial
of him more exactly, lest, perhaps, he might be deprived of his senses."This is
to be understood of a dumb person, made so by some paralytical or
apoplecticalstroke, whichsometimes wounds the understanding.
"The Rabbins deliver: If any one is sick, and in the mean time any of his
friends die, they do not make it known to him that such a one is dead, lest his
understanding be disturbed." "One thus lamented R. Simeon Ben Lachish;
'Where art thou, O Bar Lachish? Where art thou, O Bar Lachish?'And so
cried out until his understanding perished." For so the Gloss renders it.
How fitly this word beside himself expresseththese phrases is readily
observedby him who understandeth both languages. And a Jew, reading these
words in Mark, would presently have recourse to the sense of those phrases in
his nation; which do not always signify madness, or being bereft of one's wits,
in the proper sense, but sometimes, and very frequently, some discomposure
of the understanding for the present, from some too vehement passion. So say
Christ's friends, "His knowledge is snatchedaway; he hath forgotten himself,
and his own health; he is so vehement and hot in discharging his office, and in
preaching, that he is transported beyond himself, and his understanding is
disturbed, that he neither takes care ofhis necessaryfoodnor of his sleep."

Those his friends, indeed, have need of an apology, that they had no sounder,
nor holier, nor wiser conceitofhim; but it is scarcelycredible that they
thought him to be fallen into plain and absolute madness, and pure
distraction. For he had conversedamong the multitudes before, at all times in
all places;and yet his friends to not say this of him. But now he was retired to
his ownhouse at Capernaum, where he might justly expect restand repose;
yet the multitudes rush upon him there, so that he could not enjoy his table
and his bed at his own home. Therefore his friends and kinsfolk of Nazareth
(among whom was his mother, verse 31), hearing this, unanimously run to
him to get him away from the multitude; for they said among themselves, He
is too much transported beyond himself, and is forgetful of himself.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Lightfoot, John. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "John Lightfoot Commentary
on the Gospels".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jlc/mark-
3.html. 1675.
People's New Testament
His friends. Probably his relatives. See Mark 3:31. His brethren were not yet
counted among his disciples.
He is beside himself. Carriedaway by an unwise enthusiasm.

Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Original work done by Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 atThe
RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
Johnson, BartonW. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "People's New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pnt/mark-
3.html. 1891.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
His friends (οι παρ αυτου — hoi par' autou). The phrase means literally
“those from the side of him (Jesus).” It could mean another circle of disciples
who had just arrived and who knew of the crowds and strain of the Galilean
ministry who now come at this specialjuncture. But the idiom most likely
means the kinspeople or family of Jesus as is common in the lxx. The fact that
in Mark 3:31 “his mother and his brothers” are expressly mentioned would
indicate that they are “the friends” alluded to in Mark 3:21. It is a mournful
spectacle to think of the mother and brothers saying, He is beside himself
(εχεστη — exestē). Secondaoristactive indicative intransitive. The same
charge was brought againstPaul (Acts 26:24; 2 Corinthians 5:13). We say that
one is out of his head. Certainly Mary did not believe that Jesus was in the
powerof Beelzebubas the rabbis said already. The scribes from Jerusalem
are trying to discount the powerand prestige of Jesus (Mark 3:22). See notes
on Matthew 9:32-34;and note on Matthew 10:25;and note on Matthew 12:24
for Beelzebuband Beelzebul. Mary probably felt that Jesus was overwrought

and wishedto take him home out of the excitement and strain that he might
get restand proper food. See my The Mother of Jesus:Her Problems and Her
Glory. The brothers did not as yet believe the pretensions and claims of Jesus
(John 7:5). Herod Antipas will later considerJesus as John the Baptist
redivivus, the scribes treathim as under demonic possession, eventhe family
and friends fear a disordered mind as a result of overstrain. It was a crucial
moment for Jesus. His family or friends came to take him home, to lay hold of
him (kratēsai), forcibly if need be.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "Robertson's WordPictures
of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/mark-3.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.
Vincent's Word Studies
His friends ( οἱ παῤ αὐτοῦ )
Lit., they who were from beside him: i.e., by origin or birth. His mother and
brethren. Compare Mark 3:31, Mark 3:32. Wyc., kinsmen. Tynd., they that
belongedunto him. Nothis disciples, since they were in the house with him.

They said ( ἔλεγον )
Imperfect tense. Very graphic, they kept saying.
Copyright Statement
The text of this work is public domain.
Bibliography
Vincent, Marvin R. DD. "Commentaryon Mark 3:21". "Vincent's Word
Studies in the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/vnt/mark-3.html. Charles
Schribner's Sons. New York, USA. 1887.
Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
His relations — His mother and his brethren, Mark 3:31. But it was some
time before they could come near him.
Copyright Statement
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.

Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "JohnWesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/mark-3.html. 1765.
The Fourfold Gospel
And when his friends heard it1, they went out to lay hold on him: for they
said, He is beside himself2.
And when his friends heard it. These friends were his brothers and his
mother, as appears from Mark 3:31,32. Theyprobably came from Nazareth.
They went out to lay hold on him: for they said, He is beside himself. To
understand their feelings, we must bear in mind their want of faith. See John
7:3-9. They regardedJesus as carriedaway by his religious enthusiasm (Acts
26:24;2 Corinthians 5:13), and thought that he actedwith reckless regardfor
his personalsafety. They foresaw the conflict with the military authorities and
the religious leaders into which the present course of Jesus was leading, and
were satisfiedthat the case calledfor their interference. Despite her
knowledge as to Jesus, Marysympathized with her sons in this movement,
and fearedfor the safety of Jesus.
Copyright Statement
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography

J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Mark 3:21".
"The Fourfold Gospel".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/mark-3.html. Standard
Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
Abbott's Illustrated New Testament
To lay hold on him; to take him awayfrom the danger which they supposed
him to be in.--For they said; that is, the people said; and then, in Mark 3:22-
30, there is a particular accountof their charging him with being possessed
with an evil spirit, (Mark 3:30,) or with being beside himself, as it is expressed
in Mark 3:21, and his answerto the charge. It was the anxiety for his safety,
produced by this increasing excitementagainsthim, which led his mother an
his other friends to come and endeavorto take him away, as mentioned Mark
3:21, and afterwards more particularly in Mark 3:31.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Abbott, John S. C. & Abbott, Jacob. "Commentaryon Mark 3:21". "Abbott's
Illustrated New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ain/mark-3.html. 1878.
John Trapp Complete Commentary

21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on him: for they
Ver. 21. They went out to lay hold on him] Some read, to lay hold on the
multitude, as mad, because so eagerand earnest, that they left not our Lord
liberty for his necessaryrepose andrepast. But if it be meant of Christ, his
mother also may seem to have been in the common error, Mark 3:31. She was
not then without original sin (as the Franciscanswould have it, and do
therefore name Joachimand Anna kissing, by which kiss Anna conceived, say
they, with the Virgin Mary), neither yet without actualsin, as here, John 2:4.
Sed si peccatrix, non deprecatrix: quae egebat, non agebatadvocatum, saith
an ancient.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/mark-
3.html. 1865-1868.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Mark 3:21. For they said, He is beside himself.— For they said, He fainted
away. So the version of 1729. Dr. Macknightobserves, thatmost translators

render this verse as we do; but the meaning which they give is false, and such
as suggests a very unbecoming idea of our Lord, who on no other occasion
behaved so as to give his friends room to suspectthat he was mad. The
original runs thus; u922?αι ακουσαντες οι παρ αυτου, εξηλθονκρατησαι
αυτον. u917?λεγονγαρ-g0-. u927?τι εξεστη-g0-. Theythat were with him,
namely, in the house, (Mark 3:19.) ακουσαντες,hearing, viz. the noise which
the mob made at the door, they went out, κρατησαι αυτον, to restrain, or
quell,—not Jesus, for he was in the house, (Mark 3:19.) But the multitude, or
mob [ αυτον, it, viz. οχλος ] the multitude, either by dispersing them, or
keeping them out; for they said εξεστη, (viz. οχλος)the multitude or mob is
mad. This sense the verb κρατεω has without dispute, Revelation7:1 where
we read, κρατουντας τους τεσσαρας ανεμους, — holding, detaining,
restraining the four winds of the earth. Dr. Doddridge renders the words, he
is transported too far. One can hardly think, says he, that Christ's friends
would speak of him so contemptibly and impiously as our version represents;
and if that sense must necessarilybe retained, it would be much more decent
to render the clause, "It (that is, the multitude, mentioned in the verse)is
mad, thus unseasonablyto break in upon him." But 2 Corinthians 5:13 is the
only passagein the New Testamentwhere the word has this signification:it
generallysignifies to be greatly transported; or as we express it, in a word
derived from this, to be thrown into an exstasy. See Ch. Mark 2:12, Mark
5:42, Mark 6:51. Luke 8:56. Acts 2:7; Acts 2:12; Acts 12:16. And though the
LXX sometimes use it for fainting away, as in Genesis 45:26. Joshua 2:11.
Isaiah7:2. I do not find that it ever signifies that faintness which arises from
excess oflabour, or want of food: but our Lord's attendants here seemto have
feared, lest his zeal and the present fervency of his spirit should have been
injurious to his health.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Coke, Thomas. "Commentaryon Mark 3:21". Thomas Coke Commentary on
the Holy Bible. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/mark-
3.html. 1801-1803.
Greek TestamentCriticalExegeticalCommentary
21.]Peculiarto Mark.
οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ = his relations, beyond a doubt—for the sense is resumed in
Mark 3:31 : see reff.
ἐξῆλθ. (perhaps from Nazareth,—or, answering to John 2:12, from
Capernaum), setout: see ch. Mark 5:14. They heard of his being so beset by
crowds:see Mark 3:7-11.
ἔλεγον] i.e. His relations—notτινἐς.
ἐξέστη] He is mad: thus E. V.; and the sense requires it. They had doubtless
heard of the accusationofhis having a dæmon: which we must suppose not to
have first begun after this, but to have been going on throughout this course of
miracles.
The understanding this that his disciples went out to repress the crowd, for
they said, ‘It is mad,’ is as contrary to Greek as to sense. It would require at
leastαὐτούς and ἐξέστησαν, or τὸν ὄχλον for αὐτόν, and would even then give
no intelligible meaning.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Alford, Henry. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". Greek TestamentCritical
ExegeticalCommentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hac/mark-3.html. 1863-1878.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
Mark 3:21. οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ, those belonging to Him) See App. Crit. Ed. ii., p.
150. The Gothic Version fram answers to περὶ and παρὰ.(25)Who these were,
who belongedto Him, is clearfrom Mark 3:31, where the particle οὖν,(26)
therefore, refers to this 21stverse, after the intervening parenthesis 22–30 has
been as it were clearedout of they.— ἐξῆλθον, they went out) Their coming in
Mark 3:31 followedtheir going out here. A table seems to have been laid at
the house;see end of Mark 3:20.— κρατῆσαι, to lay hold) to put a restraint on
him.— ἔλεγον, they were saying) the messengers [notthe relatives]from
whom his relatives heard of His earnestness.— ὅτι ἐξέστη, He is beside
Himself) By this word they were attributing to Him excess ofardour,
overwhelming His intellect, but it was falselythat they attributed this to Him,
as Festus did to Paul; Acts 26:24, Thou art mad. Comp. by all means 2
Corinthians 5:13; comp. ιἑρεὺς καὶ προφήτης ἐξέστησαν διὰ τὸ σίκερα, Heb.
ehT .7:9 aesoH ;‫משגע‬ .beH,ςὼκητσεξεραπςητήφορπ ὁ os ;7:82 haiasI . ‫שגו‬
singular number does not admit of this being understood of the people; for
although ὄχλος, a multitude, Mark 3:20 is singular, yet after an interval

[betweenοχλος and the verb, if the latter were to be understood of the
former], there always follow the pronoun and the verb in the plural.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". JohannAlbrecht
Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/mark-3.html. 1897.
Alexander MacLaren's Expositions ofHoly Scripture
Mark
‘HE IS BESIDE HIMSELF’
Mark 3:21.
There had been greatexcitement in the little town of Capernaum in
consequence ofChrist’s teachings and miracles. It had been intensified by His
infractions of the RabbinicalSabbath law, and by His appointment of the
twelve Apostles. The sacerdotalparty in Capernaum apparently
communicated with Jerusalem, with the result of bringing a deputation from

the Sanhedrim to look into things, and see what this new rabbi was about. A
plot for His assassinationwas secretlyonfoot. And at this juncture the
incident of my text, which we owe to Mark alone of the Evangelists, occurs.
Christ’s friends, apparently the members of His own family-sad to say, as
would appear from the context, including His mother-came with a kindly
design to rescue their misguided kinsman from danger, and laying hands
upon Him, to carry Him off to some safe restraint in Nazareth, where He
might indulge His delusions without doing any harm to Himself. They wish to
excuse His eccentricities onthe ground that He is not quite responsible-
scarcelyHimself; and so to blunt the point of the more hostile explanation of
the Phariseesthat He is in league with Beelzebub.
Conceive of that! The Incarnate Wisdom shielded by friends from the
accusationthat He is a demoniac by the apologythat He is a lunatic! What do
you think of popular judgment? But this half-pitying, half-contemptuous, and
wholly benevolentexcuse for Jesus, though it be the words of friends, is like
the words of His enemies, in that it contains a distorted reflectionof His true
character. And if we will think about it, I fancy that we may gatherfrom it
some lessons notaltogetherunprofitable.
I. The first point, then, that I make, is just this-there was something in the
characterof Jesus Christwhich could be plausibly explained to commonplace
people as madness.
A well-knownmodern author has talked a greatdeal about ‘the sweet
reasonablenessofJesus Christ.’ His contemporaries calledit simple insanity;
if they did not say ‘He hath a devil,’ as well as ‘He is mad.’
Now, if we try to throw ourselves back to the life of Jesus Christ, as it was
unfolded day by day, and think nothing about either what preceded in the

revelation of the Old Covenant, or what followedin the history of
Christianity, we shall not be so much at a loss to accountfor such explanations
of it as these of my text. Remember that charges like these, in all various keys
of contempt or of pity, or of fierce hostility, have been castagainstall
innovators, againstevery man that has broken a new path; againstall
teachers that have cut themselves apart from tradition and encrusted
formulas; againstevery man that has wagedwarwith the conventionalisms of
society;againstall idealists who have dreamed dreams and seenvisions;
againstevery man that has been touched with a lofty enthusiasm of any sort;
and, most of all, againstall to whom Godand their relations to Him, the
spiritual world and their relations to it, the future life and their relations to
that, have become dominant forces and motives in their lives.
The short and easywaywith which the world excuses itselffrom the poignant
lessons andrebukes which come from such lives is something like that of my
text, ‘He is beside himself.’ And the proof that he is beside himself is that he
does not actin the same fashion as these incomparably wise people that make
up the majority in every age. There is nothing that commonplace men hate
like anything fresh and original. There is nothing that men of low aims are so
utterly bewilderedto understand, and which so completely passesallthe
calculus of which they are masters, as lofty self-abnegation. And whereveryou
get men smitten with such, or with anything like it, you will find all the low-
aimed people gathering round them like bats round a torch in a cavern,
flapping their obscene wings and uttering their harsh croaks, and only
desiring to quench the light.
One of our cynicalauthors says that it is the mark of a genius that all the
dullards are againsthim. It is the mark of the man who dwells with God that
all the people whose portion is in this life with one consentsay, ‘He is beside
himself.’

And so the Leaderof them all was served in His day; and that purest,
perfectest, noblest, loftiest, most utterly self-oblivious, and God-and-man-
devoted life that ever was lived upon earth, was disposedof in this extremely
simple method, so comforting to the complacencyof the critics-either‘He is
beside Himself,’ or ‘He hath a devil.’
And yet, is not the saying a witness to the presence in that wondrous and
gentle careerof an element entirely unlike what exists in the most of
mankind? Here was a new star in the heavens, and the law of its orbit was
manifestly different from that of all the rest. That is what ‘eccentric’means-
that the life to which it applies does not move round the same centre as do the
other satellites, but has a path of its own. Away out yonder somewhere, in the
infinite depths, lay the hidden point which drew it to itself and determined its
magnificent and overwhelmingly vast orbit. These men witness to Jesus
Christ, even by their half excuse, half reproach, that His was a life unique and
inexplicable by the ordinary motives which shape the little lives of the masses
of mankind. They witness to His entire neglectof ordinary and low aims; to
His complete absorption in lofty purposes, which to His purblind would-be
critics seemto be delusions and fond imaginations that could never be
realised. They witness to what His disciples remembered had been written of
Him, ‘The zealof Thy house hath eatenMe up’; to His perfect devotion to
man and to God. They witness to His consciousnessofa mission; and there is
nothing that men are so ready to resentas that. To tell a world, engrossedin
self and low aims, that one is sent from God to do His will, and to spread it
among men, is the sure way to have all the heavy artillery and the lighter
weapons ofthe world turned againstone.
These characteristics ofJesus seemthen to be plainly implied in that
allegationof insanity-lofty aims, absolute originality, utter self-abnegation, the
continual consciousnessofcommunion with God, devotion to the service of
man, and the sense ofbeing sentby God for the salvationof the world. It was
because ofthese that His friends said, ‘He is beside Himself.’

These men judged themselves by judging Jesus Christ. And all men do. There
are as many different estimates of a greatman as there are people to estimate,
and hence the diversity of opinion about all the characters that fill history and
the galleries ofthe past. The eye sees whatit brings and no more. To discern
the greatnessofa greatman, or the goodnessofa goodone, is to possess, in
lowermeasure, some portion of that which we discern. Sympathy is the
condition of insight into character. And so our Lord said once, ‘He that
receivetha prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s
reward,’ because he is a dumb prophet himself, and has a lower powerof the
same gift in him, which is eloquent on the prophet’s lips.
In like manner, to discern what is in Christ is the test of whether there is any
of it in myself. And thus it is no mere arbitrary appointment which suspends
your salvationand mine on our answerto this question, ‘What think ye of
Christ?’ The answerwill be-I was going to say-the elixir of our whole moral
and spiritual nature. It will be the outcome of our inmost selves. This
ploughshare turns up the depths of the soil. That is eternally true which the
grey-bearded Simeon, the representative of the Old, saidwhen he took the
Infant in his arms and lookeddown upon the unconscious, placid, smooth
face. ‘This Child is set for the rise and fall of many in Israel, that the thoughts
of many hearts may be revealed.’Your answerto that question discloses your
whole spiritual condition and capacities. And so to judge Christ is to be
judged by Him; and what we think Him to be, that we make Him to ourselves.
The question which tests us is not merely, ‘Whom do men saythat I am?’ It is
easyto answerthat; but this is the all-important interrogation, ‘Whom do ye
say that I am?’ I pray that we may eachansweras he to whom it was first put
answeredit, ‘Rabbi, Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel!’
II. Secondly, mark the similarity of the estimate which will be passedby the
world on all Christ’s true followers.

The same elements exist to-day, the same intolerance of anything higher than
the low level, the same incapacityto comprehend simple devotion and lofty
aims, the same dislike of a man who comes and rebukes by his silent presence
the vices in which he takes no part. And it is a greatdeal easierto say, ‘Poor
fool! enthusiastic fanatic!’ than it is to lay to heart the lessonthat lies in such a
life.
The one thing, or at leastthe principal thing, which the Christianity of this
generationwants is a little more of this madness. It would be a greatdeal
better for us who call ourselves Christians if we had earned and deserved the
world’s sneer, ‘He is beside himself.’ But our modern Christianity, like an
epicure’s rare wines, is preferred iced. And the last thing that anybody would
think of suggesting in connectionwith the demeanour-either the conduct or
the words-ofthe average Christian man of this day is that his religion had
touched his brain a little.
But, dear friends, go in Christ’s footsteps and you will have the same missiles
flung at you. If a church or an individual has earnedthe praise of the outside
ring of godless people because its or his religion is ‘reasonable and moderate;
and kept in its proper place;and not allowedto interfere with social
enjoyments, and political and municipal corruptions,’ and the like, then there
is much reasonto ask whether that church or man is Christian after Christ’s
pattern. Oh, I pray that there may come down on the professing Church of
this generationa baptism of the Spirit; and I am quite sure that when that
comes, the people that admire moderation and approve of religion, but like it
to be ‘kept in its own place,’will be all ready to say, when they hear the ‘sons
and the daughters prophesying, and the old men seeing visions, and the young
men dreaming dreams,’ and the fiery tongues uttering their praises of God,
‘These men are full of new wine!’ Would we were full of the new wine of the
Spirit! Do you think any one would sayof your religion that you were ‘beside
yourself,’ because you made so much of it? They said it about your Master,

and if you were like Him it would be said, in one tone or another, about you.
We are all desperatelyafraid of enthusiasm to-day. It seems to me that it is
the want of the Christian Church, and that we are not enthusiastic because we
don’t half believe the truths that we say are our creed.
One more word. Christian men and women have to make up their minds to go
on in the path of devotion, conformity to Christ’s pattern, self-sacrificing
surrender, without minding one bit what is saidabout them. Brethren, I do
not think Christian people are in half as much danger of dropping the
standard of the Christian life by reasonof the sarcasmsofthe world, as they
are by reasonof the low tone of the Church. Don’t you take your ideas of what
a reasonable Christianlife is from the men round you, howsoeverthey may
profess to be Christ’s followers. And let us keepso near the Masterthat we
may be able to say, ‘With me it is a very small matter to be judged of you, or
of man’s judgment. He that judgeth me is the Lord.’ Never mind, though they
say, ‘Beside himself!’ Never mind, though they say, ‘Oh! utterly extravagant
and impracticable.’Better that than to be patted on the back by a world that
likes nothing so well as a Church with its teeth drawn, and its claws cut;
which may be made a plaything and an ornament by the world. And that is
what much of our modern Christianity has come to be.
III. Lastly, notice the sanity of the insane.
I have only space to put before you three little pictures, and ask you what you
think of them. I dare say the originals might be found among us without much
search.
Here is one. Suppose a man who, like the most of us, believes that there is a
God, believes that he has something to do with Him, believes that he is going
to die, believes that the future state is, in some way or other, and in some

degree, one of retribution; and from Monday morning to Saturday night he
ignores all these facts, and never allows them to influence one of his actions.
May I venture to speak direct to this hypothetical person, whose originals are
dotted about in my audience? It would be the very same to you if you said
‘No’ instead of ‘Yes’ to all these affirmations. The fact that there is a God
does not make a bit of difference to what you do, or what you think, or what
you feel. The fact that there is a future life makes just as little difference. You
are going on a voyage next week, andyou never dream of getting your outfit.
You believe all these things, you are an intelligent man-you are very likely, in
a greatmany ways, a very amiable and pleasantone; you do many things very
well; you cultivate congenialvirtues, and you abhor uncongenialvices;but
you never think about God; and you have made absolutely no preparation
whateverfor stepping into the scene in which you know that you are to live.
Well, you may be a very wise man, a student with high aims, cultivated
understanding, and all the rest of it. I want to know whether, taking into
accountall that you are, and your inevitable connectionwith God, and your
certain death and certainlife in a state of retribution-I want to know whether
we should call your conduct sanity or insanity? Which? Take anotherpicture.
Here is a man that believes-reallybelieves-the articles of the Christian creed,
and in some measure has receivedthem into his heart and life. He believes
that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died for him upon the Cross, and yet his
heart has but the feeblesttick of pulsating love in answer. He believes that
prayer will help a man in all circumstances, andyet he hardly ever prays. He
believes that self-denialis the law of the Christian life, and yet he lives for
himself. He believes that he is here as a ‘pilgrim’ and as a ‘sojourner,’and yet
his heart clings to the world, and his hand would fain cling to it, like that of a
drowning man swept over Niagara, andcatching at anything on the banks. He
believes that he is sent into the world to be a ‘light’ of the world, and yet from
out of his self-absorbedlife there has hardly ever come one sparkle of light
into any dark heart. And that is a picture, not exaggerated, ofthe enormous
majority of professing Christians in so-calledChristian lands. And I want to
know whether we shall callthat sanity or insanity? The last of my little
miniatures is that of a man who keeps in close touch with Jesus Christ, and so,

like Him, can say, ‘Lo! I come;I delight to do Thy will, O Lord. Thy law is
within my heart.’ He yields to the strong motives and principles that flow
from the Cross ofJesus Christ, and, drawn by the ‘mercies of God,’ gives
himself a ‘living sacrifice’to be used as God will. Aims as lofty as the Throne
which Christ His Brother fills; sacrifice as entire as that on which his
trembling hope relies;realisationof the unseen future as vivid and clearas
His who could saythat He was ‘in Heaven’ whilst He walkedthe earth;
subjugation of self as complete as that of the Lord’s, who pleasednot Himself,
and came not to do His own will-these are some of the characteristics which
mark the true disciple of Jesus Christ. And I want to know whether the
conduct of the man who believes in the love that God hath to him, as
manifested in the Cross, andsurrenders his whole self thereto, despising the
world and living for God, for Christ, for man, for eternity-whether his
conduct is insanity or sanity? ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of
wisdom.’
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
MacLaren, Alexander. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". Alexander MacLaren's
Expositions of Holy Scripture.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mac/mark-3.html.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
See Poole on"Mark 3:21"

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Mark 3:21". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/mark-3.html. 1685.
Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament
His friends; his relations.
Lay hold on him; constrain him to retire from the multitude and take rest.
Beside himself; deranged, because,in their view, he in his labors exceededall
reasonable bounds. That earnestness in the service of God, and that activity
and perseverance indoing goodwhich true religion inspires, appearto many
to be indications of insanity, and awakenin them solicitude; while equal
earnestnessin the pursuit of worldly things awakens no such apprehensions,
but is viewedwith approbation.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Edwards, Justin. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "Family Bible New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/fam/mark-
3.html. American TractSociety. 1851.
Cambridge Greek Testamentfor Schools andColleges
21. οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ. An expressionas vague as our “His people.” It might
include relations, acquaintances,domestics, andall who had a specialinterest
in Him. “Her household are clothed in scarlet” (Proverbs 31:21)is οἱ παρʼ
αὐτῆς ἐνδιδύσκονται (LXX., Proverbs 29:3-9). Cf. Josephus (Ant. I. x. 5)
Ἄβαμος περιτέμνεται καὶ πάντες οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ. In papyri, οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ often
means “his agents” or“his representatives,” but also “his family.” J. H.
Moulton, p. 106. Vulg. has sui, which is as vague as the Greek;Coverdale,
“they that were aboute him.” Syr-Sin. is more definite, “His brethren,”
perhaps from a feeling that the strong measure intended and the strong word
used were againstHis Mother being included. Cf. Susann. 33;1 Maccabees
13:52.
ἐξῆλθον. Not from the house in which He was, but from their own house,
which may have been at a distance.
κρατῆσαι αὐτόν. To getpossessionof His person; see on Mark 1:31. It is
arbitrary to supply a fresh nom. for ἔλεγον, “for people were saying.” His
brethren did not believe on Him (John 7:5).

Ἐξέστη. “He has gone out of His mind,” He is beside Himself (A.V., R.V.).
This use of the aor. comes closeto that of the perf., expressing present result
of past action; but the aor. may imply that the past actionwas recent;
ἀπέθανεν (Mark 5:35), ἠγέρθη (Mark 16:6; Luke 7:16), ἠγόρασα (Luke 14:18-
19). Burton, § 47;J. H. Moulton, p. 134. Euthymius says that οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ
were envious, τὴν φιλανθρωπίαννομίζοντες μανίαν, καὶ ὄντως αὐτοὶ
μαινόμενοι. This is unlikely; more probably they regardedHis open defiance
of Scribes and Phariseesfrom Jerusalemas fanaticalfolly. They may have
known that there were projects for His destruction. But it is possible that He
is beside Himself is more than ἐξέστη means; excepting 2 Corinthians 5:13,
the verb nowhere has this meaning in N.T. Cf. Mark 2:12, Mark 5:42, Mark
6:51; Luke 2:47; Luke 8:56; Luke 24:22;Matthew 12:23;and often in Acts.
Nevertheless,this meaning fits the context; but in furorem versus est (Vulg.) is
too strong.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
"Commentary on Mark 3:21". "Cambridge Greek TestamentforSchools and
Colleges".https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cgt/mark-3.html.
1896.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
21. When his friends — At Nazareth, where the reports of these miracles were
in keeping with the depraved characterof the place and the subject. Probably
they had heard of the charge of his being a demoniac. Heard of it — Heard

that immense crowds were following his preaching the wonders he did. They
went out — From their homes, to rescue him from the dangerthat might
result from the excitement he was producing. Beside himself — They
doubtless meant this as an excuse for what they held to be the dangerous
course of our Lord. He does not know what he is about in thus exposing
himself to the dangerof being held the author of public commotion. For the
people were, as we learn by Matthew 12:23, beginning to call to mind that he
was the Son of David, and there was just fear of an insurrection. Mark 3:22-
30. Compare notes on Matthew 12:24-32. Whitby, however, prefers to render
the words, “He is fainty,” or exhausted; that is, by the presence ofthe
multitudes.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "Whedon's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/mark-3.html.
1874-1909.
PeterPett's Commentary on the Bible
‘And when His family and long time friends heard it they went out to lay hold
on Him, for they said, “He is beside Himself”.’
This is omitted by Matthew and Luke. They probably did not feel it suitable
out of respectfor the ‘family’ who were by now believers. Possiblyalso they

felt it slightly irreverent. It was not the kind of thing they liked said about the
Lord.
‘His family and long time friends.’ The phrase is literally ‘those alongside
Him.’ It can mean compatriots or friends or envoys or family depending on
context. Here it must mainly represent those further describedin Mark 3:31,
His brothers and His mother, for they are the ones who come to lay hold on
Him. Some have tried to apply the description to His disciples, but we should
note firstly that they are usually rather called‘the disciples’or ‘the twelve’,
secondlythat they would not need to ‘go out’ to lay hold of Him, and thirdly
that this would be a strange and rather vague description of them, coming as
it does immediately after the appointment of the twelve. And besides they
were themselves involved in the cause forcomplaint (they would not therefore
‘hear of it’). Its deliberate vaguenessrather therefore suggestsuncommitted
family and friends who felt close to Him as a result of knowing Him from the
past and were as such concernedfor His welfare on a material level without
really having any appreciationof what He was doing.
‘Heard it.’ The news reachedthem in Nazareth(or Capernaum), and, as news
will, it probably arrived in distorted fashion. But what did they hear? That He
was working Himself to death, with no time to eat properly? That local
leaders were discussing the possibility of His being dealt with? That the
Scribes, the greatdoctors of the Law, had come down from Jerusalemto pass
judgment on Him as a blasphemer, probably at the specific requestof the
localPharisees andthe Herodians as part of their plot to kill Him, and had
pronounced Him devil-possessed? Theyprobably already felt quite deeply the
fact that He had given up His safe careeras a carpenter. They now believed
that He needed their help and advice, and even more than that, drastic action
in order to save Him from Himself, because His life had got out of controland
He was having delusions of grandeur.

‘They went out to lay hold on Him.’ Their aim was to pressurise Him into
coming home, and if necessaryto bring Him home by force. But it would take
a little time to reachHim, and meanwhile other events were taking place.
‘For they said, “He is beside Himself’. Or ‘He is out of His mind.’ As is often
the case withbrothers they were not too consideredin what they saidabout
Him, but it is clear that they were perturbed enough about the situation
(which they were judging by hearsay)to want to do something pretty drastic.
They felt that they knew better than He did what was goodfor Him (compare
John 7:1-5 which is an advance from this). And as Mary came along with
them we cannotfully exonerate her from involvement in their attitude. She
was involved, at least to some extent, to add her weightto their arguments and
to see what she saw as the right thing done. She too was worried for her son
and was prepared to interfere with His ministry, and all no doubt thought
(wrongly) that her authority as His mother would prove useful. But as Jesus
had to make clear, she now had no more authority over Him than believers in
generalhad, the authority of being in need of His saving mercy.
‘They said.’ This may alternately mean, ‘it was being said’ generally, ‘they’
being unspecific. But it was more likely that brothers would saythis rather
than people generally, for the latter were impressedby Him. Unless, of course,
it means that the Pharisees andHerodians had paid men to spreadfalse
rumours about Him. But whoeversaid it his brothers believed it enoughto
want to take drastic action. They cannot be fully exonerated, howevermuch
we try. And nothing is saidabout Mary protesting. She was going along with
them in their plans. (Had this not been so something would have been said in
this context. By the time this was written she was highly respectedin the
company of believers).
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Pett, Peter. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "PeterPett's Commentary on the
Bible ". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pet/mark-3.html.
2013.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Mark 3:21. His friends, lit. ‘those by him.’ The exactreference is doubtful.
The nearerrelatives, spokenof in Mark 3:31, may not be included, since they
waited outside; but probably the whole circle was engagedin this effort with
varying feelings, the immediate family persisting longer(see on Matthew
12:46).
Heard it, i.e. what was going on; they may have heard that the scribes had
come with a hostile purpose (Mark 3:22).
They went out, etc. Either from Nazareth, or from their house in Capernaum,
since it is uncertain in which place they now lived.
For they said. The relatives just spokenof.
He is beside himself. This implies either actualinsanity in a bad sense, or
religious enthusiasm and ecstasy, evento derangement, in a goodsense. While
an accusationofmadness on the part of His relatives is neither impossible nor
improbable, so long as they were not true believers, it may have been a mere

pretext. As His enemies had already, in all probability, said that He was
possessed, His relatives, from motives of policy, may have adopted this
modification of the charge to getHim away; with this, anxiety for His health
may have entered as a motive. The context favors the thought that the motive
was policy resulting from want of faith, though perhaps not from positive
disbelief. This doubting, worldly policy, which could seek to shelter Him by
meeting the accusations ofHis foes half way, is in keeping with the desire to
thrust Him forward which was afterwards shown(John 7:3-5) Yet even
among these relatives there was probably a greatvariety of opinions
regarding Him.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Schaff, Philip. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "Schaff's PopularCommentary
on the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/scn/mark-3.html. 1879-90.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Mark 3:21 introduces a new scene into the lively drama. The statementis
obscure partly owing to its brevity (Fritzsche), and it is made obscurerby a
piety which is not willing to acceptthe surface meaning (so Maldonatus—
“hunc locum difficiliorem pietas facit”), which is that the friends of Jesus,
having heard of what was going on—wonderful cures, greatcrowds, incessant
activity—setout from where they were ( ἐξῆλθον) with the purpose of taking
Him under their care ( κρατῆσαι αὐτόν), their impression, not concealed(

ἔλεγον γὰρ, they had begun to say), being that He was in an unhealthy state of
excitement bordering on insanity ( ἐξέστη). Recentcommentators, German
and English, are in the main agreedthat this is the true sense.—οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ
means either specificallyHis relatives (“sui” Vulg(21), οἱ οἰκεῖοι α.—
Theophy.), so Raphel, Wetstein, Kypke, Loesner, with citations from Greek
authors, Meyerand Weiss, identifying the parties here spokenof with those
referred to in Mark 3:31; or, more generally, persons well disposedtowards
Jesus, anouter circle of disciples (Schanz and Keil).— ἀκούσαντες:not to be
restrictedto what is mentioned in Mark 3:20; refers to the whole Galilean
ministry with its cures and crowds, and constantstrain. Therefore the friends
might have come from a distance, Nazareth, e.g., starting before Jesus
descendedfrom the hill. That their arrival happened just then was a
coincidence.— ἔλεγονγὰρ: for they were saying, might refer to others than
those who came to lay hold of Jesus—to messengers who brought them news
of what was going on (Bengel), or it might refer quite impersonally to a report
that had gone abroad(“rumor exierat,” Grotius), or it might even refer to the
Pharisees.But the reference is almostcertainly to the friends. Observe the
parallelism betweenοἱ παρʼ αὐτοῦ, ἔλεγον γὰρ, ὅτι ἐξέστη and οἱ γραμματεῖς,
οἱ … ἔλεγον, ὅτι βεελ. ἔχει in Mark 3:22 (Fritzsche points this out in a long
and thorough discussionof the whole passage).— ἐξέστη:various ways of
evading the idea suggestedby this word have been resortedto. It has been
referred to the crowd= the crowd is mad, and won’t let Him alone. Viewedas
referring to Jesus it has been taken = He is exhausted, or He has left the place
= they came to detain Him, for they heard that He was going or had gone.
Both these are suggestedby Euthy. Zig. Doubtless the reference is to Jesus,
and the meaning that in the opinion of His friends He was in a state of
excitement bordering on insanity (cf. Mark 2:12, Mark 5:42, Mark 6:51).
δαίμονα ἔχει (Theophy.) is too strong, though the Jews apparently identified
insanity with possession. Festus saidof St. Paul: “Much learning doth make
thee mad”. The friends of Jesus thought that much benevolence had put Him
into a state of enthusiasm dangerous to the health both of body and mind.
Note:Christ’s healing ministry createda need for theories about it. Herod
had his theory (Matthew 14), the friends of Jesus had theirs, and the Pharisees
theirs: John redivivus, disorderedmind, Satanic possession. Thatwhich called
forth so many theories must have been a greatfact.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/mark-3.html. 1897-1910.
George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary
===============================
[BIBLIOGRAPHY]
Sui, Greek:oi par autou.
===============================
[BIBLIOGRAPHY]

In furorem versus est, Greek:exeste;the word Greek:existasthai, is extra se
esse, from which cometh the word ecstacy. See 2 Corinthians v. 13, where St.
Paul useth the same Greek word.
====================
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Haydock, George Leo. "Commentaryon Mark 3:21". "GeorgeHaydock's
Catholic Bible Commentary".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hcc/mark-3.html. 1859.
E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes
friends = kinsfolk. "His brethren, and His mother" (see Mark 3:31).
went out = setout.
they said = they were saying (Imperf. Tense):i.e. maintained (as we say).

beside Himself = out of His senses.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bullinger, Ethelbert William. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "E.W.
Bullinger's Companion bible Notes".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bul/mark-3.html. 1909-1922.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
(21) And when his friends . . .—Literally, those from Him—i.e., from His
home. As the “mother and the brethren” are mentioned later on in the
chapter as coming to check His teaching, we must see in these some whom
they had sent with the same object. To them the new course of actionon which
our Lord had enteredseemeda sign of over-excitement, recklesslyrushing
into danger. We may, perhaps, see in the random word thus uttered that
which gave occasionto the more malignant taunt of the scribes in the next
verse. They were saying now, as they said afterwards (John 10:20), “He hath a
devil, and is mad.”
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Ellicott, Charles John. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "Ellicott's Commentary
for EnglishReaders".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/ebc/mark-3.html. 1905.
Treasuryof Scripture Knowledge
when
Some render, "And they who were with him (in the house, ver. 19,)hearing
(the noise)went out to restrain, ([ochlos (oàxlov)] the multitude,) for they said,
It (the mob) is mad." This, however, is contrary to all the versions;and
appears an unnatural construction.
friends
or, kinsmen.
31; John 7:3-10
He is
2 Kings 9:11; Jeremiah29:26;Hosea 9:7; John 10:20;Acts 26:24;2
Corinthians 5:13
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Torrey, R. A. "Commentary on Mark 3:21". "The Treasuryof Scripture
Knowledge". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tsk/mark-
3.html.
The Bible Study New Testament
When his family heard about this. Since the brothers of Jesus did not believe
in him at this time (John 7:5), they may have thought he had gone insane with
an unhealthy excitement, when they hearof the crowds of people and all that
was happening. (See Mark 3:31.)
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
BRUCE HURT MD
Mark 3:21 When His own people heard of this, they went out to take custody
of Him; for they were saying, “He has lostHis senses.”
NET Mark 3:21 When his family heard this they went out to restrain him, for
they said, "He is out of his mind."

GNT Mark 3:21 καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐξῆλθον κρατῆσαι αὐτόν·
ἔλεγον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξέστη.
NLT Mark 3:21 When his family heard what was happening, they tried to
take him away. "He's out of his mind," they said.
KJV Mark 3:21 And when his friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on
him: for they said, He is beside himself.
ESV Mark 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for
they were saying, "He is out of his mind."
NIV Mark 3:21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of
him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."
ASV Mark 3:21 And when his friends heard it, they went out to lay hold on
him: for they said, He is beside himself.
CSB Mark 3:21 When His family heard this, they set out to restrain Him,
because they said, "He's out of His mind."
NKJ Mark 3:21 But when His ownpeople heard about this, they went out to
lay hold of Him, for they said, "He is out of His mind."
NRS Mark 3:21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for
people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind."

YLT Mark 3:21 and his friends having heard, went forth to lay hold on him,
for they said that he was beside himself,
NAB Mark 3:21 When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for
they said, "He is out of his mind."
NJB Mark 3:21 When his relations heard of this, they setout to take charge
of him; they said, 'He is out of his mind.'
GWN Mark 3:21 When his family heard about it, they went to get him. They
said, "He's out of his mind!"
BBE Mark 3:21 And when his friends had news of it, they went out to get
him, saying, He is off his head.
His own people, Mk 3:31 Joh 7:3-10
He is: 2Ki 9:11 Jer 29:26 Ho 9:7 Joh 10:20 Ac 26:24 2Co 5:13
Mark 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries
WELL-MEANING, BUT MISGUIDED
INTERFERENCEBY JESUS'FAMILY
You have probably heard the classic trilemma apologetic thatJesus is either
"LIAR, LUNATIC, OR LORD," made famous by C S Lewis (see below)
Mark 3:20-29 illustrates these three possible choices.

When His own people heard of this - Who are His own people? Literally
“those from the side of Him.” This almost certainly refers to His family which
is how most versions render it, for "the idiom most likely means the
kinspeople or family of Jesus as is common in the LXX." (Robertson) This
interpretation is supported by the context for Mark 3:31 "His mother and His
brothers arrived, and standing outside they sent word to Him and called
Him." Heard what? What had Jesus'family heard? Some commentators
think this refers only to the immediate contextbecause His own people heard
He was not able to eatand/or was not giving considerationto His own needs,
which one commentator says prompted His family to be concernedthat He
was failing to care for Himself (Liefeld, EBC). While that is possible, it is also
likely what they had heard was that He was teaching that He was God(Mark
2:5+), that He could forgive sin (Mark 2:10+), not to mention that He had
been casting out demons and the demons were identifying Him as “the Holy
One of God” (Mk 1:24+) or “the Son of God” (Mk 3:11+). Those Jews who
had witnessedthese exorcisms heardthese demonic declarations and seenthe
effectof casting out demons with their owneyes. And keepin mind that John
tells us "not even His brothers were believing in Him." (Jn 7:5) So you can
just imagine their reactionwhen they heard He was teaching that He was
God!
They went out to take custody of Him - NLT - "they tried to take him away,"
which bring to mind having someone "committed" to a mental institute!
Wuest says "Theywere intending to take Him by force and againstHis will."
They went out indicates that they were not at the home. Possiblyas some say
they made the trek from nearby Nazareth, but this is conjecture.
Take custody(seize)(2902)(krateo fromkratos = strength) has basic meaning
be strong or possesspowerand thus means to take hold of, grasp, hold fast,
especiallyto “take hold of forcibly” in this case referring to His own people,
probably His own family. Mark uses it of the arrestof John the Baptist (Mk

6:17) Krateo is used of arresting someone seventimes in Mark (Mk 6:17; Mk
12:12;Mk 14:1, 44, 46, 49, 51 - all the other uses in Mark - Mk. 1:31; Mk.
3:21; Mk. 5:41; Mk. 7:3; Mk. 7:4; Mk. 7:8; Mk. 9:10; Mk. 9:27) to give you a
sense oftheir resolve to remove Him from His current conditions. Eight of 15
uses in Mark refer to Jesus being seized (including His arrest).
For (gar) is a term of explanation, in context explaining why His own had
come to seize Him and forcibly take Him away.
They calledthe famous evangelistD L Moody"Crazy Moody"
because ofhis zealfor the Lord and evangelismof the lost
-- Alan Carr
Craig Evans - The truly odd feature is the notation that his family, who have
come from Nazareth, respond by trying to take custody of Him (lit. “seize
him”). The evangelistexplains that Jesus’family were saying that he was mad
(lit. “outside of himself”)—and it is his family who saythis, not the excited
crowdwhom Jesus will later identify as his true family, nor the scribes who
hold to a much more sinisteropinion. Accusations ofmadness were sometimes
made againstprophets, exorcists, andhealers. One of the Sibyls complains of
being called a “crazyliar,” yet she knows that she will be vindicated when her
words come to pass (Sib. Or. 3:811–818). Too much learning, it was thought,
could lead to madness (Acts 26:24:“Paul, you are out of your mind! Your
greatlearning is driving you mad”; Alciphron, Letters of Courtesans, “Thais
to Euthydemus” 1.34.1–2:“… ever since you took it into your head to study
philosophy you have put on airs.… You have gone mad …”). (BKBC - Mt-Lk)
Ray Stedman - Here are two reactions to Jesus, to the intensity of his ministry.
He gave himself so totally to this ministry to these crowds that he had no time

even to eat. His friends heard about this and were disturbed. The word
translated "friends" really means "relatives" -- literally, "those from beside
him." We learn from the latter part of the chapter that it is actually his
mother and his brothers. They are up in Nazareth and word reaches them
that he is not taking care of himself. He is not eating properly. He is not
sleeping properly. His health is threatened. So they leave Nazarethand come
to try to put him under restraint. Their feeling is that he has gone crazy, that
he is "beside himself" -- literally, "outside himself" -- as a result of his
concernfor the hurt of the world. Now, Jesus willhandle that
misapprehension at the end of this account. (False Forces Mark 3:7-35)
They were saying, “He has lost His senses - Saying is imperfect tense
indicating they were saying this repeatedly! Sadly his own family thought
Jesus was suffering a mental break down! Has lostHis senses is one word in
Greek (existemi below)which is more literally "He was beside Himself" or out
of His head. His own family felt He was not acting rationally and/or that He
was unbalanced. A similar charge was made by Festus againstPaul (Acts
26:24+ - "out of your mind" = mainomai) In 2 Cor 5:13+ Paul wrote "Forif
we are beside ourselves (NET = "out of our minds," = existemi), it is for God;
if we are of sound mind, it is for you."
Much madness is divinest sense
To a discerning eye;
Much sense the starkestmadness.
’Tis the majority
In this, as all, prevails.
Assent, and you are sane;
Demur—you’re straightwaydangerous,
And handled with a chain.

-- Emily Dickinson
William Lane notes that "Mark frequently inserts an event or narrative
betweentwo phases of some actionof Jesus. This literary device is effective for
indicating a lapse of time, for dramatically heightening the tension, or for
drawing attention to a significantparallel or contrast. The first instance of
intercalationoccurs in this section:the narrative dealing with Jesus’family
(Mk 3:20f., 31–35)is divided by the accountof the Beelzebulcontroversy(Mk
3:22–30). The insertion of the incident involving the scribes from Jerusalem
betweenthe earlierand later phases of the family narrative is deliberate. It
suggeststhat those in Jesus’family who declare that he is mad (Mk 3:21) are
not unlike the scribes who attribute his extraordinary powers to an alliance
with Beelzebul, the prince of the demons (Mk 3:22). The parallel is sharply
emphasized by Mark’s formulation of the charges againstJesusin verses 21
and 30:verse 21 “for they [his family] said, He is beside Himself.” verse 30
“for they [the scribes]said, He has an unclean spirit.” (NICNT-Mark)
Brooks adds that "Mark 3:20–35 is the first clearinstance in the Gospelof
intercalationor bracketing or sandwiching, a literary and theologicaldevice
used to indicate a lapse of time, heighten tension, draw attention to, contrast,
and most importantly to use two accounts to interpret eachother." (NAC-
Mark)
Lost His senses(1839)(existemifrom ek = out + hístemi = to stand) literally
means to stand outside oneselfand thus to be beside oneself. The ideas include
to throw out of position, to displace, to amaze, astonish, throw into
wonderment, and existemi is "usedin the classicsofthe actof driving one out
of his senses,throwing one out of his mind." (Wuest) Used 4x by Mark most
often the idea of amazement or astonishment in the other 13 NT uses -
Everyone was "amazed" when the paralyzed man arose (Mk 2:12), they were
"astounded" when the 12 yo girl was resurrectedfrom the dead (Mk 5:42);

His disciples in the boat in the storm were "astonished" whenthe wind
stopped as He gotinto the boat with them. (Mk 6:51). Lane adds that the use
in Mark "describes one who is ecstatic in the sense ofpsychic derangement."
(Ibid)
Hiebert quotes Hurtado who writes “In recentyears we have heard stories of
other families who have attempted to dissuade family members (usually young
adults) from fervent religious or political associations, sometimes forciblyin
what is popularly calleddeprogramming, usually in the belief that their loved
ones have been ‘brain-washed’ and are not in control of their minds. Seenin
this light, the passagebefore us has a familiar human ring in it.” (Ibid)
J C Ryle has a goodword on the accusationthat Jesus had lostHis senses -
There is nothing in this fact that need surprise us. The prophet who came to
anoint Jehu was calleda “mad fellow.” (2 Kings 9:11.) Festus told Paul that he
was “mad.” (Acts 26:24+ mad = Greek word mania = insanity) Few things
show the corruption of human nature more clearly, than man’s inability to
understand zeal in religion. Zeal about money, or science, orwar, or
commerce, or business, is intelligible to the world. But zealabout religion is
too often reckonedfoolishness, fanaticism, and the sign of a weak mind. If a
man injures his health by study, or excessive attentionto business, no fault is
found:—“He is a diligent man.”—But if he wears himself out with preaching,
or spends his whole time in doing goodto souls, the cry is raised, “He is an
enthusiast and righteous over-much.” The world is not altered. The “things of
the Spirit” are always “foolishnessto the natural man.” (1 Cor. 2:14.) Let it
not shake our faith, if we have to drink of the same cup as our blessedLord.
Hard as it may be to flesh and blood to be misunderstood by our relations, we
must recollectit is no new thing. Let us call to mind our Lord’s words, “He
that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me.” Jesus
knows the bitterness of our trials. Jesus feels for us. Jesus will give us help.
Let us bear patiently the unreasonablenessofunconverted men, even as our
Lord did. Let us pity their blindness and want of knowledge, andnot love

them one whit the less. Above all, let us pray that God would change their
hearts. Who can tell but the very persons who now try to turn us awayfrom
Christ, may one day become new creatures, see allthings differently, and
follow Christ themselves?
C S Lewis in his classic Mere Christianity made the famous quote about Jesus
"Liar, Lunatic or Lord?" -
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people
often say about Him: I'm ready to acceptJesus as a great moral teacher, but I
don't accepthis claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man
who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus saidwould not be a
greatmoral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man
who says he is a poachedegg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You
must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a
madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you canspit at
him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and
God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a
greathuman teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. ...
Now it seems to me obvious that He was neither a lunatic nor a fiend: and
consequently, howeverstrange or terrifying or unlikely it may seem, I have to
acceptthe view that He was and is God.
JoshMcDowell -LORD, LIAR OR LUNATIC?
The distinct claims of Jesus to be God eliminate the popular ploy of skeptics
who regardJesus as just a goodmoral man or a prophet who said a lot of
profound things. So often that conclusionis passedoff as the only one
acceptable to scholars oras the obvious result of the intellectual process. The

Jesus was thought to be crazy

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