20 Jesus entered a house, and the crowd gathered again
so that they were not even able to eat.
21 When his family heard this, they set out to restrain him,
because they said, “He’s out of his mind.”
22 The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said,
“He is possessed by Beelzebul,”
and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons.”
the reaction of the crowd.
Note that Jesus did not go seeking crowds to follow him.
Family and Scribes
list the reactions of Jesus’s family and the scribes.
Discuss similarities and differences.
Consider why the scribes used the name Beelzebub in referring to Jesus.
Talk about why the scribes may have believed Jesus was working with demonic power.
(3:22) The term Beelzebul was a reference to a false Canaanite god associated with demons.
By the first century, the Jews used it as a name for Satan.
They did not deny the fact that Jesus was able to free people from evil spirits,
but they believed he was using demonic powers to do so.
The religious leaders were quick to share their thoughts on Jesus
and the source of His authority.
Let’s see how Jesus handled the criticism He received.