Mark 3: 20-30, Beelzebub and Blasphemy

Jesus has just appointed twelve disciples.

Mark 3: 20-22, Beelzebub and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 
21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”

22 And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

As the ministry of Jesus gains speed and popularity, he gets pushback from even his family (or closest associates) and, of course, the religious leaders traveling north from Jerusalem. Both accusations are strong, but the one of the religious leaders is especially damaging, as it suggests that Jesus does indeed have power, but of the wrong type!

NIV footnotes: "family"in verse 21 could simply mean "his associates".  

Beelzebub is an old Jewish term for Satan, probably associated with the Canaanite god Baal.

Mark 3: 23-27, Beelzebub and good works

So Jesus called them over to him and began to speak to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 
25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 
26 And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come. 
27 In fact, no one can enter a strong man’s house without first tying him up. Then he can plunder the strong man’s house. 

Jesus ridicules the claim that the good he is doing can be attributed to evil.

Couldn’t Satan fool people by pretending to be on the wrong side, by driving out demons?  (I don’t completely understand Jesus’ answer.)

Mark 3: 28-30, Beelzebub and blasphemy against the Holy Spirit

28 Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, 
29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”

30 He said this because they were saying, “He has an impure spirit.”