David Bahn – Reflections

Mark 3:20-22

Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. ²¹ And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

²² And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.”

“Liar, lunatic, or Lord” is the trilemma (a three-way conundrum) proposed by C.S. Lewis in regard to the identity and character of Jesus. This conundrum is at least hinted at in these three verses from Mark’s gospel. Jesus’ family think of him as out of his mind – a lunatic. The scribes accuse him of being a tool of the devil – a liar. Jesus, however, is Lord. And as such he takes on their false claims and points people to the Father and our calling to be his brothers and sisters by doing the will of God.

Some dispute the logical integrity of the liar, lunatic, or Lord proposition. I’m certain there are arguments to be made on all sides of that argument. But there is a greater issue at stake here that has to do with our propensity to put God “in the dock” as C. S. Lewis would say (the term referring to the place in British court reserved for the defendant). This analogy made by Lewis suggests that modern human beings, rather than seeing themselves as standing before God in judgment, prefer to place God on trial acting as his judge.

We should, in fact, judge teachers and teachings about God and Jesus. We should test them against Scripture. We should consider whether what we are being taught stands the truth test. But we should also remain humble before God and seek to understand him on his own terms – rather than making him stand trial on our own terms.

This is a tricky proposition. But Jesus’ answer to these accusations is two-fold. One is philosophical: A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. The other is the simple fact that Jesus rose from the dead – proof that he is the Son of God. What remains is for us to consider ourselves against his teachings – not the other way around.

Jesus is no liar – he is truth incarnate. He is no lunatic – he is wisdom in the flesh. Jesus is Lord: this is the confession of those moved by the Holy Spirit to acknowledge his redemption and kingship. He is not “in the dock.” He does not answer to us. We – and all flesh – will give an account to him. And in the end every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.

Mark 3:20-34

Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. ²¹ And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”

²² And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” ²³ And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? ²⁴ If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. ²⁵ And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. ²⁶ And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. ²⁷ But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.Then indeed he may plunder his house.

²⁸ “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, ²⁹ but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— ³⁰ for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”

³¹ And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. ³² And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” ³³ And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” ³⁴ And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ³⁵ For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”