Mark, Chapters 3 & 4

Chapter 3

Jesus is in the temple on the sabbath day. A man with a withered hand approaches to ask for healing. The Pharisees lean in close, eager to see if Jesus will break the sabbath. He just stares back at them defiantly and heals the dude. The Pharisees go off to find the Herodians to gossip about what a horrible, sabbath-breaking bitch he is.

But Jesus has better things to do, like go on a healing cruise 'round Judea. He drives out all kinds of devils, all of whom recognise him, and all of whom he swears to secrecy.

When Jesus gets tired of shipboard life, he goes mountain-climbing, where he names his twelve disciples. But eventually the people find them and Jesus gets so busy he doesn't have time to eat. His friends say he's insane and the scribes think his ability to drive out devils must be given by the chief devil, Beelzebub, to which he replies How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. (v. 23-26) Then he says that all sins save blasphemy against the Holy Ghost can be forgiven. After the argument, Jesus' mother and brothers show up and ask to talk to him, but he refuses, saying the people around him are his real family.

Chapter 4

Jesus heads down to the beach and starts reciting parables. He tells the one about the sower that we already heard in Matthew, so I'm not going to repeat it. The disciples ask him why he's always gotta say such confusing things, and he says that it's deliberate, lest they convert and be forgiven. Then he tells another parable about candles and secrets that ends with For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath. (v. 25) Then they take yet another cruise and repeat the tempest story.