2 March 2010
Psalm 61, 62; Gen. 42:1-17; 1 Cor. 5:1-8; Mark 3:19b-35

Joseph is testing his brothers to see if they are still the same men who sold him into slavery. We can only imagine the thoughts that ran through his mind when he saw these men coming to buy food. They would never have imagined that this powerful man was their brother. His accusation against them is that they have come to spy out the nakedness of the land, that Egypt was vulnerable from the famine, suggesting that it was possible that these men had come to determine whether or not the land could be conquered. Later, Israel will send out spies into Canaan not to see the nakedness of the land, but to see its fruitfulness. Joseph’s test is designed to get everyone together in Egypt, but first to make sure that these haven’t done to Benjamin, his biological full brother, as they have done to him.

The leaders see the people going out after Jesus and determine to discredit him in their eyes by ascribing His work to Beelzebul. They want power and when the people begin to leave them they realize that their power is coming to an end. Jesus speaks in a simple, easily understood parable and concludes with a warning concerning the unpardonable sin. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit involves seeing Him at work and saying it is the work of an unholy spirit. We must be careful to distinguish between spirits as satan is able to counterfeit the work of the Spirit and the test is to whom does the work give glory. Does the work attach people to Jesus or to themselves as the leaders want here. Finally, Jesus redefines “family” in terms of doing the will of God. We are meant to be family to one another in a deeper way than we most often find in churches.

Paul exercises church discipline. Most churches don’t do this at all in spite of the reformation’s insistence that it is one of the marks of the true church. We don’t see Paul speaking of this often, generally in the case of a “notorious sin.” Tolerance of sin in the body is akin to tolerance of cancer, the way to deal with it is to excise it. Paul’s concern here remains for the sinner, he is to be outcast from the community so that satan may deal with the flesh in order that his soul may be saved. We would do well to remember that we are dealing with people’s souls and our ultimate concern is the salvation of the person. Being excluded from the community until repentance is made and reconciliation is possible is often the best remedy for such problems, as painful as it is to do this. Sin must be dealt with ruthlessly, not sinners.

Hear my cry, O God,
listen to my prayer;
from the end of the earth I call to you
when my heart is faint.
Lead me to the rock
that is higher than I,
for you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the enemy.