Did Jesus' family think he was going crazy?

Caroljeen

Well-known member
What is the more appropriate translation of Mark 3:21?

Did Jesus' family think he had lost his mind or did the people accuse him of losing his mind?


Mark 3:21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” NRSVUE

Mark 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” ESV
 
What is the more appropriate translation of Mark 3:21?

Did Jesus' family think he had lost his mind or did the people accuse him of losing his mind?


Mark 3:21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” NRSVUE

Mark 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” ESV
The people making the claim caused them to act as if he had lost his mind. There is no other reason for them to seek to restrain or seize him.
 
What is the more appropriate translation of Mark 3:21?

Did Jesus' family think he had lost his mind or did the people accuse him of losing his mind?


Mark 3:21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” NRSVUE

Mark 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” ESV
I think that the ESV is most likely correct. If you read the text with the next verse it appears that we have an account about what his family was saying and an additional account of what some others were saying. The context of the entire passage also seems to indicate that he didn't consider his family to have the correct understanding of who he was or else they would be supporting his work on his mission from the Father.
"καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἐξῆλθον κρατῆσαι αὐτόν· ἔλεγον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξέστη. Καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς οἱ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων καταβάντες ἔλεγον ὅτι Βεελζεβοὺλ ἔχει καὶ ὅτι ἐν τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια."
"And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, 'He is out of his mind.' 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.'"
 
I think that the ESV is most likely correct. If you read the text with the next verse it appears that we have an account about what his family was saying and an additional account of what some others were saying. The context of the entire passage also seems to indicate that he didn't consider his family to have the correct understanding of who he was or else they would be supporting his work on his mission from the Father.
"καὶ ἀκούσαντες οἱ παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἐξῆλθον κρατῆσαι αὐτόν· ἔλεγον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξέστη. Καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς οἱ ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων καταβάντες ἔλεγον ὅτι Βεελζεβοὺλ ἔχει καὶ ὅτι ἐν τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια."
"And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, 'He is out of his mind.' 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.'"

Why do you suppose his family said he was out of his mind?
Why do you think the NRSVUE translators decided to attribute the crowd/people as saying "he is out of his mind" instead of to his family?
 
Why do you suppose his family said he was out of his mind?
I assume that they thought he was. (Jn. 7:5)
Why do you think the NRSVUE translators decided to attribute the crowd/people as saying "he is out of his mind" instead of to his family?
I don't know. Grammatically, οἱ παρ’ αὐτοῦ is the subject of the sentence with no other subject in view unless one assumes a subject change embedded in the verb ἔλεγον. I don't find this compelling for the reasons I stated above. I guess the most likely reason for the translators decision is that they weren't comfortable with or didn't accept the idea that Jesus's family (perhaps especially his mother v. 31) didn't believe in him.
 
People in 1st century had little understanding of mental health, Perhaps Jesus was Autistic, one will never know.
We will know when we meet him face to face. Why would assume he was autistic? Maybe he didn't like being crushed by crowd of people but he always had compassion on them...feeding them, healing them, taking time to teach them about the kingdom.
 
I assume that they thought he was. (Jn. 7:5)

I don't know. Grammatically, οἱ παρ’ αὐτοῦ is the subject of the sentence with no other subject in view unless one assumes a subject change embedded in the verb ἔλεγον. I don't find this compelling for the reasons I stated above. I guess the most likely reason for the translators decision is that they weren't comfortable with or didn't accept the idea that Jesus's family (perhaps especially his mother v. 31) didn't believe in him.
We know his brothers didn't believe in him. I have a difficult time accepting that his mother would think something like that.
Thank you for your explanation of the Greek.
 
What is in the context of the passage from Mark 3?

Mark 3

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

The Man with a Withered Hand​

3 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They were watching him to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

A Multitude at the Seaside​

7 Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; 8 hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. 9 He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him, 10 for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. 11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.

Jesus Appoints the Twelve​

13 He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve[a] to be with him and to be sent out to preach 15 and to have authority to cast out demons. 16 So he appointed the twelve:[b] Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder), 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who handed him over.

Jesus and Beelzebul​

20 Then he went home, and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” 23 And he called them to him and spoke 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 his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
28 “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

The True Kindred of Jesus​

31 Then his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers[c] are outside asking for you.” 33 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

 

Mark 3​

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition​

The Man with a Withered Hand​

3 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. 2 They were watching him to see whether he would cure him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man who had the withered hand, “Come forward.” 4 Then he said to them, “Is it lawful to do good or to do harm on the Sabbath, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 He looked around at them with anger; he was grieved at their hardness of heart and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately conspired with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.

A Multitude at the Seaside​

7 Jesus departed with his disciples to the sea, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; 8 hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. 9 He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him, 10 for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. 11 Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, “You are the Son of God!” 12 But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.

Jesus Appoints the Twelve​

13 He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve[a] to be with him and to be sent out to preach 15 and to have authority to cast out demons. 16 So he appointed the twelve:[b] Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), 17 James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder), 18 and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19 and Judas Iscariot, who handed him over.

Jesus and Beelzebul​

20 Then he went home, and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” 23 And he called them to him and spoke 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 his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
28 “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”

The True Kindred of Jesus​

31 Then his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers[c] are outside asking for you.” 33 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

I'm not asking to see Mark 3. I'm asking what is relevant to your post. I'm asking what specifically you are referring to, and how or why it's relevant.
 
I'm not asking to see Mark 3. I'm asking what is relevant to your post. I'm asking what specifically you are referring to, and how or why it's relevant.
I'm referring to verse 21. I gave examples of two different translations of the verse. In one version the people are accusing Jesus of being "out of his mind". But the majority of translations have Jesus' family accusing Jesus of being "out of his mind. I was hoping for an answer as to what the Greek actually says.

Mark 3:21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” NRSVUE
Mark 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” ESV
 
I'm referring to verse 21. I gave examples of two different translations of the verse. In one version the people are accusing Jesus of being "out of his mind". But the majority of translations have Jesus' family accusing Jesus of being "out of his mind. I was hoping for an answer as to what the Greek actually says.

Mark 3:21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” NRSVUE
Mark 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” ESV
The first example is more accurate. The second one says the same thing, but I can see how you might interpret "they" to refer to his family. Context is key though so one has to pay attention to what his family "heard" and note that "they were saying" necessarily must refer to what his family heard., not what his family were saying.
 
The first example is more accurate. The second one says the same thing, but I can see how you might interpret "they" to refer to his family. Context is key though so one has to pay attention to what his family "heard" and note that "they were saying" necessarily must refer to what his family heard., not what his family were saying.
Upon further reflection, I take that back. It isn't in the past tense. It's in the imperfect tense. The family is maintaining or saying what they heard. They are repeating the claim that he is beside himself.
 
What is the more appropriate translation of Mark 3:21?

Did Jesus' family think he had lost his mind or did the people accuse him of losing his mind?


Mark 3:21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” NRSVUE

Mark 3:21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” ESV
Sounds like it....but Jesus' mother Mary knew the truth.
 
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