INSIDE?

I’ve had occasion to mention this particular structure—a ruin, actually—close to Ipoh, Malaysia. Parts of the building are unroofed. Exposed to the elements, inside and out. In fact, sitting on a window, I wondered if I were actually outside or inside. Didn’t seem to be much difference between the two, as far as that building was considered.

Mark disagrees. He made a big deal about “inside” and “outside,” particularly about folks on either side. That’s in Mark 3, where he answers the age-old question: “Who’s on the Lord’s side?”

And He came in home,
and the crowd came together again,
so that they [Jesus + disciples]
were not able to eat bread.
Mark 3:20

Jesus is inside. And the crowds are inside. This latter bunch is out for freebies and largesse, handouts and healings.

… a great multitude,
hearing what he was doing,
came to Him. He healed many,
so that whoever had illnesses
pressed upon Him
in order to touch Him.
Mark 3:8, 10

So, while inside physically, they’re really “outside.”

Then come the relatives. These, surely, are inside. After all, they share genes and stuff.

And when those of His [family] heard,
they went out
to take custody of Him;
for they were saying,
“He is out of His mind.”
… and standing outside,
they sent [word] to Him
and called Him.
Mark 3:21, 31

They accuse Jesus of being—what!—“out” of His mind. OK, strike these folks out—they, too, are outside the house (while being genetically inside), and they really are “outside.”

Now, the last set.

And the scribes

who came down from Jerusalem …
Mark 3:22

They’re from the capital, from the houses of power and buildings of authority. With badges, IDs, ThMs, MDivs. Revs. and Drs. They know their Bibles. Of course, they must be “inside.” And they’re shown talking to Jesus, so they are inside the house, too. But are they really “inside”?

And [they] were saying,
“He has Beelzebul,”
and “By the ruler of the demons,
He casts out demons.”
Mark 3:22

Oh, dear! They’re so far out, they accuse Jesus of being in cahoots with Satan and casting demons … “out.” Since Jesus, they allege is working hand in hand with Satan, He belongs “outside.” Now if they think Jesus belongs “outside,” we know where they themselves belong. “Out” with them!

“Truly, I say to you …
whoever blasphemes
against the Holy Spirit
does not have forgiveness for ever,
but is guilty of an eternal sin.”
Mark 3:28–29

Jesus accuses them of having committed an unpardonable sin—completely perverting truth and repudiating the saving grace of God. For such an outright rejection of God, there can be no forgiveness. They had slapped God in the face! You will never be forgiven. You will never enter. You will forever remain … “outside.”

So there they go: inside, but “outside.”

Anyone left on the Lord’s side—“inside”?

And looking around at those
sitting around Him in a circle,
He [Jesus] said, “Behold my mother
and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God,
he is My brother
and sister and mother.”
Mark 3:33–35

That’s it. The “inside” circle. Not crowds—they’re (physically) inside, but “outside.” Not the relatives—they, too, are (genetically) inside, but “outside.” Not the clerical bigwigs—they, also, are (religiously) inside, but “outside.” The “inside” circle—the real “insiders”—are those who do the will of God, whose who are in obedience to God’s Word.

“If you love Me,
you will keep My commandments.”
John 14:15

Where are you? “Inside” or “outside”?