1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 sn Most likely synagogues were arranged with benches along the walls and open space in the center for seating on the floor. 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 sn The Herodians are mentioned in the NT only once in Matt (22:16 = Mark 12:13) and twice in Mark (3:6; 12:13; some 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 map For location see Map1-A1; JP3-F3; JP4-F3. 23 24 25 26 27 28 sn The expression up the mountain here may be idiomatic or generic, much like the English “he went to the hospital” (cf. 15:29), or even intentionally reminiscent of Exod 24:12 (LXX), since the genre of the Sermon on the Mount seems to be that of a new Moses giving a new law. 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 tn On the meaning “family” for οἱ παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ (Joi par’ autou), see BDAG 756-57 s.v. παρά A.3.b.β.ב. sn The incident involving the religious leaders accusing Jesus of being in league with the devil (3:22-30) is sandwiched between Mark’s mention of Jesus’ family coming to restrain him (the Greek word for restrain here is also used to mean arrest; see Mark 6:17; 12:12; 14:1, 44, 46, 49, 51) because they thought he was out of his mind (3:21). It is probably Mark’s intention in this structure to show that Jesus’ family is to be regarded as not altogether unlike the experts in the law [scribes] in their perception of the true identity of Jesus; they are incorrect in their understanding of him as well. The tone is obviously one of sadness and the emphasis on Jesus’ true family in vv. 31-35 serves to underscore the comparison between his relatives and the scribes on the one hand, and those who truly obey God on the other. 44 45 46 sn Beelzebul is another name for Satan. So some people recognized Jesus’ work as supernatural, but called it diabolical. 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64