The Meaning of Mark 3:11 Explained

Mark 3:11

KJV: And unclean spirits, when they saw him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

YLT: and the unclean spirits, when they were seeing him, were falling down before him, and were crying, saying -- 'Thou art the Son of God;'

Darby: And the unclean spirits, when they beheld him, fell down before him, and cried saying, Thou art the Son of God.

ASV: And the unclean spirits, whensoever they beheld him, fell down before him, and cried, saying, Thou art the Son of God.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  unclean  spirits,  when  they saw  him,  fell down before  him,  and  cried,  saying,  Thou  art  the Son  of God. 

What does Mark 3:11 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 3:1-19 - The Lord Of The Sabbath
The ritualist demands the outward, the conventional, the ancient usage of the past. Christ says, "Be natural." The needs of man, whether of body or of soul, are greater than ceremonial restriction. Ceremonies are only expressions of life, and where life is wanting, they are meaningless and void.
The withered hand, Mark 3:1-6. Through long disuse of powers which God has given, but which we have refrained from exercising, degeneration may have set in; Christ, however, bids us exert them again. In so far as we dare to obey, we shall find ourselves able. Dare to speak, or pray, or work, not at the impulse of your nature, but at His bidding, and you will suddenly find yourself given power.
The Apostolate, Mark 2:7-19. On three occasions Christ used the boat as His pulpit, Mark 4:1; Luke 5:3. We must be disciples (learners), before we can be apostles (those sent). As the Father sent the Master, so the Master sends us. Our mission is threefold-to bear Him company, to perform His errands, and to cast out devils. What infinite variety in the apostolic band! The Boanergic group of four; the group of questioners who were sometimes doubters; and the group of practical men, whose business capacity was a snare at least to one. If there was a traitor even amid the Twelve, who can expect to find his fields free from tares? [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 3

1  Jesus heals the withered hand,
10  and many other infirmities;
11  rebukes the unclean spirit;
13  chooses his twelve apostles;
22  convinces the blasphemy of casting out demons by Beelzebub;
31  and shows who are his brother, sister, and mother

Greek Commentary for Mark 3:11

Whensoever they beheld him [οταν αυτον ετεωρουν]
Imperfect indicative with οταν — hotan of repeated action. They kept falling down before him (προσεπιπτον — prosepipton) and crying, (εκραζον — ekrazon) and he kept charging or rebuking (επιτιμα — epitimā) them, all imperfects. The unclean spirits (demons) recognize Jesus as the Son of God, as before. Jesus charged them not to make him known as he had also done before. He did not wish this testimony. It was a most exciting ordeal and is given only by Mark. Note non-final use of ινα — hina f0). [source]
The unclean spirits [τὰ]
The article indicating those particular spirits which took part in that scene. Mark's precision is shown in the use of the two articles and in the arrangement of the noun and adjective: The spirits, the unclean ones. [source]
When they saw [ὅταν ἐθεώρουν]
More accurately as Rev., whenever they beheld. The imperfect tense denotes a repeated act. The ἄν in ὅταν gives an indefinite force: as often as they might see him. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 3:11

Mark 5:5 He was crying out, and cutting himself with stones [ην κραζων και κατακοπτων εαυτον λιτοις]
Further vivid details by Mark. Night and day his loud scream or screech could be heard like other demoniacs (cf. Mark 1:26; Mark 3:11; Mark 9:26). The verb for cutting himself occurs here only in the N.T., though an old verb. It means to cut down (perfective use of κατα — katȧ). We say cut up, gash, hack to pieces. Perhaps he was scarred all over with such gashes during his moments of wild frenzy night and day in the tombs and on the mountains. Periphrastic imperfect active with ην — ēn and the participles. [source]
John 1:34 I have seen [εωρακα]
Present perfect active of οραω — horaō John repeats the statement of John 1:32 Have borne witness Perfect active indicative of μαρτυρεω — martureō for which verb see John 1:32. This is the Son of God The Baptist saw the Spirit come on Jesus at his baptism and undoubtedly heard the Father‘s voice hail him as “My Beloved Son” (Mark 1:11; Matthew 3:17; Luke 3:22). Nathanael uses it as a Messianic title (John 1:49) as does Martha (John 11:27). The Synoptics use it also of Christ (Mark 3:11; Matthew 14:33; Luke 22:70). Caiaphas employs it to Christ as a Messianic title (Matthew 26:63) and Jesus confessed under oath that he was (verse Matthew 26:64), thus applying the term to himself as he does in John‘s Gospel (John 5:25; John 10:36; John 11:4) and by implication (the Father, the Son) in Matthew 11:27 (Luke 10:22). Hence in the Synoptics also Jesus calls himself the Son of God. The phrase means more than just Messiah and expresses the peculiar relation of the Son to the Father (John 3:18; John 5:25; John 17:5; John 19:7; John 20:31) like that of the Logos with God in John 1:1. [source]
Acts 16:17 The Most High God [του τεου του υπσιστου]
Pagan inscriptions use this language for the Supreme Being. It looks like supernatural testimony like that borne by the demoniacs to Jesus as “son of the Most High God” (Luke 8:28. Cf; also Mark 1:24; Mark 3:11; Matthew 8:29; Luke 4:41, etc.). She may have heard Paul preach about Jesus as the way of salvation. [source]
Acts 8:7 For many [πολλοι γαρ]
So the correct text of the best MSS., but there is an anacoluthon as this nominative has no verb with it. It was “the unclean spirits” that “came out” The margin of the Revised Version has it “came forth,” as if they came out of a house, a rather strained translation. The loud outcry is like the demons cast out by Jesus (Mark 3:11; Luke 4:41). [source]
Galatians 4:6 Crying [κρᾶζον]
A strong word, expressing deep emotion. The verb originally represents the sound of a croak or harsh scream; thence, generally, an inarticulate cry; an exclamation of fear or pain. The cry of an animal. So Aristoph. Knights, 1017, of the barking of a dog: 285,287, of two men in a quarrel, trying to bawl each other down: Frogs, 258, of the croaking of frogs. This original sense appears in N.T. usage, as Matthew 14:26; Matthew 15:23; Matthew 27:50; Mark 5:5, etc., and is recognized even where the word is used in connection with articulate speech, by adding to it the participles λέγων, λέγοντες sayingor διδάσκων teachingSee Matthew 8:29; Matthew 15:22; Mark 3:11; John 7:28, etc. In Mark 10:47the inarticulate cry and the articulate utterance are distinguished. At the same time, the word is often used of articulate speech without such additions, as Mark 10:48; Mark 11:9; Mark 15:13, Mark 15:14; Luke 18:39; Acts 7:60; Acts 19:34; Romans 8:15. It falls into more dignified association in lxx, where it is often used of prayer or appeal to God, as 4:3; 6:7; Psalm 21:2,5; 27:1,54:16; and in N.T., where it is applied to solemn, prophetic utterance, as Romans href="/desk/?q=ro+9:27&sr=1">Romans 9:27; John 1:15, and is used of Jesus himself, as John 7:28, John 7:37; John 12:44, and of the Holy Spirit, as here. The Spirit gives the inspiration of which the believer is the organ. In Romans 8:15the statement is inverted. The believer cries under the power of the Spirit. [source]
Revelation 16:13 Of the dragon [του δρακοντος]
That is Satan (Revelation 12:3, Revelation 12:9).Of the beast (του τηριου — tou thēriou). The first beast (Revelation 13:1, Revelation 13:12) and then just the beast (Revelation 13:14.; Revelation 14:9, Revelation 14:11; Revelation 15:2; Revelation 16:2, Revelation 16:10), the brute force of the World-power represented by the Roman Empire” (Swete).Of the false prophet Cf. Matthew 7:15; Acts 13:6; 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7. Identified with the second beast (Revelation 13:11-14) in Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10. So the sixth bowl introduces the dragon and his two subalterns of chapters Rev 12; 13 (the two beasts).Three unclean spirits (πνευματα τρια ακαταρτα — pneumata tria akatharta). Out of the mouths of each of the three evil powers (the dragon and the two beasts) comes an evil spirit. See the use of mouth in Revelation 1:16 (Revelation 9:17.; Revelation 11:5; Revelation 12:15; Revelation 19:15, Revelation 19:21) as a chief seat of influence. In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 we have “the breath of his mouth” (the other sense of πνευμα — pneuma). For ακαταρτον — akatharton (unclean) with πνευμα — pneuma see Mark 1:23.; Mark 3:11; Mark 5:2.; Acts 5:16; Acts 8:7. Christ expelled unclean spirits, but His enemies send them forth” (Swete). See Zechariah 13:2 “the false prophets and the unclean spirits.”As it were frogs Cf. Exodus 8:5; Leviticus 11:10. Old word, here alone in N.T. Like loathsome frogs in form. [source]
Revelation 16:13 Three unclean spirits [πνευματα τρια ακαταρτα]
Out of the mouths of each of the three evil powers (the dragon and the two beasts) comes an evil spirit. See the use of mouth in Revelation 1:16 (Revelation 9:17.; Revelation 11:5; Revelation 12:15; Revelation 19:15, Revelation 19:21) as a chief seat of influence. In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 we have “the breath of his mouth” (the other sense of πνευμα — pneuma). For ακαταρτον — akatharton (unclean) with πνευμα — pneuma see Mark 1:23.; Mark 3:11; Mark 5:2.; Acts 5:16; Acts 8:7. Christ expelled unclean spirits, but His enemies send them forth” (Swete). See Zechariah 13:2 “the false prophets and the unclean spirits.” [source]
Revelation 8:1 And when he opened [και οταν ηνοιχεν]
Here modal αν — an is used with οτε — hote (used about the opening of the preceding six seals), but οταν — hotan is not here rendered more indefinite, as is sometimes true (Mark 3:11; Revelation 4:9), but here and possibly (can be repetition) in Mark 11:19 it is a particular instance, not a general rule (Robertson, Grammar, p. 973). [source]
Revelation 16:13 Of the false prophet [του πσευδοπροπητου]
Cf. Matthew 7:15; Acts 13:6; 1 John 2:22; 1 John 4:3; 2 John 1:7. Identified with the second beast (Revelation 13:11-14) in Revelation 19:20; Revelation 20:10. So the sixth bowl introduces the dragon and his two subalterns of chapters Rev 12; 13 (the two beasts).Three unclean spirits (πνευματα τρια ακαταρτα — pneumata tria akatharta). Out of the mouths of each of the three evil powers (the dragon and the two beasts) comes an evil spirit. See the use of mouth in Revelation 1:16 (Revelation 9:17.; Revelation 11:5; Revelation 12:15; Revelation 19:15, Revelation 19:21) as a chief seat of influence. In 2 Thessalonians 2:8 we have “the breath of his mouth” (the other sense of πνευμα — pneuma). For ακαταρτον — akatharton (unclean) with πνευμα — pneuma see Mark 1:23.; Mark 3:11; Mark 5:2.; Acts 5:16; Acts 8:7. Christ expelled unclean spirits, but His enemies send them forth” (Swete). See Zechariah 13:2 “the false prophets and the unclean spirits.”As it were frogs Cf. Exodus 8:5; Leviticus 11:10. Old word, here alone in N.T. Like loathsome frogs in form. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 3:11 mean?

And the spirits - unclean whenever Him they beheld were falling down before Him crying out saying - You are the Son - of God
καὶ τὰ πνεύματα τὰ ἀκάθαρτα ὅταν αὐτὸν ἐθεώρουν προσέπιπτον αὐτῷ ἔκραζον λέγοντα ὅτι Σὺ εἶ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ

πνεύματα  spirits 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: πνεῦμα  
Sense: a movement of air (a gentle blast.
τὰ  - 
Parse: Article, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἀκάθαρτα  unclean 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: ἀκάθαρτος  
Sense: not cleansed, unclean.
ὅταν  whenever 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅταν  
Sense: when, whenever, as long as, as soon as.
ἐθεώρουν  they  beheld 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: θεωρέω  
Sense: to be a spectator, look at, behold.
προσέπιπτον  were  falling  down  before 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: προσπίπτω  
Sense: to fall forwards, fall down, prostrate one’s self before, in homage or supplication: at one’s feet.
ἔκραζον  crying  out 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: κράζω  
Sense: to croak.
λέγοντα  saying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Neuter Plural
Root: λέγω 
Sense: to say, to speak.
ὅτι  - 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
Υἱὸς  Son 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: υἱός  
Sense: a son.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.