Gospel for the Day: Name-calling

After reading today's Gospel and after reading last Saturday's Gospel, I think I'll start a little project and list down all the derogatory names Jesus was called or the outrageous claims about him.


Today, that list will include the following:

• He is possessed by Beelzebul. Mark 3:22
• By the prince of demons he drives out demons. Mark 3:22
• He has an unclean spirit.Mark. 3:30

The Gospel for last Saturday isn't something that we hear often but it's worth reproducing here in full:

Jesus came with his disciples into the house.
Again the crowd gathered,
making it impossible for them even to eat.
When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, 
for they said, "He is out of his mind." 

Mark 3:20-21 (emphasis mine)

Elsewhere, Jesus is called a drunk and a glutton. 


Of course he was called nice things by others. Since I started this exercise, I've noticed that Jesus has been called nice things by blind men. Peter called him the Messiah (was he the only mainstream character to do so and was that why Jesus was so happy?) And even evil spirits recognized him as the Son of God. 


I guess it's also important to note who says what. It seems that his relatives and those threatened by his presence like the Pharisees and Sadducees call him names. And evil spirits, who are fully self-aware unlike humans, recognize him for who he really is.