Daily Bread for Mark 3
Jesus' Mother and Brothers
31Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."
33"Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked.
34Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
Observation:
Jesus continues to heal and liberate those harassed by demons. Whenever he withdraws, the people find a way to get to him. He is so crowded at one point, he asks the disciples to have a boat ready to push him out, so the people can’t get to him. And even his family starts to think he has gone a little “cuckoo”.
The Pharisees can’t explain his success, so they attribute his healing and exorcisms to the powers of demons. Jesus points out that Satan can’t fight against himself that would be absurd. He is most offended by this claim because it is calling something done in the power of the Holy Spirit, evil. Jesus says that this kind of blasphemy is unforgiveable. This is a reminder that we should be careful about judging other people’s work. In the end all of our work and intentions will be revealed, but that is for God to judge not us!
Finally, in the above passage Jesus redefines family. In doing this he is not “dissing” his mother and brothers, (apparently Joseph was not in the picture at this time, or he was working) but showing that our true family is in heaven. This doesn’t discount the importance of our family of origin. Those are the places God intends us to see His love and care, and ideally where we are supposed to have faith passed on to us. But as we become a believer; we become part of the family of God. We are invited into the family of the Triune God: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. In this way any other believer is your brother or sister in Christ.
Application:
This explains how when you meet another Christian, you feel a sense of bond with them, even though you haven’t known them for very long. This explains how going to church every Sunday is like connecting with your family of brothers and sisters in Christ.
There are many who have not had the family experience God intended for them. The Church can be an oasis for them and be a place of healing where God can show them what true family is supposed to look like. For those who had good family experiences, they can be leaders in the new community and use their positive experiences to be a role model for others.
The bottom line is that family is at the core of who God is and what he wants for us.
31Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. 32A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."
33"Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked.
34Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."
Observation:
Jesus continues to heal and liberate those harassed by demons. Whenever he withdraws, the people find a way to get to him. He is so crowded at one point, he asks the disciples to have a boat ready to push him out, so the people can’t get to him. And even his family starts to think he has gone a little “cuckoo”.
The Pharisees can’t explain his success, so they attribute his healing and exorcisms to the powers of demons. Jesus points out that Satan can’t fight against himself that would be absurd. He is most offended by this claim because it is calling something done in the power of the Holy Spirit, evil. Jesus says that this kind of blasphemy is unforgiveable. This is a reminder that we should be careful about judging other people’s work. In the end all of our work and intentions will be revealed, but that is for God to judge not us!
Finally, in the above passage Jesus redefines family. In doing this he is not “dissing” his mother and brothers, (apparently Joseph was not in the picture at this time, or he was working) but showing that our true family is in heaven. This doesn’t discount the importance of our family of origin. Those are the places God intends us to see His love and care, and ideally where we are supposed to have faith passed on to us. But as we become a believer; we become part of the family of God. We are invited into the family of the Triune God: Father, Son and the Holy Spirit. In this way any other believer is your brother or sister in Christ.
Application:
This explains how when you meet another Christian, you feel a sense of bond with them, even though you haven’t known them for very long. This explains how going to church every Sunday is like connecting with your family of brothers and sisters in Christ.
There are many who have not had the family experience God intended for them. The Church can be an oasis for them and be a place of healing where God can show them what true family is supposed to look like. For those who had good family experiences, they can be leaders in the new community and use their positive experiences to be a role model for others.
The bottom line is that family is at the core of who God is and what he wants for us.
Prayer: God thank you for my parents and earthly family. Through them you showed me your love and faith in Jesus. I also thank you for my new heavenly family made up of all who believe. I look forward to the family reunion we will have in heaven some day! Amen.
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