Jesus Names His True Family in a Crowded HouseBible World
3:35Mark 3:35
For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
Jesus spoke these words at a time of intense pressure, when He spent whole nights in prayer and by day was thronged by great companies so that He had no time even to eat, while His friends thought incessant labor was wearing Him out and some feared His reason was unsettled, and while the Pharisees charged that He cast out devils through the power of Satan. His brothers were far from sympathy with His work, felt keenly the reproach of relation to Him, knew the tumult His words and works created, were alarmed at His bold statements and indignant at His denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, and decided He must be persuaded or constrained to cease that manner of labor, inducing Mary to unite with them to use His love for her to make Him more prudent. He was still teaching the people when His disciples brought Him word that His mother and His brothers were outside wanting to see Him, and knowing what was in their hearts He asked who His mother and His brothers were, then stretched out His hand toward His disciples and pointed to them as His mother and His brothers. His commitment to His mission was so complete that even His own family could not draw Him away from His work for people.
Doing the will of God, the will of the Father in heaven, makes a person part of Christ's family, as truly His brother and sister and mother. Doing the will of God means receiving Christ by faith, believing in Him, accepting Him as personal Saviour, and doing His words. All who so receive Him are united to Him by a tie closer than human kinship, becoming one with Him as He is one with the Father, so that natural relationship gives no benefit unless a person accepts Him, and His own mother is more nearly and savingly related to Him as a believer and doer of His words than through natural relationship.
Members of His family have the spirit of the cross, ready to sacrifice possessions and lives in His service, not living for self or withholding from God, with lives that show His love and care for souls. Bringing wandering people back to life and safety is part of doing God's will. In the church, brothers, sisters, and close friends are connected by these closer spiritual ties and not necessarily by natural relationship. This truth comforts believers by showing how Christ regards those who do God's will.
Jesus spoke these words at a time of intense pressure, when He spent whole nights in prayer and by day was thronged by great companies so that He had no time even to eat, while His friends thought incessant labor was wearing Him out and some feared His reason was unsettled, and while the Pharisees charged that He cast out devils through the power of Satan. His brothers were far from sympathy with His work, felt keenly the reproach of relation to Him, knew the tumult His words and works created, were alarmed at His bold statements and indignant at His denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, and decided He must be persuaded or constrained to cease that manner of labor, inducing Mary to unite with them to use His love for her to make Him more prudent. He was still teaching the people when His disciples brought Him word that His mother and His brothers were outside wanting to see Him, and knowing what was in their hearts He asked who His mother and His brothers were, then stretched out His hand toward His disciples and pointed to them as His mother and His brothers. His commitment to His mission was so complete that even His own family could not draw Him away from His work for people.
Doing the will of God, the will of the Father in heaven, makes a person part of Christ's family, as truly His brother and sister and mother. Doing the will of God means receiving Christ by faith, believing in Him, accepting Him as personal Saviour, and doing His words. All who so receive Him are united to Him by a tie closer than human kinship, becoming one with Him as He is one with the Father, so that natural relationship gives no benefit unless a person accepts Him, and His own mother is more nearly and savingly related to Him as a believer and doer of His words than through natural relationship.
Members of His family have the spirit of the cross, ready to sacrifice possessions and lives in His service, not living for self or withholding from God, with lives that show His love and care for souls. Bringing wandering people back to life and safety is part of doing God's will. In the church, brothers, sisters, and close friends are connected by these closer spiritual ties and not necessarily by natural relationship. This truth comforts believers by showing how Christ regards those who do God's will.