Family

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

FAMILY

Matt 12:46-50

46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you."   48 He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"  49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." 

NIV

There is much discussion among the scholars as to who is identified as his mother and brothers. Who is meant by those titles? From further text, even in Matthew's record we find it is indeed Mary the wife of Joseph the carpenter, Jesus’s mother, and other sons born to them some time after Jesus, along with at least one sister, but perhaps more than one.

Matt 13:53-57

 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked. 55 "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" 57 And they took offense at him.

NIV

This was a slam on Jesus and on the rest of his family. So from this text it gives us a valid reason to believe those who stood outside wanting to speak to him were in fact his mother and brothers. From other accounts it is surmised the reason they were there wanting to speak to him was they were concerned he had gone over the deep end, lost his mind, as it were.

Mark 3:20-21

20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."

NIV

Certainly at least at this time in the life of Jesus, his immediate family had not come to the realization he was the Christ. That is somewhat difficult to understand, especially his mother, who had a visitation from an angel and she became pregnant while still being a virgin. She had to be more then aware he was the Son of God. Yet from this record in Mark, she thought Jesus was going too far with this being the Christ. When he hears they are outside he makes an astonishing statement. Is he rebuking his mother and brothers? It is understood he was in a courtyard setting and they could see him and he them, as well as hear his words. But it is a teaching that stands the test of time and fits together with the rest of the gospel message.

John 1:12-13

12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God — 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

NIV

Jesus was looking at his disciples, perhaps even waving is hand as to identify those men and said they were his mother and brothers, they were his family, they were the children of God. This would translate to us today as well. Because we have received him. Because we believe in his name. He gave us the right to become children of God and therefore brothers and sisters of Jesus.

Phil 2:14-16

14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life

NIV

There are some results in our life by becoming the children of God. What does it mean to follow Jesus as his disciples did? It is nearly likened to a soldier who is following his commanding officer. The soldier has but the duty to obey and not complain about it or argue with his commander. We too need to obey our Lord without complaining or argument. When we live like that we are in fact the children of God and as such we are blameless and pure, at least in the eyes of God, which is really all we need. However as children of God, as the immediate family of Jesus, we are also without fault, but in crooked and depraved generation we live in, we are supposed to shine like stars in the universe, as we hold out the word of life. The Greek there means to hold on to, to retain, to pay attention to. This all fits so well with those words of Jesus as he said, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."  Therefore being this shining light on a lamppost rather than hiding under a bushel is the will of God. If we are to be included as the family of Jesus, as children of God then if behooves us to do the will of the Father. This is more the being a servant in church. This is more than filling some needed role or position in the body of Christ. This means we need to live our faith out loud, shining out in the crooked and depraved generation we live in, so some might see the light, and come to the realization of the truth of the gospel message and become born again into the family of Jesus, being children of God. Therefor let us live fully as children of God. Let us live as Jesus's family.