Family

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO 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 are a few points that we should clear up before we make any claims as to how this might apply to our lives. First, we should note according to Mark, Jesus’s mother and brothers came to take charge of him for they were sure He has lost His mind. This would make us think that the personal family of Jesus, at least at this time, did not see Jesus as the Messiah, but as one of the family who was a carpenter, who took over the family business, perhaps because Joseph may already have died. Second, there is the issue of the use of mother and brothers as to mean the actual brothers of Jesus, as in sons of Mary and Joseph. Some would say, Joseph and Mary had no other children, however, that would not fit into the Jewish culture at all. It is very unlikely that a Jewish family would have an only child, although we have seen this with Abraham and Sarah, however, Abraham had two sons. Some would say that these brothers were cousins, being the sons of Mary and Cleophus. We are of the belief there are sons of Mary and Joseph, which make the most sense. Jesus made an interesting statement when he was told that his mother and brothers were outside wanting to speak to him. First, we should note that Jesus would never disrespect his mother. This is not what this is about, but rather to show that those who follow Jesus, as his disciples were doing, are the same as family. This agrees with the fact that as we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, as we follow Jesus, we have been given the right to be called children of God. When we are born from above, or born again, as Jesus told Nicodemus, we are born into the family of God. We should not get confused about the only way to be a brother of Jesus is by doing the will of the Father, as in having to do everything perfectly, as in obeying every word of God without a flaw. If that were the case then not a single person could be a brother or sister or mother to Jesus. We must see this as the will of the Father is accepting His Son as our Savior. This is the only thing we can do that makes us a believer and saves us from perishing and giving us eternal life. This is made clear because Jesus pointed to his disciples to show his love for them and their love for him as being proof, they and therefore us, because he loves us and we love him, are his family.