L.
CHRIST'S TEACHING AS TO HIS MOTHER AND BRETHREN.
(Galilee, same day as the last lesson.)
aMATT. XII. 46-50; bMARK
III. 31-35; cLUKE VIII. 19-21.
a46 While he yet speaking
to the multitudes, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without seeking
to speak to him. [Jesus was in a house, probably at Capernaum--Mark
iii. 19; Matt. xiii. 1.] c19
and there came {bcome} cto him his mother and bhis
brethren; cand they could not come at him for the crowd. aand,
standing without, they sent unto him, calling him.
32 And the multitude was sitting about him [We learn at Mark iii. 21,
that they came to lay hold of him because they thought that he was beside
himself. It was for this reason that they came in a body, for their numbers
would enable them to control him. Jesus had four brethren (Matt. xiii.
55). Finding him teaching with the crowd about him, they passed the word
in to him that they wished to see him outside. To attempt to lay hold of
him in the midst of his disciples would have been rashly inexpedient. The
fact that they came with Mary establishes the strong presumption that they
were the children of Mary and Joseph, and hence the literal brethren of
the Lord. In thus seeking to take Jesus away from his enemies Mary yielded
to a natural maternal impulse which even the revelations accorded to her
did not quiet. The brethren, too, acted naturally, for they were unbelieving--John
vii. 5.] a47 And one said
{bthey say} unto him, c20
And it was told him, aBehold, thy mother and thy brethren bseek
for thee. cstand without, desiring to see thee. aseeking
to speak to thee. [310] [This message was
at once an interruption and an interference. It assumed that their business
with him was more urgent than his business with the people. It merited
our Lord's rebuke, even if it had not behind it the even greater presumption
of an attempt to lay hold on him.]
48 But he answered {b33 And he answereth} aand said
unto him that told him, band saith, {cand said unto
them,} aWho is my mother? and who are my brethren?
b34 And looking round on them that sat round about him, ahe
stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, {bsaith,}
aBehold, my mother and my brethren! cMy mother and
my brethren are these that hear the word of God and do it.
b35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, amy Father
who in heaven, he {bthe same} is my brother, and my sister,
and mother. [In this answer Jesus shows that he brooks no interference
on the score of earthly relationships, and explodes the idea of his subserviency
to his mother. To all who call on the "Mother of God," as Mary is blasphemously
styled, Jesus answers, as he did to the Jews, "Who is my mother?" Jesus
was then in the full course of his ministry as Messiah, and as such he
recognized only spiritual relationships. By doing the will of God we become
his spiritual children, and thus we become related to Christ. Jesus admits
three human relationships--"brother, sister, mother"--but omits the paternal
relationship, since he had no Father, save God. It is remarkable that in
the only two instances in which Mary figures in the ministry of Jesus prior
to his crucifixion, she stands forth reproved by him. This fact not only
rebukes those who worship her, but especially corrects the doctrine of
her immaculate conception.] [311]
[FFG 310-311]
