WHO ARE MY MOTHER AND BROTHERS?
Mark 3
When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, “He is out of his mind.”
It must have hurt deeply when they heard him suggest that he is willing to deny his relationship with them.
To me, it would be preposterous to think that they really thought that Jesus was mad. Nothing of what we have read so far gave any hint that Jesus was not in full control of himself. More likely they just want to protect him from the machinations of the religious machinery which was out in full force to paint him as an undesirable. “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”
But you don’t fight lies with lies and Jesus was not going to allow them to turn him away from the path that God has laid for him; not even though they are family and love and care for him.
To the scribes and Pharisees Jesus gave a solemn warning: “Truly I tell you, people can be forgiven all their sins and every slander they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; they are guilty of an eternal sin.”
I don’t think that we should take this warning outside of the context in which it was given. The religious leaders were playing with fire which would ultimately take them to a point of no return when they conspire to kill Jesus. It is interesting, however, how Jesus pointedly defended the actions of the Holy Spirit who purely carries out the will of God. We must never be careless in our regard of him.
At the end of the day, the will of God must reign supreme, regardless of what family, or the religious leaders or even what the popular vote thinks. Jesus aligned himself unreservedly to those who are on the side of God and who obeys him. If we want to enjoy the favour of our Lord, this is who we must become.
Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.”