Basic HTML Version
How Jesus Related to Family Problems
193
delegated messengers, and instead listen to agents who would draw
the soul away from Christ. So long as one does this, he can find no
pardon, and will finally lose all desire to be reconciled to God.
Christ’s Real Brethren
While Jesus was still teaching the people, His disciples brought
the message that His mother and brothers were outside and desired
to see Him. “But He replied to the man who told Him, ‘Who is
My mother, and who are My brothers?’ and stretching out His hand
toward His disciples, He said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers!
For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother,
and sister, and mother.’” RSV.
All who receive Christ by faith are united to Him by a tie closer
than human kinship. As a believer and doer of His words, His
mother was more nearly and savingly related to Him than through
her natural relationship. His brothers would receive no benefit from
[217]
their connection with Him unless they accepted Him as their personal
Saviour.
Their unbelief was a part of the bitterness of that cup of woe
which He drained for us.
The enmity kindled in the human heart against the gospel was
most painful to Jesus in His home. His brothers looked on Him
as in need of their counsel. They thought that if He would speak
things acceptable to the Pharisees, He would avoid disagreeable
controversy. They thought He was beside Himself in claiming divine
authority. They knew that the Pharisees were seeking occasion to
accuse Him, and they felt He had given them sufficient occasion.
They could not fathom the mission He came to fulfill, and there-
fore could not sympathize with Him in His trials. Their coarse,
unappreciative words showed that they had no true perception of
His character. Instead of comforting Him, their spirit and words
wounded His heart. His sensitive nature was tortured, His motives
misunderstood, His work uncomprehended.
His brothers often presumed to think that they could teach Him
who understood all truth. They freely condemned that which they
could not understand. They thought they were vindicating God,
when God was with them in the flesh, and they knew Him not.