Mark 3:20-35
Jesus and His Family in Mark
FAMILY OF JESUS:
Bible is silent about the description of the family of Jesus. However, there are a few references to Joseph, Mary, and her children that help us to learn a few things about the family of Jesus. Jesus was pictured as a young man walking to the Jordan for Baptism and nothing else is known to us when we read the Gospel of Mark. However, In Mark 3 we get a small glimpse into the family of Jesus and their reaction to His ministry.
Now, Mary and her children have arrived in Capernaum from Nazareth and wanted to meet Jesus. They are worried about Jesus, his care, eating, and safety. They have heard about the antagonistic reaction of the scribes and Pharisees. Therefore, they are ready to restrain Him, by force, if necessary, possibly to take Him back to Nazareth (Contending for the faith). But, Jesus taught them the importance of God’s work and extended family.
Brothers and Sisters of Jesus: Mark 6:3 and Matthew 13:55 give the names of the brothers and sisters. James was the eldest, Joses the next, then Simon and Judas, we cannot be sure which was the youngest because of the different order by both writers. The name Joses was a common abbreviated form of Joseph. Judas has been conventionally known as Jude. From the same passages of the Gospels that name four brothers, we learn also that Jesus had sisters (Galatians 1:19, 1 Corinthians 9:5). Later Christian literature (such as Protoevangelium of James, Infancy gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Peter, and Gospel of Philip) gives the names Mary and Salome.
The three major views on the brothers and sisters of Jesus are formulated by Helvidius, Epiphanius, and Jerome. The Helvidian view (catholic too) is that the brothers were sons of Joseph and Mary, born after Jesus. The Epiphanian view (Eastern Orthodox) is that they were sons of Joseph by a marriage prior to his marriage to Mary, and so were older than Jesus. The Hieronymian view (traditional western Catholic view) is that they were first cousins of Jesus (ref: the Gospel coalition). “A very early tradition claimed that Mary, the mother of Jesus, had no children other than Jesus. An apocryphal Gospel of the second century said that Joseph, the husband of Mary, was a widower when he married Mary, he could have had a number of sons and daughters from his first marriage, referred to as brothers and sisters of Jesus and sons and daughters of Mary.” (Fr. John McKinnon).
Jesus highlighted that the primary relationship in life is with God. Even the deepest and most natural bonds are created with this. The essence of being a Christian is to widen our relationships of trust, affection, commitment, loyalty, faithfulness, kindness, thoughtfulness, compassion, mercy, helpfulness, encouragement, support, strength, and protection to one another. Our faith in Christ must bind us together in mutual love and unity. (Sacred Space).
William Barclay says that Jesus laid down the conditions of true kinship. It is not solely a matter of flesh and blood but in Christ the closest ties of kin and blood. True kinship lies in a common experience, in a common interest, in common obedience, and in a common goal, there is nothing for binding men together like a common aim. Matthew Henry says that they disrespected Christ's motives and goals, they did not have the desire to come in and hear him, rather they sent in a message to call him out to them.
FEW Lessons:
1. In these verses, Mark introduces the family of Jesus. These verses rule out the perpetual virginity of Mary. For some sects, it’s a shocking challenge.
2. Jesus brought a new outlook to the followers regarding the concept of family. The family of Jesus includes beyond blood relatives, spouses, and even disciples to include those who hunger for a relationship with God and are willing to do God’s will. For Jesus, those who work together to fulfill the Will of God are the true family, regardless of any blood kinship they might accidentally share.
3. Jesus experienced spiritual rejection by his natural family (Mark 3:21; 6:1–6; and John 7:1–9) and he asserted that his primary loyalty and that of his followers must be to God the Father (Mark 3:31–35).
4. The family members of Jesus could not understand his mission of Jesus. They thought that he was out of mind, then what about the relatives of the converts, also you should not be surprised by the comments of your relatives when you are faithful to Christ.
5. Remember that early Christians had experienced problems with their own families due to conversion. It was a time of dreadful persecution and displacement. The new family concept built their faith in God. We need to encourage newcomers and new converts to faith and Church. ‘What Jesus is saying is that there is a bond that comes in the family of God that is deeper than the bond in the human family.’ (Smith Commentary).
6. Jesus emphasized the preferences over Jesus and family, upon Peter’s remark that he and his fellow disciples have left everything to follow him, Jesus responded with the promise that there is a hundredfold blessing on earth and in eternity (Mark 10:29–31).
Discussion Point:
Explain your experience of relatives in Christ and Kith and kin?
(For further studies in Mark, kindly refer to this cite)
