Jesus' Mother and Brethren - Matthew 12:46

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus said, “When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. Then he says, I will return into my house from where I came out; and when he is come, he finds it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goes he, and takes with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation”, and in chapter twelve and verse forty-six of his book, Matthew shared how Jesus', “mother and his brethren stood without” where we read:

While he yet talked to the people,

behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

The verse reads, “While he yet talked to the people, ...” Matthew began with the word, “while” which means “still, yet and even as” “he yet talked” or “Jesus spoke, uttered, declared and proclaimed” “to the people” which means “toward the multitude that surrounded Jesus”. Matthew referred to the time when Jesus was speaking to the crowd around Him.

The verse continues, “... behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.” Matthew continued with the word, “behold” which means “lo and see”, “his mother” or “Jesus' mother Mary” “and his brethren” which means “and Jesus' brothers” “stood without” or “were standing outside the doors”, “desiring” which means “seeking and demanding” “to speak” or “to talk and converse” “with him” which means “with Jesus”. Matthew shared how Jesus' mother and brothers were standing outside the place where He was speaking to the crowd, and they wanted to talk with Him.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus' own family was “outside” when Jesus was speaking to the crowd. His family's desire was to “speak” to Jesus about all that was happening in His life. Many people doubted Jesus, and at this point, His family wondered as well. God desires to have a relationship with every person through His Son Jesus, and belief and trust in Him is paramount to receiving that personal relationship with Him. Those who are wise will yield their lives to Jesus and put all doubts out of their hearts and minds.

Next time Matthew shares how someone told Jesus, His “mother and … brethren stand without”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.