46While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” 48But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
In this section running from 12:46 to 12:50, Jesus announced a new arrangement for His family. From this point, He would not exclusively make an offer to Israel to establish His kingdom, but would rather offer a message to “whoever” might come. It was becoming apparent that Israel had gone negative volition towards Him.
12:46
While He was still talking to the multitudes,
While Jesus was still speaking to the crowd about the demon-possessed man, this section running from 12:46-50 came about.
behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him.
Jesus’ mother and half-brothers stood waiting to talk to Him. Some of His brothers did not believe Him until after His resurrection (Jn 7:5).
12:47
Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.”
Jesus used the occasion of His family’s desire to speak to Him as a lesson on the spiritual family.
This verse does not occur in some manuscripts.
12:48
But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?”
By putting the mother of Jesus and His brothers in close juxtaposition in this verse, it is clear that the brothers of Jesus were not merely spiritual brothers or cousins but His physical brothers; therefore, Mary was not a perpetual virgin. Note also that Mary did not occupy a place of special privilege.
Jesus did not repute his earthly family here but asserted His eternal family.
12:49
And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!
“Disciples” here refers to those who follow Jesus. Blood relations are superseded by spiritual relations. Jesus gestured with His hand, making this point dramatic. The emphatic point is that mission is more important than temporal values. Eternal relationships are more important than human relationships.
12:50
For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
The idea here is that whoever accepts Jesus as the Messiah is Jesus’ brother and sister. The word “will” carries the idea of desired. The desire of the Father is that people accept Jesus as Messiah.
PRINCIPLE:
Jesus’ new family is based on regeneration, not generation.
APPLICATION:
Our spiritual relationships are more important than our human relationships. Regenerate people will live with Christ eternally. A “born again” person is someone who believes in Jesus and His message.
Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again [regeneration], he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born [generation] when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born [generation]?” 5Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water [generation] and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6That which is born of the flesh is flesh [generation], and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit [regeneration]. 7Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again [regeneration].’ 8The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit [regeneration].” Jn 3:3-8
