19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” ~ Luke 8:19-21
According to Mark 3:20-21 the Lord Jesus went home to Nazareth after the events recorded in Luke 8:16-18. The crowd following Him had gathered around Him in such a way His family could not even get to Him. Mary, and her sons were there to see Him but to no avail.
In v.20 we read, "Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you." Luke makes it clear that the Lord Jesus had brothers. Matthew lists their names as “James and Joseph and Simon and Judas” (Matthew 13:55). Matthew also says the Lord Jesus had “sisters” (Matthew 13:56). So, Jesus had at least 4 half-brothers and 2 half-sisters.
The word for brothers (adelphos) that Luke uses is always used in the New Testament to refer to “brothers.” Some try to say the Lord Jesus had no brothers and sisters, that these were His cousins. If this were the case, the word for cousin (anepsios) would have been used. But they were not His cousins; they were His brothers.
Some wrongly say that James, Joseph, Simon and Judas were Joseph’s children from a prior marriage, and hence they were his stepbrothers. There is no evidence, however, that Joseph was married before he married Mary.
In v.21 we read, "My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice." It appears this response from the Lord Jesus was indifferent to the request of His family. His response rather gave a definition of the make up of His family. The Lord Jesus defines family as those who hear the Word of God and are obedient to its teaching. From the age of twelve He said He had to be about His Father's business. Spiritual relationships supersede family relationships. Long before we are Americans, we are believers and followers of the Lord Jesus.
The Lord Jesus used the opportunity to teach a deeper spiritual truth. His kinfolk are not only those who have placed their faith in Him as Messiah, but also who are responding positively to His word. Having heard the Word of God, we allow the seed to take firm root, and then, He produces His fruit in, to and through our lives.
In Luke 11:27 a woman among other women said, "Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed." She said this trying to compliment the Lord Jesus. He responded, "On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and do it." The picture is clear, the Lord says the people who have a relationship with Me hear the Word of God and obey it.
The flow of thought in today's text takes us back to Luke 8:10 where the Lord Jesus explained that the purpose of His parables was both to reveal truth to the spiritually responsive and to conceal truth from the spiritually superficial. The Lord Jesus does not want His disciples to think that His main purpose is to conceal truth. Thus He gives the illustration of the lamp being set on the lampstand, not hidden under a container or bed, to show them that the main purpose of His teaching is to illumine the truth, not to hide it. But, at the same time, light serves two functions: it illumines, but it also exposes. Jesus’ teaching not only illumines the truth, it also exposes the evil that lurks in the dark corners of the human heart. Therefore, we must take care how we listen, so that we respond correctly to biblical teaching. If we respond correctly, we will receive more light. If we turn back, what light we think we have will be taken from us.
Luke then inserts the story about Jesus’ mother and brothers (Luke 8:19-21) to underscore the importance of the primary importance of the teaching of God in our lives. The word of God is the truth. The ultimate message of the Bible is that we must listen carefully to His Word with the goal of being governed in our thinking by His word. As in the parable of the sower, our heart response is of most importance. When God has authority over our hearts, what burdens Him burdens us, what brings delight to Him brings delight to us.
In v.16-17 we learn God’s truth is revealed in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the way, the truth and the life. In v.18 we learn we must listen carefully to His word for His truth defines us best. If His truth doesn't define us, it will be as if we are His enemies. For this reason, in v.19-21, He teaches us that obedience to His Word is more important than being with family.
James was one of the half-brothers of the Lord Jesus. James died a horrible, painful death. At the age of 94 James was stoned by the Jews and had his head bashed in with a club. James, as well as almost all of the apostles, went to his grave claiming one specific truth, that the Lord Jesus rose from the dead. They were given chance after chance to change their story. Rather than change their story, they all chose rather to die and be defined by the truth.
