Articles
Who Is My Brother - Mark 3:33
Who Is My Brother - Mark 3:33
31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” Mark 3:31-35
This story is repeated in Matthew and Luke (Mt. 12:50; Luke 8:18). This same concept was also taught by Jesus on other occasions.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!” Luke 11:28
Jesus himself lived by such concept:
Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. John 4:34
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. John 6:38
saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” Luke 22:42
Concerning Jesus, Paul wrote: And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8
The Hebrews commented: 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, Hebrews 5:8-9
Such attitude was a matter of prophecy: “7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God, as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’” 8 When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), 9 then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second” (Hebrews 10:7-9).
While instructing people to live a life of obedience, yet He taught that in the final end, we are right with God because of mercy and forgiveness. So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” Luke 17:10
While we have the assurance of forgiveness in Jesus, such does NOT allow an uncaring and disobedient attitude towards God and His commandments. It should instead work carefulness. “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15). “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God” (Hebrews 3:12). “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability” (2 Peter 3:17).
Hence we are to give “all diligence” to growing our character (2Pet. 1:5). The one who doesn’t, and lacks such qualities, ”is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins” (2Pet. 19). Knowing this, are you a brother, sister, or mother of Jesus?
Hugh DeLong
