“Who Is My Mother?”
31 December 2021
These words of Jesus appear in all three synoptic Gospels:
Matthew 12:48–50: “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Mark 3:33–35: “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
Luke 8:21: “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
Many attempts have been made to explain these words, but they often seem insufficient when we remember that Jesus is speaking about His own mother—a woman He loved deeply, who had requested His first miracle at Cana (John 2), and who stood faithfully by Him at the foot of the cross (John 19:27).
At first glance, Jesus’ words might appear as though He was dismissing Mary, especially since she was present. But a closer reading of all three synoptic Gospels, particularly Mark, shows a fuller context.
Details in the Gospel According to St. Mark
Mark gives the most complete picture of this incident. Just before Jesus’ mother and brothers arrive, we read:
Mark 3:21: “When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, ‘He has gone out of his mind.’”
This suggests that Jesus’ family intended to stop Him from teaching. Surprisingly, His mother was among them.
Mary, possibly the greatest of His disciples, had already surrendered fully to God’s will. She accepted the angel’s message (Luke 1:38), instructed Jesus to perform His first miracle (John 2:3–9), and stood by Him at the cross (John 19:25). Why was she there with His brothers? Likely, she had no choice. Knowing that Jesus loved His mother, His brothers may have compelled her to accompany them, expecting Jesus to comply. Mary, in faith, surrendered the situation to God.
When they arrived, Jesus knew their intentions and refused to be influenced. He responded wisely:
Mark 3:33–35: “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
Mary, grounded in faith, would have understood the purpose behind His words. Any momentary hurt would have been softened by her complete trust in God’s plan.
Lessons for Us
Often, we find ourselves in situations we cannot avoid or do not wish to engage in. How do we respond? Do we surrender to Jesus and trust Him to handle matters?
Sometimes, prayer does not yield results in the way we expect. The outcome may be different from our desires, but we must ask ourselves: Do we curse God, or do we accept His will and thank Him for the outcome?
References
- Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. © 1989 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
- Picture Credit: www.LumoProject.com
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