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Jesus' Family

Matthew 12:46-50
While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, 'Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.' He replied to him, 'Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?' 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.' (NIVUK)

The Bible is clear that Jesus, the Son of God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and then raised by human parents.  His mother Mary, guardian father Joseph, and His half-brothers and half-sisters, all lived together (although by the time of Jesus' ministry Joseph is not mentioned, and we presume he had died).  Matthew 13:55-56 reports the people as saying, "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"
 
‘...all these things’ referred to Jesus power to do extraordinary miracles.  How was it possible for Him to do them?  He had previously healed a demonised man who could not see or speak (Matthew 12:22).  The Pharisees’ explanation was that Jesus could only do this miracle because He was also demonised.  The rest of the chapter is taken up with Jesus' explanation of how He is far greater than Satan.  It appears that someone had sent for Jesus' family to rescue Him from His 'delusions' as they saw it.  

When Mary and Jesus’ half-brothers arrived, there were so many people in the house that they could not get through to Jesus to take Him back with them.  When Jesus heard that they were waiting outside, instead of stopping His teaching and greeting His family, He asked the question, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"  Answering His own question, Jesus said that the disciples were His family because they believed in Him, and obeyed what He said (as the Word of God): therefore they were the obedient children of Father God (John 6:28-29).
 
The true family of Jesus is still marked out by a primary willingness to do what God wants.  Although God intends that His Word should be faithfully transmitted to children by their parents (Deuteronomy 6:6-7), in some cases they do not know what God has said.  While we have a duty of honour to our parents, we have a higher duty to Jesus.  Where obligations conflict, it is the voice of Jesus which must be in control of the situation.  He did not allow those who were close to Him to change His obedience to His Father.  Neither must we.

Prayer 
Heavenly Father. Thank You for my family and every blessing I have received through them. I am sorry for the times when I have not obeyed You because I have wanted to please the people who are close to me, instead of You. Please help me to be wise in learning how to discern Your voice, and making godly choices where there is a conflict of obligations so that I will never dishonour You. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
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