Brother
… and he began to teach them.
Summary: The word “brother” carries a special meaning. A brother is different than a father. Understanding this difference helps us understand who Jesus is.
If our relationship with our human fathers is unique, so is our relationship with our mothers and siblings. The good father provides a sense that there are boundaries to how we behave. The boundaries may vary from father to father, but all good fathers provide this context even if they are not aware that they are doing it.
Our mothers are different. They all are. Regardless of whether our relationship with mom is good, bad, or indifferent, we find them filling a different role than dad. The same is true of our siblings.
Brothers and sisters are special. There is a unique familiarness that comes with being a sibling and having grown up in the same household. Siblings know each other at their best, their funniest, and their worst.
My wife and I raised two boys, and the oldest had refined his comedic art form to perfection. We would sit at the dinner table eating and talking, and seemingly with no forethought, he would say something funny. What made it doubly funny was that his timing was always exactly synchronized to his brother’s drink intake: Younger brother takes a drink of milk. The older brother cracks a joke. Younger brother snorts milk out through his nose.
Every time.
Amazing!
You know he had to have been waiting for the right moment, and wait he did. No one else could have done what he did, or would want to.
There were other moments, too, that were not as funny. It was the same when I was young. I have three younger brothers, and when everyone is in a good mood, they are great company. When somebody wants to take a dig at someone else, nobody knows how to do it better than a brother.
Jesus’ brothers and sisters were no different.
John records Jesus’ brother mocking his ministry (John 7: 1-5). It is almost as if he is saying, “Hey, Big Shot, people who want to be a Super Star don’t hang out in a backwater place like Galilee. Get your butt over to Judea where people can see you!”
Another time, Jesus was in a house that was so crowded that he could barely move. His family came to get him, saying that Jesus was “out of his mind.” His own family!!
It is the people closest to us who know us the best, and nobody knows us better than family. Jesus is family.
“He [Jesus] 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.’” (Matthew 12: 48-50)
He knows our innermost secrets, and yet he still loves us. This is a unique relationship. Jesus is our brother.
Application: Take Jesus at his word and look to him as a brother.
Food for Thought: How does knowing Jesus is your brother instead of your father change the way you look at him?
The phrase “Don’t tell Dad” doesn’t work in this case. 🤔😊
LOL!
Thanks, JEC! Great point! 🙂
Jesus has so many rolls. He is an all encompassing Personality in the lives of His followers. In Hebrews 2: 11 – 12, Jesus is called our brother – as you have already pointed out. In Isaiah 9: 6 He is referred to as our “Eternal Father.” The point being that Jesus rightfully dominates the thoughts and actions of His followers lives. We are in a close relationship with the King of the Universe who calls Himself our brother. What a privilege
Rich,
Thank you for the reference to Isaiah 9:6 —
“And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Another affirmation that Jesus’ place in our lives is everywhere.
10-10-2022, How does knowing Jesus is your brother instead of your father change the way you look at him?
I tried, but I can’t get there.
When Jesus spoke of believers in Matthew 12:48-50, He had cloaked His glory, ministered to all mankind as one of us, and I believe it is very possible, Jesus is identifying those around Him as His family because of their commitment and faith in His ministry being within the will of God.
Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Philippians 2:6-7
Jesus will always be a member of the Holy Trinity, God, and we as believers will be eternal servants of His will.
Revelation 5:10, 7:13-15, 22:3, Hebrews 12:28
The church is described in the Bible as “ the bride “ of Christ who is of course the groom. .
Revelation 19:7-9, 2 Corinthians 11:2, John 3:29, Isaiah 54:5, Matthew 25:1-13, Jeremiah 2:2
The church, bride, wives are called to serve their husbands, as the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
Ephesians 5:22-33,1 Peter 3:1-3:7, Colossians 3:18.
Ron,
Thank you for trying! Each of us looks at these passages through the lens of our own experiences. Each of us has a different set of experiences to look through. Some are healthy and loving, some are tainted by deep hurts and painful scars.
When I was a kid I remember telling my folks about something that had happened at school. I don’t remember the details but I think it may have involved a teacher and I know it involved an injustice of some kind. I was looking for some empathy and understanding, and maybe even a bit of support in trying to right a wrong. Instead, what I got was an accusation; “What did you (Jeff) do to cause this situation?”
In my eyes I hadn’t done anything wrong. My parents seems to have a strong inclination to blame me for things. It makes it hard for me to see any kind of a “father” in a loving light. Of course you have described situations that were a hundred times worse than mine ever were.
All that said, I agree with your thought that “I believe it is very possible, Jesus is identifying those around Him as His family because of their commitment and faith in His ministry being within the will of God.” This makes sense to me. So does the idea that Jesus is describing a kind of relationship. Again, as you point out, the marriage relationship is the closest of all. That is what Jesus wants for us: to be in relationship with Him.