The Gospel of Mark.

Mark 3:31‑35
Chapters 3:31-35.1
31 AND his brethren and his mother come, and standing outside, sent unto him, calling him. 32And a crowd sat around him; and they say to him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren outside seek (for) thee. 33And he answering them, saith, Who is my mother, or my brethren? 34And he looked round (about) on those sitting about him, and saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren; 35for whosoever shall do the will of God, he is my brother, and (my) sister and (my) mother.
Notes and Suggestions.
Verses 31-35. — These verses form a kind of appendix to this chapter, which so clearly shows how the nation of Israel was rejecting the Lord and His ministry. After the record of the terrible blasphemy against the Holy Ghost, we have the Lord formally disowning natural relationships. His mother and His brethren after the flesh no longer had any claim upon Him; and in like manner it was useless for any to plead their natural descent from Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Henceforth the divine relationship was to be spiritual, not natural.
Verse 35. — Do the will of God. This is the great criterion of relationship to the Lord Jesus. Are you doing God’s will? There must be (1) the sitting down to hear the word (verse 34; compare Deut. 33:33Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. (Deuteronomy 33:3)), and (2) the doing of the same. Observe the following facts: ―
1. The Lord’s example.
“My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work” (John 4:3434Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34)).
“I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:3838For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. (John 6:38)).
2. True of His followers.
“The world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (1 John 2:1717And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. (1 John 2:17)).
“Be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Rom. 12:22And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)).
“Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Heb. 10:3636For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:36)).
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 7:2121Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)).
3. How to know God’s will.
4. Man’s will.
“Ye will not come to me that ye might have life” (John 5:4040And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:40)).
 
1. Words in italics should be passed over in reading as they indicate what should for critical reasons, be omitted from the Authorized Version. Variations and additions are marked by heavy type.