The Gospel of Mark.

From: The Believer's Monthly Magazine: Volume 3

By: William John Hocking, Editor

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.

Brethren. James, Joses, Judas and Simon (Mark 6:3³Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. (Mark 6:3)). In Matthew and Luke the phrase used is, “his mother and his brethren” (Matt. 12:46⁴⁶While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. (Matthew 12:46); Luke 8:19¹⁹Then came to him his mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press. (Luke 8:19)). In this Gospel that order is reversed, viz., “his brethren and his mother.” There is probably some reason for this difference. For similar instances of departure from the usual order, see Genesis 31:14¹⁴And Rachel and Leah answered and said unto him, Is there yet any portion or inheritance for us in our father's house? (Genesis 31:14); Numbers 12:1; 32:6¹And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman. (Numbers 12:1)
⁶And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? (Numbers 32:6).

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.

“Lo, I come to do thy will, O God” (Heb. 10:7,⁷Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God. (Hebrews 10:7) g; Psa. 40:8⁸I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:8)).

“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)).

“O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42⁴²He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. (Matthew 26:42)).

2. True of His followers.

“As the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Eph. 6:6⁶Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; (Ephesians 6:6)).

“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)).

“The God of peace... make you perfect in every good work to do his will” (Heb. 13:20, 21²⁰Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20‑21)).

“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.

“Teach me to do thy will” (Psa. 143:10¹⁰Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness. (Psalm 143:10)).

“If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine” (John 7:17¹⁷If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17)).

4. Man’s will.

“He [Pilate] delivered Jesus to their will” (Luke 23:25²⁵And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. (Luke 23:25)).

“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.

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