Chapters 3:31-35.
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 6:3). In Matthew and Luke the phrase used is, “his mother and his brethren” (Matt. 12:46; 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 31:14; Numbers 12:1; 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. 33:3), 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, g; Psa. 40:8).
“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 6:38).
“O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42).
2. True of His followers.
“As the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Eph. 6:6).
“The world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (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. 12:2).
“Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise” (Heb. 10:36).
“The God of peace... make you perfect in every good work to do his will” (Heb. 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. 7:21).
3. How to know God’s will.
“Teach me to do thy will” (Psa. 143:10).
“If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine” (John 7:17).
4. Man’s will.
“He [Pilate] delivered Jesus to their will” (Luke 23:25).
“Ye will not come to me that ye might have life” (John 5:40).