Matthew 12:48-50

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 12:46-50

Matthew 12:46-50. While he yet talked with the people While he was uttering these solemn truths, and giving these awful warnings, in the audience of the vast multitudes that were gathered around him: behold, his mother and his brethren Or near kinsmen, (namely, the sons of Mary the wife of Cleopas, or Alpheus, his mother’s sister,) stood without, not being able to come near him because of the multitude that sat about him: But he said, Who is my mother? &c. We must not suppose that... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 12:46-50

53. Jesus and his family (Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:20-21,Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21)The children of Mary and Joseph born after Jesus were James, Joseph, Simon, Judas and at least two daughters (cf. Matthew 13:55-56; Mark 6:3). At first they did not accept Jesus as the Messiah, but thought he was suffering from some sort of religious madness (Mark 3:20-21; cf. John 7:3-5). Jesus must have been saddened to see such an attitude in his brothers and sisters, but he knew that more important than... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 12:49

stretched forth His hand toward = He pointed to. read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 12:50

whosoever. Figure of speech Synecdoche (of Genus), App-6 , denned by obedience, and made an hypothesis by the particle " an ". do = have done. heaven = [the] heavens. Plural, because there is no contrast with the "earth". See note on Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 . the same = he. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:48

But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold, my mother and my brethren!Probably due to his foresight of the gross idolatry that would flourish around the name of his mother, Christ was careful to guard against it. More on this will be found under Matthew 13:55. Mary was never set forth as a female deity by Christ. If she had been, in any sense, the "Mother of God," Christ's... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Matthew 12:50

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother.Relationship to Christ does not depend on fleshly kinship but on obedience to God's will. As John's gospel has it, "As many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12,13). read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:48

Matthew 12:48. Who is my mother? &c.— To suppose that our Lord here intends to put any slight on his mother, would be very absurd. He only took the opportunity of expressing his affection to his obedient disciples in a peculiarly endearing manner, which could not but be a very great comfort to them, and would be to Susanna, Joanna, Mary Magdalene, and the other pious women who sat near him, (Luke 8:2-3.) a rich equivalent for all the fatigue and expence which their zeal for their heavenly... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 12:50

Matthew 12:50. The same is my brother, and sister, and mother— He is my brother, or sister, or mother. Doddridge. This short speech of our Lord, related by the evangelist with great simplicity, is, without his seeming to design it, one of the finest encomiums imaginable. Could the most elaborate panegyric have done our Lord and his religion half the honour which this divine sentiment has done them? Whosoever shall do the will of my Father, &c. "I regard obedience to God so highly, that I... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:49

49. And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples—How graphic is this! It is the language evidently of an eye-witness. and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:50

50. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother—that is, "There stand here the members of a family transcending and surviving this of earth: Filial subjection to the will of My Father in heaven is the indissoluble bond of union between Me and all its members; and whosoever enters this hallowed circle becomes to Me brother, and sister, and mother!" read more