Matthew 12:48-50

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:46-50

The Lord's mother and brethren. I. THEIR INTERVENTION . 1 . The reason of their coming. We know that even later in our Lord's ministry his brethren did not believe in him ( John 7:5 ). They seem to have been Hebrews of the Hebrews, exceedingly zealous of the Law. They had heard, it seems, of the rupture between Christ and the Pharisees. They knew that the Jews at Jerusalem had sought to kill our Lord because of the cure of the impotent man at the Pool of Bethesda on the sabbath... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:46-50

Brotherhood with Christ. It must have been one of the most painful trials in the life of our Lord that none of his relatives except his mother believed in him, and that even she misunderstood him. Instead of supporting his arduous toils, they all did what they could to hinder him. No doubt their motives were kind; they thought he was wearing himself out with too much work; they saw his danger with the authorities, and wished to shield him; they seem to have thought he was beside himself with... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:46-50

The necessary condition of right personal love. In comparing the accounts as quoted above, one thing first arrests our attention, that while no one of them speaks of more than "mother and brethren" seeking for Jesus, every one of them finds a place in the tenderness of Christ's reply for the introduction of the word "sister." St. Luke's, the shortest account, nevertheless explains precisely how "the press" of people was what prevented the "mother and brethren" of Jesus reaching him; while... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:46-50

Christ's relationships. These, so far as they are set forth in the text, are three, viz. he has a relationship to the world, to the family, and to the Church. Consider, then— I. HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE WOULD . 1 . He is its Redeemer. 2 . He is its Teacher. II. HIS RELATIONSHIP TO HIS FAMILY . 1 . The family claim was asserted. 2 . It was offensively asserted. 3 . The intrusion was reproved. III. HIS RELATIONSHIP TO THE ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:48

But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? Who are they who are such in the truest sense?—they for whom I must therefore primarily care? read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:49

And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples . One of the very few signs of an eye-witness in sentences peculiar to the First Gospel. And said, Behold my mother and my brethren! read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:49-50

Spiritual relationships. There is difficulty in ascertaining the precise relationship to Christ borne by the persons called "his brethren." They were what we should call "blood-relations," but they may not have been either children of Joseph before his marriage to Mary, or children of Mary born after the birth of Jesus. The term is known to have often included cousins, and cousins of different degrees. The point we want is that they came, claiming Christ's special attention, because they... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:50

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same ( he , Revised Version; αὐτός : Matthew 1:21 , note) is my brother, and sister, and mother. He is fall; he sums up in himself all such relations. Observe that our Lord does not raise the question whether or not his mother and brethren now believed on him. He is only speaking of the claims of relationship as such. From Mark 3:21 , however (which seems to refer to the same occasion), we may conclude... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 12:50

Christ's spiritual family. "Whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." There is nothing new or peculiarly Christian in the idea that there is a bond stronger than that of blood. It is too obvious to escape notice. Nor does the assertion cast any disparagement on the institution of the family; less is not made of blood, but more of spiritual affinity. That our Lord did not make less of family ties is shown by his care for his... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 12:46-50

See also Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21.His brethren - There has been some difference of opinion about the persons who are referred to here, some supposing that they were children of Mary his mother, others that they were the children of Mary, the wife of Cleophas or Alpheus, his “cousins,” and called “brethren” according to the customs of the Jews. The natural and obvious meaning is, however, that they were the children of Mary his mother. See also Mark 6:3. To this opinion, moreover, there can be... read more

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