Jesus’ Real Family Members

Every human being belongs to a family. Members of a family usually know themselves and are related by blood. Jesus Christ also belonged to a family when He walked the earth. He had a father called Joseph, a mother called Mary and siblings.

Although Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father, he was divinely appointed to serve as His earthly guardian and father figure.

While men regarded and continue to regard the people above as Jesus’ family members, the Lord had a different understanding about who His real parents and siblings were. He has the same understanding today.

“And he (Jesus) was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it” (Luke 8:20-21, emphasis mine).

In the Scripture above, Christ Jesus does not deny the fact that those are His mother and brothers. Rather, He reveals something deeper — those who really constitute His authentic family or relate to Him in the sight of God, the Father.

Jesus Christ is not impressed with mere outward, superficial and physical relationship; He is concerned with inward, deeper, and spiritual relationship that is produced by the salvation through His crucifixion, leading to the shedding of His blood.

Moreover, we need to take into consideration His unique conception by the Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:18),

setting Him apart from His siblings and every human being, His unique virgin birth and He being laid in a manger (Luke 2:7), His unique personality, that is, being fully human and fully God (Philippians 2:6).

Christ Jesus was a man in His own class. He was peerless, a man who always did the things that pleased the Father, and did the will of the Father. In other words, Jesus successfully did the Word of God or fulfilled the promises of the Father and kept His statutes, commandments and precepts.

Thus, to Jesus Christ, only those who open their ears and hearts to hear the Word of God, and demonstrate genuine willingness to do, obey, observe or act on God’s Word for the eternal salvation of their souls are His mother and brothers. In other words, they are His real family members.

This Word of God is all about the gospel. It is about the message of His death, burial and resurrection which is regarded as the Word of truth, the gospel of salvation (Ephesians 1:13). It is about His commands which have been given to be observed (Matthew 28:20).

This means Jesus’ biological mother, Mary, and brothers would be members of His real family when they heard the Word and did it or acted on it. The same applies to each one of us today. Jesus is not impressed with one’s mere confession of knowing Him, believing in Him, having a relationship with Him, or calling Him Lord and Saviour.

It is about genuinely hearing the Word of faith which is preached, and doing all that He has commanded in the Bible, especially in the gospel books: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John as well as the Epistles in the New Testament. Those who do these things are indeed Jesus’ real family members.

By James Quansah