Q. Jesus’ mother and brothers (8:19–21)
Q. Jesus’ mother and brothers (8:19–21)
The other Synoptists place this little incident before the parable of the sower (though neither says explicitly that it preceded it in time). It is not unlikely that Luke has placed it here because of the way it illustrates the parables. His account is the shortest of the three and omits details such as Jesus looking round on the disciples and stretching out his hand to them. Luke concentrates on the saying. He tells us that Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but were prevented from approaching by the crowd. The most natural understanding of Jesus’ brothers is that they were children of Joseph and Mary. Theologians in the Catholic tradition usually hold that Mary was perpetually virgin and explain this as a reference to children of Joseph by an earlier marriage or perhaps to cousins of Jesus. There is little evidence for such views and we should hold to the natural meaning.15 In the family’s implied claim that Jesus ought to be available to them there is perhaps a hint of possessiveness. But Jesus makes it clear that he is now given over to the work of ministry. His mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it. The reference to hearing (absent from Matthew and Mark) comes in appropriately after the parable of the sower. But the stress is on doing. Those who are near to Jesus are those who take seriously their duty to God. This does not mean that family ties are unimportant or can be ignored: Jesus is not disowning his family. He thought of his mother even when he hung on the cross in the agony of achieving the world’s redemption (John 19:26f.). His meaning is that our duty to God takes precedence of all else.