Matthew 12:46–50 (ESV) — 46 While he was still speaking to the people, behold,
his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. 48 But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are
my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he
said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 50 For whoever
does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
NOTE: A curious
passage to follow the rejection by the nation Israel toward Jesus' claim of
Messiahship. Jesus uses the event to make a point. His family is not his blood
relations, i.e., Israel, his family now is his disciples, those who believe in
him (which is the will of the Father in heaven). Jesus now focuses his ministry
on the disciples and he saves individuals, but the offer of the kingdom has
been withdrawn from the nation Israel and "this generation," because
they failed to understand the times, and they rejected the Messiah, their God,
in his physical manifestation on earth. They called him the opposite of God,
Satan, and so rejected him. Now Jesus reveals a new family of God, those who
believe in him will be adopted into the household of God and share in his
inheritance. Lord, help us to see and understand the times we live in.
No comments:
Post a Comment