Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they couldn’t get to him because of the crowd.  Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to see you.” Jesus replied, “My mother and my brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.”

Luke 8: 19-21

What do you make of the passage above?

It’s certainly not that Jesus didn’t honor his mother and brothers (born to Joseph and Mary after Jesus), but He is placing a priority on the things of God above every other relationship. In another passage, Jesus described the impact of the Gospel on some families –

“Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other!  From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against.

 ‘Father will be divided against son
    and son against father;
mother against daughter
    and daughter against mother;
and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law
    and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’^[e]”

Luke 12:51-53

The Gospel brings us to Christ and sometimes the price may be our own familial relationships when others reject Christ. The key is found in the last sentence from Luke 8: 21 –

“My mother and brothers are all those who hear God’s word and obey it.” Give that some thought today.