Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents

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12:46-50 Jesus' Disciples Are His True Family. Jesus calls for a new spiritual family in relationship to him and his Father, united in the defining characteristic of Jesus' life and ministry: obedience to the will of the Father (v. 50).

12:46 mother and . . . brothers. There is no mention of "father," which may indicate that Joseph had died by this time (Joseph is never mentioned after the trip to Jerusalem when Jesus was 12; see Luke 2:41-51). Jesus' family may have been trying to bring him to his senses (cf. Mark 3:21); as the eldest son, Jesus would have been responsible for the care of the family after Joseph's death.

12:49 Here are my mother and my brothers. Jesus' messianic mission takes priority even over familial loyalties. Rather than negating the importance of one's biological family (cf. 15:3-9), Jesus is demonstrating the preeminence of a person's commitment to him and the kingdom of heaven.


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