Matthew 12:46-48 46While he was still speaking to the crowds, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, seeking to speak to him. [47 But someone said to him, “Behind, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak to you.”] 48But he answering he said to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”
Jesus’ family came to check on him. Some manuscripts include verse 47, which is basically just a repeat of verse 46 and could be an example of dittography (an error of the eyes by repeating of a word or line). Interestingly, there is no mention of Joseph here or any point after Jesus was twelve years old. Matthew does not state why Jesus’ family wanted to speak with him. John 7:5 mentions that his brothers did not believe in him. Over time and after the resurrection, we know that at least James, who wrote the book by this name in the New Testament, came to believe in him.
Jesus uses this as a teaching moment for his disciples. Behind verse 48 is the idea of “fictive kinship,” a term sociologists use to describe the close bond of like-minded people who are unrelated by blood. Christians are family because we have been adopted by God our Father (Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:5). Disciples of Jesus become family with him. Those who believe in him are co-heirs of eternal life with him.
The emphasis in verse 50 is doing the will of God. All human are children of God in the sense that God creates them and gives life to them, but not all people are God’s children in the narrow sense of family. Those who advocate for universalism or inclusivity often talk about “all God’s children.” Jesus limits God’s children to those who are obedient to God’s will. God’s will is best seen in Jesus’ teachings. Jesus did the Father’s will in all things and passed this on to his followers. To be a disciple of Jesus means that we also live (be, know, and do) as God desires. That is the only way to experience eternal life.
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