Luke 8:19-21 19And his mother and his brothers came to him, but they were not able to meet him because of the crowd. 20And it was reported to him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 21But answering he said to them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”
The rest of chapter 8 is in the form of narrative as Jesus continued his preaching, teaching, and healing in the region around the Sea of Galilee. The next story is quite shocking and causes the reader to ponder about the inclusiveness of the kingdom of God. Several insights can be gained from this short passage.
First, Mary and the brothers of Jesus went looking for him. There is no clue at this point in Luke’s Gospel where Jesus was, only that he was in the area of Galilee. It may have taken quite an effort to get to him. It would not have been difficult to find out where he was because of his fame and the many people who were attracted to him. As Luke notes, when his family did find him, they could not get close to him because there were so many people. The reason for their visit is not mentioned in these verses and was not a concern of Luke when he wrote this. His primary emphasis is on the inclusiveness of the new royal family.
Jesus had an earthly family that included Joseph, Mary, and some brothers and sisters. We know the names of some of them. Mark 6:3 lists these brothers: James, Joses, Judas, and Simon. The verse also mentions sisters but does not name them. Other passages that mention Jesus’ family are Matthew 12:46-50; 13:55-56; Mark 3:31; Luke 8:19; John 2:12,; 7:3; Acts 1:14; and 1 Corinthians 9:5. These children are mentioned in connection with Mary. Joseph appears to be out of the scene by this point and possibly had died. The most obvious interpretation of this situation is that Mary and Joseph went on to have biological children after Jesus’ miraculous virgin birth.
Second, Jesus’ response in verse 21 is surprising in the sense that it seems that he was unconcerned about his family. His answer shows that his family was now extensive and inclusive. Those who respond to the gospel message are part of God’s new royal family. The emphasis is on hearing and obeying. The context and position of this scene coming after the parable of the four soils and shining lamp are significant because they show one of the results of listening to the word Jesus proclaimed. God’s kingdom has a wide-open invitation to all who will receive it. Paul the Apostle later wrote about this inclusiveness in Galatians 3:28. Jesus emphasizes in all of these passages that one must not simply hear the word but also do what it says. Many people hear the word, but not everyone responds in faith and obedience.
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