46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” 48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to 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." (Matthew 12:46-50 NIV)
Having despatched the Pharisees, Jesus was met with another problem. His mother Mary and his brothers were standing on the outer fringe of the spectators, obviously not interested enough in what he was doing and saying to come close and sit at his feet with the other disciples. Yet they presumed to interrupt his "doing good" ministry in order to claim a private audience with him. They thought they had a privileged claim on him.
This was a "teaching moment." It was time to teach his disciples by his own personal example that their real "family" was the community of believers and their true Father was in heaven.
Does this mean that we can just forget about the commandment "Honor your father and your mother"? No. Definitely not. But one must always ask what honors them most. If your parent is not a believer, then he or she doesn't yet have the greatest gift you could give him or her. Responding to your parent's needs with generosity, kindness and love is one way that you can introduce him or her to Christ's own love. But if your parents ask you to abandon your faith or put Christ second in your life, it does them no favor to comply. You have to show them by your decisions that God is first in your life, and because He is first, you will make them second—not third, fourth or even last of all! Since your love for them is energized by your love for Christ, to let them usurp Christ's place will eventually rob them also of your love for them, for he is the source of that.
Life is about priorities. Because someone or something is not your top priority does not mean that he, she or it is not important at all.
Jesus loved his mother and brothers, but God had called him to minister to another "family" as well, to which—if they believed—his mother and siblings could also belong.
We will return to this subject when we come to Matthew 15:1-9.
We will return to this subject when we come to Matthew 15:1-9.
Check back on Monday for the next segment on Matthew 13.
