3 snapshots from Scripture of Jesus with His siblings
If you have someone in your family that’s a difficult person, but you love them and want to know how to reach them, this read will be very encouraging for you because you’re not alone. Jesus experienced complicated relationships with his family.
Jesus had earthly relationships. He was the firstborn of Mary and Joseph. Jesus had brothers and sisters. And we’re going to answer some questions about His sibling relationships:
- Did His brothers and sisters accept or reject Him?
- How did He handle that?
- What difference did that make in the lives of his siblings?
This is the real-life part of Jesus’ life here on earth. Just like you and me, He dealt with family members that He loved, who maybe didn’t accept Him as the Messiah. You want your family to know Christ, and you want the best for them.
Jesus and His message of redemption has reached billions of people. According to a PEW estimation in 2020, Christians made up to 2.4 billion of the worldwide population. And yet, during Jesus’ lifetime on earth, His siblings mostly rejected him.
In Mark 5, Jesus is coming off a great ministry tour. He’s had healings. He’s been impacting people. People have been turning to him. His followers continue to grow. And then He comes to his own country – probably within 20 or 25 miles of where He just performed great miracles (Mark 6).
Snapshot 1
“Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. ‘Where did this man get these things?’ they asked. ‘What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing?’” (Mark 6:1-2 NIV).
At the beginning, Jesus receives a warm welcome as he comes into his hometown of Nazareth. People are starting to hear the stories. Nowadays it would be transmitted by social media or by television or radio. But in the time of Christ, I’m sure people passing through town were saying, “Hey, I just saw some great miracles not more than 20 miles from here and suddenly, this man is here in Nazareth!”
Then everything changes in verse three when Jesus is recognized as a hometown boy. “’Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him” (Mark 6:3 NIV).
Jesus had four brothers. We know James, who wrote the book of James, became a mover and shaker, a leader in the first century church. Most theologians believe the reference to the brother Judas is also the man who wrote the book of Jude. At some point these two brothers came to recognize their brother was God and gave their lives to Him.
The Bible doesn’t mention the names of His sisters, but it’s plural, so we know He had at least two. So, we know Jesus had at least six siblings on earth.
Imagine a practical look at what it must have been like in the home of Mary and Joseph. Jesus, the firstborn, the Son of God was a miraculous birth, and then the earthly half brothers and sisters came along. And somewhere along the way, there was a discussion that Jesus, their older brother, is actually God, here to redeem us. Can you imagine what that would have done in that family?
Think about your relationship with your siblings. What if your mom or dad told you your eldest brother is God? It’s not recorded how that was handled, but it certainly had to be a realistic dynamic in that family.
So, in Mark 6, once Jesus is recognized as a local boy who has done good, the people turn from astonishment to offense.
Sometimes it can be hard to go home. You love your brothers and sisters. Maybe God has done a marvelous work in your life. You go back home, and you share with them what God is doing in your life, but they become offended at you. You’re not alone.
Jesus’ family, friends and community are offended by Him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home” (Mark 6:4 NIV).
You probably feel that way many times. Maybe as a follower of Christ if you have a family where you have difficult relationships with siblings, parents, and extended family.
Then it goes on to say, “And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled because of their unbelief” (Mark 6:5-6 ESV).
Jesus left there oppressed in a sense that He did not do the great miracles He wanted to do in His hometown. Maybe you feel spiritual oppression when you go home. Jesus loved them, but He left. We don’t hear anything about yelling, screaming or getting angry. Jesus taught the truth and then he left.
Snapshot 2
As the time gets closer to His crucifixion, He tells those who want to follow Him, they have to take of His blood and of His body, and that they’re going to face sacrifice, loss and death (John 6:55-56).
That isn’t what they want to hear, and many who followed Him went back home. They stopped following Him (John 6:66).
In chapter seven, after these disciples had left him, Jesus walked in Galilee, which is the northern part of Israel. He avoided going south near Jerusalem because the Jews were looking to kill him. His earthly brothers encouraged him to go into Judah. Key verse – “For even His brothers did not believe in him” (John 7:5 ESV).
As far as we know, all four of his brothers rejected Him as the Messiah at this point in time. You can imagine the sarcasm dripping from His brothers’ lips, who were irritated that their big brother was doing miracles.
“Show yourself to the world, Jesus!” is really what his brothers are saying. “Don’t hang around here. If you’re such a hotshot, go to Judah. Go prove yourself.”
Jesus responds, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here (John 7:6 ESV). And he stays in Galilee. The message here is clear. He experienced rejection from His family.
You might be feeling that. Expect it during the holiday season. If you’re getting together with brothers and sisters, people you know and love, but they reject your faith, your heart aches. You’re concerned for their wellbeing.
You are not alone. Jesus faced the same thing. He came to them, taught them and was rejected. He came and he was ridiculed by his brothers.
Snapshot 3
In 1 Corinthians Paul records the story after the resurrection of Christ. It’s Jesus’ encounter with people after the resurrection. Jesus did not speak with or encounter non-believers. He came back to build the faith of believers.
Jesus had a sibling encounter here with his half-brother, James. He appeared to him first, right before appearing to all the apostles (1 Corinthians 15:7).
Can you imagine what that encounter was like? Jesus has come back to life. His message is true. He’s got nail scars in his hands! He walks up to his brother in this new state of resurrection.
At this point, we don’t know if James had given his life to follow Christ or if this was an encounter before Jesus goes back to heaven. Was it an opportunity, one last time, to speak directly to the heart of one of his brothers? I imagine he says, “James, it’s true.”
And James was either a believer or he was leaning in that direction. A revolution occurred in his life. James became one of the great movers and shakers of the first century church. Jesus went to his brother James. He knew James was the one he wanted to reach, the one that was ready.
3 keys to reaching family
- One on one is better than in a group.
A family setting is not always the best way to reach someone for Christ. Instead, take the hand of that brother or sister, have coffee together and speak to them about their life, what they’re going through. Sharing with them one on one can be powerful. That’s one of the lessons we learn from the life of Christ.
2. Wait for a sibling moment.
Our third snapshot was a sibling moment for Jesus. James might have been right at that point of indecision, and Jesus has come back to life.
You may have a sibling moment at some point. It could be the death a family member, cancer diagnosis, divorce, loss of health or any number of things that can occur. You find yourself in a tender moment of reality where you’ve maintained a relationship with those family members, and now you can stand with them, listen to them and be there for them. Maybe their hearts open at this moment to accept Christ.
3. Realize that evangelizing your family is tough.
Sometimes it’s easier for a non-family member to speak truth into the lives of our siblings, children or grandchildren because we’re so close. Jesus, the Son of God, with all that He’s done, spoke to His brothers, and they ridiculed Him.
Don’t be surprised when you share what God is doing in your life, that it might not seem well received. You may not be the one who is present for the harvest. That may be someone else. But keep planting those seeds; keep loving those siblings. Keep praying for them and make yourself available for them to be there in those sibling moments. And when that good news comes, you know that you had a part in that.
I’ve never heard of a study on the family of Christ or specifically His siblings before. Maybe that’s something you want to take on.
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