Family Conflict

An interesting narrative appears in the book of Luke that gives us some valuable insight into the family of Jesus. It states that Mary and Joseph went to Jerusalem to observe the custom of the Passover feast, and when they had completed their visit they traveled about a day’s journey toward home before discovering Jesus had been left behind. They turned and went back to Jerusalem to look for Him, and it took three days to find Him. Jesus was sitting among the teachers where He was asking questions about the things of God and also providing answers. It goes on to say that everyone who heard Him were amazed at His understanding as He was only 12 years old (Luke 2:41-47).

Upon finding Jesus, Mary asked Him why He had done this to them. Jesus answered back, “Don’t you know that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:48-49).

Then comes Luke 2:50, a verse which, to me, can be very hard to understand:
AND THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT WHICH HE SPOKE TO THEM!

Now think about that for a moment. Here were Mary and Joseph who were recipients of a spectacular miracle from God just twelve years earlier concerning the birth of the Son of God. No one forgets an awesome miracle like that! What is this? Is it early Alzheimer’s disease hitting both Mary and Joseph? How could it be that they didn’t understand that Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus? Had Mary forgotten how the Holy Spirit came upon her and the seed of God was placed in her womb? Had Joseph forgotten how he was going to put Mary away privately (dissolve the betrothal) because she was pregnant?

MARY AND JOSEPH HAD EVIDENTLY FORGOTTEN ALL THAT THEY RECEIVED FROM GOD OR THEY WOULD HAVE UNDERSTOOD WHAT JESUS WAS SAYING IN VERSE 49.
Was this just forgetting on their part or was there more to it than that? Was God beginning to harden the hearts of Jesus’ whole family for God’s own purposes?

Let’s look further into Jesus’ family. Jesus had siblings born to Joseph and Mary after His own birth consisting of four half-brothers and at least two half—sisters. “Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Judah, and Simon? And aren’t His sisters here with us? And they were offended at Him” (Mark 6:3).

At the time this statement was made, Jesus was at least 30 years of age. He had been out ministering and returned to His home town of Nazareth. He started teaching in the synagogue, and those who heard Him were astonished at His wisdom and the mighty works done by His hands (Mark 6:2). BUT HIS FAMILY WAS EMBARRASSED BY HIM AND BECAME OFFENDED, AND THEY LITERALLY RESENTED HIM.

These brothers and sisters could not believe that Jesus was the Son of God because something stood in their way.

Had Mary and Joseph never told any of their other children about the miracle of their firstborn son, Jesus? When questions arose in the family about how “good” Jesus was compared to the natural tendencies of the other brothers and sisters, weren’t Mary and Joseph virtually forced to tell them about the miracle birth?

I believe that it is highly possible that the siblings knew about Jesus but were blinded at this time to forget His real origins. He received no credit from His siblings for any of His teaching, even though they were amazed at His teaching and at the healings He performed.

Jesus then made this statement, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and among his own kin, and in his own house” (Mark 6:4). Who were the kin of His own house? They were His four half-brothers and His two (or more) half-sisters. His family definitely didn’t like Jesus and were ashamed of Him. They showed Him no honor.

“And when His friends heard of it, they went out to lay hold on Him; for they said, ‘He is beside Himself” (Mark 3:21). The word “friends” isn’t found in the Greek text but rather the King James margin says, “kinsmen”. This text most likely is referring to His family. Verse 31 indicates “His brethren and His mother” are the ones alluded to in verse 21. Was Jesus’ family out to take Him by force, get possession of Him or take Him away against His will? They said, “He [Jesus] is beside Himself!” Did they think Jesus was out of His mind, in an unhealthy state of excitement bordering on insanity? Did the family of Jesus literally think He had gone crazy and needed to be put away? It seems so.

John chapter 7 brings out another illustration of family conflict. “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee - for He wouldn’t walk in Jewry [Judea] because the Jews sought to kill Him. Now the Jews feast of tabernacles was at hand. His brethren [family] therefore said to Him, ‘Depart from here and go into Judea, [!!!] that your disciples also may see the works that You do” (7:1-3).
What is happening here? Were His brothers baiting Him to go to His death? His brothers seemed to beg Him to do His teaching in the open so He could show Himself to the world of antagonistic Jews. Did they want to further expose Him to danger as these Jews had a mind set against Him (John 7:4)? Now why would anyone, especially family, advise Him to go to Judea when His life was in danger there? The only answer seems to be: they wanted Him dead!
“For neither did His brethren [family] believe in Him” (John 7:5). Was this their motive in wanting Jesus dead?

This article may seem shocking to some. I have always believed that the family of Jesus were just neutral in their acceptance of Jesus and His teachings. But on close examination of these text, there seems to be more to it than just neutrality but rather actual antagonism to the point of total rejection - and even harsh, judgmental condemnation.

Did God actually harden the hearts of Mary, Joseph, James, Joses, Judah, Simon, and Jesus’ sisters for a purpose? God hardened the Egyptian pharaoh’s heart for a definite purpose in the time of Moses and the Exodus.

Perhaps the prophecy of Isaiah 53:3 -that Jesus would be unesteemed, despised and rejected of men - had to be a TOTAL rejection, even from His mother, father, brothers and sisters.
After the crucifixion, except for His mother Mary at the foot of the cross and James, the Lord’s brother, who became the leader of the Jerusalem church (Gal. 1:19), we hear nothing more about Jesus’ family members. If what I have written here is accurate, then I believe that their blindness was lifted by the crucifixion; they saw the sin of their rejecting the Son of God, and THEY ALL REPENTED AND JOINED THE THREE THOUSAND CONVERTS ON THE DAY OF THE FIRST PENTECOST.

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