“Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.”
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.
“Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.””
Have you ever completely misjudged someone?
As Jesus’ ministry continues, the crowds press in again. There is so much demand that He and His disciples don’t even have time to eat. From the outside, it looks overwhelming—maybe even out of control.
And that’s exactly how some begin to interpret it.
His own family hears what is happening and comes to take charge of Him. They think He is out of His mind. At the same time, the scribes arrive with a different explanation. They accuse Him of being empowered by evil.
Two very different groups, but the same conclusion: they misunderstand who Jesus is.
Jesus responds directly to the scribes. Their accusation isn’t just incorrect—it reveals how far off they are. They are seeing the work of God and calling it something else entirely.
A kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. If He is casting out evil, it cannot be by the power of evil. Something stronger is at work.
In fact, Jesus describes His work as entering the house of a strong man and overpowering him. It’s a picture of what He is doing—confronting and overcoming the forces that hold people captive.
This shows us something important about His mission. Jesus is not simply offering guidance or encouragement. He is actively rescuing.
Then His family arrives, standing outside and calling for Him.
Someone tells Jesus,
“Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.”
And Jesus answers in a way that might seem surprising:
“Who are my mother and my brothers?”
Looking around at those seated with Him, He says,
“Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
This is not a rejection of His family. It showing that there is a deeper relationship even than blood family…the family of faith.
Being close to Jesus is not about proximity, background, or what family you are born into. It is about hearing His Word and being drawn into what God is doing through Him. It tells us that, ultimately, our connection to Christ and to each other in Christ, is greater than even familial relationships.
In this passage, we see how easily Jesus can be misunderstood.
But Jesus remains steady in His mission. He confronts what is broken, and He gathers people into a new kind of family—one formed not by blood, but by faith.
That invitation still stands.
To be with Him. To listen and belong.
That invitation is for you, today.
Let’s Pray…
Lord Jesus,
It is easy to misunderstand You or to reshape You according to my own thinking. Help me to see You clearly through Your Word. Thank you for the family You give through You. Draw me into Your family, and lead me to trust and follow You.
Amen.
As part of your devotion time, I encourage you to also pray for at least some of the following:
After praying for these people, you may want to finish your devotion time with the Lord’s Prayer…
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. They will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and every. Amen.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Kurt
