CRITICAL NOTES
Matthew 12:46. His brethren.—See on Matthew 13:55. Desiring to speak with Him.—A motive is assigned (Mark 3:21). It would seem that the Pharisees, on the pretext that Jesus had a demon, had persuaded His friends to secure Him (Carr).
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Matthew 12:46-50
True kinsfolk.—What was thought of earthly kinship by the Saviour of all? We have some answer to this question in what is told us about Him as a citizen of the world. As an Israelite Himself He had a special regard for the Israelite people and faith. He even went so far on one occasion as to declare that His own personal ministry was almost exclusively for their good (Matthew 15:24). Yet we do not always find Him giving the first place to men of this race. Sometimes, on the contrary (as in Matthew 15:28), it is to a woman of Syrophœnicia. Sometimes (as in Luke 10:33) to a member of the mixed race and hybrid religion of the Samaritans. And sometimes (as in Matthew 8:10) to a Roman centurion; or even afterwards (in that chapter, Matthew 12:12), under certain circumstances, to those of any Gentile connection. Altogether, therefore, it is evident, that, in this broader sense, kinship was not the first thing in His eyes. The Israelite was only first when he did that which was best. Otherwise, any other man might take that place in his stead. In the present passage the same subject is dealt with again; only in a still closer degree. Family ties now, and not only national ones, are, as it were, in the arena; and we are bidden to see how Christ comported Himself with regard to their claims. We shall find that it was in a manner parallel to what we have noted already; and that both on the negative and positive side.
I. On the negative side.—Whilst engaged in teaching, the Saviour hears of some “without” (Matthew 12:46) who are desirous to see Him. From the point of view which is now before us theirs was a crucial case. It was so, in the first place, on account of what is told us of their natural relation to Him. They were His “mother and His brothers,” i.e. His very nearest of kin. This is true, whoever is meant exactly by the latter expression. According to the ties of earth there were none on earth nearer to Him. This was so, in the next place, on account of what is not told us of them in a higher respect. At one time we are told that His brethren did not believe in His work. We are not told whether or not this was so at this time. On one occasion we read that His “friends” thought He was “beside” Himself (Mark 3:21) because of His devotion to His work. Whether this was so of these “friends” now we are not informed. We are only told that when others were “within,” they were standing “without.” We are not told even that they wished to “hear” Him; only that they wished to “speak” to Him—without saying why. There is nothing before us, in fact, except the fact that they were His nearest of kin. Hence the importance, therefore, lastly of what the Saviour did not do when He heard of their presence. He did not stop His discourse, He only varied its tenor. He did not at once come out to meet them and hear their communication. Still less did He do as Solomon did on a certain very widely different, yet sufficiently parallel case (1 Kings 2:19). The inference is clear, though it must not be pushed into unbecoming regions of thought. Mere kinship, even of the very closest kind, was not supreme in His eyes. Thus much, we say, is quite clear, without disrespectfulness to any. Where all that He hears of is kinship alone, all that He does is to leave it alone.
II. On the positive side.—On this side we have everything different from what we found on the other. This is true, on the one hand, of the persons described. Much was said in the case of those others, of kinship to Christ. Nothing is said of it here. Nothing was said in the previous case of anything higher. Much is said of it here. Much acknowledged in the way of profession. The persons sitting there did so as disciples of Christ. Much implied, also, in the way of practice. Of some amongst them, at any rate, Jesus could see that they were doing the will of His Father in heaven. Just as different, therefore, on the other hand, is the treatment vouchsafed to them here. Instead of being left unnoticed, like those others, they are specially noticed and marked. “Jesus stretched forth His hand to them” as they sat at His feet. Instead of there being no word for them there is every word they could wish. “Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:50). There we see what is supreme in the eyes of the Saviour, viz., identity of will in all things with His Father and Himself; and not the closest identity—even with Jesus Himself—in the things of this earth. There is no greater glory than that of being a true disciple of Christ! There is no surer test of it than that of sharing His mind!
HOMILIES ON THE VERSES
Matthew 12:46-50. A distressing interruption wisely utilised.—What will He make of the distressing interruption caused by the interference of His mother and brethren? Knowing their motives and intentions as He did, He could not, for a moment, yield; and how was it possible to deal with them without a public rebuke, from which, seeing that His mother was involved in it, His heart would instinctively shrink?
1. It was a most painful position; and the more we think of it, and try to imagine possible ways of extrication, the more we must admire the wisdom and kindness shown in the way in which He confronted the difficulty. He makes use of the opportunity for giving a new and most winning view of the kingdom of heaven as a happy family, united each to Himself, and all to the Father by the holiest bonds; thus opening out the paradise of a perfect home to all who choose to enter it, taking the sacred ties involved in the sweet words “brother,” and “sister,” and “mother,” and giving them a range, a dignity, and a permanence they never had before.
2. In all this there was not a word of direct censure; yet the sadly mistaken conduct of His kindred did not pass without implied rebuke; for the effect of His words was to make it clear that, sacred as were, in His eyes, the ties of earth, their only hope of permanence was in alliance with the higher ties of heaven.
3. The course of events in later times has proved that the gentle rebuke involved in our Lord’s reception of the message from His mother was not only necessary at the time and for her, but for the ages to come as well. It certainly is no fault of Mary herself, whose name should ever be held in the highest respect by all who love the Lord, that a corrupt church, reversing all the teaching of the church’s Head, not only elevated the earthly relationship far above the spiritual, but in virtue of this relationship put the mother in the place of the Son, and taught an ignorant people to worship her and trust in her as a mediator. But the fact that this was done, and is persisted in to this day, shows that when our Lord set aside the mere earthly relationship as one that must be merged in the spiritual, He was correcting not only a pardonable error of Mary, but a most unpardonable error that afterwards, without any encouragement whatever from her, should be committed in her name.
4. How this gospel of the family of God rebukes all sectarianism! He “stretches out His hand towards His disciples,” and then to all the world by that word “whosoever.” No arm’s-length recognition there; He takes all true disciples to His heart.
5. Observe, moreover, the emphasis on doing, with which we are already familiar. In setting forth the gospel of the kingdom, our Lord was careful to warn His hearers, “not everyone,” etc. (Matthew 7:21); and now that He is setting forth the gospel of the family the emphasis is still in the same place. It is not, “Whosoever shall connect himself with this church or that church,” it is not “Whosoever shall be baptised and take the sacrament”; it is, “Whosoever shall do the will of My Father in heaven.” This emphasis on doing, in connection with these endearing relations, is most significant. There must be love among the members of the family. But how is love to be shown? How are we to distinguish it from mere sentiment? Our Saviour is careful to teach us; and never is He more careful than in those passages where tender feeling is most prominent; e.g. John 14:15; John 14:21.—J. M. Gibson, D.D.
Matthew 12:50 The kinsmanship of Christ.—
I. A few points of doctrinal importance.
1. Christ represents it as being a matter of great consequence that a man should be permitted to claim a kinsman’s interest in Him.—We never find Moses, or Isaiah, or Daniel, using it as a motive to serve God that if a man were faithful, he (Moses or Isaiah or Daniel) would honour him by calling him a brother; and as little do we find the Apostles imitating Christ in this respect. Learn another lesson of our Lord’s divinity as being the only begotten Son of God.
2. Liberal as Christ appears in our text in lavishing on His disciples the relations of an endeared kinsmanship, yet it is done with a marked exception.—It was with design that the father’s relationship was excluded. And what was the design? Evidently to protect the character of His Divine incarnation. Not even in a figurative sense will He permit any man to call himself by the name of His Father. That honour He preserved entire for God, in respect of His human as well as His Divine nature.
3. Observe how little importance comparatively Christ attaches to carnal descent and connection.—It is something, I admit, for a man to have been born of a pious mother, and it is something for a woman to be the mother of a pious son. But of itself, and by itself, it is nothing; and there must be something—even personal faith and well-doing—before it be even of the little profit of which it is possessed. Christ did not disesteem His mother; on the contrary, He set His disciples the example of being a most tender and dutiful son; but, as if in anticipation of the idolatry of Popish apostasy, He appears to have waited, in a manner, for opportunities to teach His disciples that she derived no very peculiar advantage from the circumstance of her being His earthly parent. See also Luke 11:27-28.
4. Observe what is the condition on which Christ will acknowledge the kinsman’s relation to any one.—Beautifully logical. First, He Himself is God’s Son; then if He see any man doing His Father’s will with zeal—“That must be a son of My Father,” He will say, “for who but a son would serve Him thus? and if he is a son, since I am a Son too, he must be My brother.” And again, as He looks, there is a youthful maiden—“Who could be so devoted to My Father,” He says, “but a daughter? She must, therefore be My sister,” etc.
II. Having thus directed your attention to what may be considered doctrinal in the passage, we are now prepared for the consideration of its sentiment and duty.—
1. How great are both the folly and the sin of those who despise and reject this proferred kinsmanship of the Son of God.
(1) Their folly. There is no man’s happiness independent of a friend. Does not the folly amount to madness when anyone shall reject His proferred brotherhood?
(2) Their sin is greater than their folly; it is because their evil heart would rather have no friend at all than one as holy as the Son of God.
2. Turning now to the consideration of the case of those who have accepted of the proferred friendship, I call on them to cherish it with much endearment and confiding expectation. There are three classes:
(1) Those whom He salutes as brothers, and there may be distinguished the child, the young man, the middle-aged man, and the old man.
(2) Those whom He salutes as sisters. The personal ministry of our Lord was characterised by the manner in which it honoured the weaker sex, and wherever His religion has gone through the earth, it has been eminently a woman’s salvation.
(3) The maternal class. The matron’s lot is the heaviest for sorrow, but equally is it the richest for consolation.
3. Let us now consider what are the duties which flow from these various relationships. And,
(1) Let us emulate one another in the confidence with which we surrender ourselves to the protection and cherishing of His kinsman love. “I was vexed for Christ,” said Bunyan, “when I thought how my ingratitude must pain Him.”
(2) Let us beware of being ashamed of our heavenly kinsmanship. How wonderful that any of His professed saints should be ashamed to acknowledge Him!
(3) Let us take care that we do not discredit our heavenly Kinsman in the estimation of the world by the unworthiness of our conduct.
(4) “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.” I know of no case in the economy of human life in which obedience is more sweetly rendered than by a mother to a prudent, manly son.
(5) Let us consider one another as the brethren, the sisters, and the mothers of Christ.
(6) I call for a faith founded on good reasons, but equally for a faith of warm feelings.—Wm. Anderson, LL.D.
A character and a blessing.—
I. The character.—“Whosoever shall do the will of God.” So, then, God has a will. God has a will concerning:—
1. Our condition.—That we should become a new creation, etc.
2. Our conduct.
3. Our destiny.
II. The blessing.—“The same is My brother, and sister, and mother.”—C. J. Vaughan, D.D.