For neither did his brethren believe in him.
For neither did his brethren believe in him. But as we find these "brethren" of the Lord in the "upper room" among the 120 disciples who waited for the descent of the Spirit after the Lord's ascension (Acts 1:14), they seem to have had their prejudices removed-perhaps after His resurrection. Indeed, here their language is more that of strong prejudice and suspicion-such as near relatives, even the best, too frequently show in such cases-than formed unbelief. There was also, probably, a tincture of vanity in it. 'Thou hast many disciples in Judea; here in Galilee they are fast dropping off; it is not like one who advances the claims thou dost to linger so long here, away from the city of our solemnities, where surely "the kingdom of our father David" is to be set up: "seeking," as thou dost, "to be known openly," those miracles of thine ought not to be confined to this distant corner, but submitted at headquarters to the inspection of the world.' On hearing such a speech, one might suppose Him going to His Father, and saying, "I am become a stranger unto my brethren, an alien unto my mother's children" (Psalms 69:8)! Does not this speech, by the way, tend to confirm the view we have taken of the number of Passovers which occurred during our Lord's public ministry, and which imply His absence from Jerusalem for a time which had appeared unaccountably long? For about a year and a half, according to our reckoning. He had not been there. This seems to many incredibly long. But it would seem as if it had been long enough at least to appear to His "brethren" inconsistent with His claims.