Saying 99

English

The disciples said to him, ‘Your brothers and your mother are standing outside.’

He said to them, ‘The ones here, who do the will of my Father—they are my brothers and my mother. They are the ones who will enter the kingdom of my Father.’

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Interpretation

Jesus shows commitment to his message over his own family, demonstrating to onlookers that he means what he said elsewhere, such as in Sayings 16 and 55.

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Parallels

Mark

3.31–35 Then his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’

Matthew

12.46–50 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, ‘Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.’ But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’ And pointing to his disciples, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’

Luke

8.19–21 When his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.’ But he said to them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’