Mark 3:31

¶ There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

There came {G2064} then {G3767} his {G846} brethren {G80} and {G2532} his mother {G3384}, and {G2532}, standing {G2476} without {G1854}, sent {G649} unto {G4314} him {G846}, calling {G5455} him {G846}.

Then his mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent a message asking for him.

Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him,

And there come his mother and his brethren; and, standing without, they sent unto him, calling him.

Mark 3:31 describes a pivotal moment in Jesus' early ministry, highlighting the tension between His earthly family and His divine mission. This verse sets the stage for Jesus' teaching on spiritual kinship, a theme central to understanding His priorities.

Context

This scene unfolds immediately after a period of intense ministry for Jesus, where He had been healing the sick and casting out demons, drawing massive crowds. The preceding verses (Mark 3:20-30) detail the accusations from religious leaders who claimed Jesus was possessed by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, and cast out demons by his power. Furthermore, earlier in the chapter, we learn that some of Jesus' own family had come to take Him away, believing He was "beside himself" due to the overwhelming demands of His public ministry.

The arrival of His mother and brethren, "standing without," emphasizes their separation from the inner circle where Jesus was teaching. The house was likely crowded, making it difficult for them to reach Him directly, forcing them to send a message.

Key Themes

  • Family Misunderstanding: Jesus' earthly family, though concerned, did not fully grasp the spiritual nature or divine authority of His ministry. Their attempt to call Him out suggests a desire to intervene or perhaps even control His actions, reflecting a common human struggle to understand God's radical call.
  • Interruption of Ministry: Their arrival serves as an interruption to Jesus' teaching, prompting Him to address a deeper truth about true family.
  • Transition to Spiritual Kinship: This verse is a direct prelude to Jesus' powerful declaration in Mark 3:35, where He defines His true family not by blood ties, but by obedience to God's will. This highlights the supremacy of spiritual relationships over mere biological ones in the Kingdom of God.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "standing without" comes from the Greek word exō (ἔξω), meaning "outside." This simple word underscores their physical distance from Jesus and the crowd surrounding Him, but also subtly hints at a spiritual or conceptual distance in their understanding of His mission at this point. They were physically separate from where the divine work was happening.

Practical Application

Mark 3:31, in conjunction with the verses that follow, offers several profound applications for believers today:

  • Prioritizing God's Will: Jesus consistently demonstrated that His primary allegiance was to His Father's will, even when it meant challenging traditional family expectations. This encourages us to evaluate our own priorities and ensure that our commitment to God comes first.
  • Navigating Family Dynamics: It acknowledges that following Christ can sometimes lead to misunderstanding or even opposition from those closest to us. Jesus' experience reminds us to persevere in our faith, even when family members do not fully comprehend our spiritual journey.
  • The Importance of Spiritual Family: The passage emphasizes that our truest family consists of those who hear God's word and obey it. This underscores the profound bond and support found within the community of believers, the Church.

This verse serves as a crucial setup for Jesus' teaching on what truly constitutes family in the eyes of God, shifting the focus from earthly lineage to spiritual obedience, a theme also echoed in parallel accounts like Matthew 12:46-50 and Luke 8:19-21.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Luke 8:19

    Then came to him [his] mother and his brethren, and could not come at him for the press.

  • Luke 8:21

    And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it.

  • Matthew 12:46

    ¶ While he yet talked to the people, behold, [his] mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

  • Matthew 12:50

    For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Add TrulyRandomVerse to your Home Screen for quick access!

← Back