Mark 3:34

And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

And {G2532} he looked {G4017} round about {G2945} on them which {G3588} sat {G2521} about {G4012} him {G846}, and said {G3004}, Behold {G2396} my {G3450} mother {G3384} and {G2532} my {G3450} brethren {G80}!

Looking at those seated in a circle around him, he said, "See! Here are my mother and my brothers!

Looking at those seated in a circle around Him, He said, “Here are My mother and My brothers!

And looking round on them that sat round about him, he saith, Behold, my mother and my brethren!

Context

Mark 3:34 is part of a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry where His earthly family (mother and brothers) arrive, seeking to speak with Him. The crowd is so dense that they cannot reach Him directly (Mark 3:31). When informed of their presence, Jesus uses the opportunity to make a profound statement about the nature of His true family. This verse directly follows His question, "Who is my mother, or my brethren?" (Mark 3:33), setting the stage for a redefinition of familial bonds.

Key Themes

  • Spiritual Family Over Biological Ties: Jesus dramatically shifts the focus from earthly kinship to spiritual kinship. He identifies those who are "about him" – His disciples and followers – as His true family. This challenges conventional societal norms where blood relations were paramount.
  • Obedience to God's Will: The subsequent verse (Mark 3:35) clarifies the criterion for belonging to this spiritual family: "For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." This emphasizes that active obedience to God's commands is the defining characteristic of a true disciple.
  • Discipleship and Belonging: The passage teaches that true belonging in God's kingdom is not inherited but is a result of a conscious decision to follow and obey Jesus. It encourages all who hear His word to become part of this new, spiritual community.

Linguistic Insight

The phrase "looked round about" translates the Greek verb periblepsamenos (περιβλεψάμενος), which literally means "having looked around." This is not a casual glance but suggests a deliberate, encompassing gaze. Jesus intentionally surveys the faces of those surrounding Him – His disciples and the listening crowd – before making His powerful declaration. This intentionality underscores the significance of His words and the truth He is about to reveal about His spiritual family.

Related Scriptures

This teaching is also recorded in other Gospels, highlighting its importance in Jesus' ministry:

  • 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."
  • Luke 8:21: "My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God, and do it."

The concept of doing God's will as a mark of true discipleship is a recurring theme in the New Testament, as seen in John 7:17 and Matthew 7:21, where Jesus states, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven."

Practical Application

For believers today, Mark 3:34-35 serves as a profound reminder that our deepest connection should be with our spiritual family – those who are united by faith in Christ and a commitment to obey God's will. It challenges us to prioritize our relationship with God and His kingdom above all else, even traditional family ties, when there is a conflict of allegiance. This verse calls us to actively participate in the community of believers, recognizing that our spiritual identity in Christ transcends earthly boundaries and establishes an eternal bond with Him and with one another.

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.

  • Matthew 12:49

    And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

  • 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.

  • Luke 11:27

    ¶ And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed [is] the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

  • Luke 11:28

    But he said, Yea rather, blessed [are] they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

  • Romans 8:29

    ¶ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate [to be] conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

  • Matthew 25:40

    And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me.

  • Matthew 25:45

    Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did [it] not to one of the least of these, ye did [it] not to me.
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