Jesus’ brothers and sisters

Matthew 12:46-50 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him….. (48) But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? (49) And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! (50) For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Only those who would listen to Jesus and had committed themselves to the living of His Word proved themselves as belonging to God and as belonging to Jesus. These became His spiritual children, his spiritual brothers and sisters. Earthly kinship holds no grounds here. It is only temporary.

It is those who share the same spiritual values and homogeneity that are truly brothers and sisters. These are brethren in the real sense of the word. Of what use is it to have an earthly brother who does not share the same spiritual values with you and on the contrary works in the opposite direction. Here is not meant religion or in the superficial way we tend to judge other human beings. It is meant in the true spiritual sense, which we human beings are not to decide. It is only God who decides who a brethren is, not human beings. It is only he who sees the soul. It is only the quality of soul that matters and through the inflexible workings of His Laws He may bring us together to work to achieve some great task in His Name.

Here is not the question of a membership of the some church or even holding the same political views. It is nothing earthly and as mentioned above human beings are not to be the judge of this. Those who failed to accept the Word of Jesus obviously could not have any claims of kinship on Him. His mother did not initially accept Him and as such at that time could not have any claims on Him. The yardstick for laying claims on Jesus depended solely on how we stand in regard to His Word. As He explained, it is only those who do the Will of God who can have this claim of kinship on Him.