Looking at those sitting around him, Jesus said, “Here are my mother and brothers. Whoever does the will of God are my brother, sister and mother.”

The crowd Jesus spoke to were a mixture of his followers, those he had healed and delivered and maybe the curious. They were not courteous, thoughtful or caring of Jesus’ needs. They were so demanding Jesus could not eat.

Jesus was being treated like a celebrity without the perks of a glamorous lifestyle and huge income. There were no locks on Middle Eastern doors and consequently no escape or protection. Even though Jesus must have been exhausted and in need of refreshment he had little choice other than to put those who came to him before his personal needs.

Jesus’ natural family, Mary and his brothers and sisters were concerned. Everyone needs food and sleep to function well. If Jesus continued without attending to his personal needs he would collapse. They also knew what the religious authorities were saying and that he was in grave danger.

Because they loved Jesus they wanted to protect him, restrain him and take him home. Joseph, Jesus’ stepfather was probably dead. Mary was a good mother though at times it brought her great sorrow. We do not know how many brothers and sisters Jesus had. We do know that two of his brothers, James and Jude went on to become leaders in the early church.

Jesus’ family came united. They must have discussed his predicament with each other and neighbours and had come to their decision to act. Middle Eastern expectations would be that Jesus would conform. To not look after family interests was dishonourable. As the oldest son, in the absence of his father, Jesus was expected to protect and provide. By not doing so he was shaming them openly and breaking the fifth commandment, “Honour your father and mother.”

When Jesus heard his family were asking for him, he ignored them. It was possibly the only way he could avoid an argument. He didn’t want his ministry to be curtailed by those closest to him. His family must have felt rejected and helpless. They thought he was out of his mind, mad! He had thrown away security by leaving the family home and the carpentry business to be a wandering preacher.

He had thrown away safety by confronting the evil powers of his day, the scribes and the Pharisees, as well as the evil which gripped those who longed to be free.

He was being utterly reckless and was not listening to those who cared for him most.

The teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem to Nazareth thought he was bad. They said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons.”

From their point of view, this unauthorised, lowly carpenter who they had caught breaking Sabbath laws couldn’t be driving out evil through the power of God so they had to find another explanation. Their explanation didn’t make sense.

Jesus was making humans whole and well. He wasn’t casting out evil Spirits through a more powerful one. If this was what he was doing, Satan’s kingdom could not stand because it would be divided against itself. Instead Jesus was binding, tying up the strong man so his kingdom or house could be plundered. Jesus had come to forgive sins, to cast out evil, and to set those bound by evil free

When we come to Jesus and are forgiven of our sins we are delivered from Satan’s Kingdom and become members of the Kingdom of heaven. Instead of being controlled by Satan, we become one with Christ.

Jesus did not argue about where evil came from. He dealt with it and gave his followers the power to overcome evil too. We are called to deal with the evil within our own lives by turning to Christ, renouncing evil and repenting of our sins.

We are also called to challenge the institutional evil within society, the injustice that keeps the poor where they are and causes mental and physical illnesses.

Challenging evil and the ministry of healing are closely linked. When someone is physically sick, it doesn’t necessarily mean they are bound by Satan. Sin, sickness and death, however came about because evil entered the world. Jesus came to overcome these evils in our lives, healing bodies, minds and spirits.

The teachers of the law were sinning against the Holy Spirit. This was blasphemy. They were calling Jesus and the good he had done evil. Instead of responding to Jesus’ heart of compassion, they had set their hearts against him. Jesus would have forgiven them if they asked. Because they didn’t, they would remain bound in Satan’s domain.

Jesus’ mother, brothers and sisters would also have to come to Jesus in repentance if they were to be part of his new Kingdom.

Why does Jesus call those who do not care for him family whilst ignoring those who love him?

Jesus explains his behaviour using images to do with the kingdom of heaven. Through his ministry Jesus was ushering in a new community who would be obedient to a higher realm than Rome, the Jewish authorities and even his own family. The natural order within society was being turned upside down.

Jesus had shown power over demons and nature. He healed the sick and forgave sins. Only God was allowed to forgive sins. Jesus was aligning himself with God and proclaiming himself King. The beginnings of the new community were sitting around him. If they obeyed God they were his new family. Fleshly ties will not be a feature once we have passed from what is temporary into what is eternal.

We are immensely privileged to be members of Jesus’ family today. He is even closer to us than a brother, because he invites us to take him into ourselves, so that we become one flesh, one body.

Jesus shows great humility. He is not a King who Lords it over his subjects. We are brothers and sisters in Christ We minister to Christ as we worship, follow him and serve others and he ministers to us through the power of his Spirit.

Jesus risked all that he had to rescue us from sin and death. When we follow him we are family, we move into an eternal Kingdom and live in God’s house where the devil and his agents have no power.

Was Jesus mad as his family thought him to be, was he bad as the scribes and Pharisees thought he was or is he the Son of God who came to set us free from evil through his death on the cross and resurrection? He has the power to deal with the evil within and unite us.

Is Jesus your brother? Have you invited him to forgive and heal you?

How is the Holy Spirit calling us to confront evil and welcome newcomers into God’s family?