URC Daily Devotion 9 January 2026

St Matthew 12: 46 – 50

While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.  Someone toldrea him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?”  Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother no and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Reflection

This may seem a harsh, almost rude response to his family, but let’s look at the context.

Matthew puts this incident at the end of three chapters in which he has been recounting the mission work of Jesus and the twelve disciples to whom he gave authority, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, curing disease and sickness and casting out unclean spirits, in the cities and villages of Galilee.  Many people were healed, and there were welcoming crowds, but also scathing unbelief, accusations that Jesus was demon possessed, aggressive questioning, and conspiracy to kill him. 

So, when Jesus was busy giving incisive responses in a house full of this mixture, and someone told him his mother and brothers were outside wanting to speak to him, he took the opportunity to contrast the opposing Pharisees with his disciples, and declare the key message: “Whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”  Then Matthew turns to parables about being receptive to the word of the kingdom, and doing the fruitful work of the kingdom.  At the end of that chapter, more will be said about Jesus’s family.

This message also shows that Jesus’s sense of family extends potentially to everyone globally.  Matthew’s Gospel is the one that records: (10:6) the twelve disciples were sent initially to the lost sheep of the house of Israel – the 12 tribes descended from Jacob/Israel; (12:14-21), when the Pharisees conspired to destroy him, Jesus turned to the many, fulfilling the prophecy to proclaim justice to the Gentiles – the other nations/cultures (ways of life together); (28:19-20) the great commission, from the Greek can be put like this – Disciple all nations/cultures, baptising them into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe my commandments (my Father’s will).

Prayer
 
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be praised, may your kingdom come,
may your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Please give us today the food we need.
Forgive us our sins against your will,
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Don’t let us fall to selfish temptation.
Deliver us from evil forces.
For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory for ever.