Our Crazy Brother - Mark 3:20-21
What did James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas think about their older brother, Jesus?
Even Jesus' own brothers did not believe in him. (John 7:5)And sometimes they thought Jesus was crazy.
Jesus entered a house. Again a crowd gathered. It was so large that Jesus and his disciples were not even able to eat. His family heard about this. So they went to take charge of him. They said, "He is out of his mind." (Mark 3:20-21)That is a reasonable reaction. How would you feel if your brother said things like:
"I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6)But after Jesus' death, resurrection, and ascension, we see that His brothers changed their opinion about Him.
The apostles... all came together regularly to pray. The women joined them too. So did Jesus' mother Mary and his brothers. (Acts 1:12,14)What caused their change in attitude about their brother Jesus? Paul gives us a hint in 1 Corinthians 15:3-7.
What I received I passed on to you. And it is the most important of all. Here is what it is:
- Christ died for our sins, just as Scripture said he would.
- He was buried.
- He was raised from the dead on the third day, just as Scripture said he would be.
- He appeared to Peter.
- Then he appeared to the Twelve.
- After that, he appeared to more than 500 believers at the same time...
- He appeared to James.
- Then he appeared to all the apostles.
Walter Karas