Mark 3:35Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

From this it is manifest that His brethren and His mother were not always with Him; but because He was beloved by them, they come from reverence and affection, waiting without. Wherefore it goes on, And the multitude sat about him, &c.

Because the relations of the Lord had come to seize upon Him, as if beside Himself, His mother, urged by the sympathy of her love, came to Him; wherefore it is said, And there came unto him his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.

Does He not instruct us to value spiritual relationships over biological ties? Is it not a greater joy for individuals to be connected by blood to a virtuous person or a saint? Rather, true bliss lies in adhering to their teachings and emulating their virtues. The blessedness of Mary stems not solely from bearing Christ in her womb, but from embracing His faith. When someone proclaimed, "Blessed is the womb that bore Thee," Christ responded: "Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it" (Luke 11:27-28). For instance, to His relatives who were linked to Him by blood but remained unbelieving (cf. Jn. 7:3-5), what value did this familial bond hold?

But let us be assured that we are His brethren and His sisters, if we do the will of the Father; that we may be joint-heirs with Him, for He discerns us not by sex but by our deeds. Wherefore it goes on: Whosoever shall do the will of God, &c.

Being asked therefore by a message to go out, He declines, not as though He refused the dutiful service of His mother, but to shew that He owes more to His Father’s mysteries than to His mother’s feelings. Nor does He rudely despise His brothers, but, preferring His spiritual work to fleshly relationship, He teaches us that religion is the bond of the heart rather than that of the body. Wherefore it goes on, And looking round about on them which sat about him, he said, Behold my mother and my brethren.

After the Lord had unveiled the schemes of the Pharisees and exposed the intentions of their wicked hearts, they informed Him that His mother and brothers desired to see Him but were unable to approach due to the throng of people. The Pharisees claimed He was out of His mind (Mk. 3:21), and fearing further accusations, along with a desire to highlight the presence of His earthly family—among whom there were still some who did not believe—they orchestrated this meeting. The blessed Virgin was drawn by her motherly love for her Son, especially after a period of separation. His brothers accompanied her to bring Him back home. However, the Lord thwarted this cunning plot of His adversaries, asking what significance it bore to direct attention to His mother and brothers. The Son of Man indeed has both mother and brothers. Yet, for the Messiah, those who embrace and embody the word of life are considered His true family, both mother and brothers.

The arrival of Christ's mother and siblings took place under the circumstances described in Hebrews, as well as in the accounts of Matthew and Mark. Before the news about Their coming reached Him, it circulated among the crowd, echoing from person to person. When this information reached the ears of a deeply affected and passionate woman, possibly one who was without children or feeling discontent with her own, she spontaneously exclaimed, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!” This occurred just after Jesus refuted the Pharisees’ accusations that He expelled demons by Beelzebub's power (as seen in Luke 11:27-28).

While He was still addressing the crowd, a message of her desire to speak with Him reached Jesus, but He dismissed it by asking, "Who is My mother? And who are My brothers?" (Matt. 12:48). According to Philaret, Metropolitan of Moscow, Christ implied, "Why should I be diverted from executing the will of My heavenly Father for the sake of My earthly Mother? When the two wills conflict, I will clarify for you which one is paramount and how you should pursue it. Who indeed are My Mother and My brothers? Those who fulfill the will of My Father in heaven are My brother, sister, and mother" (Matt. 12:50).

In response to those who informed Him that His mother and brothers were waiting, the Lord's answer can be found in the comparable narrative in Matthew 12:46-50.

They approached, believing He was in peril, having heard the adversaries declare Him to be wrathful, or possessed by the prince of demons. Someone informed the Lord, "Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside, wishing to speak with You," yet at that moment, the proclamation of Jesus Christ was still ongoing. Had He yielded to the desires of His earthly family, it would have jeopardized God's purpose, not only due to the untimely interruption of His message but also because His foes could exploit this situation to further their accusations of His madness. However, Christ made it evident that He was "not only the son of His mother, but also the Lord" (St.