Learning From Jesus' Human Family

Jesus' Brothers-Change Is Possible

It seems that Jesus' brothers did not exercise faith in Jesus until after his death.  It likely was no coincidence that they were not present when he died on the torture stake and that he had to entrust his mother to the apostle John.  Jesus' relatives showed that they did not appreciate  him, even saying on one occasion that Jesus was "out of his mind."  (Mark 3:21) Since Jesus had family members who were unbelievers, those who today have unbelievers in their household can rest assured that Jesus understands how they feel when relatives mock them for their faith.

After Jesus' resurrection, however, his brothers apparently began to exercise faith in him.  They were in the group who met in Jerusalem before Pentecost of 33 C.E. and fervently prayed together with the apostles.  (Acts 1:14)  Obviously, their half brother's resurrection moved them to a change of heart, to the point of becoming his disciples.  We should never give up on relatives who do not share our faith.

James, Jesus' half brother to whom He appeared personally, is presented in the Scriptures as having an outstanding role in the Christian congregation.  He wrote a divinely inspired letter to his fellow Christians, admonishing them to maintain their faith.  (Acts 15:6-29; 1 Corinthians  15:7; Galatians 1:18, 19; 2:9; James 1:1)  Another half brother, Jude, wrote an inspired letter to encourage fellow believers to put up a hard fight for the faith.  (Jude 1) it is noteworthy that neither James nor Jude appealed in their letters to their fleshly tie with Jesus so as to convince fellow Christians.  What a wonderful lesson of modesty we can learn from them!

So, what are some things that we learn from Jesus' family?   Certainly, lessons in devotion that can be manifest in such ways as these: (1) Faithfully submit to the expressed will of God and face all the trials that doing so implies.  (2) Put spiritual values first, even when that means making sacrifices. (3) Train your children in harmony with the Scriptures.  (4) Do not give up on family members who do not share your faith.  (5) Do not boast about any connection you may have with ones prominent in the Christian congregation.  Yes, learning about Jesus' human family draws us closer to him and enhances our appreciation for Jehovah's choosing an ordinary family to nurture Jesus during his childhood.

Next time: OUR WATCHFULNESS TAKES ON GREATER URGENCY

The Watchtower, 2003