Jesus’ Brothers
By Shirley Mitchell
“After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near, Jesus' brothers said to him, ‘You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.’ For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
Therefore Jesus told them, ‘The right time for me has not yet come; for you any time is right.’ ”
John 7:1-6
What do you think it would be like to have Jesus as your older brother? Matthew 13:55 tells us that four men named James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas had this pressure of the truly Perfect older brother. When my younger sister and I were growing up, we would describe our older sister Peggy as perfect to our friends. She had perfect grades and perfect behavior. She was the perfect Christian and the perfect daughter. We knew she really wasn’t “perfect.” It was just difficult to live up to the standards she set. These poor guys really did have The Perfect older brother. Imagine living in the same home with this older brother who truly never did anything wrong. Some of their whining may have included: “Never have our parents taken that rod to show Jesus their ‘love’ or discipline. Jesus is such a know-it-all. We studied the Torah, too.” It must have been difficult living with a brother who didn’t merely read and study the Word; He was the Word!
In John 7, Jesus did not go to Judea publicly at first for the Feast of Tabernacles because His time had not come yet. The Jews were waiting there to take His life. Jesus never operated on what seemed to be the most opportune time. He operated on God’s time line. Being able to wait takes patience and confidence in knowing God will accomplish what He has purposed to happen.
Jesus’ brothers could not understand Jesus not wanting to showcase His miracle working power. Jesus’ brothers were mocking Him. They said to Him in verse 3, “You ought to …” Can you believe their audacity to tell the Son of God what He ought to do? From their human eyes, if He thought He could work miracles, then He must desire to be a public figure. “Be famous. Make a name for yourself.” However, they thought He would not show Himself to the world because He would be exposed as a fake. They did not believe in Him or His miraculous signs. They taunted Him.
Let’s look at four things from this Scripture Jesus experienced which are very common to our lives. These things can create empty spaces in our lives.
1. Lack of family peace. If you have ever thought, “Can’t we just all get along and eat a nice family Christmas dinner together?” Or maybe “Does it have to be so tense when I visit my in-laws?” Or if you have ever had your thoughts consumed with how to right a relationship. Or if you shelved your heartache and put on your counterfeit face to make it through the day without letting it impact your work. Or “___.” You fill it the blank. Take heart. Jesus knows how you feel. The Son of God could not have peace with His family at the height of His public ministry. I do not think Jesus would have had the full experience of a human if He had not experienced the pain of family conflict. How could we respect Him as the man who knew no sin if He had never been tested by a family member picking a fight?
2. Lack of family support. Does anything hurt like the ones who are closest to us not believing we will reach our dream? I have heard it said many times that it takes seven positive comments to overcome or counter a negative comment. You see, those negative comments become our thoughts. God has to pull out each one of them by the root and replace it with the Truth of His Word. I feel as though God’s perfect truth disintegrates the negative comments when I hear them now. However, some of us still have so many negative recordings in our minds. “Worthless…Who is going to do it, you?” If you and I do not let Him perform a root job, then our thoughts will betray us and be contrary to His promises. If God has given us a dream, He will fulfill it. Ask for confirmation from Him. Remember Jesus may not have had earthly support from His family, but He had the most important support - His heavenly Father’s support.
3. Lack of belonging to the group of brothers. Whether we like to admit it or not, we all like to be connected to other people. Whether you and I have many friends or just a few, there is great satisfaction of belonging to a group of people who think like we do and who appreciate us. Jesus never could be “one of the guys” with His brothers. However, He did experience the wonderful fellowship of 11 other men. I think sisters in Christ can either fill the void you have from a lack of a strong family or can complement a strong family. I have both three biological sisters and many sisters in Christ whom I love dearly.
4. Lack of family fellowship and interest in spiritual matters. Have you ever wanted to just have a serious conversation with a loved one about God and just knew she would rather hear for the umpteenth time about your aunt’s hip surgery? Have you ever longed to share with a loved one how God is working in your life and just know she would never get it? I just think Jesus felt this disappointment every time He was around His brothers. There is so much He could have shared with them. He could have shared some mighty amazing God stories that people would be talking about for the next two millennia! However, His brothers were clueless.
I must say also that if Jesus had my thoughts, which of course He did not have my sinful thoughts, but my thoughts would have been: “I can’t wait to see your faces after I rise from the dead.” I would enjoy the spiritual knocking of those hard heads together to get them to wake up. Of course, Jesus was probably thinking something holy like, “I just have to give them more grace. Father, I pray for their understanding one day.” He knew the day it would happen.
1 Corinthians 15:7 says that Jesus appeared to James after His resurrection. Both James and Jude call themselves in their books of the Bible “a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.” The brothers finally believed! Church history and other accounts in Acts (like Acts 15:13-21) tell us James became a strong leader in the early church.
After the brothers realized Jesus was the Son of God, they did not sit around in a pity party saying, “We are such idiots for the things we said. We lived with Him. We should have known He was the perfect Son of God. We could have walked beside Him. Why did we not believe sooner?” It is the same answer why Jesus did not go to the Feast right away. It was God’s timing, not man’s. Instead of forcibly revealing Himself, God let James and the other brothers remain doubtful about Jesus’ identity and did not interrupt James’ life until later. When the time was right, James’ life was turned upside down and inside out – unmistakably – no denying – Jesus lives and is the Son of God!
Pray with me: How amazing is it that You, Jesus, experienced relationship conflict with Your earthly family. You know what it is like when we experience these “empty spaces.” May the Holy Spirit fill any emptiness caused by relationships which are less than we desire. Give us Your peace and be our support. In Your mighty Name, we pray, Jesus, Amen.