Mark 3:31 (WEB)
His mother and his brothers came, and standing outside, they sent to him, calling him.
As quoted in the map (KJV)
Mark 3:31–35 (KJV)
31 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. 32 And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee. 33 And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren? 34 And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 35 For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
Key words
- ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦhē mētēr autou kai hoi adelphoi autou · Greek
- 'his mother and his brethren' — Mark calls Mary 'his mother' here (vv. 31, 32); he never calls her 'the mother of James and Joses.'
- ὃς ἂν ποιήσῃ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ θεοῦhos an poiēsē to thelēma tou theou · Greek
- 'whosoever shall do the will of God' (v. 35) — Jesus defines his true family by obedience, not blood.
Why it matters
Jesus' mother and 'brethren' come looking for him, and he answers that whoever does God's will is his brother, sister and mother. Pitre cites the passage first as an objection (p 13) and then turns it into evidence (p 105): Mark has already named Mary 'his mother' twice, so when he later writes 'Mary the mother of James and Joses' (15:40) he cannot mean the mother of Jesus. The 'brothers' belong to another Mary.