And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
49. Behold my mother and my brethren ] The new life subverts the old relationships. By the spiritual birth new ties of kindred are established.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
49. And he stretched forth his handtoward his disciplesHow graphic is this! It is the languageevidently of an eye-witness.
and said, Behold my motherand my brethren!
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples,…. By whom are meant, not only the twelve, but all others present, who truly believed in him, both men and women; and who might sit near him and together, and whom, by this motion of his hand, he pointed out as his spiritual relations, to the multitude that sat round him:
and said, behold my mother, and my brethren; in whose hearts he was formed, and who were the children of God by adopting grace, and so his brethren; and were as dear to him as his mother and brethren. It is reasonable to suppose, that when he said, “behold my mother”, and, as in the following verse, “sister”; he might stretch forth his hand particularly, toward the pious and religious women that believed in him, and ministered to him of their substance, who might be now present; such as Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and others; since these are mentioned by Luke in the same chapter in which this passage stands in his Gospel; and when he said “behold my brethren”, he might point directly to the twelve, and the rest of the men that believed in him, and followed him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Behold my mother and my brothers ( ). A dramatic wave of the hand towards his disciples (learners) accompanied these words. Jesus loved his mother and brothers, but they were not to interfere in his Messianic work. The real spiritual family of Jesus included all who follow him. But it was hard for Mary to go back to Nazareth and leave Jesus with the excited throng so great that he was not even stopping to eat (Mr 3:20).
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Disciples [] . Not the apostles only, but all who followed him in the character of learners. The Anglo – Saxon renders learning knights.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And he stretched forth his hand,” (kai ekteinas ten autou eipe) “And he (then) stretched forth the hand,” gesturing with emphasis impressively, to enforce His words.
2) “Toward his disciples, and said,” (epi tous math, etes autou eipe) “On or toward his disciples, he said,” to emphasize that fidelity to the calling and choosing of God for Him and for them should have first place in their lives, always, Luk 9:23.
3) “Behold my mother and my brethren!” (idou he meter mou kai hoi adelphoi mou) “Behold my mother and, my brothers.” This is an incontestable testimony and protest against the idolatrous Roman Catholic claim that Mary, the Mother of Jesus, after His birth, remained a Virgin all the days of her life, never died, and was bodily assumed up into heaven, Mat 13:55-56; Mr 13:32; Joh 6:42.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(49) Behold my mother and my brethren.The words assert in its strongest form the truth which we all acknowledge, that though natural relationships involve duties which may not be neglected, spiritual relationships, the sense of brotherhood in a great cause, of devotion to the same Master, are above them, and that when the two clash (as in the case supposed in Mat. 10:37), the latter must of right prevail.
The words have naturally occupied a prominent position in the controversial writings of Protestants against what has been judged by them to be the idolatrous worship of the Virgin Mother by the Church of Rome; and it is clear that they have a very direct bearing on it. They do exclude the thought that her intercession is mightier to prevail than that of any other pure and saintly soul. Though spoken with no apparent reference to the abuses of later ages, the words are a protest, all the stronger because of the absence of such reference, against the excess of reverence which has passed into a cultus, and the idolatry of dressed-up dolls into which that cultus has developed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
49. Disciples my mother Our Lord here refused, or at least delayed to see his relatives, to teach an important lesson. Nothing more close than the connection of Christ and his believers. The tie of human relationship is physical and temporal; the tie to Christ is spiritual and eternal. And we see from this passage how absurd is the idea that Mary is our intercessor with Christ or God. The connection of any saint with Jesus by faith is greater than this tie of blood in itself is.
Our Lord speaks of mother, brother, and sister; but never of any human father.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
Ver. 49. Behold my mother and my brethren ] Sanctior est copula cordis quam corporis. Spiritual kindred is better than carnal: “there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother,”Pro 18:24Pro 18:24 . Christ is endeared to his in all manner of nearest relations and engagements Oh, then, the dignity and safety of a saint! and oh, the danger and disaster of such as either by band or tongue malign or molest them! What! will they wrong Christ’s mother to his face? Will they force the queen also in the house? Ezr 7:8 . If Jacob’s sons were so avenged for the indignity done to their sister Dinah, if Absalom for Tamer, what will Christ do, or rather what will he not do, for his dearest relations? How will this greater than Solomon arise off his throne, at the last day, to meet his mother half way, and to do her all the honour that may be in that great amphitheatre! 1Ki 2:19 . How sweetly will he accost his brethren that have been long absent from him in the flesh, though present ever in spirit, with , “Come, ye blessed,” &c., q.d., where have you been all this while? They also shall be bold to say to him, as Ruth did to Boaz,Rth 3:9Rth 3:9 , Spread thy skirt over us, for thou art our near kinsman, or, one that hath good right to redeem.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Mat 12:49 . . .: an eloquent gesture, making the words following, for those present, superfluous. , etc. There are idealists, promoters of pet schemes, and religious devotees whom it would cost no effort to speak thus; not an admirable class of people. It did cost Jesus an effort, for He possessed a warm heart and unblighted natural affections. But He sacrificed natural affection on the altar of duty, as He finally sacrificed His life.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
stretched forth His hand toward = He pointed to.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Mat 12:49. , …, and, etc.) The greatest gentleness and sobriety are here combined with the greatest seventy.[595]-, behold) corresponding to the same word in Mat 12:47.
[595] The reason for this severity is to be found in the parallel passage, Mar 3:21, as Micliaelis shows in the Einleitung, etc., T. ii., p. m. 1162.-E. B.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
his disciples: Mat 28:7, Mar 3:34, Joh 17:8, Joh 17:9, Joh 17:20, Joh 20:17-20
Reciprocal: Psa 15:4 – but Psa 22:22 – my brethren Pro 7:4 – Thou Mat 25:40 – the least Luk 6:20 – he lifted Rom 16:13 – his 1Co 8:12 – ye sin against
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2:49
After the aforesaid remark, Jesus pointed toward his disciples as an answer to his own question. Since the persons included in the gesture were men and women, while he named three relationships regarding family ties, we know he had some figurative sense in mind for the terms.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 12:49. And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples. Mar 3:33 : He looked round about on them which sat about him, hence disciples in the wider sense.
Behold my mother and my brethren, i.e., these are as nearly allied and as dear to me (see next verse).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
12:49 {11} And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
(11) None are more near unto us than they that are of the household of faith.