Teks -- Matthew 12:47-50 (NET)

12:47 Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside wanting to speak to you.” 12:48 To the one who had said this, Jesus replied, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” 12:49 And pointing toward his disciples he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 12:50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Robertson: Mat 12:47

@@Aleph, B, L, Old Syriac, omit this verse as do Westcott and Hort. It is genuine in Mar 3:32; Luk 8:20. It was probably copied into Matthew from Mark or Luke.

Robertson: Mat 12:49 - Behold my mother and my brothers

Behold my mother and my brothers ( idou hē mētēr mou kai hoi adelphoi mou ).

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 (Mar 3:20).

Vincent: Mat 12:49 - Disciples

Disciples ( μαθητὰς )

Not the apostles only, but all who followed him in the character of learners. The Anglo-Saxon renders learning knights.

Wesley: Mat 12:48 - And he answering, said

Our Lord's knowing why they came, sufficiently justifies his seeming disregard of them.

Wesley: Mat 12:49-50

See the highest severity, and the highest goodness! Severity to his natural, goodness to his spiritual relations! In a manner disclaiming the former, who opposed the will of his heavenly Father, and owning the latter, who obeyed it.

JFB: Mat 12:47 - Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee, &c.

Absorbed in the awful warnings He was pouring forth. He felt this to be an unseasonable interruption, fitted to dissipate the impression made upon the large audience--such an interruption as duty to the nearest relatives did not require Him to give way to. But instead of a direct rebuke, He seizes on the incident to convey a sublime lesson, expressed in a style of inimitable condescension.

JFB: Mat 12:49 - And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples

How graphic is this! It is the language evidently of an eye-witness.

and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!

JFB: Mat 12:50 - For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother

That is, "There stand here the members of a family transcending and surviving this of earth: Filial subjection to the will of My Father in heaven is the indissoluble bond of union between Me and all its members; and whosoever enters this hallowed circle becomes to Me brother, and sister, and mother!"

Clarke: Mat 12:48 - Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? - The reason of this seeming disregard of his relatives was this: they came to seize upon him, for they thought he was distracted. See Mar 3:33.

Clarke: Mat 12:50 - Whosoever shall do the will of my Father, etc.

Whosoever shall do the will of my Father, etc. - Those are the best acknowledged relatives of Christ who are united to him by spiritual ties, and who are become one with him by the indwelling of his Spirit. We generally suppose that Christ’ s relatives must have shared much of his affectionate attention; and doubtless they did: but here we find that whosoever does the will of God is equally esteemed by Christ, as his brother, sister, or even his virgin mother. What an encouragement for fervent attachment to God

1.    From various facts related in this chapter, we see the nature and design of the revelation of God, and of all the ordinances and precepts contained in it - they are all calculated to do man good: to improve his understanding, to soften and change his nature, that he may love his neighbor as himself. That religion that does not inculcate and produce humanity never came from heaven

2.    We have already seen what the sin against the Holy Ghost is: no soul that fears God can commit it: perhaps it would be impossible for any but Jews to be guilty of it, and they only in the circumstances mentioned in the text; and in such circumstances, it is impossible that any person should now be found.

Calvin: Mat 12:48 - Who is my mother?

Mat 12:48.Who is my mother? These words were unquestionably intended to reprove Mary’s eagerness, and she certainly acted improperly in attempting to interrupt the progress of his discourse. ¹⁵⁷ At the same time, by disparaging the relationship of flesh and blood, our Lord teaches a very useful doctrine; for he admits all his disciples and all believers to the same honorable rank, as if they were his nearest relatives, or rather he places them in the room of his mother and brethren Now this statement is closely connected with the office of Christ; for he tells us that he has been given, not to a small number of individuals, but to all the godly, who are united in one body with him by faith. He tells us also, that there is no tie of relationship more sacred than spiritual relationship, because we ought not to think of him according to the flesh, but according to the power of his Spirit which he has received from the Father to renew men, so that those who are by nature the polluted and accursed seed of Abraham begin to be by grace the holy and heavenly sons of God. In like manner, Paul affirms that to know Christ after the flesh is not to know him properly, (2Co 5:16,) because we ought rather to consider that renovation of the world, which far exceeds human power, and which takes place when he forms us anew by his Spirit to the image of God. To sum up the whole, this passage, first, teaches us to behold Christ with the eyes of faith; and, secondly, it informs us, that every one who is regenerated by the Spirit, and gives himself up entirely to God for true justification, is thus admitted to the closest union with Christ, and becomes one with him.

Calvin: Mat 12:50 - For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven

50.For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven When he says that they do the will of his Father, he does not mean that they fulfill, in a perfect manner, the whole righteousness of the law; for in that sense the name brother, which is here given by him to his disciples, would not apply to any man. ¹⁵⁸ But his design is, to bestow the highest commendation on faith, which is the source and origin of holy obedience, and at the same time covers the defects and sins of the flesh, that they may not be imputed. This, says Christ in a well-known passage,

is the will of my Father, that whosoever seeth the Son, and believeth in him, may not perish, but have eternal life,
(Joh 6:40.)

Although these words seem to imply that Christ has no regard to the ties of blood, yet we know that in reality he paid the strictest attention to human order, ¹⁵⁹ and discharged his lawful duties towards relatives; but points out that, in comparison of spiritual relationship, no regard, or very little, is due to the relationship of the flesh. Let us therefore attend to this comparison, so as to perform all that nature can justly claim, and, at the same time, not to be too strongly attached to flesh and blood. Again, as Christ bestows on the disciples of his Gospel the inestimable honor of being reckoned as his brethren, we must be held guilty of the basest ingratitude, if we do not disregard all the desires of the flesh, and direct every effort towards this object.

Defender: Mat 12:50 - mother

This mild rebuke to Mary did not indicate a lack of love or filial respect on Jesus' part (Joh 19:27), but does show that she does not hold priority with Him over other believers in the family of God."

TSK: Mat 12:48 - Who is

Who is : Mat 10:37; Deu 33:9; Mar 3:32, Mar 3:33; Luk 2:49, Luk 2:52; Joh 2:3, Joh 2:4; 2Co 5:16

TSK: Mat 12:49 - his disciples

his disciples : Mat 28:7; Mar 3:34; Joh 17:8, Joh 17:9, Joh 17:20, Joh 20:17-20

TSK: Mat 12:50 - do // the same // and sister // and mother

do : Mat 7:20,Mat 7:21, Mat 17:5; Mar 3:35; Luk 8:21, Luk 11:27, Luk 11:28; Joh 6:29, Joh 6:40, Joh 15:14; Act 3:22, Act 3:23, Act 16:30,Act 16:31, Act 17:30, Act 26:20; Gal 5:6, Gal 6:15; Col 3:11; Heb 5:9; Jam 1:21, Jam 1:22; 1Pe 4:2; 1Jo 2:17, 1Jo 3:23, 1Jo 3:24; Rev 22:14

the same : Mat 25:40,Mat 25:45, Mat 28:10; Psa 22:22; Joh 20:17; Rom 8:29; Heb 2:11-17

and sister : Son 4:9, Son 4:10,Son 4:12, Son 5:1, Son 5:2; 1Co 9:5; 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:25-27

and mother : Joh 19:26, Joh 19:27; 1Ti 5:2

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Mat 12:46-50 - See Poole on "Joh 1:12"

Ver. 46-50. Mark repeateth the same passage, Mar 3:31-35 . Luke repeateth it more shortly, Luk 8:20,21 . Both Mark and Luke say more than one spake to our Saviour; first one, then others.

Thy mother and thy brethren: most interpreters think brethren here signifieth no more than some of his kindred, whom the Hebrews usually called brethren. By the following words of our Saviour, Mat 12:48-50 , we must not understand that our Saviour slighted his mother or brethren, we are elsewhere taught what honour he gave to his parents, Luk 2:51 ; yet he seemeth to speak something angrily, because he was interrupted in his work: so Luk 2:49 Joh 2:3-4 . We may show a just respect to our parents, and respect to our relations, though we do not neglect our duty to God out of respect to them. The only thing to be further learned from this paragraph, is, how dear believers and holy persons are to Christ; he counts them as dear as mother, brethren, or sisters, and thereby teacheth us the esteem we ought to have for such. Luke saith, he that heareth my word, and doth it. Matthew saith, he that doth it. It is the will of God, that we should believe on him whom he hath sent:

See Poole on "Joh 1:12" , See Poole on "Joh 6:40" , See Poole on "Joh 8:47" ; This text derogates nothing from the honour truly due to the blessed virgin, as the mother of the Messias; but it shows the madness of the papists, exalting her above Christ, whom Christ, considered only as his mother, seemeth here to set beneath every true believer, though, considered as a believer also, she hath a just preference.

Gill: Mat 12:47 - Then one said unto him // Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee

Then one said unto him,.... Either one of his auditors, or, as the Ethiopic version has it, one "of his disciples": the other evangelists intimate, that more than one acquainted him with it; which is easily reconciled: for, upon his mother and brethren calling to him, as Mark says they did; first one and then another, and more, might apprise him of it, and especially as he did not immediately go out unto them.

Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee: whether this message was carried at the request of the mother and brethren of Christ, and delivered in a simple manner, and with an honest intention; or whether it was officiously done, and with a design to interrupt him, and to try him, whether he would prefer his natural relations, and their society and conversation, to the spiritual work in which he was engaged, in doing good to the souls of men, is not certain; the latter seems probable, from the following words, and conduct of Christ. Some copies read, "desiring to see thee".

Gill: Mat 12:48 - But he answered and said unto him that told him // Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

But he answered and said unto him that told him,.... Of his mother and brethren being without doors, desiring, and waiting to speak to him,

Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? These questions are put, not as if he himself was ignorant who were his mother or his brethren; or as suggesting as if he had none; or as denying that these were in such a relation to him; or as casting any slight upon them; or as intending to teach men disrespect to parents and kindred, according to the flesh; but as displeased with the man, or men, for interrupting him in his work; and to let them know, that the business of his heavenly Father was preferred by him to any his natural relations could have with him; and that he might have an opportunity of pointing out who were his relations in a spiritual sense.

Gill: Mat 12:49 - And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples // and said, behold my mother, and my brethren

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.

Gill: Mat 12:50 - For whosoever shall do the will of my Father // which is in heaven // the same is my brother, and sister, and mother

For whosoever shall do the will of my Father,.... This is not to be understood of a perfect obedience to the will of God, revealed in his righteous law; for since this cannot be performed by any mere man, no one could be in such a spiritual relation to Christ: but of the obedience of faith to the will of God, revealed in the Gospel; which is to believe in Christ, and have everlasting life; see Joh 6:40. This is the will of Christ's Father,

which is in heaven, and which is good news from heaven, to sinners on earth; and which Christ came down from heaven to do, and to declare to the children of men: such as "hear the word of God and do it", as Luke says, Luk 8:21 that is, hear the Gospel, understand and believe it, and become obedient to the faith of it; these are in this near manner related to Christ, evidentially and openly, as well as those who were now present:

the same is my brother, and sister, and mother; as dear to me, as such are to those, to whom they stood thus related in the flesh: and these natural relations serve to convey some ideas of that relation, union, nearness, and communion, there are between Christ and his people; all these relative characters may be observed in the book of Solomon's Song, to which our Lord may be reasonably thought to have respect; see Son 3:11.