Jesus had four younger half-brothers named James, Joses, Judas and Simon and several unnamed sisters (Mark 6:3) by his mother, Mary and his adopted father, Joseph. Prior to Christ’s resurrection his brothers didn’t believe in him. We don’t read much about them, but here John records how they gave Jesus sarcastic advice about how to become more famous. Jesus calmly replied to them that they didn’t understand God’s timing nor purpose for him. Often the hardest people to live out your faith in front of is your own family. They have expectations of you and when you don’t live up to them, they punish you with biting comments. Yet, Jesus was obedient to God’s will for him. And after they saw him suffer and rise again, his family finally believed. James and Judas (Jude) both authored NT books. James, who became the lead pastor of the first church of Jerusalem, opened his little book with “James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (James 1:1). Can you think of a more convincing testimony for Jesus than this?
“For not even his brothers believed in him” (John 7:5 ESV)
Scripture for today:
1 Samuel 12:1-13:23; John 7:1-30; Psalm 108:1-13; Proverbs 15:4