Mark 3:31

There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. For the exposition, see the notes at ....

31-35 It is a great comfort to all true Christians, that they are dearer to Christ than mother, brother, or sister as such, merely as relations in the flesh would have been, even had they been holy. Blessed be God, this great and gracious privilege is ours even now; for though Christ's bodily presence cannot be enjoyed by us, his spiritual presence is not denied us....

Verse Mark 3:31. _HIS BRETHREN AND HIS MOTHER_] Or rather, _his mother_ _and his brethren_. This is the arrangement of the best and most ancient MSS.; and this clause, και αἱ αδελφαι σου, _and thy_ _sisters_, Mark 3:32, should be ADDED, on the authority of ADEFGMSUV, _fifty-five_ others, some editions, the margin of the later _Syriac,_ _Slavonic, Gothic_, and all the _Itala_ except four. _Griesbach_ has received this reading into the text. _CALLING HIM._] This clause is wanting in one copy of the _Itala_. The _Codex Alexandrinus_ has ζητουντες αυτον, _seeking him_....

See the notes at Matthew 12:46....

EXPOSITION This chapter begins with the record of another case of healing on the sabbath day; and it closes with the notice of a combination of the Pharisees with the Herodians to bring about the destruction of the Saviour. We may observe that he again chose the sabbath for a new miracle, that he might again and again confute the error of the scribes and Pharisees with regard to the observance of the sabbath. MARK 3:1 HE ENTERED AGAIN INTO THE SYNAGOGUE. St. Matthew (Matthew 12:9) says, "their synagogue" (εἰς τὴν συναγωγὴν) This would probably be on the next sabbath after that named at the close of the last chapter. And there was a man there which had a withered hand (ἐξηραμμένην ἔχων τὴν χεῖρα);_ _literally, which had his hand withered

THERE CAME THEN HIS BRETHREN AND HIS MOTHER,.... At the same time he was speaking to the Scribes, who seem to be different persons from his friends and kinsmen, Mark 3:21, AND STANDING WITHOUT; for Christ was within, in the house, talking with the Scribes and Pharisees, and preaching to the people; and the crowd being so great, that they could not get into the house; they SENT UNTO HIM, CALLING HIM: they not only sent one in to let him know who they were, and that they were without doors, desirous to speak with him; but also, with a voice as loud as they could, called to him themselves; Matthew 12:46....

CHAPTER 3 _ 1. In the synagogue. The man with the withered hand healed. (Mark 3:1. Matthew 12:9; Luke 6:6 .)_ 2. The Withdrawal of the Servant. Many healed. (Mark 3:7 .Matthew 12:15; Luke 6:17 .) 3. On the Mountain calling the Twelve. (Mark 3:13. Matthew 10:1;...

THE ANSWER OF JESUS TO THE VERDICT OF THE JERUSALEM SCRIBES AND THE INTERVENTION OF HIS FAMILY. The introduction of this section would naturally link with Mark 3:6. Jesus returns home (presumably, to the house of Simon in Capernaum) after the second scene in the synagogue in Mark 3:1. Mk. has broken the thread of the original tradition in order to insert the list of the apostles. He certainly divides Mark 3:20 f. from Mark 3:31 in order to associate with the judgment of the relatives of Jesus the still more outrageous verdict of the scribes from Jerusalem. The statement that the relatives of Jesus thought Him beside Himself (perhaps in a state of unbalanced ecstacy),

THE CLASH OF IDEAS (Mark 3:1-6)...

HIS BRETHREN AND HIS MOTHER: i.e. the kinsfolk of Mark 3:21. AND. Note the Figure of speech _Polysyndeton_ (App-6), in verses: Mark 3:31. WITHOUT. That they might more easily seize Him (Mark 3:21)....