Lecture 4 — Christ’s mother and brethren

^12:46^ As he was yet speaking to the multitudes, behold his mother and his brethren stood outside, seeking to speak to him. [n. 1068]

^12:47^ And one said unto him: Behold, your mother and your brethren stand outside, seeking you. [n. 1070]

^12:48^ But answering the one who told him, he said: who is my mother, and who are my brethren? [n. 1071]

^12:49^ And stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said: behold my mother and my brethren. [n. 1075]

^12:50^ For whoever will do the will of my Father, who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother. [n. 1075]

1067. In the preceding part, the Lord refuted his adversaries; now he commends the disciples who believe, using the presence of his mother and brothers.

First, their presence is set down;

second, the announcement;

third, the commendation of the disciples.

1068. It says then, as he was yet speaking.

But here there is a literal question: why is that in Luke where the same words which were said are set down, the words which follow are not set down, but this is added next, and it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain woman from the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: blessed is the womb that bore you (Luke 11:27). And so there seems to be a contrariety.

Augustine resolves it, saying that without doubt it was said as Matthew describes, that as he was yet speaking, i.e., while he was telling the story. But it could be that it happened as Luke says, and as this Evangelist says. And it could be that Luke anticipated, or referred to the order of his own memory.

1069. Behold his mother and his brethren stood outside. About the mother, there can be no doubt but that it was she who was spoken of in chapter one; but there can be a question about the brothers.

And because mention is made of the brothers, it is an occasion of the heresy that when the Virgin had begotten Jesus, Joseph knew Mary and begot sons of her; which is a heresy, because she remained a virgin inviolate after the birth. There has also been the opinion that these were Joseph’s sons by another wife. But this amounts to nothing, because we believe that just as the mother of Jesus was a virgin, so was Joseph, because he entrusted a virgin to a virgin; and as it was in the end, so also in the beginning.

So who are these brothers? Jerome said that men are called brothers in many ways. For some are brothers by nature, as above, **and Jacob begot Judas and his brethren **(Matt 1:2). Sometimes brothers are those who are of one race: you will set him whom the Lord your God will choose out of the number of your brethren (Deut 17:15). Sometimes by religion, as all Christians, as below (Matt 23:8). And in this way the custom grew up that men of the same religion are called brothers. Sometimes, men of one kinship, as in, that you will save my father and mother, my brethren and sisters (Jos 2:13). Sometimes all men, who are from one Father, namely God; have we not all one Father? Has not one God created us? Why then does every one of us despise his brother, violating the covenant of our fathers? (Mal 2:10).

These men are not called the Lord’s brothers in any of those ways; therefore they are called brothers in one way, because they are related by blood. Hence Abraham said to Lot, we are brethren (Gen 13:8), although Lot was Abraham’s nephew. These men were brothers in this way, because they were children of his mother’s sister.

1070. Next, the announcement of their presence: and one said unto him: behold your mother and your brethren stand outside, seeking you. Why he said this, and why it was necessary, is explained in Luke, because the multitude was so great that they could not enter (Luke 8:19).

Mystically, the mother signifies the synagogue; hence, go forth, daughters of Zion, and see King Solomon in the diadem, with which his mother crowned him (Song 3:11). And your brethren, i.e., the Jews, who stand outside abandoning the Christ; my brethren have passed by me (Job 6:15). They seek, but they do not find, as it says, but Israel, by following after the law of justice, is not come unto the law of justice (Rom 9:31).

1071. But answering the one who told him. Christ’s response is set down; and he does two things:

first, he refutes the one questioning;

second, he commends the disciples, at and stretching forth his hand.

1072. Now, he himself says, who is my mother, and who are my brethren? From this passage, some have denied that Christ assumed true flesh, but said that he assumed phantastical flesh. Hence they explained it: this is not my mother, nor are these my brothers. Which is contrary to the Apostle: God sent his Son, made of a woman (Gal 4:4). Likewise, who was made to him of the seed of David, according to the flesh (Rom 1:3). Likewise, the Lord acknowledged her on the cross: woman, behold your son (John 19:26).

1073. Chrysostom. Why did the Lord say, who is my mother, and who are my brethren? And he says two things, of which one is sound, the other not. For he says that the mother and brothers suffered something human, because when they saw Christ preaching, and the crowd following, they had a feeling of exaltation. So they wanted, as it were, to have a certain glory. So the Lord wanted to show that he did not derive what he was doing from what he had taken from his mother, but from the Father.

This position is partly sound, for as regards the brothers it is sound, for so it is said, for neither did his brethren believe in him (John 7:5). But it is not sound as regards the Lord’s mother, because it is believed that she never sinned, neither mortally, nor venially; for of her it is said, you are all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in you (Song 4:7). And Augustine: when we treat of sin, I wish to make absolutely no mention of her.

1074. So Jerome resolves it another way, saying that the one who announced their presence had announced it treacherously, for he wished to test whether he would so strive after spiritual things that he would not take care of temporal things. So he responds to the disposition. Hence, he would not have loved his mother more unless she had had more spirituality. Hence, he says, who is my mother? He does not deny that she is his mother, but means to forbid inordinate affection. Hence above, he who loves father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me (Matt 10:37).

1075. Next, the commendation of the disciples is set down. And first, he commends the disciples; second, all believers universally.

It says then, and stretching forth his hand towards his disciples, he said: behold my mother, as though to say, I love these more than the affection of my mother or brothers; for the affection of the Holy Spirit is to be preferred.

And he did not only extend his hand to those men, but to all. Hence it says, for whoever will do the will of my Father, who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother. For he had a heavenly generation and a temporal one; hence he set the heavenly one before the temporal. For those who do the will of my Father, they will hold fast to him according to a heavenly generation. Hence, if you are the children of Abraham, do the works of Abraham (John 8:39). For he himself came that he might do his will (John 4:34, 5:30, 6:38).

He says brother as regards the stronger, and sister as regards the weaker.

1076. But why does he say, and mother? One should say that any one of the faithful who does the Father’s will, namely the one who simply obeys, that one is a brother, because he is similar to him who fulfilled the Father’s will. But he who not only does the Father’s will, but converts others, begets Christ in others, and so becomes a mother. Just as vice versa, he who incites others to evil kills Christ in others. The Apostle: my little children, of whom I am in labor again, until Christ is formed in you (Gal 4:19).