28. Who are Jesus' "Brethren"?

28. WHO ARE JESUS' "BRETHREN"?

Jesus answered this very question directly:

"But he answered and said unto him that told him, 'Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?' And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, 'Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother and sister and mother.'" Matthew 12:48-50.

We find this same account also in Mark 3:33-35 and in Luke 8:21.

Jesus was the Son of God, the Firstborn of Creation, Colossians 1:15; the Firstborn of the dead, Colossions 1:18, and the Living Word of God, John 1:13. He was born, "not of blood, nor of the will  the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." Since Jesus was the Son of God, He taught that a man must be born again of the Spirit in order to be His Brethren; they too must become Sons of God:

"Jesus answered, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John 3:5-7.

The Word of God is the incorruptible Seed:

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you." 1Peter 1:23-25.

We know from the Biblical record as well as secular history that the fleshly offspring, seed, of Abraham was corruptible and that his descendants assimilated with the other nations of the earth. One notable example was that of the Samaritans of the New Testament era. They were rejected by the Jews because they considered them to be "half-breeds," although descended from the ten tribe nation of Israel they were assimilated, mixed racially, with the Assyrians. Yet, we know that Christ offered them the privilege of being born again of the Spirit. In Christ, the fleshly identity makes no difference, Romans 3:22; 10:12. Only the new birth in the Spirit makes one Christ's brother.

After the destruction of Jerusalem and the nation of Israel in 70 AD, those Jews who remained were sold into slavery and assimilated throughout the world. Yet we hear many popular preachers declaring that this or that tribe or community of people today are "Christ's brethren after the flesh" because there seems to have been some time in history that they may have been related to or connected with the Jewish race. If the Samaritans of the New Testament were not qualified racially as the seed of Abraham, then certainly no tribe of people of today could rightfully claim that  identity.

When Christ claimed that those who did the will of His Father, and those who were born again of the Word of God, were His mothers, sisters and brethren, even above His fleshly family, then surely it is even more so now after so many generations. Those born of the flesh were born of corruptible seed which has assimilated many times over in the last 2,000 years, but those born of the Spirit, the Good Seed, the Word of the Gospel of Christ, are born of incorruptible Seed.

It is the truly born again Christians who are Christ's brethren. We often hear appeals for aid for some group being promoted as if they were specifically those whom Christ mentioned when He said: "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me." In context, He was speaking of those Christians who had been born again, not some fleshly group or identity.

When anyone appeals for financial aid and/or spiritual preference for any fleshly race or group of people other than those in Christ, they are not honoring the Word of God:

"But ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise," Galatians 3:26-29,

  For further scripture and discussion of this subject see my book, Revelation In Context, pages 196-202. My book is available at the Living Word Bookstore in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Also available online at www.Amazon.com. or www.xulonpress.com. Free downloads are available at www.revelationincontext.sermon.net.