God’s Family

When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing by, He said to his mother, “Woman, behold your son!” And he said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!”

John 19:26–27

Our Lord emphasized the human family, but even more, He emphasized the spiritual family of God. The genuine and abiding relationship is not that of the flesh but of the Spirit. As wonderful as earthly relationships are, there is a more intimate relationship between the children of God. John, as a believer, was a better choice to care for Jesus’ mother than His brothers and sisters who did not believe.

Jesus brought into being the brotherhood of believers. He created a new society that is not segregated by race or nationality, nor predicated upon social standing or economic power. It consists of those whose faith meets at the cross and whose experience of forgiveness flows from it. Jesus commended His own mother into the hands of a brother. At Golgotha that terrible day, Christ called upon a brother in the family of faith to minister to someone in need. That is still part of His call to those in God’s family.