Mark Chapter 3
Twelve Chosen to Follow Jesus
A. Jesus: hated, adored, and followed.
(Mark 3:1-6) The Lord of the Sabbath heals on the Sabbath.
And He entered the synagogue again, and a man was there who had a withered hand. So they watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse Him. And He said to the man who had the withered hand, “Step forward.” Then He said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and his hand was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him.
a. A man was there who had a withered hand: This man’s condition limited his ability to work and function normally, but God’s mercy had still preserved the use of his feet, allowing him to come to the place of worship. It was there, in the synagogue, that Jesus met and healed him. Even in physical weakness, it is better to come into the presence of God than to stay away in despair.
b. They watched Him closely, whether He would heal him on the Sabbath: The religious leaders expected Jesus to act with compassion, yet they looked for it as an opportunity to accuse Him. By their very expectation, they acknowledged that He had the power of God to heal. Their knowledge of His divine ability should have drawn them to worship, but instead, they turned it into a weapon for criticism. They were like men who saw someone fly, only to demand whether he had the proper license.
i. These leaders observed Jesus with scrutiny but without love. They knew about Him, yet they did not know Him.
ii. They also knew His compassion was so certain that if He saw someone in need, He would act. In a tragic irony, their confidence in His willingness to help was greater than the faith of some believers today.
c. Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill? Jesus confronted them with a question that exposed the heart of the Sabbath command. God never intended the Sabbath to prevent acts of mercy and goodness. To refuse to do good when one can is, in effect, to do harm.
i. Their man-made traditions had twisted God’s command. They allowed preventing harm, such as stopping bleeding, but forbade actions that would make someone’s condition better, such as applying ointment. Jesus made clear that such reasoning missed the heart of God’s law.
d. He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts: Scripture rarely describes Jesus as angry, but here His anger was provoked by their stubborn refusal to respond to truth. This was a pivotal opportunity for them to repent, lay aside tradition, and recognize the Messiah before them. Instead, they hardened their hearts.
i. Jesus chose this time and place intentionally, knowing it would expose their hypocrisy. He could have healed the man the next day or in private, but He made His stand publicly in defense of truth and mercy.
e. Stretch out your hand: Jesus commanded the man to do what was humanly impossible. Yet as the man obeyed in faith, God supplied the power to fulfill the command. This is a spiritual principle—God’s commands are never given without His enabling power to carry them out.
i. The man could have argued that his hand was withered and he needed healing first, but in acting upon the command, he found the healing. Faith is demonstrated in action, even when the action seems impossible.
f. The Pharisees went out and immediately plotted with the Herodians against Him, how they might destroy Him: Rather than rejoicing in the man’s restoration, they united with their political rivals, the Herodians, in opposition to Christ.
i. The Herodians were not known for religious zeal; they were political supporters of Herod’s dynasty and Roman rule. Their alliance with the Pharisees demonstrated the depth of hostility toward Jesus—old enmities were set aside in order to destroy Him.
(Mark 3:7-12) Multitudes come to Jesus.
But Jesus withdrew with His disciples to the sea. And a great multitude from Galilee followed Him, and from Judea and Jerusalem and Idumea and beyond the Jordan; and those from Tyre and Sidon, a great multitude, when they heard how many things He was doing, came to Him. So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him. For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God.” But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known.
a. Jerusalem... Idumea... beyond the Jordan... Tyre and Sidon: These locations show the extraordinary reach of Jesus’ ministry at this point. The crowd traveled from Jewish regions like Judea and Jerusalem, from Edomite territory such as Idumea, from the region east of the Jordan, and even from Gentile areas such as Tyre and Sidon in Phoenicia. This indicates that His reputation had spread across cultural and geographical boundaries. Yet it is significant that many came when they heard how many things He was doing rather than because they had embraced His teaching. The attraction was largely for the miraculous rather than the message.
i. It is not wrong for people to be drawn to Jesus because of what He can do, for His works are part of His witness. However, if the foundation of that attraction is merely what He provides rather than who He is, such interest is often shallow and temporary. John chapter 6 shows that many who followed Him for bread and miracles turned away when confronted with the truth of His identity and mission.
b. A small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude: This detail demonstrates both the massive scale of the crowd and Jesus’ practical foresight. The crowd was so eager that they could physically crush Him in their desperation to be near Him. Jesus took measures to ensure that His ministry could continue without unnecessary hindrance or danger.
c. For He healed many... as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him: The word “pressed” conveys intense pressure and urgency. Many believed that even a mere touch would be enough to receive healing. This foreshadows the account of the woman with the issue of blood in Mark chapter 5, who touched His garment in faith and was made well.
d. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw Him, fell down before Him and cried out, saying, “You are the Son of God”: The demons recognized Jesus’ true identity, something the religious leaders refused to acknowledge. This falling down was not worship but forced submission, acknowledging His divine authority. Their verbal confession was not from faith but from fear and spiritual compulsion.
i. In the ancient world, there was a superstition that knowing and declaring the exact name or identity of a spiritual being could give one control over it. The demons may have been attempting to use this against Jesus, though such tactics were futile against the Son of God. Their recognition of His title did not mean salvation for them, for confession without repentance and obedience is empty.
e. But He sternly warned them that they should not make Him known: Jesus did not need or desire the testimony of demons. Their declaration, though true in wording, was rooted in rebellion. Furthermore, His messianic identity was to be revealed in God’s timing, not according to demonic interference or human expectation.
(Mark 3:13-15) Jesus chooses the twelve.
And He went up on the mountain and called to Him those He Himself wanted. And they came to Him. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons.
a. And He went up on the mountain: This moment marks a pivotal turning point in the earthly ministry of Jesus. Confronted with growing hostility from the religious leaders, whose traditions He had openly challenged, and knowing they were plotting His destruction, He also saw that the great multitudes following Him were largely drawn by miracles rather than genuine repentance. Many of these same people could quickly turn against Him when He did not meet their expectations. In the face of these realities, Jesus’ response was to retreat to a place of solitude, as Luke chapter 6 verse 12 records, “Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” Before making one of the most important decisions in His earthly ministry, He sought the Father’s will in extended prayer.
b. Then He appointed twelve: Out of the larger company of His disciples, Jesus deliberately chose twelve men. This act was deeply symbolic, reflecting the twelve tribes of Israel, and signifying that He was laying the foundation for the new covenant community. These men would be entrusted with continuing His mission after His death, resurrection, and ascension. Without them, the work would not spread across the world as God had ordained. Therefore, Jesus chose “those He Himself wanted,” calling them according to divine purpose, not human qualifications.
c. He called to Him: In the biblical sense, a disciple was more than a student receiving classroom instruction. A disciple was an apprentice who learned through a life-on-life relationship with his master. To “come to Him” meant not only physical proximity but also a commitment to hear, obey, and follow. The call was both a privilege and a responsibility, requiring them to leave personal ambitions and submit fully to His authority.
d. Then He appointed twelve, that they might be with Him: The first and primary purpose for which Jesus chose them was relational — to be with Him. Before they could represent Him, they had to know Him. Their time with Him would shape their understanding, their character, and their ministry. Only after this intimate fellowship were they to be sent out.
i. This principle remains true for every servant of Christ. The depth of one’s ministry is directly related to the depth of one’s fellowship with Him. Those who attempt to preach or serve without abiding in His presence may have activity, but they will lack spiritual power. As the Lord said in John chapter 15 verse 5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”
ii. In the first-century Jewish context, discipleship always implied personal attachment. As one scholar notes, a disciple was not merely a learner in the abstract sense but one who patterned his entire life after the example of his teacher.
e. He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: The calling to proclaim the gospel was inseparable from the authority to minister in power. Their mission involved three primary tasks: proclaiming the truth of God’s kingdom, bringing spiritual healing to the souls of men, and engaging in direct spiritual warfare against the powers of darkness. Jesus not only commissioned them but also empowered them to accomplish what He commanded.
i. This remains the pattern for all gospel ministry: proclaim the Word faithfully, minister to the broken and afflicted, and stand firm against the schemes of the devil. As Ephesians chapter 6 verse 12 declares, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
(Mark 3:16-19) The twelve disciples listed.
Simon, to whom He gave the name Peter; James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom He gave the name Boanerges, that is, “Sons of Thunder”; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananite; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him. And they went into a house.
a. Peter; James… John: Out of the twelve, we know the most about Peter, James, John, and Judas Iscariot. Of the other eight, little is recorded in Scripture beyond their names. Their enduring recognition will come in eternity, for Revelation chapter 21 verse 14 tells us, “Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.” This is the fame that matters — fame before God, not the fleeting notoriety sought in this world.
i. Scripture teaches us to prize heaven’s honor above earthly acclaim. The apostles’ greatness was not measured by the world’s standards but by their faithfulness to Christ.
b. There are notable relational and social dynamics among this group. Some were brothers, such as James and John, and Peter and Andrew. Others had worked together as business partners, like Peter, James, and John, who were fishermen on the Sea of Galilee. Within the group were also stark political opposites — Matthew, a tax collector who had cooperated with Rome, and Simon the Zealot, who belonged to a movement that despised Roman rule. Among them also stood Judas Iscariot, who would ultimately betray Jesus.
i. Mark includes a helpful note for Gentile readers by explaining the meaning of “Boanerges,” or “Sons of Thunder.” This may reflect the passionate and impulsive temperament of James and John, demonstrated in Luke chapter 9 verse 54 when they asked Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village.
ii. The term “Canaanite” in this context does not refer to geographical origin. It is derived from the Hebrew term for “zealous,” marking Simon as a member of the Zealot movement.
iii. Judas Iscariot’s surname likely points to his hometown of Kerioth in Judea, making him the only Judean among the otherwise Galilean group.
iv. The listing of the apostles often follows a paired arrangement, consistent with the way Jesus sent them out two by two for ministry (Mark 6:7). The pairs are generally as follows:
Peter and Andrew
James and John
Philip and Bartholomew (also called Nathanael in John 1:45)
Thomas (whose name means “twin”) and Matthew (also called Levi)
James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddaeus (also called Judas, son of James in John 14:22)
Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot
c. And Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him: The inclusion of Judas among the twelve was intentional and sovereignly appointed by Jesus. His selection was not due to ignorance, for Jesus Himself said in John chapter 6 verse 70, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” It was not because there was no better candidate; Jesus could have raised up another follower if He had chosen to do so. Nor was Judas outwardly scandalous during Christ’s ministry — in fact, other disciples committed far more visible errors during those three years.
i. The mystery of Judas’s inclusion reminds us that God’s purposes often go beyond our understanding. One man once asked a theologian, “Why did Jesus choose Judas Iscariot to be His disciple?” The teacher replied, “I do not know, but I have an even harder question: Why did Jesus choose me?”
B. Jesus answers accusations.
(Mark 3:20-21) An accusation from His own family.
Then the multitude came together again, so that they could not so much as eat bread. But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
a. So that they could not so much as eat bread: The press of the crowd was so constant and overwhelming that Jesus and His disciples did not even have the time or freedom to eat a simple meal. This shows the relentless nature of His ministry at this point — the demands of the people were all-consuming, leaving no margin for rest or refreshment.
b. His own people: This refers to His family and those who had known Him closely from His upbringing in Galilee. These were individuals who had observed Him in His earlier years and were now witnessing a dramatic shift as He became widely known throughout the region.
c. He is out of His mind: From the perspective of those closest to Him, there were several reasons to conclude that Jesus might have lost His senses:
He left behind a stable and productive carpentry trade to become an itinerant preacher with no fixed home.
The religious and political authorities were already plotting His death, yet He refused to retreat or tone down His message (Mark 3:6). They feared for His safety.
Multitudes followed Him, and they knew how quickly public praise could turn into dangerous hostility (Mark 3:7-8).
He was displaying a level of miraculous power and spiritual authority never seen in His earlier years in Nazareth (Mark 3:9-11). Such sudden and unprecedented works could raise questions.
He chose a group of followers that seemed an unlikely mix, which could easily cause others to question His discernment (Mark 3:13-19).
The constant demands of ministry caused Him to neglect regular meals (they could not so much as eat bread), a visible sign to His family that something unusual — perhaps even alarming — was taking place.
i. It is one thing to be rejected by enemies; it is another to be doubted by one’s own family. Jesus endured both. While the hostility of religious and political leaders could be explained by their threatened positions, the rejection from His own people was deeply personal. As Matthew chapter 10 verse 36 records, “and a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” This was not merely theoretical for Jesus — it was His lived experience.
ii. The unbelief of His brothers is confirmed in John chapter 7 verses 3 through 5: “His brothers therefore said to Him, ‘Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.’ For even His brothers did not believe in Him.” It was not until after the resurrection that His brothers came to faith.
(Mark 3:22) An accusation from the religious leaders.
And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebub,” and, “By the ruler of the demons He casts out demons.”
a. The scribes who came down from Jerusalem: This was not a casual visit, but an official delegation of religious experts sent from Jerusalem — likely representatives of the Great Sanhedrin — whose task was to investigate and render judgment on the ministry of Jesus. The arrival of such scribes would have carried significant influence with the people, as they were regarded as authorities in the interpretation of the Law. Their presence indicates the seriousness with which the religious establishment viewed Jesus.
i. These men were not merely curious observers. It is possible, as some commentators suggest, that they came to determine whether Capernaum should be declared a “seduced city,” in danger of being led astray by what they perceived as an apostate preacher. Their verdict could have far-reaching consequences for how the people were instructed to respond to Him.
b. He has Beelzebub: This was a direct and severe accusation, essentially claiming that Jesus was possessed by Satan himself. The statement “He has Beelzebub” implies far more than mere cooperation with demonic forces; it suggests full possession and control by the prince of demons. This was an intentional slander, aimed at portraying Jesus not as a servant of God, but as an agent of hell.
i. Ironically, their charge was an indirect admission of the extraordinary power Jesus displayed. They could not deny the reality of His miracles, so they attributed them to the highest possible source of evil. In doing so, they unwittingly acknowledged that His works were of such magnitude that only supernatural power could account for them.
ii. This was not the first or last time Jesus endured such insults. The Gospel records reveal repeated attempts to malign His character:
“He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?” (John 10:20)
“Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” (John 8:48)
“We were not born of fornication.” (John 8:41)
“A glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” (Luke 7:34)
“You have a demon.” (John 7:20)
c. By the ruler of demons He casts out demons: According to Luke chapter 11 verse 14, this accusation followed a dramatic deliverance in which Jesus cast out a mute demon. Rather than rejoicing in the liberation of the afflicted man, the religious leaders twisted the event to claim that such power could only come from Satan. This was not mere misunderstanding; it was calculated malice.
i. While His family may have misunderstood Him (Mark 3:21), the scribes engaged in deliberate and public defamation. Their status gave weight to their words, and this accusation marked an important step toward the plot to destroy Him mentioned earlier in Mark chapter 3 verse 6. Before they could move openly against Him, they needed to undermine His credibility in the eyes of the masses.
d. Beelzebub: The name, while clearly referring to Satan, carries linguistic and cultural nuance. It likely derived from the Philistine deity Baalzebub (“lord of the flies”), worshiped at Ekron (2 Kings 1:2-3), but Jewish usage appears to have altered it to Baal-zebul (“lord of dung”), an expression of deep contempt. Whether “lord of the flies” or “lord of dung,” the meaning was unmistakable — the scribes were accusing Jesus of operating under the authority of the most detestable and unclean power imaginable.
(Mark 3:23-27) Jesus answers those who attributed His work to Satan.
So He called them to Himself and said to them in parables: “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he cannot stand, but has an end. No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. And then he will plunder his house.”
a. How can Satan cast out Satan? Jesus begins His response with simple logic that anyone could follow. If His power were coming from Satan, then His ministry of driving out demons would mean that Satan was actively working against himself. A kingdom engaged in civil war cannot survive. By this reasoning, Satan’s kingdom would collapse if such internal conflict existed. Jesus’ point was that the accusation was illogical — Satan does not war against himself.
i. This principle applies broadly: division destroys. Whether it be a kingdom, a household, or even a religious community, internal strife leads to collapse. The spiritual reality is that the kingdom of darkness is united in its opposition to God, and Jesus was clearly opposing that kingdom, not aiding it.
b. If a kingdom is divided against itself… if a house is divided against itself… Jesus repeats the analogy with both a kingdom and a household to show that division brings inevitable ruin. Satan’s purposes are consistent — to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10) — and the unity of his forces against God’s purposes remains firm. Therefore, Jesus’ works of healing and deliverance could not possibly be attributed to him.
c. No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man: With this parable, Jesus shifted from refuting their logic to revealing spiritual reality. The “strong man” represents Satan, who guards what belongs to him — the lives and souls under his bondage. To take anything from him, a stronger one must first subdue him. Jesus was showing that His works were not done in submission to Satan’s authority but in triumph over it.
i. Every exorcism, every healing, and every salvation was a direct assault on Satan’s dominion. In casting out demons, Jesus demonstrated that He had entered the strong man’s territory, bound him, and was carrying away his captives.
d. Then he will plunder his house: Jesus was not merely defending Himself; He was declaring victory. Every person set free from demonic oppression or the bondage of sin was part of His plunder from Satan’s kingdom. The Lord was raiding the house of the enemy and reclaiming lives for the kingdom of God.
i. This truth remains: there is nothing in our lives that must remain under Satan’s control. The risen Lord has bound the strong man through His death and resurrection (Hebrews 2:14-15), and He continues to plunder his house through the salvation and sanctification of His people.
(Mark 3:28-30) Jesus warns the religious leaders about the unforgivable sin.
“Assuredly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the sons of men, and whatever blasphemies they may utter; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is subject to eternal condemnation” — because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
a. He who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness: This statement is among the most sobering warnings in all of Scripture. Jesus declares that while all sins and every kind of blasphemy may be forgiven, there is one sin that will never be pardoned — blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The one guilty of this is “subject to eternal condemnation,” meaning the verdict is final, irreversible, and everlasting. In Luke 12:10, Jesus affirms the same truth, calling it “unforgivable.”
b. Because they said, “He has an unclean spirit”: The context reveals why this warning was issued. The scribes and religious leaders had witnessed the miraculous works of Jesus — works done by the power of the Holy Spirit — and yet declared them to be the works of Satan. By attributing the pure, holy work of God to the power of evil, they were displaying a hardened, willful rejection of the truth. This was not a momentary doubt or ignorance, but an official, deliberate misrepresentation of God’s work, showing the dangerous path toward the unpardonable sin.
i. Jesus’ warning shows that they had not yet crossed the line completely. If they had already committed the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, He would not have warned them, for by His own words, the one who commits it is beyond repentance. The fact that He warned them proves that repentance was still possible, though their hearts were dangerously close to becoming irreversibly hardened.
c. Understanding the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit: Many people fear they may have committed this sin, yet the very fact that they are concerned is usually evidence they have not. The blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not a momentary lapse, an angry word, or a single act of defiance, but a persistent, settled rejection of the Spirit’s testimony about Christ.
i. Jesus explained the ministry of the Holy Spirit in John 16:8: “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” In John 15:26, He said, “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.” The Holy Spirit’s mission is to point sinners to Jesus, bringing conviction and leading them to salvation.
ii. Therefore, when a person continually and deliberately resists the Spirit’s witness about Christ, refusing His conviction and rejecting God’s way of salvation, they are committing blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This is not unforgivable because it is too great for the cross, but because such a person has no desire for God’s forgiveness. They reject the only means by which forgiveness can be received, leaving themselves without hope.
iii. This warning is not meant to torment tenderhearted believers who love Christ and seek His grace, but rather to serve as a blazing beacon to those who are drifting toward hardness of heart. Persistent rejection of the Spirit’s testimony will eventually lead to a seared conscience, where the gospel no longer penetrates and repentance becomes impossible.
(Mark 3:31-35) Jesus describes His true family relationships.
Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.” But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”
a. His brothers and His mother: This likely connects back to the earlier moment in Mark 3:21, when His own people sought to lay hold of Him, thinking that He was out of His mind. It is possible that His family had come again to remove Him from public ministry, perhaps fearing for His safety or being concerned about His growing notoriety.
b. Who is My mother, or My brothers?: To the surprise of many, Jesus did not grant automatic spiritual privilege to His biological family. Though He loved and honored His earthly relatives, spiritual relationship with Him is based not on physical bloodlines but on obedience to God’s will. John 7:5 confirms that His brothers did not believe in Him during His ministry: “For even His brothers did not believe in Him.”
i. Brothers: This passage affirms that Jesus had biological brothers. The plain sense of Scripture stands in contrast to the Roman Catholic doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary, which denies that Mary had other children. Matthew 13:55-56 makes it clear: “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us?” Many reliable manuscripts in Mark’s account even add “and your sisters” to “your mother and your brothers,” showing that sisters were also present or implied.
c. Whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother: Jesus used this occasion to redefine what it truly means to be part of His family. Spiritual kinship is grounded in submission to the will of God. To belong to Christ’s family is to hear His word and obey it, as Luke 8:21 records: “But He answered and said to them, ‘My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.’”
i. This closing statement forms a striking contrast to the earlier scene in this chapter. On one side, the religious leaders stand in danger of eternal condemnation because they rejected and misrepresented the work of the Holy Spirit. On the other side, Jesus offers an open invitation into His spiritual family to all who will do the will of God. It is not ancestry, proximity, or religious credentials that determine inclusion, but obedience to the Father.
