Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 3:34
And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
34. looked round ] Another graphic touch peculiar to the second Evangelist. See Introduction, p. 18. Our Lord repeated the saying here recorded on another occasion, Luk 8:21.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And he looked round about on them which sat about him,…. To find out his disciples among them, and point them out particularly, by stretching forth his hand towards them: and said,
behold my mother and my brethren: not in a natural, but in a spiritual sense; his mother, because, in regeneration, he was formed in them; his brethren, because, by adoption, his God was their God, his Father their Father; [See comments on Mt 12:49].
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Looking round on them (). Another of Mark’s life-like touches. Jesus calls those who do the will of God his mother, brothers, and sisters. This does not prove that the sisters were actually there. The brothers were hostile and that gives point to the tragic words of Jesus. One’s heart goes out to Mary who has to go back home without even seeing her wondrous Son. What did it all mean to her at this hour?
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) ”And He looked round about on them which sat about Him,” (kai periblepsamenos tous peri auton kuklo) ”And looking around at those sitting around Him in a circle,” His eyes swept the circle of His watchers and with both anger and a chiding smile as in Mar 3:5.
2) “And said, Behold my mother and my brethren!” (legei ide he meter mou kai hoi adelphoi mou) “He says, behold my mother and my brothers;- Those male and female (women and men disciples surrounding Him).
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(34) And he looked round about.Literally, looking round on those who sat in a circle round Him. Another graphic touch of this Evangelist.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
REFLECTIONS.
PRECIOUS LORD JESUS! do thou come by thy blessed Spirit into thy Church, and among thy people, now in the day of thy power, as thou didst in the days of thy flesh, into the synagogue; and there manifest, that thou art LORD of the Sabbath, by thine acts of grace and mercy, to the souls of thy redeemed. Many a withered hand and an unawakened heart, is there, of thy people for JESUS to heal. Oh! do thou speak, in the word, and by the word; and very sure will it be at thy bidding, the withered and the halt, yea the dead in trespasses and sins will come forth to life and health, and new creatures. And oh! blessed LORD! what read we here in this chapter? Do the very devils and unclean spirits proclaim thy power and GOD HEAD? Oh then for grace, that all thy redeemed may know thee, from the least to the greatest. And do thou, dearest, and most compassionate LORD JESUS, give thy poor, fearful, and deeply exercised trembling ones, grace to see, that thou hast undertaken to keep them, from the unpardonable sin, in their union with thyself. Thy beloved Apostle hath said, under the authority of GOD the HOLY GHOST, that whosoever is born of GOD, sinneth not, but he that is begotten of GOD keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth him not. Oh! let the sweet consolation of this, be made blessed to thy people; that while the malice of hell, is breaking out, in the minds of the children of darkness; all thy dear redeemed ones may know and rejoice, in. the assurance, that they are kept by the power of GOD through faith unto salvation. Oh! the precious thought! CHRIST is not ashamed to call his people brethren. And as he condescends to own his poor relations in this life; so will he own them in the world to come. Never may my soul forget those sweet words of my LORD. Whosoever (saith JESUS) shall do the will of GOD, (and this is the will and work of GOD, to believe on him whom he hath sent,) the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
34. ] Matt. here has some remarkable and graphic details also: . . Both accounts were from eye-witnesses, the one noticing the outstretched hand; the other , the look cast round. Deeply interesting are such particulars, the more so, as shewing the way in which the records arose, and their united strength, derived from their independence and variety.
Mar 3:34 . , as in Mar 3:5 , there in anger, here with a benign smile. : His eye swept the whole circle of His audience; a good Greek expression.
looked round about = after casting His glance round. ADivine supplemental detail. Occ, only in Mark.
sat = were sitting,
Behold. Greek. ide. App-133.
34.] Matt. here has some remarkable and graphic details also: . . Both accounts were from eye-witnesses, the one noticing the outstretched hand; the other, the look cast round. Deeply interesting are such particulars, the more so, as shewing the way in which the records arose, and their united strength, derived from their independence and variety.
Mar 3:34. , in a circle round about) With the utmost sweetness.
Behold: Psa 22:22, Son 4:9, Son 4:10, Son 5:1, Son 5:2, Mat 12:49, Mat 12:50, Mat 25:40-45, Mat 28:10, Luk 11:27, Luk 11:28, Joh 20:17, Rom 8:29, Heb 2:11, Heb 2:12
Reciprocal: Mar 8:33 – turned Luk 6:20 – he lifted Joh 19:27 – Behold
DIVINE RELATIONSHIPS
And He looked round about on them which sat about Him, and said, Behold My mother and My brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is My brother, and My sister, and mother.
Mar 3:34-35
What words are these!
I. In the family.It were a great thing that God should admit us to be His servants, to occupy the lowest place in all His house. But that He should count us thus in the family is a love which has no parallel.
II. A relative duty.Suppose that you lived in the days of Christs sojourn upon earth, and that you were introduced one day to some one of whom you were at that moment informed that that person was the mother, or the brother, or the sister of the Lord Jesus. With what interest, with what wonder, with what reverence, with what affection you would look on that person! Now is not the thing real now, though invisible? You meet a person of whom you believe that he is a true Christian. Perhaps he is a very poor person. At that moment Christ is introducing you to that person. You ought to see that relation to Christ as the determining feature in that person, and love and honour him for Christs sake. Is your love to Christ worth much if you are not doing it?
III. Intimacy and confidence.But the subject bears still another interest. It is very comforting. Now suppose that any one of us is really at this moment so near to Christ that we have reason to believe that that hand is now pointing to us, and that those blessed words are really being addressed to us. What a wonderful intimacy and confidence may the thought of those words inspire us with! Are you indeed as a brother, or a sister, or a mother to the Lord Jesus Christ? Then what may you not confide to Him?
Rev. James Vaughan.
(SECOND OUTLINE)
DOING THE WILL OF GOD
Surely these words awake in the mind of every child of God a longing to be among the greatly blessed ones. There is a wonderful rest in acknowledging the claims of Gods will above all other claims in our lives. There are three ways in which we may do Gods will.
I. Pray according to His will.This is to pray in the spirit of adoption (Rom 8:15). It was thus Christ prayed, and through Him we have access. It is also to know what to pray for by the Holy Spirits guidance (2Ch 1:12; 1Ki 3:11-13).
II. Suffer according to His will.There is a suffering which comes direct from Gods hand and, when we recognise that, it is not difficult to wait patiently till the suffering with Him gives place to the glory with Him. There is also a suffering which we bring upon ourselves, but let us ever remember that all things work together for good to them that love God.
III. Work according to His will.David willed to build a house for God, but God willed that he should only prepare for it, and David gave up his own idea. Gods will was done by David who prepared, the people who offered, and Solomon who built.
IV. The first step in doing Gods will is submission to that will. God wills all men to be saved; how strange that some choose to be lost.
4
Jesus prepared to point out the persons deserving more attention just then than his family relatives, and called attention to the crowd that had gathered closely about him, to whom he had been preaching the truth.
Verse 34
This seems to have been a calm expression of confidence that he had then nothing to fear. He was surrounded by friends, as well as beset by enemies.
3:34 {6} And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
(6) The spiritual family is larger than the biological family.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes