This document provides an overview and analysis of Matthew 12:46-50 from the perspective of "The Royal Family". It divides the passage into three groups: 1) The religious leaders who condemned Jesus as an enemy, 2) Jesus' mother and brothers who approached him condescendingly, and 3) Jesus' disciples who celebrated him devotedly. The document examines the attitudes and behaviors of each group, concluding that only those who do God's will can be considered part of his royal family regardless of physical or religious ties.

1. THE ROYAL FAMILY

2. GRACIOUS JESUS
(MATTHEW’S PERSPECTIVE WITH GOSPEL PARALLELS)
1. Presenting the King (Matt 1-4)
2. True Blessedness (Matt 5:1-12)
3. Kingdom Lifestyle – Part 1 (Matt 5:13-
48)
4. Kingdom Lifestyle – Part 2 (Matt 6)
5. Kingdom Lifestyle – Part 3 (Matt 7)
6. Master Strokes (Matt 8)
7. The King Calls (Matt 9)
8. The King Commissions (Matt 10)
9. Signs, Sinners and the Saviour (Matt
11)
10. Power Games and Names
(Matt 12)
11. Hidden Wisdom (Matt 13:1-43)
12. Hidden Treasures (Matt 13:44-14)
13. The Gall and the Glory (Matt 15-17:9)
14. Winning Others Over (Matt 17:10-
18:35)
15. Kingdom Values, Kingdom Wealth
(Matt 20)
16. The King Enters Jerusalem (Matt 21)
17. The Chosen Few (Matt 22)
18. The King’s Glorious Coming (Matt
24:1-44)
19. The Final Countdown (Matt 24:45 –
25:46)
20. The King’s last days (Matt 26)
21. Desertion (Matt 26:36-75)
22. God’s Lamb Sacrificed (Matt 27: 1-50)
23. The King Conquers (Matt 27:51-28)

3. GRACIOUS JESUS
10. POWER GAMES AND NAMES (MATT
12)
49. Mercy versus Ceremony
50. Sabbath Reinterpreted
51.The Servant King
52. The Unpardonable Sin
53. The Last Sign
54. Eradicating Evil Spirits
55. The Royal Family

4. THE ROYAL FAMILY
BIBLE PASSAGE
Matthew 12:46 While He was still speaking to the crowds,
behold, His mother and brothers were standing outside,
seeking to speak to Him. 47 Someone said to Him, “Behold,
Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside seeking
to speak to You.”48 But Jesus answered the one who was
telling Him and said, “Who is My mother and who are My
brothers?” 49 And stretching out His hand toward His
disciples, He said, “Behold My mother and My brothers! 50
For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he
is My brother and sister and mother.”

5. THE ROYAL FAMILY
PRESENTATION OVERVIEW
Bible Passages: Matthew 12:46-
50;Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21;
John 15:14; 46
Introduction
Critical enemy – anointed family
Condescending family – appointed
family
Celebrating devotee –
adopted family
Comparisons
Insiders or outsiders
Discussion

6. OBJECTIVES
To:
• Ensure we are part of God’s adopted
royal family
• Understand how some thought they were
insiders but were considered outsiders of
the family
• Overcome dangers of being outsiders

7. THE ROYAL FAMILY
INTRODUCTION
In the wake of repeated retaliation and
rejection from the Pharisees, even after
Jesus’ undisputedly displays his Lordship,
Jesus’ family appears. Perhaps nudged by
the Pharisees, but clearly not in full
understanding as yet.
We see three players in this passage and
prior (context):
• The religious leaders: Condemning enemy
– anointed family
• Jesus’ mother and brothers:
Condescending family – appointed family
• Jesus’ disciples: Celebrating devotee –
adopted family

8. CONDEMNING ENEMY
– ANOINTED FAMILY
Anointed by God the Pharisees’,
and leaders’ worship was wasted,
their words blasphemous.
Instead of keeping the law, they
were tripping others with it.
Instead of drawing to God and
bringing others with them, they
plagued anyone who came
anywhere close.
They went to the extent of
conspiring to murder him
By condemning Jesus, Jesus
prophecies that their own sons will
condemn them.

9. REFLECTION
Before we condemn the
Pharisees, let us not fall into the
same trap, but introspect
Pharisaical attitudes in our lives.
What pharisaical attitudes do we
see in the church today?
Which of these are seeping into
our own lives?
What lessons can we learn from
Jesus to tackle them?

10. CONDESCENDING
FAMILY – APPOINTED
FAMILY
In the absence of his father, Jesus had probably been playing
role as head for a while. We know his brothers did not believe
in him (ref John 7:1-4).
John 7:1 After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for
He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were
seeking to kill Him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of
Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him,
“Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also
may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does
anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known
publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”
5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him.

11. CONDESCENDING
FAMILY – APPOINTED
FAMILY
In another situation (passage in
John 7:1-4):
• They did not realize his life
was in danger
• They misunderstood his
motives/ desires ”seeks to be
known publicly”
• Their advice turned
counterproductive
• They did not consider
themselves in the category of
his disciples

12. CONDESCENDING
FAMILY – APPOINTED
FAMILY
Observe the behaviour
Matthew 12:46 While He was still
speaking to the crowds, behold, His
mother and brothers were standing
outside, seeking to speak to Him.
While he was speaking, they:
• wanted to interrupt
• were standing outside
• wanted to talk, (not listen)
• approached him through
someone ..
What attitudes do we sense in his
brothers?

13. CONDESCENDING
FAMILY – APPOINTED
FAMILY
Even people in the hometown were
offended. They reject Him.
Mark 6:3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the
son of Mary and the brother of
James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon?
Aren’t His sisters here with us as
well? And they took offense at Him.
4Then Jesus told them, “A prophet
is without honor only in his
hometown, among his relatives, and
in his own household.”
Even Jesus was “amazed at their
unbelief” Mark 6:6

14. REFLECTION
So near and yet so far
We, as God’s chosen people, also
tend to take Jesus for granted and
shut out what he is saying. Even
the devout Mary, his mother,
seems to be in the defaulter’s
category at this point. She is as
human as all of us.
How do we do that - interrupt, talk,
require mediators?

15. CELEBRATING DEVOTEE
FAMILY – ADOPTED
FAMILY
Clearly Jesus knew the motives of
his mother and brothers presence
(leaving us guessing that probably
it was to protect him). He also
uses the mediator to contrast them
with his disciples.
Matthew 12:49 And stretching
out His hand toward His
disciples, He said, “Behold My
mother and My brothers! 50
For whoever does the will of My
Father who is in heaven, he is My
brother and sister and mother.”

16. CELEBRATING DEVOTEE
– ADOPTED FAMILY
They are inside
They are listening
They are obeying
They are not interrupting
They are not using mediators to
talk
They honour me
They are my REAL family
Reflect on what each of these
mean today for us to deserve to
be called His disciples..

17. THE ROYAL FAMILY
COMPARISONS
Pharisee Blood
brothers
Disciples
Condemning Condescending Celebrating
Blocking Interrupt Listening
Outside Outside Inside
Dishonouring Don’t honour Honouring
Disobeying Ignoring Obeying
Of Satan Not yet my
family
Family

18. OUTSIDERS OR
INSIDERS?
Only one criteria – doing God’s will
qualifies us to be part of THE
ROYAL FAMILY
Being inside Jesus’ zone often
means
• Being outside popular zones
• Valuing what others don’t
• Having associations despised by
others
• Letting go to let God
…
What else??

19. DISCUSSION
1. What mindsets represent the
Royal Family?
2. What situations cause us to
interrupt or ignore Christ?
3. What changed Christ’s brothers
from neutral advisors to strong
believers?
4. What do we need to do to
strengthen our position in the
Royal Family?