scribes and Pharisees were mostly unconvinced, if at all
really impressed by His teachings, our Lord was not entirely without
appreciative listeners. A woman in the company raised her voice in an
invocation of blessing on the mother who had given birth to such a Son,
and on the breasts that had suckled Him. While not rejecting this
tribute of reverence, which applied to both mother and Son, Jesus
answered: "Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and
keep it."[607]

CHRIST'S MOTHER AND BRETHREN COME TO SEE HIM.[608]

While Jesus was engaged with the scribes and Pharisees, and a great
number of others, possibly at or near the conclusion of the teachings
last considered, word was passed to Him that His mother and His brethren
were present and desired to speak with Him. On account of the press of
people they had been unable to reach His side. Making use of the
circumstance to impress upon all the fact that His work took precedence
over the claims of family and kinship, and thereby explaining that He
could not meet His relatives at that moment, He asked, "Who is my
mother? and who are my brethren?" Answering His own question and
expressing in the answer the deeper thought in His mind, He said,
pointing toward His disciples: "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."

The incident reminds one of the answer He made to His mother, when she
and Joseph had found Him in the temple after their long and anxious
search: "How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about
my Father's business?"[609] In that business He was engaged when His
mother and brethren desired to speak with Him as He sat amidst the
crowd. The superior claims of His Father's work caused Him to let all
minor matters wait. We are not justified in construing these remarks as
evidence of disrespect, far less of filial and family disloyalty.
Devotion, similar in kind at least, was expected by Him of the apostles,
who were called to devote without reserve their time and talents to the
ministry.[610] The purpose on which the relatives of Jesus had come to
see Him is not made known; we may infer, therefore, that it was of no
great importance beyond the family circle.[611]

NOTES TO CHAPTER 18.

1. The Two Accounts of the Miracle.--In the commentary on the miraculous
healing of the centurion's servant, as given in the text, we hav