Thought for Today
Genesis 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" He said, "I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?"
Genesis 25:9 His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre,
Matthew 12:46 While he was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers were standing outside, wanting to speak to him. . . . 48 But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"
Matthew 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
Have you ever wondered what life was like for James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? What it must have been like to be the brother of Jesus? Most of us who had brothers at one time or another heard, “Why can’t you be like your brother?” It seems highly likely that James and Joseph and Simon and Judas were not exactly like their brother. Scholars debate whether or not any of them recognized Jesus as the Christ during Jesus’ lifetime. We do know from other verses in the New Testament and from the writings of Josephus, Eusebius and Jerome that Jesus’ brother James became the first leader of the Christian Church in Jerusalem, was known as James the Just and was stoned to death on the order of the High Priest Ananus ben Ananus.
Scripture does seem to focus on brotherly siblings more than on sisters. There are a few prominent sisters mentioned in scripture. Mirium was the sister of Moses. She is referred to as a prophetess (Exodus 15:20) and figures prominently in the Exodus story. Jesus’ own sisters are referenced in Matthew 13:56 as being present, but they are never mentioned by name. Of course, the Bible is set in a patriarchal culture and the concept of primogeniture (the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relative [Wikipedia]) existed then and for long after, even in our own culture.
The sibling relationship has a mixed track record in scripture. It didn’t work out well for Cain or Abel. The rivalry between Ishmael and Isaac is still playing out across the Middle East today. Jacob and Esau also figure prominently in that same conflict today. Conversely, Mary and Martha were both personal friends of Jesus and followers. They even had a positive relationship with their brother Lazarus.
I often think about the question Jesus asked, “48 But to the one who had told him this, Jesus replied, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" More generally, ‘who is part of my family?’ For me, Jesus’ own answer to that question has long been instructive, “Matthew 12:50 . . . whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
Christendom is the worldwide family of all those who strive to do the will of our Father in heaven. Every Christian is a member of a 2.4 billion (Wikipedia) member family of faith. Our world tries to separate people by many metrics: gender, ethnicity, heritage, wealth, etc. We divide into tribes, nations, power blocs . . . but, beyond all that, irrespective of all of those measures, 2.4 billion of us are members of one family of faith. We worship the One God; we recognize Jesus as God’s Son. We share a common faith.
We may be separated into (almost) countless varying denominations. We diverge on some matters of doctrine and belief. Our worship services present a colorful rainbow of differing ways to worship that One God. But, we are family. We fuss and grumble at each other. We squabble with each other. Sometimes, like petulant siblings, we trade blows. But, 2.4 billion of us are siblings.
The Bible does not record God’s answer to Cain’s question, “am I my brother's keeper?" It is hard for me to image God’s answering sarcastically, but the response that comes first to my mind to that question is, “Well, duh, YES!” In every sense of the word, we are called to be our brother’s keeper, our sister’s keeper, to help and support each of our 2.4 billion siblings. Today, sing They’’ Know We Are Christians by Our Love. Sing it loud, sing it clear . . . live those words. Make sure the other 2.4 billion members of your family know you are a Christian by your love.
Stay safe, live love, trust God,
Pastor Ray