How do brothers live with Jesus for 33 years and not believe in Him? They had a sinless example, one who understood all the wonders of the universe, one who could debate effectively with the scribes and Pharisees at age 12, and yet they did not believe in Him. How stubborn the human heart can be! How blind the human spirit can be! Our focus moves to the story in John 7:2-9. Here Jesus is being challenged by his brothers (James and Jude-yep the ones who wrote the books at the end of the New Testament) to go to Jerusalem to the Feast of Booths to show off. Did they not take Him seriously? Did they think it okay to mock the Son of God? Did they just not get it? Unbelievers! Jesus grew up with unbelievers. If you have ever had unbelieving family members you can sympathize with Jesus. Now I am sure they are believers in God and in the words of Moses. I am sure they kept the Jewish traditions, and even looked for the Messiah. But, not in their house. I wonder what they thought when their cousin John started pointing to Jesus as the Messiah, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world? And, then what did they think when John got himself killed because of His faith in Jesus? Perhaps the stakes of faith were too high. And how must Mary have felt having Jesus, the object of faith, and at least two children who did not believe in Him. I wonder if Jesus' sisters believed in Him.
Were they merely jealous? It would not be the first time some brothers were jealous of their brother. Remember Joseph? He went on to save His brothers too. Jealousy can be blinding. It is a hill that is hard to cross. Jesus was one of the most well loved people in all Israel at this time. Everyone knew about Jesus and probably had someone they knew healed by Him. How would you like it if everywhere you went when someone found out you were the half brother of Jesus, Jesus was all they wanted to talk about? I wonder if James was ever taunted to do a miracle like his brother did? I wonder if anyone ever asked Jude to turn some water into wine? I wonder if Mary loved Jesus best? But these brothers thought they would help Jesus out and suggest a marketing strategy for Him. Since there would be a lot of folks in Jerusalem for the Feast and leading up to Yom Kippur, it would be a perfect time to roll into town and put on a show. Jesus would have huge crowds to amaze! They sounded more like the frenzied mob at the foot of the cross than loving brothers. See what unbelief looks like. Snide remarks. Insensitive jabs. Let's see tomorrow how Jesus deals with the unbelief of His brothers.
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