After teaching the parable of the soils, Jesus continues to restate a critical point from that story – ‘Listen!’ First, he uses the analogy of a lamp. Second, his family members become another way to repeat his point for those who were with him.

The purpose of a lamp is to shed light. There is no point in hiding a lamp. The radiance of the lamp is there to shine out and reveal what is there (v 16). By implication, Jesus’ teaching is about light in a dark world. So, he says, ‘consider carefully how you listen’ (v 18; see also v 10). The light of Jesus’ teaching brings with it a promise of judgment. Either we listen carefully and understand reality, or we don’t listen carefully and slide further away from light and life and hope. There is no neutral option.

Then, we see his family were looking for him (vs 19–21). Jesus uses this to restate his point: ‘hear God’s word and put it into practice’. He seems to be taking every opportunity to underline something significant: listen carefully to what Jesus says!

‘The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ’.¹

These sayings of Jesus follow directly from the parable of the four soils and continue to focus on our response to God’s message. First, there is the encouragement to live our lives in a way that makes the light of our faith visible, for God will bring all things into the light anyway. Then there is the cryptic saying about those who have being given more – and vice versa. This is a typical Jewish rabbinic saying and in this context is not about money or possessions but about spiritual understanding and revelation of God and his kingdom. Just as a muscle grows through exercise, so our spiritual insights increase through intentional use and practice, whereas they atrophy through passivity and standing still.

Jesus then makes a statement about family – those who hear God’s word and put it into practice are his mother and brothers. Note first that it is not enough to hear God’s word – as with the good soil and the lamp, we must implement it and do something intentional with it. This is about living a surrendered life of obedience. Second, this is not a repudiation of Jesus’ biological family: we know that they are important to Jesus. It is rather an extension of his family to include his spiritual relatives, known through their yielded discipleship.

Jesus is in essence welcoming his faithful disciples into God’s family. The Father leads the family, and Jesus is the elder brother. In this close relationship, Jesus loves us as he loved his mother Mary.² Paul often draws on this family image, emphasising the spirit of adoption which allows us to cry out, ‘Abba, Father’.³ In the ancient world, adoption was irrevocable, more permanent than biological family bonds. This invitation into Christ’s family is an unchangeable, lifelong bond of affection and intimacy, a true privilege for all who call Christ Lord. 

Thank you, Father, for this unconditional welcome into your loving family.

¹ Rom 8:16,17  ² John 19:25–27  ³ Rom 8:14–17