The True Kindred Of Jesus (Luke 8:19-21)

Question 1

Importance

Answer 1

• Along with the parable of the sower and the lamp, under a jar proverb, this passage aims to stress the importance of responding to the word of God
• Jesus declares that the ppl who hear and put into practice the word of God are not only approved by him, but also part of his family
• Jesus’s family are those who hear and do the word of God
• Everyone has to respond to the word of God and whichever they choose to do, is their response and have to face their consequences if they do not, whereas if they choose God, they will see Jesus as a guiding lamp
• Jesus tells them if they have a cloak, share it with someone else (meaning that they should share the word of God)
• The first step towards repentance = the acknowledgment of your sin, and saying your sorry
• Metanoia (Greek word, 180 degree turn)
• You will turn 180 degrees and turn to the heavenly values
• Jesus says that the word of God requires a response
• Jesus interprets and access the word of God, through Jesus we have access to God’s kingdom
• If you hear God’s word, you have to put it into practice

Question 2

Literary form

Answer 2

• Pronouncement story
• The climaxing word is Jesus’ statement in v.21 that “My mother and brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it”
• You are not Jesus’s family if you do not act on the word of God
• Calling his audience to act on God’s word or face the consequences
• There is a cost to accepting the word of God but also benefits

Question 3

v. 19 “…they could not reach him because of the crowd”

Answer 3

• Sets the stage
• People couldn’t get to Jesus because it was too crowded

Question 4

“His brothers”

Answer 4

• Other children of Joseph and Mary
  -The audience might have expected that Jesus’ family would have special privileges before Him; it appears that they do not
• Jesus indicates that His closest family is made up of those who hear and obey God’s word

Question 5

‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it”

Answer 5

• This continues the theme of hearing the word of God and doing it
• His family are those who hear and obey
• This does not mean that family ties are not important. Jesus remembered his mother on the cross when he asked one of the disciples to care for her. The message is that our duty to God takes precedence - God asks for our ultimate allegiance.
• People are not a part of Jesus’ family by physical descent from Abraham
• Echoes the message of John the Baptist in chapter 3 - it is not enough to just be a Jew
• Who is special to Jesus? Those who do God’s word.
• The people that Jesus identifies the most with are those who respond to the word. See Luke 11:28
• This is not so much Jesus rejecting his family, but an encouragement to the disciples to accept his word
  and do it!
• Accepting God’s word is more than just intellectually agreeing with it - it expresses itself in action.

Question 6

Themes

Answer 6

• Discipleship
• A reaction from people is what discipleship is all about, by doing what Jesus tells you to, you are being a disciple to God
• Kingdom of God (focal message)
• This is the end of the focus on the need to respond to Jesus’ word about the kingdom of God. The
  message to Luke’s audience is clear: HEAR and OBEY. Agree and act!