S – Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. ²¹ And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” 

Mark 3:20–21 ESV

O – Commentary:

his family The Greek idiom used here, meaning “the ones from his side,” can refer to anyone who is closely related to a person, whether by blood or voluntary association.

for they were saying Jesus’ family might have wanted to preserve their reputation. The political ramifications of Jesus’ actions and teaching also could have caused His family to attempt to restrain Him, for fear of reprisal from Roman authorities or local Jewish leaders. Alternatively, they might have not have believed that Jesus was the Messiah and so attempted to silence Him to avoid being ostracized from the religious system (believing that it, too, would reject Him). Since Jesus has been at the center of a crowd almost continuously since His first teaching in Capernaum, it is unclear why His family reacts now.

 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Mk 3:21.

A – Living a life that honors God causes one to stand out.  Whether concerned for his safety or maybe they were embarrassed, his family felt the pressure of his words and actions.  We will too.  The life God has for us is counter intuitive to the cultural lifestyle.  We will make the choice of comfort or living for God.  Choose wisely.

R – Heavenly Father, you are Holy.  Empower us today to live a life that honors you first.  Even when others question us, we want to be grounded in your Word, heart and character.  When others question us, we want to demonstrate an authentic and genuine love for you.