When I was a child, I always thought of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, as a woman who died as a virgin. After all, I only knew her as the Virgin Mary who had angelic visitation and gave birth to God's own Son. What even made me hold this view so high was the fact that the people around me constantly reminded me of Virgin Mary. Indeed, Mary was a virgin pledged to be married to Joseph when she received an angelic visitation about being pregnant. And truly, Joseph did not consummate their marriage until after Jesus was born (Matthew 1:25). However, Mary the mother of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, did not die a virgin. Mary had other children with Joseph, her husband after she had Jesus. When I understood this, it changed my mindset about how I perceived Mary. Indeed, all generations consider Mary as blessed and favoured by God. She carried the only begotten Son of God, nursed Him, nurtured Him, trained Him and was very instrumental in His well-being as a human. We bless God for Mary. She fully trusted God to bring His will on earth even when she knew that the consequences could be fatal. This post will focus on the daughters of Mary (i.e., The sisters of Jesus).
Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. (Mark 6:3)
Different women from diverse backgrounds became an active part of the ministry of Jesus. These women had been delivered from diverse issues and supported the ministry of Jesus from their own means. Jesus wasn't the only child of Mary as stated earlier. He had brothers and sisters. In Mark 6, Jesus traveled to His hometown and when He taught in the temple, the people were amazed and asked, "Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him" (Mark 6:3). The names of the sisters of Jesus are not given in scripture but we know that they were recognized in the community. Were they following Jesus while He was alive? It is possible that they became converts of the church after the death and resurrection of Jesus, just like their brothers. In fact the apostle Paul mentions that after the death and resurrection of Jesus, the resurrected Jesus appeared to His brother James (1 Corinthians 15:7). This appearance might have been the turning point for the siblings of Jesus. James became a prominent figure in the Church and wrote the book of James. Judas or Jude the brother of Jesus also became instrumental in the Church. He wrote the epistle of Jude.
The sisters of Jesus might have been highly regarded by the early church. Like their brothers, they might have had to sit under the feet of the apostles and the disciples who walked with Jesus to learn some of the amazing experiences those people encountered. They would have been amazed to know that the brother they grew up with performed life changing miracles in the lives of the people that followed Him. Most importantly, they would have been amazed to know that their big brother was no ordinary man. Imagine the shock on their faces when they heard the stories of Jesus' transfiguration (Matthew 17, Mark 9. Luke 9). Ultimately, the sisters of Jesus accepted Him as their Lord and Saviour. Imagine praying to the brother they once thought was out of His mind (see Mark 3:21). The sisters of Jesus understood this statement of Jesus, "Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:35). Jesus wasn't just their brother, they needed to listen to Him, worship Him, serve Him, pray to Him etc.
In short, the sisters might have been schooled into the ministry of transformation. They would have had to discard every wrong opinion and undergo a new orientation. Everything that their mother had kept in her heart (see Luke 2:19, 51) would have been poured to them. They had lived with the greatest man who ever lived on earth but like their society, they missed the bigger picture. Their brother was highly esteemed elsewhere but not in His own country and home.
But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor (deference, reverence) except in his [own] country and among [his] relatives and in his [own] house.
Mark 6:4 AMPC
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house.”
Mark 6:4 NKJV
Thanks be to God, we have heard and believed. Is Jesus honoured through your way of life? Remember, "Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother" (Mark 3:35). Are you a brother or a sister of Jesus?
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