Expert: Rev. Frank Ricketts - 6/20/2007

Question
Christ himself disowned his mother and his brothers when they heard the rumor that he was "crazy" (Mk. 3:21, "He is beside himself."), and they came to take him home (Mat. 3:31-35).

Answer
I do disagree or agree with anyone that searches the Scriptures. I only present facts.

In the instance of the verse Mark 3:21 Christ had called the apostles to separate themselves from the crowd and to come to Him. He gave them power to heal sickness and to cast out devils. Because He (Christ) had the zeal for the work of God, He was beset by two things – hatred of his enemies and the mistaken affection of His friends – thus He was beside Himself, not crazy.

The definition of beside in the Greek is:

To amaze, to astonish, throw into wonderment.
To be out of one’s mind, beside one’s self.

Christ was amazed at the reaction to Him. Since we receive a sound mind when we receive the Holy Ghost, it makes no logical sense that He was crazy.

2 Timothy 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

There is no Matthew 3:31-35.

In Mark 3:31-35:

Here is the disrespect that Christ’s kindred shows to Him, but this is according to the flesh. They had no desire to come in and hear Him, instead they sent a message for Him to come to them. In their rudeness to Him, they really had no business with Him, but as the Savior, they could not grasp His mission on earth.

It’s interesting that Christ actually fulfills one an Old Testament verse:

Exodus 20:12  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

And since Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the law, then it stands to reason why His actions were what they were.

God bless.

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