3:31 Mary, along with Jesus' half brothers, finally arrived from Nazareth (cf. vv. 20-21). By inserting Jesus' conflict with the scribes in this story Mark heightened the readers' suspense about the results of Jesus' conflict with His family. Perhaps the house where Jesus was was so full of people that His family could not get in but had to send word to Him that they had arrived. This approach reflects normal family relationships. Jesus' mother and brothers were not being rude but were expecting that Jesus would acknowledge their presence by respectfully coming out to meet them. They wanted to talk to Him privately and to restrain His activity.
3:32-34 The multitude sitting around Jesus evidently consisted of a group of His disciples (v. 34). Jesus' question focused on the quality of relationship with Himself. He meant, Who are the sort of people who are my family? Again Jesus looked around, but this time affectionately (cf. v. 5). He identified His disciples as those closest to Him. This would have been a startling statement to Jesus' hearers because the Jews valued natural family relationships highly. Jesus was not repudiating family relationships (cf. 7:10-13). He was teaching the priority of spiritual over natural relationships.
3:35 Those who do God's will, not just those who profess discipleship, constitute Jesus' spiritual family. The terms "brother and sister and mother"are figurative. "Father"is absent because Jesus had only one spiritual Father. His spiritual mothers were those believing disciples who sustained Him in motherly ways.
Jesus claimed the authority to redefine motherhood and sibling relationships according to doing God's will rather than blood lineage (cf. 6:1-6).105
This pericope should be a great encouragement to any disciple who is suffering persecution for his or her faith. Such disciples were Mark's original readers. Some disciples suffer broken family relationships and even ostracism because of their commitment to do God's will. Some experience intense opposition from unbelievers who try to make their good works look bad. One reward for such sacrifices is intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
