Reason To Believe-Jesus’ Half-Brothers
JOHN SHIRK – In the Year of Exploration, today’s Reason to Believe is the faith of Jesus’ half-brothers.
There is a noticeable change in the attitude of family members toward Jesus as His ministry unfolds. Earlier, in Jesus’ earthly ministry, John 7:5 records that “even his own brothers did not believe in him.”
But that changed after the resurrection. First Corinthians 15:7 records that after Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to various people, including James, referring to His half-brother. James became an influential leader in the church in the book of Acts, and wrote the book of James.
Another brother who came to believe in Jesus is Jude. He is listed in Jesus’ family in Matthew 13. He also wrote one of the last books in the New Testament. Early in his book, he describes himself as the brother of James and a servant of Jesus Christ.
The transformation of Jesus’ half-brothers from unbelief to faith is a reason to believe in God’s Good News.
John Shirk
john@wjtl.com
I cannot image how the resurrected Jesus first approached his brother.
A lot of the time I think about Jesus encountering Peter for the first time after the betrayal and resurrection. What supernatural healing must have happened and yet to stare into the face of your kin, your bro, the boy you ran next to, fought sword sticks with, ate next to, and repeated Hebrew prayer beside–I can’t image the dramatic healing in the moment they stood face to face and Jesus affirmed him. Certainly, absolutely, life changing and beautiful.