John 7:3

In fact Jesus’ brothers say to him, “Jesus, you need to leave Galilee and head back to Judea.  Your disciples need to see more of the miracles you do.”  John 7:3 EFP 

Here are some new characters in the narrative—Jesus’ brothers.  Who are they?  Where did they come from?  Are they older brothers?  Younger?  How many?  We’ll have to wait for those answers.  But there is something odd about the suggestion made by Jesus’ siblings.  “Go to Judea, brother.”

What?  I can’t imagine they did not know the danger that awaited Jesus there!  Did they think he need to relax at the feast?  That would make sense, I guess.  Did they think he had been spinning his wheels in Galilee too long?  It could be, and that might even be understandable.  But instead they say he should go to the seat of opposition to get more exposure and have his disciple see his miracles.  That’s confounding at best.  Now I wonder if they were mocking him.  It seems to hint at an interpersonal fissure, if not a full blown crack, between Jesus and his brothers.  Maybe they didn’t get him.  Maybe they resented him.  In any case, there appears to be no love lost amongst the brothers towards Jesus.  Let’s see how this develops.  The narrative certainly isn’t sugar-coating the family dynamics, if this is truly how things were in the Messiah’s home.