Jesus Christ
The Passion
Born Again Into the Family of God
by Rhawn Joseph, Ph.D.
"Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." -John 3
Even before the "third day" and the marriage in Gallilee, Jesus had already established a following and was accompanied by disciples. However, he had yet to display his full powers, or his ability to perform miracles, as his "hour had not yet come." Rather, it appears that others began following Jesus, even as a teenager, because of his commanding, charismatic personality and incredible and astonishing intelligence. As was made clear even at age of 12, Jesus was a man of God, who "amazed" and "astonished" priests and teachers, and he was going places. Many sought to follow.
According to the Gospels, Jesus did not truly begin the first phase of his ministry, until after the "third day;" that is, after he turned 30, for on the "third day" and before the marriage, he told his mother: "my hour is not yet come."
Likewise, in the Gospel of Luke, we are told that Jesus was "about thirty years of age" when he was annointed by John the Baptist.
It was also after the third day, and after the marriage, that Jesus seperated himself from his family, and began to establish a new family of brothers and sisters. His new family would become sons and daughters of God.
"For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother." - Mark 3.
Those who would follow Jesus, would be born anew into the family of God. They would become as little children. And Jesus said: "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven....That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven." -Matthew 18
But to accomplish this rebirth and to be reborn, Jesus, and his followers, had to cut the cord which bound them to the demands of and ties to their earthly families. God, the heavenly Father, must come first.
After the third day, Jesus severed all ties with his earthly family, and left the family nest. However, this act of independence apparently caused some consternation among his family who followed after him and sought him out. But Jesus recognized them not: He in fact, disowned them. Jesus had a new family of brothers and sisters and those he would refer to as mother: the multitudes who followed him and accepted his teachings.
As retold by Mark (3): "There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him. And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee."
But Jesus refused to even acknowledge their presence.
"And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren. And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother."
Indeed, although his teachings emphasized love and the commandments to honor thy mother and father, it was also his teaching that those who accepted God would be born again, into a new family. And to accomplish this, one must severe the ties to one's earthly family and the claims they might make upon them.
"When one of his 12 disciples asked Jesus for permission to attend to his family "and to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead." -Matthew 8.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man's foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." -Matthew 10.
Thus after "the third day" Jesus began forming his new family. He was now taking the first momentous steps on a long road that would lead to his death and sacrifice by crucifixion. Soon, he would announce that "the time has come."
But first, Jesus would need to be baptised by John the Baptist so as to be annointed and reborn as the Messiah
"And Jesus said, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." -John 3.
| 
