John 7:1-5: a reflection

In a striking and sobering note, we are told that even Jesus' own brothers did not believe in him, urging him to prove himself while they themselves did not yet believe. His brothers said to him, go into Judea, that your disciples may see your works; if you do these things, reveal yourself to the world. For even his brothers didn't believe in him. Jesus knew what it was to be disbelieved by those closest to him. His own brothers, who had grown up with him, urged him to make a public display, but from unbelief, not faith; they did not yet believe in him. Even Jesus was not believed by his own family, at least not yet. This shows that even Jesus faced unbelief from those closest to him. Even Jesus' own family did not believe in him at first. Christ knows what it is to be disbelieved by those closest to him. Do not despair if those close to you do not yet believe. Unbelief even among those near us is not new or hopeless.

Notice this sobering detail: even his brothers didn't believe in him. Jesus' own brothers, who had grown up with him, who knew him as well as anyone, did not yet believe in him. They urged him to go and make a public display of his works, to reveal himself to the world; but this urging came not from faith but from unbelief, perhaps even a kind of challenge. Even Jesus, the sinless Son of God, was not believed by his own family, at least not at this time. This holds a quiet comfort for those who long for those close to them to believe. It can be a deep grief when those closest to us, our family, those who know us best, do not share our faith, do not believe. We can feel that this is a peculiar failure, that surely those nearest should believe. But even Jesus knew this: his own brothers did not believe in him at first. Unbelief even among those close to us is not new, and not necessarily final. Jesus understands the grief of being disbelieved by one's own; and, significantly, his brothers who did not believe here came, after his resurrection, to faith. So we need not despair over those close to us who do not yet believe. Christ knows this grief, and unbelief now is not necessarily unbelief forever. We do well not to despair over the unbelief of those close to us, taking comfort that even Jesus faced this, and that present unbelief is not always the end. Do not despair if those closest to you do not yet believe. Even Jesus' own brothers did not believe in him at first. Christ understands the grief of being disbelieved by one's own. Present unbelief in those near you is not necessarily the end.

That is worth taking to heart, for even Jesus faced unbelief from those closest to him, and we need not despair over those near us who do not yet believe, as even his brothers did not believe in him at first. We can grieve deeply when those closest to us do not share our faith; but even Jesus' own brothers did not believe in him at first, and yet later came to faith. Do not despair. When those close to you do not yet believe, take comfort that even Jesus faced this, that he understands the grief, and that present unbelief is not necessarily the end. Do not despair over those close to you who do not yet believe, taking comfort that even Jesus faced unbelief from those closest to him, since even his own brothers did not believe in him at first, urging him to prove himself while they themselves did not yet believe, saying he should go into Judea and reveal himself to the world, for even his brothers didn't believe in him; for Jesus knew what it was to be disbelieved by those closest to him, his own brothers who had grown up with him urging him to make a public display but from unbelief rather than faith, so that even Jesus, the sinless Son of God, was not believed by his own family at least not yet, which holds a quiet comfort for those who long for those close to them to believe, since it can be a deep grief when those closest to us, our family and those who know us best, do not share our faith, and we can feel this is a peculiar failure, but even Jesus knew this, his own brothers not believing in him at first, so that unbelief even among those close to us is not new and not necessarily final, and significantly his brothers who did not believe here came after his resurrection to faith, so that we need not despair over those close to us who do not yet believe, for Christ knows this grief and present unbelief is not necessarily unbelief forever, and we do well not to despair over the unbelief of those close to us.