NOTES for Mar 3:20-21
Whenever Jesus entered any village, almost everyone learned about it at once. The crowd constantly surrounded Him, so that there was not even time to eat. Apart from those rare moments when the Savior withdrew to pray, Christ and His disciples were constantly serving those who needed healing and pastoral care. Such an unusual life, directed first of all toward helping others rather than securing one’s own well-being, could not fail to astonish those around Him. It must have seemed especially strange to His relatives, who clearly remembered the days in Nazareth when Jesus was a simple carpenter unknown to anyone. To them, it was as though He had suddenly ceased to be Himself and had lost His reason and common sense.
The evangelist tells us this immediately after the choosing of the Twelve, when several of the apostles received authority to heal the sick and cast out demons. One might think that universal respect and honor were now assured to them, but not everyone can readily accept their way of life. In this case, the decision to live according to one’s calling not only guarantees no benefits, but most often brings misunderstanding and condemnation.