Mark 3:32

‘And a crowd was sitting round him, and they say to him, ‘See, your mother and your brothers are outside looking for you.'

The crowd were ‘sitting around Him'. Here were the ones for whom He was responsible now. They were on the inside. And they pass on the message that has come in to them, probably unaware of the intentions of the Nazareth party. Family ties were considered important. In their view He should know that His family were there.

But Jesus was aware of why they were there and considered it important to make quite clear what the position was. Mary must have it made clear to her that she had no jurisdiction over Him now, and His brothers must know that they had no right to interfere (compare John 7:3). He had left home and brothers and sisters and mother and father for the Gospel's sake (Mark 10:29). His mission had begun and all earthly ties were put aside although not forgotten. It was a stand that He had to take that the lesson might be recognised once and for all.