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When we examine the questions that Jesus’ asks in the New Testament, we find that He asks three hundred seven questions in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  He is asked one hundred eighty-three questions and of those, He answers  fewer than ten directly. (The information given here was gathered from: Martin Copenhaver, Jesus Is The Question, Israel Wayne, Questions Jesus Asks, and Butch Entrekin, The Questions Jesus Asked).
In Mark 3:31-35, Jesus asks, “Who is my mother or my brethren?”  The question probes the value of our physical family giving us history, connection, identity, and even influencing character. It also probes the value of our spiritual family.  Our spiritual relationship with the Triune God, blesses us with salvation and sonship.  We not only have fellowship with Deity, but we have fellowship with all of those who are redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. The spiritual relationship that we have with Jesus Christ through the gospel is totally absent in the lives of unbelievers.  It is marginal in the lives of some Christians who are not authentically connected to Christ.  It is authentic and essential for many New Testament Christians who realize the value of spiritual relationships not only with God, Christ and the Holy Spirit, but also with those of like precious faith.
Jesus had a physical family and a spiritual family.  The spiritual relationships were more significant to Him.  The most meaningful experience that we can have in this life is when our physical family is also a part of God’s family–the church of Christ.  When this occurs, we have a double blessing.  The physical ties which are intimate and real and the spiritual ties that transcend the physical and continue into eternity combine in significant, lasting relationships.
Jesus’ Physical Family
In Mark 6:3 and Matt. 13:55-56, Jesus’ physical family is mentioned.  Jesus was the oldest child born to Mary (and the Holy Spirit–Luke 1:30-35).  Joseph was not the physical father of Jesus (Luke 3:23), but he was Mary’s husband and the acting father of Jesus on earth.  Then, there were James, Joseph (Joses), Judas (Jude) and Simon.  Jesus also had sisters who are not named. Jesus’ younger siblings were all the natural children of Joseph and Mary. At some point after Jesus turned twelve, Joseph died. Jospeh is mentioned in Luke 2, but after that he not mentioned as an active part of Jesus’ life. Jospeh was not a part of Jesus’ public ministry which began when He turned thirty (Luke 3:23).  Whenever Jesus died on the cross, He entrusted the care of Mary to John (John 19:26,27). These and other references indicate that Jospeh was no longer a part of the family of Jesus.
Before the age of thirty, Jesus’ physical family grew.  Jesus Himself grew in wisdom, stature and favor with God and man (Luke 2:52).  However, Jesus’ brethren did not believe that He was the Son of God and savior of the world (John 7:5).  While Jesus had natural familial connections, His family was not close due to their lack of a shared faith.  This is a common experience for many people.  There is a powerful disconnect in families when faith in Jesus Christ is not a shared experience and a common love for God and knowledge of His purposes is not shared by family members.  Jesus’ family was antagonistic to Him (Mark 3:20-21).  It’s one thing not to have our family share our faith and values, and quite another to have your family think you are mad or crazy.  We seldom think of the many ways that Jesus experienced life just as we do. He was faced with a divided family over religious views.  This part of Jesus’ experience identified Him with the human experience (Heb. 2:17).  He was tempted in all points just as we are (Heb. 4:15). Would He renounce His true identity and mission to please His family? Of course, He did not.  Would you?
Jesus’ family attempted to rescue Him from Himself!  Mark 3:31-35 records when His mother and brothers came to Him and asked Him to come outside. A crowd was sitting around and said, “your mother and brothers are outside, seeking you.”  Jesus said, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”  The answer seems obvious.  The physical family of Jesus was known. But, Jesus is now going to define His family in a different way.  Whenever Jesus was twelve, He identified His Father as God (Luke 2:49).  Now, He identifies His brothers as those who are true disciples, “For whosoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”  The spiritual relationship defines the true family of Jesus Christ. This spiritual bond is greater than the physical bond because it is more important involving the salvation of the soul.  It transcends the earthly ties.  It is eternal!
The spiritual relationship to Christ and each other does not depend on any earthly connection. It depends on the New Birth (John 3:3-5).  The New Birth (baptism into Christ) puts us into the family of God (Gal. 3:26-29).  In Christ, we are brothers and sisters or brethren.
Jesus’ Spiritual Brethren
In Heb. 2:10-12, “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is to ashamed to call them brethren.”  Jesus saves and sanctifies. He purchases His disciples with His own blood (Acts 20:28).  Salvation establishes a unique relationship with the Lord that we do not have with any other person.  This relationship is why we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:16-17).  If we belong to God, then, everything that God possesses belongs to us.
The Family of God
When we enter God’s family, we automatically have a whole new set of siblings.  We become “one body but many members.”  God’s children are unique.  They have different personalities, character traits, strengths and weaknesses, talents and material assets. But, they are all one in Christ (Gal. 3:26-29).  The family of God is bound by love (John 13:34-35).
God’s Family and Ours
When our physical family is also a part of God’s family, we experience a double blessing.  A marriage is significantly blessed when this double blessing is present. A physical family is blessed when this double blessing is present.  The ties we experience in this life, in the flesh, are even greater through the Spirit and last into eternity.  Every Christian should work and pray that the members of his/her physical family would also be a part of God’s family where all spiritual blessings are found.
Jesus’ Family After the Resurrection
Jesus’ resurrection from the dead convinced His family that He truly was the Son of God and savior of the world.  They came to believe in Him (Acts 1:14).  On the Day of Pentecost, Mary and Jesus’ brethren were gathered together, along with other disciples, in the city of Jerusalem waiting for the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4-5).  Jesus’ half brother James wrote the book of James.  His half-brother Jude, wrote the book of Jude.  At last, Jesus was able to unite His family in the faith.  When this happened, Jesus was doubly blessed.