Even Jesus Faced Doubt from His Own Family

Do you have family members who don’t believe in Jesus? If so, you're not alone. In fact, you share something deeply human with Jesus Himself.

The apostle John tells us plainly “Not even his brothers believed in him” (John 7:5).

That’s an astonishing truth. Jesus the Son of God, perfect in word and deed lived for decades alongside His siblings, yet they didn’t recognize who He was. Not one of Jesus’s brothers is recorded as a disciple before His death. Yet, after the resurrection, we find them in Acts 1:14, worshiping Him as Lord.

Why didn’t they believe? And what changed?

Living in the Shadow of Perfection

Scripture doesn’t explicitly answer the first question, but we can imagine what it may have felt like to grow up with Jesus as your older brother.

First, consider the weight of comparison. Jesus was profoundly wise from a young age so much so that by age 12, He was astounding the temple rabbis (Luke 2:47). For any sibling, living in the shadow of such brilliance would be a heavy burden.

Then, add to that Jesus’s flawless moral character. He never sinned. Never lashed out. Never lied. His motives were always pure, His actions always selfless. For brothers who wrestled with their own sin, it may have felt more alienating than comforting.

And then there was Mary and Joseph’s unique love for Him. They knew He was the Messiah. Surely, their deference toward Jesus grew as He matured. How could they not have treated Him differently? No sibling could compete with the child whose birth had been announced by angels and accompanied by a star in the sky.

Jesus would have been, in every way, unmatched. And sometimes, familiarity breeds contempt especially when pride lurks in the heart.

The Pain of Being Misunderstood

Jesus once said, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household” (Matthew 13:57).

That wasn’t a proverb. It was a wound.

The disbelief of His brothers must have pierced deeply. When Mark 3:21 says His family thought He was “out of His mind,” we hear not just rejection, but scorn. They didn’t just misunderstand Him they dismissed Him. And yet, Jesus didn’t withdraw. He kept loving, kept speaking truth, kept waiting.

Hope for the Waiting

If even Jesus a perfect witness was met with resistance from His own family, what does that mean for us?

It means we can let go of the crushing weight of guilt that often follows family unbelief. Yes, we must own our sins, repent when necessary, and walk humbly. But we must also remember what blinds hearts to the gospel is not always our failure it’s the enemy’s deception and the hardness of sin (2 Corinthians 4:4).

And yet, there’s hope. Glorious, real, stubborn hope.

After Jesus’s resurrection, His brothers believed. James not only came to faith but became a pillar of the early church. Jude wrote a New Testament letter. These men who once doubted became martyrs and leaders.

Their hearts were changed by the same power that spoke light into the void:
“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Keep Praying, Keep Trusting

So what should we do while we wait?

Keep praying. Keep loving. Keep trusting.

Their resistance is not the final word. Your awkward holiday conversations, your small acts of faith, your quiet prayers they are not in vain. God sees. He knows. And He is able.

Even if they never believe in your lifetime, you can rest in the justice and mercy of a perfect Judge (Genesis 18:25). Jesus never promised every family would be united in faith. In fact, He warned that some would be divided over Him (Matthew 10:34–39).

But when James finally calls his brother “the Lord of glory” (James 2:1), we’re reminded that nothing is impossible. The one who slept in the same room, shared meals, and probably argued as children came to see Jesus as his Savior. That moment was decades in the making.

So don’t give up. You may be deeply disappointed but you are also greatly loved. And so are they.

Keep hoping. Keep asking. The Lord of glory is still writing their story.

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