Can we or should we call Jesus our brother?
Question:
Can we or should we call Jesus our brother?
Answer:
"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified" (Romans 8:29).
"For whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven, he is my brother, and sister, and mother" (Matthew 12:50).
"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me'" (Matthew 25:40).
"For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, 'I will proclaim your name to my brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise'" (Hebrews 2:11-12).
Jesus is the elder brother of all who are saved.
Question:
I’ve read these passages. I just don’t see where anyone calls Jesus "brother Jesus." I wonder if it would irreverent to call him brother and not Lord.
Answer:
There is an interesting fact about families. If I state that Jim is my brother, it is only natural for Jim to refer to me as his brother. What you are attempting to do is deny that something that is logically concluded (a necessary inference or an implication) is authoritative.
Jesus is my Lord. He is my King. But my Lord is also family and a friend. He is not remote and distant. He is close and familiar. God is the Father. Jesus is the Son. But every Christian is an adopted child of God and thus a brother to the Son. "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" Therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God" (Galatians 4:4-7).
