12:46 While Jesus 5 was still speaking to the crowds, 6 his mother and brothers 7 came and 8 stood outside, asking 9 to speak to him.
1 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
2 sn The term translated speck refers to a small piece of wood, chaff, or straw; see L&N 3.66.
3 tn Or “do not notice.”
4 sn The term beam of wood refers to a very big piece of wood, the main beam of a building, in contrast to the speck in the other’s eye (L&N 7.78).
5 tn Grk “he”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 tn Grk “crowds, behold, his mother.” The Greek word ἰδού (idou) has not been translated because it has no exact English equivalent here, but adds interest and emphasis (BDAG 468 s.v. 1).
7 sn The issue of whether Jesus had brothers (siblings) has had a long history in the church. Epiphanius, in the 4th century, argued that Mary was a perpetual virgin and had no offspring other than Jesus. Others argued that these brothers were really cousins. Nothing in the text suggests any of this. See also John 7:3.
8 tn “His mother and brothers came and” is a translation of “behold, his mother and brothers came.”
9 tn Grk “seeking.”
10 sn The reference to Jesus as the carpenter’s son is probably derogatory, indicating that they knew Jesus only as a common laborer like themselves. The reference to his mother…Mary (even though Jesus’ father was probably dead by this point) appears to be somewhat derogatory, for a man was not regarded as his mother’s son in Jewish usage unless an insult was intended (cf. Judg 11:1-2; John 4:41; 8:41; 9:29).