WHO IS MY BROTHER? – A MAJOR ERROR
We learn from the Gospels how to deal with the three types of people, our brethren, others in general, and with our enemies. There are special rules for each found in the Gospel. But to deal with them we have to understand how to identify who they are. “Our brethren” refers to those who believe correctly and are co-members of the Body of Christ – the Church. “Others in general” refers to those who are neither our brethren nor our enemies. Our enemies are those who are inimically disposed toward us. We must avoid confusion of the Gospel teaching as it will result in misapplication of its instructions. Listed are many passages which confirm the meaning of brethren as being the firm believers and members of the One Church of Christ.
Brethren are those who are of one mind and one Body belonging to the Body of Christ
Others in general refer to those who are neither brothers nor enemies and toward them we “do unto others as you would have them do to you.
Enemies are those inimical toward us and to those we love as our enemies.
“Who is my brother?”
Christ first raises then answers the question: “Who is my brother?” saying, that it is those who hear the Gospel and are faithful members of the Church, and not every Tom, Dick and Harry.
Who is my brother?”
“As He talked to the people, His mother and His brethren stood outside, desiring to speak with Him. Then one said to Him, Behold, your mother and brethren are standing outside desiring to speak with you. But He answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother, and who are my brethren? And He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples, and said, behold my mother and my brethren! For whoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Mat.12:46-50, (Mar 3:34, Luke 8:20)
Duty toward our brother:
“Whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment; and whoever shall say unto his brother Raca, shall be in danger of the council; but whoever shall say, you fool, shall be in danger of Gehenna. Therefore if you bring your gifts to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you; leave there your gift before the altar and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother and then come and offer your gift” (Mat. 5:22-24).
Duty toward our brother:
“Or how will you say unto your brother. Let me pull out the mote from your eye; and behold a beam is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first cast out the beam of your own eye, and then you shall see clearly to cast out the mote out of your brother’s eye” (Mat.7:4-5).
Duty toward our brother:
“Them came Peter to Him and said, Lord how often shall I forgive my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times Jesus said unto him, I say not unto you until seven times; but until seventy times seven” (Mat. 18:21).
Duty toward our brother:
“Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between You and him alone; and if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two others brothers, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto you as a heathen man and a publican” (Mat. 18:15-17).
We are all brothers.”
The statement “we are all brothers” is not a true statement. But the following statement of St. Peter in his first epistle is acceptable and true. We of the Church says Peter: “are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a possessed people, that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light which in time past were not a people, but are now people of God. . . " (1 Peter 2:9-10).
Christ refers to the least of His brethren:
"Then shall the righteous answer Him saying, Lord when did we see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and gave you to drink? When did we see you a stranger, and took you in or naked and clothed you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come unto you? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Amen I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of my brethren, you have done it unto me."
St. Paul and his brethren:
“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony o God” (1 Cor. 21).
St. Paul and his brethren:
"I speak unto your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? No not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? but brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers. Therefore this is utterly fault among you, because you go to war with one another".
(1 Cor. 6:5-7)
St. Paul and his brethren:
“And I brethren could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with meat . . ." 1 Cor. 3:1)
St. Paul and his brethren:
“For if any man see you who has knowledge, sit at food in an idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols, and through your Actions shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you sin so against the brethren, and wound their conscience, you sin against Christ” (1 Cor. 8:10-12)
St. Paul and his brethren:
“As touching our brother Apollos, I greatly desired him to come unto the brethren; but his will was not at all to come at this time; but he shall come when he shall have convenient time. Watch, stand strongly in the faith, be courageous like men. Let all your things be done with love” (1 Cor. 16:10-14).
St. Paul and his brethren:
“Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that as I said you may be ready, lest haply if they in Macedonia come with me and find you unprepared, we should be ashamed in this same confidant boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you . . .” (2 Cor. 9:3-4).
St. Paul and his brethren:
“Paul. An apostle, (not of man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead); and all the brethren which are with me, unto the churches of Galatia” (Gal. 1:2).
St. Paul and his brethren:
“But neither Titus was with me, being a Greek was compelled to be circumcised, and that because false brethren unawares brought in who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they may bring us into bondage” (Gal. 2:4).
St. Paul and his brethren:
“Paul, a prisoner of Jesus Christ, and Timothy our brother, unto Philemon our dearly beloved and fellow laborer, and to our beloved Apphia, and Archippus our fellow-soldier, and to the church in your house” (Phil. 1).
Love and hatred of brother
“He that says that he is in the light and hates his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loves his brother, abides in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness and knows not where he goes, because that darkness has blinded his eyes” 1 John 2:9-12).
Love and hatred of brother
“He that fears is not made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us. If a man say I love God and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he that does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him, that he who loves God love his brother also” 1 John 4:20-21).
The brethren in heaven:
“And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven Now is come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ, for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, who accused them before our God day and night” (Rev.12:10).
The brethren in heaven:
“And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said to them, that they should rest for a little season, until their fellow servants and their brethren that should be killed, as they were, should be fulfilled” (Rev. 6:11).
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