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Jesus was planning to go to Jerusalem for the Feast
of Tabernacles that was about to take place. The
caravan of people would be leaving.

This Feast was one of the most important of all the
festivals of the Jews. It lasted seven days and to
celebrate it, the people remembered their wanderings
in the desert. They read the Law each day.
Trumpets sounded 21 times each morning.

The Feast was special because it followed 4 days
after the atonement when restitution was made
for the sins of the people.

These cities were doomed because of their refusal
to repent after great signs and wonders had been
done in them.

In these verses, Jesus shows that the ministry of
healing and miracles is the most powerful evang-
elistic method in the world and how guilty these
people were who were not convinced by them.

He even claimed that some very wicked citiies
like Sodom, Tyre and Sidon would have repented
had the people there seen them.

Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum do not exist.
Something happened to completely obliterate them
from the earth. They are the fulfillment of prophesy
of Jesus in Matthew 11:20-24

"Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most
of his mighty works were done, because they
repented not:
Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida!
for if the mighty works, which were done in you,
had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have
repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for
Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.
And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven,
shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works,
which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom,
it would have remained until this day."

These people had the privilege of Jesus living
among them and had failed to know what was
happening around them.

The Pharisees had told Him that He was demon
possessed and in union with Beelzebub. They had
been so busy that they hadn't recognized the great
importance of His ministry.

And after all they had seen and witnessed, they had
not repented.

The Pharisee's opposition didn't bother Jesus
because He expected it of them.

But the people who had received Him and had
gathered in great crowds to hear Him, none of it
brought about repentance. The message hadn't
taken a hold of their hearts as He wanted.

Mary must have been very disappointed that the
miracles He performed in other places He ministered
weren't performed in her own town.

Jesus' preaching amazed the people of Nazareth.
They couldn't understand where His wisdom had
come from, but they couldn't believe. So there were
no great miracles done there.

It wasn't because He would not do them; they said
He could not because of their unbelief. (Mark 6:5)

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"And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished
these parables, he departed thence.
And when he was come into his own country, he
taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they
were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man
this wisdom, and these mighty works?
Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother
called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses,
and Simon, and Judas?
And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence
then hath this man all these things?
And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto
them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his
own country, and in his own house.
And he did not many mighty works there because
of their unbelief." Matthew 13:53-58

It appears that Jesus did listen to His mother
and went home for a few days.

But before leaving, He sat in a boat by the sea
shore and told His famous parables. Then He
went to Nazareth with His mother and family.

He didn't get much rest, the time was too
valuable. He went to the synagogue to teach.

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After Jesus was finished with the crowd, He must
have gone to His mother and brothers to talk with
them.

He never left without taking care of matters except
if it meant to do something out of God's will. And
He would never leave without seeing His mother.

His human nature was one that He wouldn't turn
down anyone if He could help it.

Jesus knew why His family had come for Him.
At the wedding in Cana He had to stop her with
"Woman what have I to do with thee?" when
she tried to help Him.

Now they were trying to interfer so He had to
stop them by stretching out His hands towards
His disciples and said, "Behold my mother and
my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will
of God, the same is my brother, and my sister,
and mother" Mark 3:34,35

We know His mother didn't go along with their
opinion. She knew of His disputes with all the
religious leaders and was concerned about the
problems. She may have hoped that He would
leave for awhile so tensions would cool down.

She, remembering the circumstances of His
birth, believed in Him; but like any mother she
wanted to protect Him as long as she could.

This seemed strange. Jesus was Lord of Heaven
but His brothers figured they had to try to do
something to get Him under control.

Maybe like Joseph's brothers, thinking he was
just a dreamer, Jesus' brothers lost sight of His
purpose. Because Jesus' ministry was having such
a wide effect that they might have feared what
could happen, even to themselves.