Knee-Mail: Dear Joses, Half Brother of Jesus | Dr. Kent Hovind's Blog

                From:    Kent Hovind Sent:    May 8, 2008 To:    Joses, Half Brother of Jesus Subject:     Ignoring the Critics

First read:   

 Mark 6:3 “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.”

Matt. 13:55 “Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?”

John 7:1-9

GOD:    Hey, Son, that hurts, doesn’t it?

kh:    Yes, Lord, real bad. Why do people who claim to be my brother in the Lord say things like that? They don’t know my heart.

GOD:    Come with Me, Son. I’ll let Joses explain it…See those four men over there, Son? kh:    Yes, Lord.

GOD:    Go talk to the tall one, that’s Joses.

kh:    OK, Lord…Excuse me, Joses, you guys look upset. What’s wrong?

Joses:    Oh, it’s that crazy half brother of ours. We just talked with him. He’s walking down the hill over there toward the lake. He always wanders off by himself.

James:    He claims he is going to talk to “his father.”

Simon:    Ha! We’d all love to know who that really is.

Judas:    Yeah, we sure would. Mom claims he’s the Messiah and his father was God. We don’t say anything to her about it; we don’t want to show any disrespect to our mother, but we all have our doubts.

Joses:    Yeah, he’s been hanging around Galilee for a while even though the big feast of tabernacles is starting in Jerusalem pretty soon. We were just asking if he was going to go “show off his mighty powers” in Jerusalem.

KH:    What do you mean “show off”? Don’t you think he is sincere?

Joses:    No, we don’t. We’ve known him and lived with him for nearly thirty years. He was just a quiet ordinary brother until recently. He did a few tricks somehow and now thousands follow him around everywhere he goes.

KH:    What kind of tricks?

James:    Oh, we haven’t seen them ourselves, but his disciples, as he calls them, claim he fed nearly 20,000 people on that big hill over there with just five loaves and two fishes (John 6:1-13). I don’t believe it myself. It had to be a trick.

Joses:    Yeah, they also claim he walked on the water out there in the Sea of Galilee (John 6:18-21).

Simon:    During a storm, no less!

Joses:    Yeah, he really has those guys fooled into thinking he’s the Messiah.

James:    Oh, they aren’t too bright to begin with. Most are just fishermen with no education.

Simon:    Mom also claims he turned water into wine at a wedding (John 2:1-10). We just smile and let her think what she wants.

KH:    Why do you think he does those “tricks”?

Joses:    To be famous (John 7:4). He has been a recluse all his life till this all started when he turned thirty. He now loves the crowds and publicity. It’s all gone to his head. He thinks he’s famous and he loves it.

KH:    Could he be genuine?

Joses:    Oh, people get fooled by charlatans all the time. Just wait and see. He will mess up soon and people will see the real Jesus. He’s just a man who also happens to be our half brother.

Simon:    Unfortunately!

Judas:    Yeah, unfortunately! How would you like to grow up in a small town with lots of rumors going around about your mother and how she really got her first son? It’s been hard on all of us for years, and now all these tricks and huge crowds…I just can’t stand it. I avoid him as much as I can.

James:    Me too. It’s embarrassing to be seen with him when people know we are related.

Joses:    He told us he wasn’t going to the feast yet (John 7:8). We are going. There will be a huge crowd there from all over Israel. I can’t believe he won’t take advantage of the crowd and show up to do some tricks. I’m telling you, he loves to be the center of attention. All he really wants is fame. He’s a phony. He will show up. Let’s get going, brothers.

GOD:    Well, Son?

kh:    Wow, Lord, your own brothers totally misunderstood you and misconstrued your motives, didn’t they?

GOD:    Yes, Son, until I rose from the dead (Matt. 28:10, John 20:17, Acts 1:13-14).

kh:    I don’t understand how they could live with you all those years and still not see the truth.

GOD:    People tend to see others as they themselves are. Thieves think everyone is a thief like them. My brothers were just assuming that I was like them. They would do miracles to get fame and attention for themselves if they could. The brothers and sisters that are critical of you and your motives are just showing their own heart.

kh:    What should I do, Lord?

GOD:    About them—nothing. Walk away and talk with Me. About yourself—examine your heart often, it is deceitful above all things (Jer. 17:9), keep your sins confessed (I John 1:9), and serve Me.

kh:    But their words hurt, Lord (Eph. 4:9; James 3; I Pet. 3:15-16)!

GOD:    I know, Son. I know. You will be fine, Son. How many people criticized Noah as he built the ark, Son?

kh:    I would guess lots did, Lord.

GOD:    Millions did, Son. Can you name any of them, Son?

kh:    No, Lord, not one.

GOD:    See, Son. Go work on that book you are writing. I’ve got your back.