Better Than Blood

Luke 11:27-28 KJV

And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

The ministry of Jesus so impressed this woman that she, in an almost ecstatic fashion burst out her adoration for Jesus' mother . As a woman, and likely a mother herself, she found herself envious of she who had born and nursed the Son of God.

Jesus was quick with His response and in just one sentence puts to silence the silly Catholic doctrine of Mariolatry and the notion that Mary had spiritual advantages greater than she. Jesus declared that there was something "better than blood". It is an advantage that supersedes

·         That of the Jew, who is kin to Christ through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,

·         That of those of the tribe of Judah, whose relation to Christ is in the same tribe of Israel and even greater than

·         That of Mary, the mother of Jesus and her other children, the half brothers and sisters of Christ

Blood relationship in no way guarantees a spiritual and eternal relationship as is apparent in that the Jews as a nation chose to reject Christ for Caesar. The true children of Abraham, says Paul, are those who have believed on Christ by faith. The relationship Christ says is better than blood is better because it offers eternal blessings rather than temporal, shallow and even illusory ones and it is offered to all who will but hear the Word and keep it.