Jesus is told his mother and brothers are calling for him.
Mark 3:34 Behold my mother and my brethren!
Mark 3:34 Look, these are my mother and brothers.
Ta-da! This mother of mine and these brothers of mine!
We are born into a family, but we also create a new one for ourselves.
This verse starts with a word that Jesus almost always uses humorously. This is the punching to the previous verses setup. The word translated as "Behold" and "Look" s also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English but drain it of its humor. Jesus uses it both ways.The "mother" and "brothers" are not the objects of the "behold." They are in the form of subjects, which, without a verb, assume an "is." Again, this seems light-hearted to me. It also suggest that there is an older woman that is part of their group.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "mother" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/these" before "brethren" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the/this" before "mother" is not shown in the English translation.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "my" is not shown in the English translation.
Behold -- "Behold" is a verbal command meaning "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English. Jesus uses it both ways.
my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
mother, "Mother" is the common Greek word for "mother" and "grandmothers," but it also means "the source" or "origin" of something.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."
missing "the/these" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
brethren? The word translated as "brother" means a biological brother, any kinsmen, and more broadly and friend or associate.
Look, -- "Look" is a verbal command meaning "See!" and "Look!" It is from the most common word meaning "to see" in Greek. In a humorous vein, it is also an adverbial exclamation like we use the phrase "ta-da" in a magic show, or "voila" in French which means "see there". "Look here!" or "See there!" comes closest in English. Jesus uses it both ways.
these -- The word translated as "these" could be the Greek definite article before "brothers" which is plural The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
are -- There is no verb "are" here in the Greek source but it is implied by the noun in the form of a subject having no verb associated with it.
my -- "My" is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."
missing "the/this" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article," the," which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," and "those"). See this article for more.
mother, "Mother" is the common Greek word for "mother" and "grandmothers," but it also means "the source" or "origin" of something.
and -- The Greek word translated as "and" is used as the conjunction "and," but it also is used to add emphasis ("also"). In a series, it can be translated as "not only...but also." After words implying sameness "as."
missing "my" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the first-person possessive singular pronoun. This pronoun follows the noun so "of mine."
brothers? The word translated as "brother" means a biological brother, any kinsmen, and more broadly and friend or associate.
Ἴδε [52 verses](adv, verb 2nd sg aor imperat mid) "Behold is idou, which means "to behold," "to see," and "to perceive." It acts as an adverbial phrase in this form meaning "Lo! Behold!" and "See there!' It is a form of the verb eido, which means "to see."
ἡ [821 verses](article sg fem nom) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). -
μήτηρ [27 verses](noun sg fem nom) "Mother" is meter, which means "mother," "grandmother," "mother hen," "source," and "origin." -- "Mother" is the common Greek word for "mother" and "grandmothers," but it also means "the source" of something.
μου [239 verses](adj sg masc gen) "My" is from mou (emou), which means "me," and "mine." As a genitive object means movement away from something or a position away from something else.
καὶ [1089 verses](conj/adv) "And" is kai, which is the conjunction joining phrases and clauses, "and," or "also." After words implying sameness, "as" (the same opinion as you). Used in series, joins positive with negative "Not only...but also." Also used to give emphasis, "even," "also," and "just."
οἱ [821 verses](article pl masc nom) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the"). - missing "the/this"
ἀδελφοί;[37 verses](noun pl masc nom) "Brother" is adelphos, which means "son of the same mother," "kinsman," "colleague," "associate," and "brother." -- The word translated as "brother" means a biological brother, any kinsmen, and more broadly and friend or associate.
μου [239 verses](adj sg masc gen) "My" is from mou (emou), which means "me," and "mine." As a genitive object means movement away from something or a position away from something else.
There is a song verse that goes, "We've got two lives, one we're given and the other one we make." Jesus is saying something very similar to referring to which "house" he to which he now belongs. We each are born into a specific family, but that is the life we are given. Over time, we each build a new family and a new life.