The incident described by Matthew takes place within the context of opposition faced by Jesus from the Jews. Jesus had been meeting with resistance from people who refuse to understand him or his message. While Jesus is still speaking his condemnation of Israel, his mother and brothers appear outside his house. Their reasons for wanting to speak to him is not specified. When he is told of their presence, Jesus indicates that his disciples, and not the crowds or the people in general, are members of his family. The disciples, who have left their own families to follow Jesus are his real mother and brothers. What Jesus asked of his disciples, that is, the breaking of family ties, he himself now undertakes. For blood ties count for nothing in the Kingdom of God.

What matters is being a disciple, which Jesus defines as "doing the will of the Father." By doing the will of the Father, the disciples, become the sons and daughters of the Father, and brothers and sisters, and even, the mother of Jesus. It also means that the Church is the family of God. In the Church, there is no better model of such discipleship that the earthly mother of Jesus, Mary. She is the "daughter of Zion" prophesised by Zechariah. By her obedience, God came to dwell in the midst of His people and through Jesus, made a covenantal relationship with them. Now, we too are Jesus' brothers and sisters and mothers and belong to God's family and are called to do the will of the Father.