“Literally, ‘For not even were his brothers believing on him.’ Imperfect tense of \pisteuô\ with sad picture of the persistent refusal of the brothers of Jesus to believe in his Messianic assumptions, after the two rejections in Capernaum.” (RWP)

Sometimes we get a special glimpse of the heart of Jesus from John, His best friend, and this is one of those times. How disappointed Jesus must have been when He was rejected by the crowds, but how much more must He have been grieved when those closest to Him — His own brothers — didn’t believe in who He was.

Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever felt like even those closest to you have let you down and not supported you? Have you felt betrayed or abandoned? You are not alone. Jesus has felt everything you have felt so he can perfectly empathize with you. (Heb 4:15)  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.

Don’t give up. Go to Jesus and he will comfort and strengthen your heart.