John Calvin Commentary Luke 8:19

"And there came to him his mother and brethren, and they could not come at him for the crowd." — Luke 8:19 (ASV)

And his mother and his brethren came to him. There is an apparent discrepancy here between Luke and the other two Evangelists. For, according to their arrangement of the narrative, they represent Christ’s mother and cousins as having come while he was speaking about the unclean spirit, whereas Luke refers to a different occasion and mentions only the woman’s exclamation, which we have just explained. But we know that the Evangelists were not always very precise regarding the order of dates, or even in minutely detailing everything Christ did or said, so the difficulty is quickly resolved. Luke does not state at what precise time Christ’s mother came to him; but what the other two Evangelists relate before the parable of the sower, he introduces after it. The account he gives of the exclamation of the woman from the crowd bears some resemblance to this narrative, for inconsiderate zeal may have led her to exalt to the highest degree what she imagined Christ had unduly diminished.

All three Evangelists agree in stating that while Christ was speaking in the midst of a crowd of people, his mother and brethren came to him. The reason must have been either that they were anxious about him or that they were desiring instruction, for it is not without some good reason that they endeavored to approach him, and it is not probable that those who accompanied the holy mother were unbelievers. Ambrose and Chrysostom accuse Mary of ambition, but this is improbable. What necessity is there for such a conjecture, when the testimony of the Spirit everywhere commends her distinguished piety and modesty? The warmth of natural affection may have carried them beyond the bounds of propriety—this I do not deny—but I have no doubt that they were led by pious zeal to seek his company.

Matthew relates that the message about their arrival was brought by one individual; Mark and Luke say that he was informed by many persons. But there is no inconsistency here, for the message that his mother sent to call him would have been communicated, as usually happens, from one person to another, until it finally reached him.