Scripture

Luke 8:21  But He answered and said to them, "My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it."

Observation

(A lot of words are in past tense, the definitions are not always changed to past tense, it is understood we will make that change ourselves as we study.)

But

• *on the contrary
• except; save
• unless; if not; except that

He  - Jesus

answered

• *spoken or written reply or response to a question, request, letter, etc.
• a correct response to a question asked to test one's knowledge
• an equivalent or approximation
• an action serving as a reply or response
• solution to a problem
• reply to a charge or accusation

and

• along or together with
• added to; plus
• *then
• then again; repeatedly
• also (implying continuation)

said - (past tense of say)

• utter; pronounce; speak
• express in words

to

• express motion/direction toward a point
• express limit of movement
• express aim, purpose, or intention

them,  - the people who told Him His mom and brothers were outside

"My  - Jesus

mother

• female parent

and - also (see above)

My  - Jesus

brothers

• male siblings
• male numbered among the same kinship group, nationality, race, profession, etc., as another; an association; a fellow member, fellow countryman, fellow man 
• a man who devotes himself to the duties of a religious order without taking holy orders, or while preparing for holy orders.

are  - present plural of "be", exist

these - the people

who  - the people with Him

hear

• perceive by ear
• learn by ear or being told
• *to listen to; give or pay attention to
• be among the audience

the - used before a noun to stress a particularizing effect

word

• a unit of language consisting of one or more spoken sounds or written representations that functions as a principal carrier of meaning.
• speech or talk to express

of

• used to indicate distance or direction from
• *used to indicate derivation, origin, or source 
• used to indicate cause, motive, occasion, or reason

God

• Supreme Being, Creator, Ruler of the universe 
• Father in the Trinity
•  lower case (god) image of the Creator
• lower case (god) any deified person or object

 and

• along or together with
• added to; plus
• then
• then again; repeatedly
• *also

do

• to perform
• to execute
• to accomplish; finish; complete
• to put forth; exert

 it."  - the word of God

They spoke to Jesus.

Jesus answered.

He did not ignore their statement and keep teaching.  He acknowledged them. 

They were probably nervous and uncomfortable with Him teaching and His family outside...I would be nervous and unable to pay attention to His teaching if I were there, worrying about the circumstance.  I would be looking back and forth between them on the outside and Him teaching and not concentrating on His teachings. 

Mother and brothers.  I'm guessing He said this because those were the members of the family that were mentioned, but that sisters would have been included in His answer had they been mentioned in by the "some" who spoke to Him.

He is saying those who hear - actively pay attention to God's Word and also do what He says (live what He says), are His family.

Application

We are members of His family if we exert/do/live what He says.

We will only know what He says if we actively listen/read His word.

Reading passage sections through (a parable, an event, a particular teaching, etc.), before taking a verse word-by-word like this, is important.  There have been verses that I have taken one word at a time without reading the passage, only to realize, after much digging, I was digging in the wrong direction.  Oops. 

Prayer

Father God, thank You for Your Word.  Jesus, thank You for answering when I come to You.  Thank You for not telling me I'm an interruption.  Father, thank You for adopting me into Your family and making me Your daughter, sister of Jesus.  Wow.  That sounds weird when I say that.  Thank You also for following my thoughts when they drift and for knowing what I mean, even I sometimes lose track of what I was coming to You about.  Thank You for giving me family members to come along side me when my biological family cannot be with me.  Thank You for Your faithfulness.  Help me to live out Your Word. I pray in Your name, Jesus.  Amen.

Scripture

Luke 8:20 And it was told Him by some, who said, "Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You."

Observation

And

• along or together with; as well as 
• added to
• then

it

• used to represent an inanimate thing
• used to represent noun, previously mentioned or about to be mentioned
• used to represent a concept or abstract idea

was (past tense of "be")

• existed; lived
• happened

told (past tense of tell)

• gave account or narrative
• made known by speech
• announced or proclaimed
• uttered
• expressed in words

Him

• Jesus

by

• near to; next to
• within the extent or period of 
• according to
• from the opinion, evidence, or authority of

some

• being an undetermined or unspecified one
• certain when used with plural nouns
• certain unspecified number, amount, or degree

who

• the "some" referenced above, my guess more than one person or it would have said "someone," rather than some...

said (simple past tense of say)

• expressed
• stated
• reported

Your

• Jesus

mother

• female parent (Jesus' female parent)

and

• additionally

brothers

• male siblings

are (plural of "be")

• exist
• to take place
• continue or remain as before
• to belong; attend; befall

standing

• rank/status especially with respect to social, economic, personal position
• good position
• the act of a person who stands (this one :) )

outside

• the outer side, surface, or part; exterior
• external aspect
• the space beyond the enclosure, institution, boundary
• a position away or father away from the inside or center

desiring

• to wish or long for; crave; want
• to express a wish to obtain; ask for; request

to

• used to express motion
• used to express point in time

see

• perceive with eyes
• to view; visit or attend as a spectator
• to perceive mentally; discern; understand
• construct a mental image of
• to meet and converse with 
• to receive a visitor
• to visit

You.

•  Jesus

When they (the "some") noticed His family was there to see Him, they told Him.  His family came, but stood outside.  (In Mark 3 it is mentioned why His family had come.)  What we see here in Luke is that they were on the outside.  They did not make their way through the crowd to Him.

Application

 "Some" spoke to Him.  They felt free to do so.  His family, for some reason, were not able to make it through the crowd.  I wonder, maybe I would stand outside thinking, why should I fight the crowd to get to Him?  He's my Son/Brother, He should come to us.  He can see the crowd, they'll move out of the way for Him...

I can't harshly judge His family, I can't say with certainty that I would have made my way through the crowd in that circumstance, to be honest...

But, we do see some people did talk to Him freely.

I, too, can talk to Him freely.

Prayer

Jesus, forgive me for when I walk the perimeter, around the edges, on the outskirts instead of making my way to You.  Sometimes I seek advice from people who don't know all the details of a situation instead of going to You.  Sometimes I don't forge ahead to meet You because my pride tells me not to embarrass myself. Thank You for forgiveness, for grace.

Word by word Bible study notes

Scripture

Luke 8:19

Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.

Observation

Then

• at that time
• immediately or soon afterward
• next in order of time

 His

• possessive form of He, in this case, Jesus

 mother

• female parent
• a term of familiar address for an old or elderly woman
• something or someone that gives rise to or exercises protecting care over something else, origin of source

and

• along or together with; as well as; in addition to
• besides; also

brothers

• male offsprings having parents in common with other offspring
• a male numbered among the same kinship group, nationality, race, profession, etc. as another
• an associate; a fellow member; fellow countryman; fellow man

came (past tense of come)

• to approach or move toward a particular person or place
• to arrive by movement or in the course of progress

to

• used for expressing motion
• used for expressing limit of movement
• used to express point in time

Him,

• pronoun, objective case of he (He), in this instance, Jesus

and

• implies continuation the next thing that happened

could (simple past tense of can)

•  used to express possibility
• used to express "conditioned" possibility (if/then)
• used in asking permission

not

• by use of an auxiliary verb to form a negative.

approach

• come near or nearer to
• come near in quality
• to present, offer, or make a proposal or request to
• to begin to work on

Him

• Jesus

because

• for the reason that
• due to the fact

of

• used to indicate distance
• used to indicate derivation, origin, or source
• used to indicate cause, motive, occasion, or reason

the

• used to specify
• used to mark a proper noun
• used with a title
• used to indicate the best known

crowd.

• a large number of persons gathered closely together
• a large number of persons
• any group or set of persons with something in common
• audience; attendance

Application

I'm not sure what to put for application.  So I'm just going to share a thought.

 They "could not" approach Him because of the crowd.  I am reminded of the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years.  There was a big crowd -throng- around Jesus and she found her way to touch the hem of His garment.  Was it her desperation that helped lead her to Him?  Maybe His mother and brothers were not desperate for Him?  I don't know, it is just a thought.  (Though, having read in Mark, they did have different motives to see Him...)

Am I desperate for Him on a daily basis?  I know there are moments I am.  But I do know there are times I go to people and ask them if I should do this or that.  I believe God wants me to do something, yet I go to people and ask permission from them.  Instead of running to Him and asking, trusting, obeying, I go elsewhere. 

Just something to think about.

Would I make it past the crowd?  Would I be on the outside needing other people to go to Him to tell Him I want to talk to Him? 

Prayer

Jesus, I don't want to be crowded out.  I want to be there, listening to You.