Is Jesus’s brethren the Jews only?
Does God curse those who curse the nation of Israel?
1. The Promise Was to Abraham — Not Israel
The verse most often quoted is:
Genesis 12:3
“And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”
Notice this promise was made to Abraham, not to the nation of Israel.
Paul later explains in Galatians 3:8:
“And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed.’”
Paul understood that “all nations” included the Gentiles — not just the Jews.
He continues:
Galatians 3:16
“Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, ‘And to seeds,’ as of many; but as of one, ‘And to thy seed,’ which is Christ.”
The promise, therefore, pointed to Christ, not to an ethnic people group.
2. The “Blessing and Curse” Passage in Numbers
Another verse that’s often applied to Israel is:
Numbers 24:9
“He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.”
Many assume this refers to Israel because of verse 5 (“How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!”).
However, by comparing Scripture with Scripture, we see that this prophecy points prophetically to Judah—and ultimately to Christ.
Genesis 49:9
“Judah is a lion’s whelp… he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?”
And in Revelation 5:5 we read:
“Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed…”
The “lion” imagery points not to the nation, but to the Messiah.
It is about Christ, not Israel.
3. “His Brethren” in Matthew 25
But didn’t Jesus tell us to care for His brethren — meaning Israel?
Matthew 25:40
“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
Many assume “His brethren” refers exclusively to Israel because He was speaking to Jews.
However, that interpretation breaks down when applied to the whole passage — the sheep and goats judgment would then only apply to Jews, which makes no sense.
Jesus clarifies in John 10 that His sheep include both Jews and Gentiles:
John 10:15–16
“As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”
His “brethren” are those who follow Him — His spiritual family, not merely an ethnic group.
4. God’s Covenant and the New Promise
Doesn’t God still have to keep His covenant promises to Israel?
Jeremiah 31:32–33
“Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers… which my covenant they brake… But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel… I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Jesus fulfilled this in the New Covenant:
Luke 22:20
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you.”
And Hebrews 8:13 says:
“In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”
The old covenant has passed. The new one is written on the hearts of all who believe — Jew and Gentile alike.
5. Who Are God’s People Now?
Paul expresses deep love for his Jewish brethren in Romans 9, yet clarifies something vital:
Romans 9:6–8
“They are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children… They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.”
He concludes:
Romans 9:24–26
“Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles… I will call them my people, which were not my people… and they shall be called the children of the living God.”
Conclusion
The blessing of Abraham and the promises of God were always pointing to Christ, not to a single nation.
In Him, both Jew and Gentile are brought together into one family — one fold, under one Shepherd.
It is not about who we are by birth, but whose we are by faith.