Even his own family was worried for him. This son and brother of theirs was doing strange things and making strange demands that seemed insane to many people. At times he seemed to be talking as if he was God himself. He delivered strange teachings to large crowds:

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

"If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

"Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead."

Was he mentally dislocated? Or was he just trying to attain a position of fame in a strange way? Why couldn’t he just be like any other son in other families? Whatever it was, this son and brother of theirs seemed to be full of contradictions as far as his claims were concerned.

He lived his life in such a human way, at times seeming so weak and frail; and yet he often made strong claims, as if the fate of the entire humankind rested upon him. Sometimes his profound teachings were so revolutionary that people would exclaim in reaction, “"Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us?" It offended their senses that a commoner like him would teach such presumptuous things.

He seemed almost schizophrenic. Perhaps he was just an illusive dreamer. Even the respectable people of his time, the bible teachers, accused him of being demon-possessed. And his family echoed this popular opinion that he was literally out of his mind. During his time, being demon-possessed and being insane were synonymous.