What most commentators LOVE to talk about with this pericope is that it is one of Mark’s intercalations (a sandwiched story for teaching). Sure, that’s true and it’s a neat writing style BUT, this is really (at least) a double decker sandwich. This story is more meaningful when we see that Jesus has just selected the twelve in the previous section. And he has specifically called the twelve to be “with him” (3:14). This is in contrast with the word that is translated as “family” in 3:21. In the Greek, οἱ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ is literally, “the ones beside him.” This is often seen as familial but could be more inclusive than just immediate family (also friends and other relatives). But even before we get to the intercalation, we’re already being connected to the passage before. And immediately, we are dealing with a larger theme of who is “in” and who is “out.”