Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.” 58 And so he did only a few miracles there because of their unbelief. Jesus was only able to do a few miracles because of their unbelief. Jesus' power is made full in one believing that he is who he says he is and that he can do what he says he can do. I too have been guilty of limiting the miracles of Jesus due to my unbelief.
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John Burnett: When Jesus had finished these parables, He departed from there. 54 He came to [a]His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these [b]miraculous powers? 55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not His mother called Mary, and His brothers, James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his [c]hometown and in his own household.” 58 And He did not do many [d]miracles there because of their unbelief. Having
known what the prophets foretold and watching with their own eyes the
miracles Jesus performed to fulfill many of those prophesies, I can’t
fathom how one would not believe. I am thankful that God opened my eyes
so that I could see and believe.
Have a great weekend.
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Allen Michaels: When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there.
54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in
their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this
wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked.
Most
of them watched Jesus grow up from a child so it was difficult to see
him as anything but man. Jesus had come to them as a prophet, one who
challenged them to respond to
unpopular spiritual truth. They did not listen to the timeless message
because they could not see beyond the man.
55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?
56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
57 And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
Jesus
was not the first prophet to be rejected in his own country. Jeremiah
experienced rejection in his hometown, even by members of his own family
(Jeremiah 12:5, 6).
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack
of faith. Lack
of faith blinds people to the truth and robs them of hope. These people
missed the Messiah. We have to ask “how does our faith measure up?” If
we can’t see God’s
work, perhaps it is because of our unbelief. Believe, ask God for a
mighty look in your life, and expect him to act. Look with eyes of
faith.
Are
you critical towards your family and neighbors? No critics are more
severe than kin and neighbors who have known you since childhood. Jesus
faced a
severe testing when he returned to his home town, not simply as the
carpenter's son, but now as a rabbi with disciples. It was customary
for Jesus to go weekly to the synagogue to worship and on occasion to
read the scriptures and comment on them to the people.
His hometown folks listened with rapt attention on this occasion
because they had heard about the miracles he had performed in other
towns. What sign would he do in his hometown? Jesus startled them with
a seeming rebuke that no prophet or servant of God
can receive honor among his own people. The people of Nazareth took
offense at him and refused to listen to what he had to say. They
despised his preaching because he was a workingman, a carpenter, a mere
layman and they despised him because of his family.
How familiarity can breed mistaken contempt. Jesus could do no mighty
works in their midst because they were closed and disbelieving towards
him. If people have come together to hate and to refuse to understand,
then they will see no other point of view
than their own and they will refuse to love and accept others. Do you
easily take offense at others?
The
word "gospel" literally means "good news". Isaiah had prophesied that
the Messiah would come in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring freedom
to those
oppressed by sin and evil (see Isaiah 61:1-2*).
Jesus came to
set people free from the worst tyranny possible -- the tyranny of
slavery to sin and the fear of death, and the destruction of both body
and soul. God's power alone can save us from emptiness and poverty of
spirit, from confusion and error, and from the fear
of death and hopelessness. The gospel of salvation is "good news" for
us today. Do you know the joy and freedom of the gospel?
* Good News for the Oppressed
61 The Spirit of the Sovereign
Lord is upon me,
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.
2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. (Isaiah 61:1-2 NLT)
for the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted
and to proclaim that captives will be released
and prisoners will be freed.
2 He has sent me to tell those who mourn
that the time of the Lord’s favor has come,
and with it, the day of God’s anger against their enemies. (Isaiah 61:1-2 NLT)
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