Matthew 13:54 - Printer Friendly

ESV: and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

NIV: 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.

NASB: And He came to His hometown and began teaching them in their synagogue, with the result that they were astonished, and said, 'Where did this man acquire this wisdom and these miraculous powers?

CSB: He went to his hometown and began to teach them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?

NLT: He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, 'Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?'

KJV: And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?

NKJV: When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?

Both Joseph and Mary had apparently grown up in the small town of Nazareth, about halfway between the Sea of Galilee and the Mediterranean. They returned to Nazareth after Jesus' birth and their time in Egypt (Luke 2:39), and Jesus spent His childhood there (Luke 2:40). Eventually, though, Jesus moved to the more populated town of Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:13).

Jesus now returns to visit His "hometown," which most commentators understand to be Nazareth. Some commentators see this visit as being separate from the one described in Luke 4:16–29, where the people of Nazareth attempted to kill Jesus after He claimed to be the fulfillment of one of Isaiah's prophecies about the Messiah, then compared them to people in the Old Testament Scriptures not miraculously saved by God. Most towns in Israel, even small ones like Nazareth, had a synagogue. It was common for visiting rabbis to be invited to speak in the synagogue when in town. Jesus did so in Nazareth. He apparently also did some miracles there, perhaps of healing, though He did not do many (Matthew 13:58).

The reaction to Jesus' teaching and His miracles was both astonishment and rejection. The people asked where He got this wisdom and the ability to do these mighty works. They didn't deny Jesus' obvious power, but they were offended that someone who had come from among them would seem to be so important and favored. Jesus did not fit into their idea of Him, and they were committed to Him fitting their preferred mold.

Assumptions and prejudices can blind us to truth. When we think we know something, or someone, we tend to favor those expectations over new information. Many, many people in the world think they already know all about Jesus. Many, however, know very little, and are offended when presented with the truth (Matthew 13:57).

Matthew 13:53–58 describes Jesus' trip to His hometown of Nazareth. The people are astonished at His teaching and miracles, but they do not respect Him. Instead, they ask where His wisdom and power come from. Many of these people would have known Jesus from His youth, and they know His earthly family. That includes Jesus' mother and half-siblings. Rather than accept His words, the hometown crowd is offended. So, Jesus refuses to do many miracles because of their unbelief. Because the people think they already everything about Jesus, they ignore His actual message.

Matthew 13 focuses mainly on a series of parables. Jesus first describes these to a large crowd along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Later, in a house, He explains to the disciples the meanings of the parables of the sower, the weeds, and the fish caught in the net. Jesus then travels to Nazareth, teaches in the synagogue, and is rejected by the people of His original hometown.

Matthew 13 follows Jesus from the overcrowded house at the end of the previous chapter to a crowded beach on the Sea of Galilee. He teaches a large crowd in a series of parables, which He doesn't fully explain. However, He reveals their meaning to His disciples inside a nearby house. Jesus pictures the kingdom of heaven as a sower, a sabotaged field of wheat, a mustard seed, and a pearl dealer, among other things. He then travels to His original hometown of Nazareth where He is rejected by the people He grew up with. This leads Matthew back to depictions of Jesus' miracles, after sadly recording John the Baptist's death.

The Gospel of Matthew clearly shows the influence of its writer's background, and his effort to reach a specific audience. Matthew was one of Jesus' twelve disciples, a Jewish man, and a former tax collector. This profession would have required literacy, and Matthew may have transcribed some of Jesus' words as they were spoken. This book is filled with references to the Old Testament, demonstrating to Israel that Jesus is the Promised One. Matthew also includes many references to coins, likely due to his former profession. Matthew records extensive accounts of Jesus' teaching, more than the other three Gospels.