Nazareth Rejects Jesus
6:1-6
Jesus left Capernaum and went to Nazareth with his disciples. This was where he grew up.
On the Sabbath, he went to the local synagogue. He taught. Likely, he read a scripture and began to explain it in a sermon or homily. For example, in Luke 4:17 shows Jesus reading a passage from Isaiah and explaining it to the congregation.
The people in Nazareth were astonished. Their comments indicate that they noticed good things about Jesus:
*he taught with authority and depth (where did he get these things)
*what is this wisdom given to him
*he did mighty things (how are these done).
So, Jesus taught well, evidenced wisdom, and did miraculous things. These made an impression.
But the people could not reconcile his deeds with their knowledge of his history:
*he was a carpenter, never apprenticed to a rabbi for his theological education (today’s equivalent would be not attending seminary);
*he was the son of Mary (maybe a claim of illegitimacy?);
*his brothers and sisters lived there in Nazareth.
He was a local boy who became famous and seemed to have special gifts of teaching and doing miracles. But, because he was a local boy they could not accept these things about him. They took offense at him. (3)
Their astonishment did not lead them to faith, but to offense.
Seeing that they took offense, Jesus said that a prophet was not without honor, except in his hometown and his family. The same man that had thousands of people coming out to hear him teach and who had people come from all over to be healed by him, was rejected by his own.
We have already read of Jesus’ family opposing him. They had previously come to Capernaum and sought to seize him. They said he was out of his mind. (3:20-21) They may have spread lies about him in town. Or possibly the town’s people just could not a local boy being anything but a poor workman like his father. They saw Jesus as totally human, but did not acknowledge that he was wholly God.
As a result of their objection to him, Jesus could do no mighty works. Few people believed in him and came to him for healing. Only a few did, and he healed those.
This rejection was so strong that Jesus marveled at their unbelief.
The story begins and ends with amazement. The people are amazed at Jesus’ teaching and he is amazed at their unbelief.
In response to their unbelief, Jesus left Nazareth and went to various villages to teach. (6)
We cannot know who will receive Jesus and who will reject him. Some we think will believe, do not. Some we think impossible to believe, do.
So, we proclaim the gospel to all.
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