Matthew 13:56

Matthew 13:56 is part of a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry, detailing His visit to His hometown of Nazareth. Following the people's astonishment at His wisdom and mighty works (verse 54), they question His authority and origin, pointing to His well-known family.

Context

This verse immediately follows the local inhabitants of Nazareth identifying Jesus' mother, Mary, and His brothers—James, Joses, Simon, and Judas (Matthew 13:55). The question, "And his sisters, are they not all with us?" emphasizes that Jesus' entire immediate family was known to them and lived among them. Their familiarity with His humble background as the son of a carpenter led to skepticism about His extraordinary power and teachings. They could not reconcile His humble origins with the divine wisdom and miracles they witnessed, leading them to ask, "Whence then hath this [man] all these things?"

Key Themes

• Familiarity Breeds Contempt: The people of Nazareth struggled to accept Jesus as anything more than "Mary's son" or "the carpenter's son." Their intimate knowledge of His earthly family and upbringing blinded them to His divine identity and mission. This common human tendency to undervalue what is familiar is a central message here.
• Unbelief and Obstruction: This skepticism directly led to their unbelief, which in turn limited Jesus' ability to perform miracles there. As recorded in Matthew 13:58, "He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief."
• The "Prophet Without Honor": This passage sets the stage for Jesus' famous statement in Matthew 13:57 that "A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house." It highlights the difficulty of receiving truth from an unexpected or familiar source.

Linguistic Insight

The KJV rendering of the phrase "this [man]" includes the word "man" in italics, indicating it was supplied by the translators to improve readability. The original Greek simply uses the demonstrative pronoun houtos (οὗτος), meaning "this one." The omission of "man" in the original Greek emphasizes the dismissive, almost contemptuous tone of the questioners. They are not just asking about a person; they are questioning the very source of His power and wisdom from someone they consider ordinary and known to them.

Practical Application

Matthew 13:56 serves as a powerful reminder for believers today. It challenges us to:

• Guard Against Preconceived Notions: We should be open to God's work and truth manifesting in unexpected ways or through seemingly ordinary people. Our familiarity with a person or situation should not hinder our ability to recognize divine power or wisdom.
• Examine Our Own Unbelief: The passage prompts self-reflection: Are there areas where our skepticism or familiarity is preventing us from experiencing God's full power or receiving His truth?
• Embrace Humility: Just as Jesus, despite His divine nature, came from humble beginnings, God often works through the overlooked and undervalued. This verse encourages us to look beyond outward appearances or conventional expectations.