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?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The townsfolk of Nazareth are astonished, asking, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?" They're not asking out of genuine curiosity, but out of shocked disbelief; they know Jesus, and can't reconcile the extraordinary gifts they're witnessing with their ordinary upbringing of him. Their amazement highlights the tension between their familiarity and the divine power now on display.
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?
English Standard Version (ESV)
After teaching in parables to crowds by the sea, Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth to teach in their synagogue. The townspeople are amazed by His wisdom and the powerful works He performs, but their familiarity with Him as a local tradesman’s son leads them to doubt and reject Him, causing Jesus to lament that a prophet is without honor in his own country.
Ever notice how people you've known forever can struggle to see your growth or new abilities? Jesus experienced this firsthand.
Jesus returned to Nazareth, His hometown, and taught in the synagogue. The people were astonished by His wisdom and the mighty works He performed. However, this amazement quickly turned to offense. They knew Him as the carpenter's son, Mary's boy, with brothers and sisters living among them. Because they knew His humble origins and His human upbringing, they found it hard to accept the divine power and wisdom He now displayed. They were so focused on His past and His family that they couldn't see God working in Him. This highlights a timeless human tendency: we often struggle to recognize God's extraordinary work in ordinary circumstances or in people we know too well. Familiarity can blind us to present revelation.
The crowd was amazed by Jesus, but their wonder didn't lead them to faith. What's the difference?
The people of Nazareth were 'astonished.' They couldn't deny the wisdom they heard or the power evident in His 'mighty works.' Their reaction wasn't indifference; it was a profound sense of wonder at something they couldn't explain. However, astonishment is not the same as faith. While it acknowledges something extraordinary, it can also be a superficial reaction that doesn't penetrate the heart. For them, this amazement was a precursor to offense, not a doorway to belief. They were captivated by the what but rejected the who and the from whom. True belief goes beyond mere wonder; it requires a submission of the heart to the divine source of the wisdom and power.
Ask a follow-up
Understand the original words
synagōgē · Greek Noun
The Jewish house of worship and study of the Torah. It was the central community hub for teaching and public reading of Scripture.
sophia · Greek Noun
Refers to deep intellectual or spiritual insight. In the Bible, it is often tied to the fear of the Lord and the ability to apply God’s truth to life’s circumstances.
dynamis · Greek Noun
Miraculous displays of divine power. These acts serve as signs to authenticate the messenger and reveal the presence and authority of God.
This event highlights a common human tendency: it's often harder for people to recognize God's work in the familiar than in the unfamiliar. Those closest to Jesus, who knew his earthly family, struggled to accept the divine wisdom and power they witnessed in him.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Public Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry in Galilee after his baptism and temptation, teaching in synagogues and performing miracles.
c. AD 27-30— this verse
Jesus Teaches in His Hometown Synagogue
Jesus returns to Nazareth, his hometown, and teaches in the local synagogue, astonishing the attendees with his wisdom and works.
c. AD 27-30
Nazarenes Take Offense
The people of Nazareth, familiar with Jesus' family, are scandalized by his claims and teachings, leading to their rejection of him as a prophet.
c. AD 27-30
Limited Miracles in Nazareth
Due to the Nazarenes' disbelief, Jesus is largely unable to perform many miracles there, highlighting the connection between faith and divine power.
c. AD 27-32
Jesus Continues Ministry Elsewhere
After the rejection in Nazareth, Jesus moves on, ministering in other villages and towns, demonstrating that a prophet's rejection does not halt God's work.
Jesus himself states the proverb that a prophet is without honor except in his own country, hometown, and family, directly echoing the sentiment of the Nazareth crowd's disbelief and Jesus' acknowledgment of it.
Luke 4:23This passage records a similar event in Nazareth where Jesus is met with skepticism, and he directly quotes the proverb about prophets not being accepted in their own towns, highlighting the recurring theme of local rejection.
Isaiah 53:2-3This prophecy describes the suffering servant as having no attractiveness or form that people would desire, painting a picture of the Messiah being overlooked and even despised by his own people, much like Jesus was in Nazareth.
Mark 6:3Mark's parallel account emphasizes the astonishment and offense of the crowd in Nazareth when they question Jesus' wisdom and mighty works, explicitly mentioning his familial ties ('Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?').
barnesMatthew 13:54: "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?"
Into his own country - That is, into Nazareth. Mark, who has also recorded this Mark 6:1-6 , says that it took place on the Sabbath. It was common for our Saviour to speak in the synagogues. Any Jew had a fight to address the people, if called on by the minister; and our Saviour often availed himsel…
calvinMatthew 13:53-58: "And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence."
- And it happened, when Jesus had concluded these discourses, [342] that he departed thence. 54. And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were amazed, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom and these miracles? 55. Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? 56…
The townsfolk of Nazareth are astonished, asking, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?" They're not asking out of genuine curiosity, but out of shocked disbelief; they know Jesus, and can't reconcile the extraordinary gifts they're witnessing with their ordinary upbringing of him. Their amazement highlights the tension between their familiarity and the divine power now on display.
After teaching in parables to crowds by the sea, Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth to teach in their synagogue. The townspeople are amazed by His wisdom and the powerful works He performs, but their familiarity with Him as a local tradesman’s son leads them to doubt and reject Him, causing Jesus to lament that a prophet is without honor in his own country.
After teaching in parables to crowds by the sea, Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth to teach in their synagogue. The townspeople are amazed by His wisdom and the powerful works He performs, but their familiarity with Him as a local tradesman’s son leads them to doubt and reject Him, causing Jesus to lament that a prophet is without honor in his own country.
"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?" — The townsfolk of Nazareth are astonished, asking, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?" They're not asking out of genuine curiosity, but out of shocked disbelief; they know J…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026