Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
English Standard Version (ESV)
The people of Nazareth dismiss Jesus by listing his family ties, deliberately ignoring his divine power. Their question "Is not this the carpenter's son?" highlights their attempt to confine him to his humble earthly origins, effectively saying, "We know where you come from, and that doesn't add up to who you claim to be." This reveals how familiarity can breed contempt, leading people to overlook God's presence simply because they've seen His work in ordinary settings.
Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth and teaches in the local synagogue, astonishing the people with his wisdom and miracles. However, instead of embracing him, they react with skepticism and scorn, questioning his background and familial connections. This local rejection sets the stage for Jesus' observation that prophets are rarely honored in their own land.
Jesus grew up in a small town, known by everyone. When He started His public ministry, His hometown crowd couldn't reconcile the extraordinary teacher with the ordinary boy they knew. Their shock reveals a deep human tendency.
The people of Nazareth were astonished by Jesus' wisdom and miracles, stating, "Whence hath this man this wisdom and these miracles?" (Matthew 13:54).
A Question of Source
Their amazement stemmed from a fundamental disconnect. Jesus hadn't followed the typical path of a learned scribe; He hadn't been educated in the formal schools. Instead, He had spent years as a carpenter, a trade common among Jewish men, likely working alongside Joseph.
Offended by the Ordinary
Instead of seeing God's power behind His unique abilities, they focused on His familiar background. They knew His mother, Mary, and His brothers and sisters. Their perception of His 'ordinary' upbringing became a stumbling block, leading them to reject His divine authority. This shows how easily we can be 'offended' when God's work appears in a context that feels too familiar or unexceptional to us.
Jesus' own hometownspeople, who knew Him best, were the ones who stumbled the most. Their deep familiarity with His earthly life blinded them to His divine identity.
Jesus Himself stated a proverb that directly addresses this phenomenon: "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own town and in his own household" (Matthew 13:57).
The Double-Edged Sword of Knowing
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Being known by your community can be a blessing, fostering connection and accountability. However, when it comes to spiritual truth, this same familiarity can become a barrier. The people of Nazareth saw Jesus as 'the carpenter's son,' a member of their community, and couldn't easily elevate Him to the status of a divine messenger.
Grounded in Earthly Terms
They listed His earthly connections—His mother, His brothers—as reasons to doubt His extraordinary claims. Their perception was locked into the human, the ordinary, the observable family ties. They failed to see that the One who made the worlds could also be the One who worked with His hands in a carpenter's shop.
Understand the original words
tektōn · Greek Noun
A craftsman skilled in working with hard materials, traditionally wood or stone. This humble occupation highlights the humanity of Jesus and the unexpected nature of his ministry.
The passage highlights the profound disconnect between Jesus' divine identity and the hometown crowd's limited, earthly perspective, rooted in their familiarity with his humble family and upbringing.
c. 2 BC - AD 20
Jesus' Childhood and Youth in Nazareth
Jesus grew up in Nazareth, a small village in Galilee. During these years, he would have learned and practiced the trade of carpentry, likely assisting Joseph.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Public Ministry Begins
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching, healing, and performing miracles throughout Galilee and surrounding regions.
c. AD 30— this verse
Jesus Returns to Nazareth
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth and teaches in the local synagogue. His relatives and neighbors are astonished by his wisdom and mighty works but are ultimately offended by him.
c. AD 30
Rejection in Nazareth
Due to their disbelief and offense, Jesus is unable to perform many miracles in Nazareth, illustrating the proverb that a prophet is not without honor except in his own country.
This passage shows a similar reaction from religious leaders who were astonished at Jesus's teaching, not recognizing His divine authority or education, just as the people in Nazareth questioned His wisdom based on His known background.
Luke 4:23-24Jesus explicitly states the proverb, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his own hometown, in his own relatives, and in his own house,' directly addressing the disbelief and offense that arose from His familiarity to the people of Nazareth.
Isaiah 53:2-3This prophetic passage describes the suffering servant as having 'no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him,' reflecting the lowliness and commonality that caused people in Jesus's hometown to reject Him.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29The Apostle Paul speaks to the principle that God often chooses the lowly and unimpressive by human standards to accomplish His purposes, which is precisely why the people in Nazareth stumbled over Jesus's humble origins and family connections.
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…
clarkeMatthew 13:55: "Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?"
Is not this the carpenter's son? - Seven copies of the old Itala have, Is not this the son of Joseph the carpenter? But it is likely our Lord, during the thirty years of his abode at Nazareth, wrought at the same trade with Joseph; and perhaps this is what is intended, Luke 2:51 . He went down with them (his parents) to Nazareth, and was Subject unto them. A…
The people of Nazareth dismiss Jesus by listing his family ties, deliberately ignoring his divine power. Their question "Is not this the carpenter's son?" highlights their attempt to confine him to his humble earthly origins, effectively saying, "We know where you come from, and that doesn't add up to who you claim to be." This reveals how familiarity can breed contempt, leading people to overlook God's presence simply because they've seen His work in ordinary settings.
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth and teaches in the local synagogue, astonishing the people with his wisdom and miracles. However, instead of embracing him, they react with skepticism and scorn, questioning his background and familial connections. This local rejection sets the stage for Jesus' observation that prophets are rarely honored in their own land.
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth and teaches in the local synagogue, astonishing the people with his wisdom and miracles. However, instead of embracing him, they react with skepticism and scorn, questioning his background and familial connections. This local rejection sets the stage for Jesus' observation that prophets are rarely honored in their own land.
"Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?" — The people of Nazareth dismiss Jesus by listing his family ties, deliberately ignoring his divine power. Their question "Is not this the carpenter's son?" highlights their attempt to confine him to h…
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Last reviewed October 2026