Matthew 13:55
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)
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The people of Nazareth use Jesus's familiar earthly connections – his trade, his mother, his brothers – as a way to dismiss him, highlighting a common human tendency to stumble over the divine when it appears in ordinary circumstances. Their focus on "how he got this" rather than "what he is saying" reveals their closed minds, blinded by familiarity to the extraordinary gift among them.
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth after teaching in other parts of Galilee. When he teaches in the local synagogue, the townspeople are astonished by his wisdom and miracles. However, their familiarity with him and his family breeds contempt, leading them to question his authority and dismiss his divine power, saying, "Is not this the carpenter’s son?" This familiar setting becomes a place of rejection, highlighting the difficulty people have in recognizing God's extraordinary work in ordinary circumstances.
Why would people who witnessed Jesus' wisdom and miracles be offended by Him? It often comes down to what we expect.
The people of Nazareth knew Jesus as the 'carpenter's son,' a local guy who grew up among them. They knew his mother, Mary, and his brothers. This very familiarity, instead of drawing them to Him, became a barrier.
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Their questions weren't truly seeking answers; they were expressions of doubt and disbelief. And their unbelief had real consequences.
The people of Nazareth were amazed by Jesus' wisdom and miracles, but this amazement didn't lead them to faith. Instead, their preconceived notions and lack of faith actively blocked them from receiving more.
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 neighbors' familiar, dismissive questions reveal a profound disconnect between their limited understanding of Jesus' humble upbringing and the divine power they are witnessing. Their familiarity breeds contempt, highlighting a common human tendency to underestimate God's work when it appears in ordinary circumstances.
c. 2 BC - AD 30— this verse
Jesus' formative years in Nazareth
Jesus grows up in Nazareth, likely learning and working in the carpentry trade alongside Joseph, his earthly father. This period shapes his understanding of daily life and human relationships before his public ministry.
c. AD 27-28
Jesus begins public ministry
After his baptism by John and temptation in the wilderness, Jesus starts preaching, teaching, and healing throughout Galilee and surrounding regions, gathering disciples.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus' growing fame
News of Jesus' powerful teachings and miraculous deeds spreads, drawing larger crowds but also increasing scrutiny and opposition from religious authorities.
This passage describes a similar reaction from people in Jerusalem who questioned Jesus's origin and identity, struggling to reconcile his teachings and actions with their understanding of the Messiah and his family background.
Isaiah 53:2-3This prophecy foretells a Messiah who would be unassuming and without 'beauty or majesty,' leading many to overlook him and dismiss him, which directly parallels the reaction of Jesus's hometown crowd who saw only his humble origins.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29The Apostle Paul highlights God's tendency to use the weak, foolish, and lowly things of the world to shame the wise and strong, a principle demonstrated by Jesus, the Son of God, coming from a humble background and being rejected by those who focused on his earthly connections.
Galatians 4:4-5This verse speaks of Jesus being born under the law and coming from a woman, emphasizing his full humanity and humble circumstances, which underscores the irony of his rejection by those who knew his human family.
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 use Jesus's familiar earthly connections – his trade, his mother, his brothers – as a way to dismiss him, highlighting a common human tendency to stumble over the divine when it appears in ordinary circumstances. Their focus on "how he got this" rather than "what he is saying" reveals their closed minds, blinded by familiarity to the extraordinary gift among them.
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth after teaching in other parts of Galilee. When he teaches in the local synagogue, the townspeople are astonished by his wisdom and miracles. However, their familiarity with him and his family breeds contempt, leading them to question his authority and dismiss his divine power, saying, "Is not this the carpenter’s son?" This familiar setting becomes a place of rejection, highlighting the difficulty people have in recognizing God's extraordinary work in ordinary circumstances.
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth after teaching in other parts of Galilee. When he teaches in the local synagogue, the townspeople are astonished by his wisdom and miracles. However, their familiarity with him and his family breeds contempt, leading them to question his authority and dismiss his divine power, saying, "Is not this the carpenter’s son?" This familiar setting becomes a place of rejection, highlighting the difficulty people have in recognizing God's extraordinary work in ordinary circumstances.
"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 use Jesus's familiar earthly connections – his trade, his mother, his brothers – as a way to dismiss him, highlighting a common human tendency to stumble over the divine when i…
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