Matthew 13:55-56
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? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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What's easily missed here is the hometown crowd's attempt to minimize Jesus by reducing Him to His earthly connections— His occupation and His family. They're essentially saying, "We know His resume and His relatives, so how can He possibly possess this extraordinary wisdom and power?" This reveals their profound lack of spiritual insight, as they focus entirely on the familiar and ordinary to dismiss the divine presence right before them.
Returning to his hometown, Jesus teaches in the synagogue, stunning the crowd with his wisdom and miraculous deeds. However, their familiarity with his humble upbringing—his father the carpenter, his mother Mary, and his known siblings—leads them to dismiss him. This disbelief prevents Jesus from performing many miracles there, as he observes that prophets are rarely honored in their own land.
Ever felt underestimated by people who think they know you inside out? That's exactly what Jesus faced in His hometown.
Imagine growing up with someone. You see them day-to-day, you know their family, their job. That’s the situation in Nazareth. The people there knew Jesus as the 'carpenter's son,' someone whose mother and siblings were well-known.
A Limited View
Their questions, 'Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary?' aren't seeking information. They're rhetorical, expressing disbelief. They see his humble origins and ordinary family connections and can't reconcile that with the extraordinary wisdom and power He displayed. They're looking at the familiar, the mundane, and can't see the divine. It’s a classic case of familiarity breeding contempt; they’re so caught up in who they think Jesus is, they miss who He truly is.
The Offense of the Ordinary
This highlights a spiritual danger: assuming we've got God figured out because we understand His methods or His human associations. When God acts in ways that seem ordinary or unexpected, it can be harder to recognize His power. Their inability to see past Jesus’ earthly connections blinded them to His divine mission.
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Our culture often separates the 'spiritual' from the 'secular.' But Jesus’ life, starting as a carpenter, challenges that idea.
The people in Nazareth pointed to Jesus' upbringing as a carpenter’s son to dismiss Him. They thought, 'How can this ordinary tradesman be so wise or do such miracles?' Their logic was flawed, but it reveals a cultural bias that still exists today – that certain jobs are inherently less valuable or less capable of being touched by the divine.
Jesus, The Craftsman
Scripture suggests Jesus likely worked alongside Joseph as a carpenter himself for many years before His public ministry. This wasn't a sign of Him being lesser, but a demonstration of God’s grace working through every aspect of life, even humble manual labor. The commentators note that this was common for Jewish men of all social standings to learn a trade. Jesus’ choice to engage in honest work wasn't beneath Him; it was an example of His humility and His identification with common humanity.
An Example for Us
Jesus’ early life as a carpenter shows that God can use anyone, regardless of their profession. Honest work, however humble, is dignified and can be a platform for God’s purposes. It’s a powerful reminder that our value isn't determined by our job title, but by our faithfulness to God in whatever sphere He places us.
The mention of Jesus' brothers – James, Joses, Simon, and Judas – raises questions. Who were they, and why does it matter?
The Nazareth crowd lists Jesus’ brothers as if to say, 'We know His family! This isn't some divine stranger; this is just one of the neighborhood kids.' This familiarity was used to discount Jesus.
Navigating the Family Tree
There are different views on who these 'brothers' were. Some believe they were literal younger sons of Mary and Joseph, born after Jesus. Others suggest they might have been Joseph's children from a previous marriage, or even cousins, given the broad use of 'brother' in Hebrew culture. The commentators mention these possibilities, noting that the simplest reading of the text implies they were children of Joseph and Mary.
A Point of Contention
Regardless of the exact biological relationship, the crucial point is that these familiar family ties became an obstacle for the people of Nazareth. They couldn't accept Jesus as uniquely divine when He had siblings they knew. This emphasis on His earthly family serves to highlight the stark contrast between Jesus’ divine nature and His humble human circumstances, and how people often struggle to reconcile the two.
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.
adelphai · Greek Noun
Refers to sisters by blood, sharing the same parents. In a biblical context, this term highlights the human, familiar nature of Jesus' upbringing, which became a stumbling block for those who knew him merely as a neighbor.
The intimate familiarity of Jesus' neighbors with his family and trade highlights the tension between the extraordinary divine power they witness and their ordinary perception of his human origins, leading to their offense.
c. 30 BC – AD 20— this verse
Jesus' Youth in Nazareth
Jesus grows up in Nazareth, learning and likely practicing the trade of a carpenter (or craftsman) alongside Joseph, his earthly father.
c. AD 27-30
Jesus' Public Ministry Begins
Jesus starts his public ministry, teaching, healing, and performing miracles throughout Galilee and surrounding regions. His fame begins to spread.
c. AD 30
Return to Nazareth
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth to teach in the local synagogue. His relatives and neighbors, familiar with his humble upbringing, react with disbelief and offense.
This passage highlights a similar reaction from Jewish leaders, who were amazed at Jesus's knowledge and teaching, questioning, 'How does this man know his letters, having never been educated?' This echoes the surprise of the Nazarenes who knew Jesus's humble background.
Isaiah 53:2-3This prophetic passage describes the Suffering Servant who would have 'no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him,' and would be 'despised and rejected by men.' This directly relates to the people of Nazareth rejecting Jesus because of their familiarity with his ordinary human background.
1 Corinthians 1:26-29The Apostle Paul addresses the Corinthian church, reminding them that God often chooses the 'weak,' 'lowly,' and 'despised' to show His power. This contrasts with the Nazarenes' focus on Jesus's lowly origins, missing the divine power at work in him.
Galatians 3:28Paul states that in Christ, there is no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female. This principle contrasts with the hometown crowd's focus on Jesus's earthly lineage and profession, showing how their limited perspective prevented them from seeing his true identity.
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…
What's easily missed here is the hometown crowd's attempt to minimize Jesus by reducing Him to His earthly connections— His occupation and His family. They're essentially saying, "We know His resume and His relatives, so how can He possibly possess this extraordinary wisdom and power?" This reveals their profound lack of spiritual insight, as they focus entirely on the familiar and ordinary to dismiss the divine presence right before them.
Returning to his hometown, Jesus teaches in the synagogue, stunning the crowd with his wisdom and miraculous deeds. However, their familiarity with his humble upbringing—his father the carpenter, his mother Mary, and his known siblings—leads them to dismiss him. This disbelief prevents Jesus from performing many miracles there, as he observes that prophets are rarely honored in their own land.
Returning to his hometown, Jesus teaches in the synagogue, stunning the crowd with his wisdom and miraculous deeds. However, their familiarity with his humble upbringing—his father the carpenter, his mother Mary, and his known siblings—leads them to dismiss him. This disbelief prevents Jesus from performing many miracles there, as he observes 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? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?”" — What's easily missed here is the hometown crowd's attempt to minimize Jesus by reducing Him to His earthly connections— His occupation and His family. They're essentially saying, "We know His resume…
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