Matthew 13:55-57
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
The neighbors' question isn't just about Jesus' background; it's a dismissive jab, implying his wisdom and miracles couldn't possibly come from such a humble, ordinary family. They're using their familiarity with his "obscure" upbringing as a reason to reject him, rather than marveling at God's power working through someone they thought they knew so well.
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?” And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Fresh from teaching parables, Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, where he's met not with awe but with dismissive familiarity. The townspeople, recognizing him from his humble upbringing and knowing his earthly family, question the source of his profound wisdom and miraculous power, essentially finding him too ordinary to be so extraordinary. This incredulous reaction, rooted in their limited understanding of his identity and mission, leads Jesus to declare that prophets are rarely honored in their own land.
Jesus’ hometown folks knew Him, but not in the way that mattered. They focused on His earthly connections, missing the divine.
When Jesus returns to His hometown, the people are amazed by His wisdom and miracles. But their amazement quickly turns to offense. They ask, 'Is not this the carpenter's son?' (Matthew 13:55). This question reveals their immediate dismissal of Jesus based on His known, humble origins. They couldn't reconcile the extraordinary power they were witnessing with the ordinary life they believed He had lived.
Calvin notes that they 'intentionally turn away their eyes from this sight [God working in Christ], to behold Joseph, and Mary, and all his relatives; thus interposing a veil to shut out the clearest light.' Their familiarity with Jesus' earthly family became a stumbling block. They saw a 'carpenter's son,' a familiar figure from their community, not the Son of God.
Clarke points out that this was an 'insulting question,' aiming to highlight Jesus’ 'obscure' family and lack of formal training. Yet, Barnes reminds us that 'a useful employment is always honorable,' and Jesus’ time spent in honest labor as a carpenter was an example of humility and service, not a disqualifier.
Jesus’ own relatives and neighbors, those closest to Him, stumbled over His identity. Why does knowing someone well sometimes hinder us from seeing who they truly are?
The people of Nazareth, including Jesus' own family, struggled with His divine identity because they knew Him too well. They remembered Him as a child, a young man, the son of a carpenter. This deep familiarity, instead of leading them to deeper faith, created a 'familiarity trap.' They were offended (Matthew 13:57), unable to accept that this man they knew intimately could be the Messiah.
Ask a follow-up
Calvin explains this proverbially: 'those who are distinguished by eminent gifts are nowhere held in less estimation than in their own country.' Their contempt stemmed from their prior knowledge and what they perceived as His lack of prestigious upbringing or formal education. They couldn't grasp that divine power and wisdom could come from such an ordinary source, as Barnes notes, 'when human means fail, the power of God is clearly revealed.'
This rejection meant Jesus 'did not perform many miracles there on account of their unbelief' (Matthew 13:58). Their deeply ingrained prejudice, rooted in familiarity, prevented them from experiencing more of God’s power. Clarke suggests their focus on His earthly family was a way to dismiss Him, potentially obscuring the 'perpetual virginity' doctrine by bringing up His known siblings.
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.
eskandalizonto · Greek Verb
To cause to stumble, to be scandalized, or to take offense. It describes a situation where one's expectations are unmet, leading to a rejection of the truth or the person being observed.
prophētēs · Greek Noun
A spokesperson for God who communicates divine messages. In biblical tradition, a prophet is often disregarded by those most familiar with their human limitations, as evidenced by the lack of recognition in their own community.
timē · Greek Noun
The state of being respected, esteemed, or held in high regard. Biblically, honor is expected for God's messengers, yet it is frequently withheld by those blinded by familiarity or prejudice.
The disbelief Jesus encounters in Nazareth highlights the tension between his divine identity and his humble, human origins. The townspeople, familiar with his earthly family and trade, struggle to reconcile this with his profound wisdom and miraculous deeds, underscoring the proverb that a prophet is often least honored in his own home.
c. 6 BC - AD 30— this verse
Jesus' Early Life in Nazareth
Jesus grows up in Nazareth, learning and presumably working in the carpentry trade alongside Joseph, his earthly father. This period of humble, ordinary life would have been well-known to the local community.
c. AD 27-28
John the Baptist's Ministry Begins
The ministry of John the Baptist, a precursor to Jesus' own public ministry, begins in the wilderness of Judea, calling people to repentance and preparing the way for the Lord.
c. AD 27-28
Jesus' Baptism and Temptation
Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan River, after which he is led into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil for forty days. This marks the public beginning of his ministry.
c. AD 28-30
Jesus' Galilean Ministry
Jesus travels throughout Galilee, teaching in synagogues, healing the sick, and performing miracles. His fame spreads, drawing crowds but also provoking opposition.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Return to Nazareth
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, where he is met with skepticism and disbelief by the local residents who know him and his family personally.
This passage shows a similar reaction from the religious leaders in Jerusalem who are astonished that Jesus has such deep knowledge of the Scriptures without formal training, mirroring the astonishment of his hometown crowd.
Isaiah 53:2-3This prophetic passage describes the suffering Servant who would have no 'form or majesty' that we should look at him, and be despised and rejected by men, which resonates with the hometown crowd's rejection of Jesus based on his humble origins.
Mark 6:3-4This parallel account in Mark's Gospel emphasizes that 'a prophet is without honor except in his hometown, in his relatives, and in his own house,' directly echoing the sentiment expressed by the people of Nazareth.
Luke 4:22-24Luke records a very similar event where Jesus is rejected in his hometown synagogue, and he himself quotes the proverb about a prophet being without honor in his own country, showing this was a recurring theme.
Galatians 1:19Paul mentions James, 'the Lord's brother,' highlighting that Jesus had siblings who later became prominent figures in the early church, confirming the familial relationships mentioned by the crowd in Matthew.
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 neighbors' question isn't just about Jesus' background; it's a dismissive jab, implying his wisdom and miracles couldn't possibly come from such a humble, ordinary family. They're using their familiarity with his "obscure" upbringing as a reason to reject him, rather than marveling at God's power working through someone they thought they knew so well.
Fresh from teaching parables, Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, where he's met not with awe but with dismissive familiarity. The townspeople, recognizing him from his humble upbringing and knowing his earthly family, question the source of his profound wisdom and miraculous power, essentially finding him too ordinary to be so extraordinary. This incredulous reaction, rooted in their limited understanding of his identity and mission, leads Jesus to declare that prophets are rarely honored in their own land.
Fresh from teaching parables, Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, where he's met not with awe but with dismissive familiarity. The townspeople, recognizing him from his humble upbringing and knowing his earthly family, question the source of his profound wisdom and miraculous power, essentially finding him too ordinary to be so extraordinary. This incredulous reaction, rooted in their limited understanding of his identity and mission, leads Jesus to declare 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?” And they took offense at him…" — The neighbors' question isn't just about Jesus' background; it's a dismissive jab, implying his wisdom and miracles couldn't possibly come from such a humble, ordinary family. They're using their f…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
