Second Rejection In Nazareth

Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. (NASB) 2 Tim. 3:12

Those who never suffer are probably not in the battle. They may be passive Christians. Yet, God encourages us to seek peace and avoid conflict. There are some Christians, however, who are warriors. For them, everything is a crusade. They enjoy controversy and conflict. Those who suffer for doing wrong deserve it. 1 Peter 2:20 tells us that we gain favor with God when we suffer for doing what is right.

For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. (NASB) 1 Pet. 2:19-20

When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands? (NASB) Mark 6:2

Many people were present, when Jesus started teaching. It is very possible that the people had come because they had heard that Jesus would be speaking. The listeners could not believe what they heard. They started asking one another, “Where did He get these things? Where did He get His wisdom? Where did He learn how to do these miracles?”

We can just imagine their thoughts. Surely, He got His wisdom from some other place or some tutor. We will discover later in John 7:15 that it was common knowledge that Jesus did not have any formal rabbinical education.

If Jesus were alive today, the questions might be something like this, “What commentaries does Jesus own? Did Jesus learn that from a tape, book, CD, or DVD? Did He attend a pastor’s conference or get His material from some famous rabbi or pastor?” Many today think that a seminary education is important to prepare men for ministry. While a seminary education can be helpful, it is not essential.

What is essential is a man’s love, faithfulness, and obedient walk with God and a never ending search of the scriptures in order to increasingly know God resulting in ongoing transformation into Christ-likeness. There are those in the ministry today who do not have formal education, but they really know the One who was the from the beginning (1 John 2:12-14). There have been some noted pastors down through history who had no formal theological education, but they have been terrific spiritual examples. For example, C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), a British preacher, had no formal education beyond Newmarket Academy. Another example is Dwight L. Moody (1837-1899), an American evangelist, who also lacked formal education. Formal education can be very helpful, but it is not essential.

Just as some today show disrespect for those without formal seminary training, the people in this small Nazareth synagogue showed disrespect for Jesus’ lack of formal education. They did not realize that schools can only educate the mind. Religious education cannot guarantee that the heart is in love with God or that the person is growing spiritually.

“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him. (NASB) Mark 6:3

Their message was simple. “He is, ‘Just one of us!’ Surely, He is nothing special.” In the Greek text, a definite article appears before “carpenter.” This implies that Jesus had been “the” carpenter or craftsman of the town. When Jesus had lived there’, He was the carpenter. Not only was Jesus the carpenter, but they also knew His family: Mary, James, Joses, Judas, and Simon. Note that Matt. 13:55 provides the same list of Mary’s children. Those who claim that these children were not the offspring of Mary do so without proof. There is no hint in these passages that these men were not Mary’s sons. Since Matthew 1:25 reveals that Mary had sexual relations with Joseph, it is difficult to argue that Mary never had children unless one chooses to discredit the apostle Matthew and the Holy Spirit who jointly wrote . . .

. . . but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus. (NASB) Matt. 1:25

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household.” (NASB) Mark 6:4

The people in the synagogue responded as some might today. Some discredit those whom they know in favor of those they do not know. Why will some churches select a man who has recently graduated from seminary, whom they do not know, and ask him to become their pastor even if they have a man who is highly gifted and capable of being their pastor sitting among them? We tend to highly value someone we do not know, only later to often be disappointed with them. Kent Hughes responds to our peculiar attitude with this account,

There are people who find it personally offensive if someone who - was one of them yesterday should have become much more today. Monlaigne, the famous French philosopher, politician, and writer, said that at home he was considered just a scribbling country proprietor, in the neighboring town a man of recognized business ability, and farther away a noted author. The greater the distance away, the greater he became.[2]

Those who heard and saw Jesus did not reject Him for lack of evidence but in spite of overwhelming evidence. They did not reject Him because they lacked the truth but because they rejected the truth. They refused forgiveness because they wanted to keep their sins. They denied the light because they preferred darkness. The reason for rejecting the Lord has always been that men prefer their own way to His.[3]

Unbelief. The people in Nazareth did not approve of His message. Therefore, they rejected Him. As a result, very few people came to Jesus for healing, and very few miracles were performed. That is the message of verses 5-6.

3. John MacArthur. Matthew 8-15 . The MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Moody Press. p. 409.