Matthew 13:56Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Therefore, it is not surprising that maternal relatives are referred to as brothers of the Lord, just as Joseph's kindred might have been regarded as His brothers by those who believed Joseph to be the earthly father of the Lord.

Thus, all were faced with temptation regarding Him, and amidst the remarkable miracles He performed, they were troubled by the sight of His physical form. The Lord pointed out that a prophet is without honor in his homeland, for even in Judea, He was rejected to the point of receiving the death sentence on the cross. Since it is only through faith that one can access the power of God, their disbelief resulted in their being deprived of divine acts of power.

While more affluent cities built synagogues of gleaming white marble adorned with intricate carvings of grapevines and other symbolic imagery, the Nazareth synagogue was simpler. Inside, seating was arranged with men on one side and women, who were veiled, behind a partition on the other. At one end stood the ark, a beautifully crafted box containing the Holy Scriptures, and near it was a prominent seat for the reader and speaker. There was no formal clergy, and worship in the synagogue was straightforward. Typically, after prayers, two scriptural passages—one from the Torah and another from the prophets—were read. Since the priestly roles were confined to the Jerusalem temple, any literate individual could read the texts, given permission from the synagogue leader, and could offer his own insights or exhortations.

On this occasion, the reading from the Torah had concluded, leaving the daily reading from the prophets. The Savior unrolled the scroll handed to Him, locating a text from Isaiah 61. The congregation stood in anticipation for the reading. Jesus read only the first two verses, which stated, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." After finishing, He closed the scroll and, in accord with Jewish tradition, took a seat to deliver His message.

The passage He read was profound, but its significance was magnified when articulated by Him, the one to whom it pointed. The entire assembly focused intently on the powerful Speaker before them, captivated by His words that echoed with love, authority, and strength, leaving them in astonishment. However, as He continued, He began to perceive a shift in the response of the crowd as the stark implications of His message sunk in. It was common for the Jews to vocalize their reactions during such assemblies, and soon the air was thick with murmurs of discontent.

The initial expressions of awe transformed into glances filled with envy and hostility. “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t he the brother of such men as Jacob, Josiah, Simon, and Judas, and aren’t his sisters here with us?” Voices rose in disbelief. This was not a learned rabbi from the esteemed schools like Gamaliel or Shammai, yet He spoke with a boldness that even the greatest scribes would hesitate to claim. While Hillel leaned on the authority of past teachers when challenged, this teacher referred to no one and was merely their hometown carpenter. What credibility did He possess to teach? How could He have mastered Scripture when He had not studied in recognized rabbinical academies?

Despite expressing their doubts during His initial preaching, the townspeople continued to reject His message, even after Jesus had shared the Gospel throughout Galilee and Judea, backing His divine calling with numerous extraordinary miracles. Upon returning to Nazareth with His disciples, He commenced teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. They questioned the source of His wisdom and power: Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this the son of the carpenter? Isn’t His mother named Mary, and are not His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas, and aren’t His sisters also here with us? Where does this come from? The skepticism extended not just to the townspeople but also to His own faithless relatives (John 7:5). Thus, the Lord echoed a previous admonition to the people of Nazareth (Luke 4:24): a prophet is seldom honored in his own homeland, amongst his relatives, and within his own household. Faced with such disbelief from His fellow countrymen, Jesus Christ, as conveyed by the holy Evangelist, could perform only a few healings, laying His hands on the sick (Mk. 6:5). St. John Chrysostom elaborates that He performed miracles while also refraining from doing so; He acted to fulfill His mission yet held back to prevent further condemnation of the people. As He considered the disbelief of the Nazarenes, the Lord departed from His homeland and journeyed to other towns and villages in Galilee.