Isn't that the carpenter's boy?

When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?" So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honour except in his own country and in his own house." Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.  – Matthew 13.54-58

Jesus was back home ministering among all the familiar things. His family lived here. His childhood friends were all around. He walked familiar streets. He would have seen his childhood home and Joseph’s carpenter shop. He would have seen all the old shops and places he used to frequent. I don’t know how His human side worked, but I have to think there was that blessed feeling of comfort and nostalgia.

He did what Jewish teacher always did and was called to teach in His old synagogue.

When He spoke his old friends and neighbours and family were stunned. ‘Who is this guy? Where did He get His wisdom and His power to do all these amazing things? Isn’t He the carpenter’s son? His mother is Mary and His brothers and sisters are all here. You can almost sense a ‘who does He thing He is’ as they were ‘offended by Him.’

Jesus’s response was, or course, classic – ‘a prophet is only without order in His own country.’

Then we read an amazing statement, ‘He did not do many mighty works because of their unbelief.’

Think about. Here is Jesus in His own home town and with all the great work He has done elsewhere here, because of the unbelief, He does not do many great works. That’s an encouragement to me. It lets me know that it is not about me. All I have to do is to be faithful. Eventually it is up to the hearers to decide what to do about it. If Jesus Himself has a place where ‘not many mighty works’ are done how can we expect to always do great things?