Matthew 13:54

And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? AND WHEN HE WAS COME INTO HIS OWN COUNTRY - that is, Nazareth; as is plain from Mark 6:1. See the note at John 4:43, where also the same phrase occurs. This, according to the majority of harmonists, was the second of two visits which our Lord paid to Nazareth during His public ministry; but in our view it was His first and only visit to it. See the note at Matthew 4:13; and for the reasons, see the notes at Luke 4:16....

54._So that they were amazed. _They are struck with _amazement _at the novelty of the occurrence, that Christ, who had not learned letters, but had been employed from youth to manhood in a mechanical occupation, is so eminent a teacher, and is filled with divine wisdom. In this miracle they ought to have perceived the hand of God; but their ingratitude made them cover themselves with darkness. (346) They are compelled to admire him, whether they will or not; and yet they treat him with contempt. And what is this but to reject a prophet whom God has taught, because he has not been educated by men? They cut their throat by means of their own acknowledgment, when they render so honorable a testimony to the doctrine of Christ, which after all has no influence on them, because it does not take its origin, in the usual way, from the earth. Why do they not rather lift their eyes to heaven, and...

53-58 Christ repeats his offer to those who have repulsed them. They upbraid him, Is not this the carpenter's son? Yes, it is true he was reputed to be so; and no disgrace to be the son of an honest tradesman; they should have respected him the more because he was one of themselves, but therefore they despised him. He did not many mighty works there, because of their unbelief. Unbelief is the great hinderance to Christ's favours. Let us keep faithful to him as the Saviour who has made our peace with God....

Verse 54. _AND WHEN HE WAS COME INTO HIS OWN COUNTRY_] Probably _Nazareth_, where his parents lived, and where he had continued till his thirtieth year, though it appears he had a lodging in Peter's house at _Capernaum_. _THEY WERE ASTONISHED_] It appears, hence, that our blessed Lord had lived in obscurity all the time above specified; for his countrymen appear not to have heard his doctrines, nor seen his miracles, until now. It is a melancholy truth, that those who should know Christ best are often the most ignorant of himself, the doctrines of his word, and the operations of his Spirit....

INTO HIS OWN COUNTRY - That is, into Nazareth. Mark, who has also recorded this Mark 6:1, says that it took place on the Sabbath. It was common for our Saviour to speak in the synagogues. Any Jew had a fight to address the people, if called on by the minister; and our Saviour often availed himself of the right to instruct the people and declare his doctrines. See Matthew 4:23....

EXPOSITION A few remarks by way of introduction to the characteristic portion of this chapter (Matthew 13:1). (1) We have here a collection of the Lord's parables, all spoken, as it would appear, at an early period in his ministry, descriptive of the principles of the kingdom of heaven as they make themselves felt in history, and of the way in which those who are brought into contact with the kingdom ought to act. As the chapter stands, it consists of three chief parts, which probably roughly correspond to three stages of development in its composition. (A) Matthew 13:1, also in Mark and Luke, except some characteristic enlargements in verses 10-17. The section contains the parable of the sower and its interpretation, together with a statemen

AND WHEN HE WAS COME INTO HIS OWN COUNTRY,.... Not where he was born, Bethlehem, for it is never observed, that he went thither; but where he was educated, and where his parents and near relations, according to the flesh, lived; who had been some little time ago seeking for him, and desirous of speaking with him, even Nazareth: HE TAUGHT THEM IN THEIR SYNAGOGUE, it being the sabbath day; see Mark 6:1. The Vulgate Latin, and all the Eastern versions, the Syriac, Arabic, Persic, and Ethiopic, and Munster's Hebrew Gospel read, "in their synagogues"; but as Nazareth was so mean and obscure a place, it is not likely that there should be in it more synagogues than one; and of no more do we read in Luke 4:16 where an account is given of Christ's preaching in this place before this time. Insomuch

Matthew 13:24. _Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:_ Jesus never sowed any other kind of seed. The truth which he taught is pure and unadulterated. It is good seed, good and only good, the very best of seed. Matthew 13:25. _But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way._ Wherever Christ is active the enemy is sure to be active too. If you have a sleeping church, you may have a sleeping devil; but as soon as ever Christ is in the congregation sowing the good seed, the devil wakes up, and by night, when men are off their guard, the bad seed the mock wheat here translated «tares» is sown among the true wheat....

II. THE REJECTED KINGDOM AND THE REJECTED KING. CHAPTER S 13-28. 1. The King at the Seaside. The Mysteries of the Kingdom. CHAPTER 13 1. The King at the Seaside. (Matthew 13:1 .) 2. The Parable of the Sower. (Matthew 13:3 .) 3. The Question of the Disciples and His Answer. (Matthew 13:10 .) 4. The Parable of the Sower Explained. (Matthew 13:18 .) 5. The Parable of the Good Seed and the Tares. (Matthew 13:24 .) 6. The Parable of the Mustard Seed....

JESUS REJECTED AT NAZARETH (Mark 6:1 *, _cf._ Luke 4:16). Mt. has already used Mark 4:35 and Matthew 5. Perhaps the original reading in Matthew 13:55 is neither carpenter's son nor carpenter (Mk.), but, as in the Sinaitic Syriac version, Joseph's son. It is a nice question whether in Matthew 13:58 Mt. is simply abbreviating Mk. or deliberately altering what seemed a disparagement of Jesus-' power, and making the absence of mighty works a punishment for unbelief....