Anchor My Faith

A Lack of Honor

Scripture: Mark 6:2-4, Matthew 13:56; Luke 4:23-24

We left the previous lesson with the people who heard Jesus claim to be the one spoken of in the prophecy he read from Isaiah wondering how this could be since he grew up among them. ^{Mk 6:2} “They said, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands?”’.

The people in the synagogue who heard him speak, comment to one another about his ability as a man. They wonder about his wisdom, where it came from since he grew up among them and had not gone on for advance study. They think about his mighty works and wonder where this ability came from since they knew his parents. Jesus grew up among them as a common person, but he stands out as being so much different. Seeing this difference between him and them, it won’t take long for sinful people to begin to dislike him because they see him as better than they.

They continue to ponder these things as we see next: ^{Mk 6:3} “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? ^{Mt 13:56} Where then did this man get all these things?” Jesus knows they are wondering about his ability because they really don’t understand who he is, and so ^{Lk 4:23} “[Jesus] said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” What is the meaning of the proverb, “Physician, heal yourself?”

Suppose a physician is called by someone who is sick and he goes but he is also diseased in the same way. Before the patient would believe that the physician could help the patient would say to the physician, “Heal yourself first and then we will know you can heal us.” These people don’t understand that Jesus is without sin and thus has the ability to heal their sin problem.  

Jesus continues speaking, ^{Lk 4:24} “And he said, “Truly, I say to you, ^{Mk 6:4} a prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” Like other prophets that came before him, who were not honored in their home town, Jesus it telling them that they are not honoring him in his home town for who he is; the Son of God. This happens today when a pastor is a guest speaker someplace and is embraced with greater honor than when he is at his home church.

Jesus continues to speak and as he does something happens. We will encounter that in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, as Jesus makes claims about himself and reveals his great wisdom and ability to perform mighty works, it seems that sinful people get uncomfortable and allow unrighteous behavior to surface. Holiness and righteousness seem to stimulate evil in sinners. “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12 NKJV) seems to bear this out.