Jesus left that part of the country and returned with his disciples to Nazareth, his hometown. The next Sabbath he began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. They asked, “Where did he get all this wisdom and the power to perform such miracles?” Then they scoffed, “He’s just a carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon. And his sisters live right here among us.” They were deeply offended and refused to believe in him. Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his relatives and his own family.” And because of their unbelief, he couldn’t do any miracles among them except to place his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. Mark 6:1-6 NLT
You’ve heard the saying, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” That’s what happened when Jesus went to His hometown of Nazareth. On the Sabbath He began teaching in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed. He taught with great wisdom and performed miracles with power. They were astonished as they saw the very things happen that the surrounding towns were reporting. But seeing is not necessarily believing. Believing and trusting is always a choice. Jealousy, rebellion, or something else wicked rose up in them and the amazement turned to scoffing. “Who does He think He is? He can’t teach us. We watched Him grow up. We know His family.” They talked themselves into being deeply offended (the Greek word means “filled with disgust or revulsion.”)
They saw the proof. They saw the reasons to believe. But faith is far more than simply believing that someone is. Faith is trusting; faith is putting your full weight and confidence in the object of your faith. They worked themselves up into stubborn rebellion and cost themselves and their entire town the privilege of many transforming miracles. God has chosen to limit His transforming action on our behalf to our choice to trust. It was not that Jesus didn’t have the power to do many miracles there – it was that there was no purpose. The purpose of His miracles was to show that He was God. They HAD seen. But they chose not to trust and have faith.
Jesus was amazed at their unbelief. This was His hometown, His people. He knew the power that was available if they actively trusted Him. But they were determined not to trust. In spite of the proof, in spite of the fact that God had come to them through Jesus, they were rigidly determined to hold on to their unbelief. There’s great power in determination. Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead in front of people, and some still did not trust Him. They tried to kill Lazarus again along with Jesus. Luke 16 records Jesus saying, “If they won’t listen to God’s testimony, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.” Determined lack of trust stops God’s work in your life. The choice of His hometown people amazed Jesus.
- You can amaze Jesus with your choice to completely trust Him or with your choice to ignore the proof, refusing to trust. He lets you choose your puny power and woeful wisdom over His if you are determined to do so.