Post by The Ambassador on Aug 10, 2019 1:56:44 GMT
Performing Miracles, But Rejected Even in Nazareth
MATTHEW 9:27-34; 13:54-58 MARK 6:1-6
It has been a full day for Jesus. After a voyage from the region of the Decapolis, he healed the woman with the flow of blood and he resurrected Jairus’ daughter. But the day is not over. As Jesus leaves Jairus’ home, two blind men follow him, shouting: “Have mercy on us, Son of David.”—Matthew 9:27.
By calling Jesus “Son of David,” these men express their belief that Jesus is heir to the throne of David and thus the Messiah. Jesus seems to ignore their cries, perhaps to see whether they will be persistent, and they are. When Jesus enters a house, the two men follow him inside. Jesus asks them: “Do you have faith that I can do this?” They answer confidently: “Yes, Lord.” At that, Jesus touches their eyes and says: “According to your faith let it happen to you.”—Matthew 9:28, 29.
Suddenly they can see! As he has earlier instructed others, Jesus directs them not to publicize what he did. But filled with gladness, they later talk about him far and wide.
As these two men are leaving, people bring in a man who cannot speak because he is demon-possessed. Jesus expels the demon, and instantly the man begins to talk. The crowds marvel at this, saying: “Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.” Pharisees are also present. They cannot deny the miracles, so they repeat their charge as to the source of Jesus’ works: “It is by the ruler of the demons that he expels the demons.”—Matthew 9:33, 34.
Shortly thereafter, Jesus heads back to his hometown, Nazareth, now accompanied by his disciples. About a year earlier, he taught in the synagogue there. The people initially marveled at what he said, but they later took offense at his teaching and tried to kill him. Now Jesus again tries to help his former neighbors.
On the Sabbath, he returns to the synagogue to teach. Many are astounded, even asking: “Where did this man get this wisdom and these powerful works?” They say: “Is this not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Where, then, did he get all of this?”—Matthew 13:54-56.
The people feel that Jesus is just a local man. ‘We saw him grow up,’ they think, ‘so how can he be the Messiah?’ Consequently, despite all the evidence—including Jesus’ great wisdom and powerful works—they reject him. Because of their familiarity with Jesus, even his relatives stumble at him, causing him to observe: “A prophet is not without honor except in his home territory and in his own house.”—Matthew 13:57.
Indeed, Jesus is amazed at their lack of faith. So he does not perform any miracles there “except to lay his hands on a few sick people and cure them.”—Mark 6:5, 6.
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