←
Explanation for:
Matthew
13
:
56
And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence therefore hath he all these things?
7
more explanations
& daily audio-books
spoken by
– enjoy in Theosis App –
Start your
Bible-journey
with explanations
& daily audio-books
only 4$* per month
{"arr":[{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"The mistake of the Jews serves as both our redemption and our judgment. They perceive Jesus Christ merely as a man, labeling Him as the son of a carpenter: Is this not the son of a carpenter? It is not surprising that their error regarding the brethren stems from their misunderstanding of the Father. This passage is elaborated upon in greater detail in the aforementioned work against Helvidius."},{"author-name":"Hilarius of Poitiers","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88cb92f12b3278598f946_Hilarius%20of%20Poitiers.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Those close to Him fail to recognize the Lord's majesty. Despite the astonishing wisdom of His teachings and the miraculous nature of His works, their lack of faith has led them to a skewed understanding. They do not accept that it is God at work within humanity; instead, they refer to Him as father, mother, and siblings, all while criticizing the father's craftsmanship. Yet it is clear that He is the Son of the Creator, the one who refines iron in the fire, who tempers all the might of the world with righteous judgment, and who shapes matter for human benefit in all endeavors. He forms from the chaotic elements of our existence the various parts necessary for service and for each task that leads to eternal life. Thus, all were faced with temptation regarding Him, and amidst the remarkable miracles He performed, they were troubled by the sight of His physical form. The Lord pointed out that a prophet is without honor in his homeland, for even in Judea, He was rejected to the point of receiving the death sentence on the cross. Since it is only through faith that one can access the power of God, their disbelief resulted in their being deprived of divine acts of power."},{"author-name":"Augustine of Hippo","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88950a5c988a4fc06c7ae_Augustine%20of%20Hippo.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"\\"Are not His brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas, as well as His sisters, here with us? Where then did all these things come from Him? They were troubled by what He had done.\\" It is acknowledged that in Jewish culture, it is common to refer to relatives not solely by immediate kinship but also to those further removed, such as the children of siblings, who are frequently called brothers in our customs. Additionally, relations such as uncles and nephews, as exemplified by the connections between Jacob and Laban, were also designated as brothers, as evident in Scripture (Genesis 29:15). Therefore, it is not surprising that maternal relatives are referred to as brothers of the Lord, just as Joseph's kindred might have been regarded as His brothers by those who believed Joseph to be the earthly father of the Lord."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Consider the question posed in verse 55: Why have all these matters occurred to Him? Observe the sheer absurdity of their reasoning. They argue, Since He comes from humble beginnings, where did He acquire such wisdom and power? O foolish ones, it is not the status of one’s lineage, wealth, or similar factors that bestow knowledge and miraculous abilities; rather, these gifts from God are granted to those who exhibit true virtue and righteousness."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"His sisters, are they not all among us? Are they not all here with us? St. Chrysostom remarks that this should have been a strong reason for you to believe. Yet, envy is deceitful and frequently leads to contradictions. The very marvel and wonder that could have drawn them in became a source of their temptation. They questioned among themselves, how can He have such wisdom when even His own kin do not believe in Him? Where did the Carpenter acquire such authoritative insight? What gives Him the right to instruct us in this manner? How does He understand the Scriptures without having been educated by our teachers?"},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"He had predominantly shared His message in cities beyond His own, but now He turned to His hometown of Nazareth. Assuming word of His ministry had reached there and prepared the hearts of the people, He chose to reveal Himself within His own community. Upon arriving in Nazareth, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, where congregants had gathered to pray and receive instruction from the Scriptures. As a small town with a population of around ten thousand, Nazareth had just one synagogue—a modest rectangular structure with its sanctuary oriented towards Jerusalem, the sacred site to which every Jew directed their prayers since the days of Solomon. \\n\\nWhile more affluent cities built synagogues of gleaming white marble adorned with intricate carvings of grapevines and other symbolic imagery, the Nazareth synagogue was simpler. Inside, seating was arranged with men on one side and women, who were veiled, behind a partition on the other. At one end stood the ark, a beautifully crafted box containing the Holy Scriptures, and near it was a prominent seat for the reader and speaker. There was no formal clergy, and worship in the synagogue was straightforward. Typically, after prayers, two scriptural passages—one from the Torah and another from the prophets—were read. Since the priestly roles were confined to the Jerusalem temple, any literate individual could read the texts, given permission from the synagogue leader, and could offer his own insights or exhortations.\\n\\nOn this occasion, the reading from the Torah had concluded, leaving the daily reading from the prophets. The Savior unrolled the scroll handed to Him, locating a text from Isaiah 61. The congregation stood in anticipation for the reading. Jesus read only the first two verses, which stated, \\"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.\\" After finishing, He closed the scroll and, in accord with Jewish tradition, took a seat to deliver His message.\\n\\nThe passage He read was profound, but its significance was magnified when articulated by Him, the one to whom it pointed. The entire assembly focused intently on the powerful Speaker before them, captivated by His words that echoed with love, authority, and strength, leaving them in astonishment. However, as He continued, He began to perceive a shift in the response of the crowd as the stark implications of His message sunk in. It was common for the Jews to vocalize their reactions during such assemblies, and soon the air was thick with murmurs of discontent. \\n\\nThe initial expressions of awe transformed into glances filled with envy and hostility. “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t he the brother of such men as Jacob, Josiah, Simon, and Judas, and aren’t his sisters here with us?” Voices rose in disbelief. This was not a learned rabbi from the esteemed schools like Gamaliel or Shammai, yet He spoke with a boldness that even the greatest scribes would hesitate to claim. While Hillel leaned on the authority of past teachers when challenged, this teacher referred to no one and was merely their hometown carpenter. What credibility did He possess to teach? How could He have mastered Scripture when He had not studied in recognized rabbinical academies?"},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The unwavering skepticism of the Pharisees and the astonishment of the crowd regarding the miracles performed by the Lord validated the undeniable truth of Simeon's prophecy about the child Jesus, as he was destined for both the downfall and uplift of many in Israel, and that the sign would meet with opposition (Luke 2:34). It was challenging for the Jewish people to relinquish their hopeful dreams of a magnificent Messiah's kingdom, yet it was even more difficult for those who were closest to the Lord during His early years—specifically, the residents of Nazareth—to acknowledge His divinity. Despite expressing their doubts during His initial preaching, the townspeople continued to reject His message, even after Jesus had shared the Gospel throughout Galilee and Judea, backing His divine calling with numerous extraordinary miracles. Upon returning to Nazareth with His disciples, He commenced teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath. They questioned the source of His wisdom and power: Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this the son of the carpenter? Isn’t His mother named Mary, and are not His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas, and aren’t His sisters also here with us? Where does this come from? The skepticism extended not just to the townspeople but also to His own faithless relatives (John 7:5). Thus, the Lord echoed a previous admonition to the people of Nazareth (Luke 4:24): a prophet is seldom honored in his own homeland, amongst his relatives, and within his own household. Faced with such disbelief from His fellow countrymen, Jesus Christ, as conveyed by the holy Evangelist, could perform only a few healings, laying His hands on the sick (Mk. 6:5). St. John Chrysostom elaborates that He performed miracles while also refraining from doing so; He acted to fulfill His mission yet held back to prevent further condemnation of the people. As He considered the disbelief of the Nazarenes, the Lord departed from His homeland and journeyed to other towns and villages in Galilee."}]}
Support this project and get full access for only 4$/month
Commentarie text can’t be scrolled on PC at the moment. Please use your phone. We’re working on a fix.
