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1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country ; and his disciples follow him.
2 And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the syna- gogue : and many hearing Mm were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wis- dom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands ?
3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and
Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us ? And they were offended at him.
4 But Jesus said unto them, A pro- phet is not without honor, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands up- on a few sick folk, and healed them.
6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
This passage shows us our Lord Jesus Christ in " his own country/' at Nazareth. It is a melancholy illus- tration of the wickedness of man's heart, and deserves special attention.
We see, in the first place, hoiu apt men are to undervalue things with which they are familiar. The men of Naza- reth "were offended" at our Lord. They could not think it possible that one who had lived so many years among themselves, and whose brethren and sisters they knew, could deserve to be followed as a public teacher.
Never had any place on earth such privileges as Nazareth. For thirty years the Son of G-od resided in this town, and went to and fro in its streets. For thirty years He walked with God before the eyes of its inhabit? ants, living a blameless, perfect life. But it was all lost upon them. They were not ready to believe the Gospel, when the Lord came among them and taught in their synagogue. They would not believe that one whose face they knew so well, and who had lived so long, eating, and drinking, and dressing like one of themselves, had auy right to claim their attention. They were " offended at Him."