Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 13:53-58

"And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. And coming into his own country he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter`s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief." — Matthew 13:53-58 (ASV)

St. Jerome: After the parables which the Lord spoke to the people, and which only the Apostles understood, He goes to His own country to teach there also.

St. Augustine of Hippo: From the previous discourse consisting of these parables, He passes to what follows without any very evident connection. Furthermore, Mark moves from these parables to a different event than what Matthew gives here, and Luke agrees with him. They continue the thread of the story in a way that makes it much more probable that what they relate—namely, the story about the ship in which Jesus slept and the miracle of the demons cast out—followed at this point, an event which Matthew introduced earlier.¹

St. John Chrysostom: By "his own country" here, He means Nazareth. For it was not there but in Capernaum that, as is said later, He performed so many miracles; but to these people He shows His doctrine, causing no less wonder than His miracles.²

Remigius of Auxerre: He taught in their synagogues where large crowds were gathered, because it was for the salvation of the multitude that He came from heaven to earth.

It follows that they were amazed and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works?" His wisdom refers to His doctrine, and His mighty works to His miracles.

St. Jerome: What wonderful folly of the Nazarenes! They wonder from where Wisdom itself gets wisdom, and from where Power itself gets mighty works. But the source of their error is clear, for they see Him as the son of a carpenter, saying, "Is not this the carpenter's son?"

St. John Chrysostom: Therefore, they were foolish in every way, seeing that they held Him in low regard on account of the one regarded as His father. They did this despite the many instances in ancient times of illustrious sons born to humble fathers, such as David, the son of Jesse, a farmer, and Amos, who was a shepherd and the son of a shepherd.

They should have given Him all the more honor, because, coming from such parents, He spoke in such a way. This clearly showed that His wisdom came not from human effort, but from divine grace.

Pseudo-Augustine: For the Father of Christ is that Divine Workman who made all the works of nature, who designed Noah's ark, who established the tabernacle of Moses, and instituted the Ark of the Covenant. He is the Workman who polishes the stubborn mind and cuts down proud thoughts.³

St. Hilary of Poitiers: And this was the carpenter's son who subdues iron with fire, who tests the virtue of this world in judgment, and who forms the raw material for every work of human need—for example, shaping our bodies for the various functions of the limbs and for all the actions of eternal life.

St. Jerome: And when they are mistaken about His Father, it is no wonder they are also mistaken about His brothers. And so it is added: "Is not his mother Mary, and his brothers, James, and Joseph, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us?"

Those who are here called the Lord's brothers are the sons of a Mary, His Mother's sister. She is the mother of this James and Joseph—that is, Mary the wife of Clopas—and this is the Mary who is called the mother of James the Less.⁴

St. Augustine of Hippo: It is no wonder, then, that any relatives on his mother's side should be called the Lord's brothers, when even some related to Joseph are called His brothers by those who thought Him to be Joseph's son.⁵

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Thus, the Lord is not honored by His own people. And though the wisdom of His teaching and the power of His works amazed them, they do not believe that He did these things in the name of the Lord, and they taunt Him with His father's trade.

Amid all the wonderful works He performed, they were focused on His human form, and so they ask, "Where did this man get these things?" And thus, they were offended by Him.

St. Jerome: This error of the Jews is our salvation and the condemnation of heretics, for they perceived Jesus Christ so completely as a man that they thought Him the son of a carpenter.

St. John Chrysostom: Observe Christ's mercy; He is spoken evil of, yet He answers with mildness: Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and in his own house.

Remigius of Auxerre: He calls Himself a Prophet, as Moses also declares when he says, A Prophet shall God raise up unto you of your brethren (Deuteronomy 18:18). And it should be known that not only Christ, who is the Head of all the Prophets, but also Jeremiah, Daniel, and the other minor Prophets had more honor and respect among strangers than among their own citizens.

St. Jerome: For it is almost natural for citizens to be jealous of one another. They do not look at the man's present works but remember the frailties of his childhood, as if they themselves had not passed through the very same stages of life to reach maturity.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Furthermore, He gives this answer—that a prophet is without honor in his own country—because it was in Judea that He was to be condemned to the sentence of the cross. And since the power of God is for the faithful alone, He abstained from works of divine power there because of their unbelief.

Thus it follows, And he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

St. Jerome: This was not because He could not perform mighty works due to their unbelief, but so that in performing them He would not be condemning His fellow citizens for their unbelief.

St. John Chrysostom: But if His miracles amazed them, why did He not perform many? Because He was not concerned with displaying His own power, but with what would benefit others. When that benefit did not result, He disregarded what related only to Himself so that He would not increase their punishment. Why, then, did He perform even these few miracles? So that they could not say, "We would have believed if any miracles had been performed among us."

St. Jerome: Alternatively, we may understand it this way: Jesus being despised in His own house and country signifies His being despised by the Jewish people. Therefore, He performed few miracles among them, so that they would not be entirely without excuse. But among the Gentiles, He daily performs greater miracles through His Apostles—not so much in healing their bodies as in saving their souls.

1. De Cons. Ev., ii, 42
2. Hom., xlviii
3. non occ., cf. Serm. 135
4. Hieron. in Helvid., 14
5. Quaest. in Matt., q. 17