53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.”
58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matthew 13:53-58
This same story is shared in Mark’s Gospel with even stronger language. Mark says that Jesus could not perform many miracles (Mark 6:5). What does this mean? Generally, there are three ideas as to why their lack of faith meant Jesus could or would not perform miracles in his hometown.
- Some say that his power faltered because of a lack of faith and that there is something miraculous about honour that is like broadband for the Holy Spirit to move.
- Another suggestion is that Jesus simply refused to perform miracles because they did not show him the honour that he was due.
- The final idea is that people did not bring the sick to him because they did not believe in him. He was willing but they did not have faith.
So, which is it? And what does it mean to not have faith in Jesus? The word faith in the Bible can be difficult to understand and means slightly different things in different situations. It can mean belief, mental assent, trust, faithfulness and honour. However, theologian Matthew Bates argues that the best translation for faith is ‘Allegiance.’ It is not trying hard to believe something will happen but is about living under the rule of God. Faith is therefore stepping into the Kingdom of God and giving him our allegiance as our Lord.
If you have ever changed nationality then you will have a better idea of what this entails. You will have sworn a pledge to obey and protect the king. You gave him your allegiance. This means that you will obey his laws, protect his kingdom, participate in his mission, and show honour and deference to him. In Nazareth, Jesus saw that the people did not have any faith or honour for him. The result of this was that they did not experience the benefits of life with Jesus. By not wanting him to have authority in their lives, they discounted themselves.
Reflect
- How does the word ‘allegiance’ help you to understand what the Bible means by ‘faith’?
- In what ways do we show Jesus honour or dishonour in our lives?
Respond
Pause and pray: “Dear God in Heaven, I pledge my allegiance to you. I give you my life, my work and my heart. In turn, give me the grace of obeying your every direction to the fullest possible extent. Amen.”
