A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works? Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?" So they were offended at Him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

- Matthew 13:53-58

In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave us several new parables about the kingdom to ponder. Over the course of the past week, we have been introduced to the concept of parables, and given many different parables in Matthew's Gospel, each illustrating a new facet of understanding about the kingdom, drawing us into its mystery, and asking us to have ears to hear, to be able to receive. (See all the readings beginning from Tuesday, October 25th - Behold, a sower went out to sow - to yesterday's reading.) Yesterday, we received, in addition to all the other parables we'd been given, the parable of the pearl of great price, the treasure hidden in a field, and the dragnet cast into the sea -- which picked up everything but from which the bad would be thrown away, another illustration of the judgment at the end of the age. We are to understand the depth of treasure and worth found in this kingdom, more precious than anything else in our lives. Jesus pronounced all of these illustrations -- and the things of Scripture from of old -- to be treasure old and new. In other words, we need to take into account all of it. He said, "Therefore every scribe instructed concerning the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure things new and old." The Gospel, as written by Matthew, is a reflection of this saying.

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had finished these parables, that He departed from there. When He had come to His own country, He taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, "Where did this Man get this wisdom and these mighty works?" Jesus has traveled to Nazareth, the town in which He was brought up. All the people here are familiar with His family. Jesus has never gone to a rabbinical school, never studied with a famous rabbi from whom He could derive authority. His authority, wisdom and power are His own, in His own person. In some sense, His ministry is a great revelation to all in His hometown.

"Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? And His sisters, are they not all with us? Where then did this Man get all these things?" So they were offended at Him. Let us consider for today's reading what it is to be blinded by the conventional, by the things we think we now -- so that we cannot see what is in the midst of us. This is a great metaphor for the holy: at no time do we necessarily understand the working of the Holy Spirit among us or within us, nor the countless angels that may be in our midst. But in faith, we trust that God is always there. Relying too much on the things we think we know, on the order we think we understand, may leave us completely blind to the holy, even when its presence is revealed among us through powerful signs and wisdom. Here, Jesus' neighbors commit the great mistake of relying too much on a worldly social order they think they know. But God "lifts up the lowly" and "fills the hungry with good things" -- these words are from the Canticle of Mary, Jesus' mother, called the Magnificat. We may look now more closely at her words, from Luke's Gospel, said as she visited her cousin Elizabeth: "He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty." This is her song about the great thing that has happened to her, and to us -- the Child in her womb at the time. Clearly, it indicates that the social order is shaken up by God's power and strength. But their neighbors cannot accept it, even though (now thirty or so years later) the fruits of His ministry are clear. Instead, they are simply offended. My study bible says, "Even in his own country, Nazareth, Jesus finds not acceptance but rejection. In their envy, although they can find no fault in His words and miracles, the Nazarenes dismiss Him on the basis of the unimportance of His family."

But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house." Now He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Why is it so difficult for a prophet to be honored and accepted? Perhaps precisely because of the startling nature of God's work among us. The holy will always challenge the things we think we know -- it will bring wisdom and power -- precisely the things Jesus' hometown neighbors are offended at. Jesus' wisdom and power (in His great works) speak of authority, and this authority doesn't come from man, but from God. But there is a price to pay for the rejection of the holy: Jesus did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Just as we have been reading parables about the kingdom, designed to draw out our understanding and faith, so their lack of faith means they can receive nothing of what He is bringing to them. There is no connection in faith.

Let us consider what it means to be too rooted in our systems of hierarchy, to the point where we lock out what the divine may be bringing to us, or showing to us. There is an interesting parallel here to the original story of the Garden in Genesis. In some sense, the result of a separation from God becomes a structure of worldly power, a hierarchy of material might that brings toil and oppression and pain. In this story, we can see an allegory in the neighbors who refuse to receive the Kingdom in their midst, that has come near. Instead, they cling to the social order, the rank in their society, and refuse to receive what God has done. So, allow us to propose that we consider today what it is to receive God. We know, through 2,000 years of Church history, that saints come in all forms, and the work of the holy may always be surprising, the last thing we expect. Jesus has thanked the Father that things have been hidden from the wise and prudent, and revealed to babes. We know the powerful virtue of humility, as it has been taught throughout the spiritual history of Israel, and the teachings of Christ. Let us understand, then, what it is to keep our hearts open, our spiritual eyes and ears ready to hear and to receive. Jesus' powerful parables have opened up a teaching to us that we are to receive mystery, things which we don't necessarily know nor expect, and that anything is worth giving up for His pearl of great price, the Kingdom. In the story of Jesus' neighbors we are taught what it is to be blinded to the things of God. Matthew ends Chapter 13, which introduces us to parables, and fills us with many of the parables Jesus taught, with this story. Let us understand then, in our own lives, the great and joyful news, the powerful might of God that may just be found in what we consider the poor and humble, the ones we may dismiss with conventional sight. But we have to have eyes and ears to see and hear. God will work where we least expect it, and challenge us to stretch our understanding with what God reveals.