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You Can’t Go Home Again

I am sure you have heard the expression, “You can’t go home again.” That is something Jesus discovered when he returned to his hometown to teach. Sometimes you have to leave home to truly be appreciated and accepted. That is what Jesus found in this Sunday’s Gospel.

“[Jesus] came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown, and among their own kin, and in their own house.” And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them. And he was amazed at their unbelief. Then he went about among the villages teaching.” (Mark 6:1-6)

According to Faithlife Sermons, “As the people of Nazareth heard the message Jesus was preaching, they rejected His message because they thought they knew everything there was to know about Him. He had grown up around them and was one of their own. They had seen Him play there as a child; they knew His family; they thought they knew Him. They knew that He had never been to the divinity schools. They knew that He had no formal training. They knew everything there was to know about Jesus, or so they thought! To them, Jesus was just another boy from Nazareth. He did not deserve their respect. They saw Him as a common man!”

When he taught in Nazareth, the people were amazed, yet all they could talk about was his family and background. They couldn’t get past his history. Their lack of faith prevents him from doing too many miracles, so he must move on.

According to Rev. Margaret Minnicks’ on the blog https://letterpile.com/, "In order for Him to start His ministry, He had to move from Nazareth and preach to the people in Capernaum. ... One of the major reasons a prophet is not accepted in his own hometown is familiarity. Those who knew Jesus well rejected Him. Those people included His own family. The people in Nazareth could not find any fault in His preaching, but because He had lived among them for 30 years, He was familiar to them."

It is hard to be seen as anything else when people have preconceived notions of you. Because they had known Jesus since he was a little boy, that is all they saw. They couldn’t fathom that he was a prophet and healer. So Jesus recognized this and moved on.

There is an expression hero’s welcome, which means that someone is well received for doing something praiseworthy. Jesus got anything but that, so he went to other towns. “Local boy makes good” was not the case for Jesus in his hometown. Jesus recognized this and knew it was time to move on.

Their lack of belief caused him to head to other villages. For that we are grateful. Because if he had stayed in Nazareth, the Gospel might never have been spread.

Shari Van Baale
Communications Coordinator

Tags: Weekly Word