ACC ~ Matthew 13 v54 - 56

HE TAUGHT THEM IN THEIR SYNAGOGUE

PETER CHRYSOLOGUS: The synagogues could not be his. A malicious and disbelieving crowd gathered there. A people full of hate rather than love came together. A group of ill-disposed and ill-mannered people assembled. “He began to teach in their synagogues, so that they were astonished.” They were astonished because of indignation and not because of grace. They were amazed because of envy and not because of praise. They raged because what the proud seated on the floor were unable to discern, humility on its feet was thoroughly teaching. SERMONS 48.2. [1]

[1] CCL 24:265.

THEY WERE ASTONISHED

PETER CHRYSOLOGUS: “So that they were astonished, and said, ‘Where did he get this wisdom?’” The one who speaks this way does not know God, from whom is wisdom and from whom are mighty works. Solomon points to that source of wisdom. While still young, he accepted the highest honor of the kingdom so he might rule the people entrusted to him with virtue and not with arrogance, with wisdom and not with pride, with his heart and not with his head. He wanted wisdom from God, earnestly asked for it and received it. “Where did he get this wisdom and these mighty works?” The mighty power that gives eyesight denied by nature, that restores hearing to those drowned in silence, that unscrambles the words of those who are mute, that enables the lame to walk again and that orders souls headed for the realm of the dead to return to their bodies is from God, unless someone envious of salvation should deny it. SERMONS 48.2. [1]

[1] CCL 24:265.

IS NOT MARY HIS MOTHER?

ORIGEN: And perhaps these things indicated a new doubt concerning him, that Jesus was not a man but something more divine. Yet he was thought to be the son of Joseph and Mary and the brother of four and of the others and the women as well. Yet they saw nothing in any of his relatives that would have given a clue to these gifts. They observed nothing from his education and teaching that would come to such elevated wisdom and power. For they also say elsewhere, “How does this man know letters, having never learned?” [1] which is similar to what is said here. Yet, though they say these things and are so perplexed and astonished, they did not believe but were offended by him. It is as if the eyes of their mind had been mastered by the powers that, in the time of the passion, he was about to lead in triumph on the cross. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 10.17. [2]

[1] Jn 7:15.

[2] GCS 40:22; ANF 9:424-25.

IS THIS NOT THE CARPENTER’S SON?

HILARY: The Lord is dishonored by his own. Although his wisdom in teaching and his mighty works excited admiration, their faithlessness held them back from true discernment. For they did not believe that God was doing these things in a man. Moreover, they referred to his father, his mother, brothers and sisters and took offense at him.

But clearly this was the son of the carpenter who was subduing iron with fire, melting away all the might of the world with good judgment and forming the mass into every work that was humanly useful. He was molding the formless material of our bodies into members for different ministries and for every work of eternal life. They all became irritated at these things. Among the many astonishing things he did, they were most deeply moved by his contemplativeness and his bodily self-control. The Lord said to them that a prophet is without honor in his own country, [1] because he was to be despised in Judea until the final fate of the cross. And since God’s power is only with those who are faithful, he abstained from all works of divine power while he was there, because of their unbelief. ON MATTHEW 14.2. [2]

[1] Mt 13:57.

[2] SC 258:10-12.

JUDGED BY PARENTAGE

CHRYSOSTOM: But having come to his own country, he is not so intent upon miracles. He does not want to inflame them into further envy or to condemn them more grievously by the aggravation of their unbelief. Yet he presents his teaching, which possesses no less wonder than his miracles. For these utterly senseless people, when they ought to have marveled and been amazed at the power of his words, instead disparaged him, because of the one thought to be his father. Yet we know they had many examples of these things in the former times, for many fathers of little note had produced illustrious children. THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 48.1. [1]

[1] PG 58:487; NPNF 1 10:296.