13:53-58 What does it mean that Jesus did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief?

This is not teaching as many believe that even Jesus Himself could not heal everyone. Jesus healed all who came to Him – here and everywhere else in scripture (cp Mt 4:23-24; 8:14-18, 9:35; 11:5; 12:15; 14:14, 35-36; 15:30; 19:2; 21:14; Mk 1:32-35, 39; 3:10; 6:56; Lk 4:40; 5:15, 17; 6:17-19; 7:1-10, 21-23; 9:11; 17:11-17 with Ac 10:38).

Ac 10:38 sums up Jesus’ healing ministry for us – He healed everyone who came to Him. Jesus did not many mighty works in His hometown of Nazareth, not because the townspeople’s unbelief stopped Him, but because their unbelief stopped them coming to Him. His claim to Messiahship was an offence to them and they rejected Him.

On His previous visit there they had even tried to kill Him (cp Lk 4:16-30). The townspeople were impressed with Jesus’ teaching, but His claim to being the Messiah offended them. They had watched Jesus grow up in their midst and they only saw Him as the son of the local carpenter, not God’s Messiah (cp Mk 6:1-6).

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