02/02/2022 - THEY WERE SCANDALIZED AT JESUS

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Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So, they were offended at Him. Mark 6.3

Jesus’ coming to Nazareth was surrounded by much anticipation. Hearing of His wonders, Christ’s contemporaries could not believe that this carpenter – a simple man, who had done nothing special in the city before except in His trade – was now, by the power of the Holy Spirit, doing what no one else had ever done. These wonders happened wherever the Master passed by, and the townspeople came to see Him. But the Savior’s preaching bothered them.

Everyone was amazed at Jesus’ wisdom in explaining the Scriptures, and soon wondered how that could be happening. When there is prejudice in people, they don´t even reason with the greatness of what they hear, and in such cases, the damage is greater. Whoever does not receive the Word of Jesus does not receive the Father, and therefore, even if he is a fervent religious man in his congregation, he will not receive the heavenly answer.

When recounting the works of God in other cities, the Master noticed that instead of rejoicing, they questioned each other – how those things were possible. In denying the operations of divine power, even though the people told of the blessings they had received, they made a great mistake: they thought that the Almighty was not in control of everything. In other words, Jesus said that nothing happens without Heaven’s approval (Luke 12.7; 21.18). The Father directs the work!

Nazareth was a town with a bad reputation, because of terrible things done by some of the inhabitants. On that occasion, the people in the synagogue must have said: “As if it were not enough what is already spoken about this place, now comes this “little carpenter”, a member of a poor and numerous family (Mary had five boys, not counting the girls), with this story that God works through him, doing wonders”. Prejudice is one of the biggest culprits for so much injustice in the world. Mercy!

They must have talked about Joseph, Mary’s husband, who probably had already died; however, since this is not written in the Bible, it is not possible to affirm if this assumption was true. We must never accept what the Scriptures do not say (Deuteronomy 29:29). The townspeople were scandalized at the Nazarene, the Word of God, who had been living among them for a short time. They despised the Architect who planned and executed all creation.

Today, even as we witness the Lord’s work, many people cannot believe. The lost need the intercession of God’s children, because the devil has blinded their understanding (2 Corinthians 4.4). Only through faith in Christ will we truly set them free. God will use us for His glory, and everyone will see in Jesus the reason for living, because He came and died to save everyone.

The Nazarenes did the opposite, scandalizing at the One who came into the world to deliver us from eternal damnation. Many will be eternally lost for not accepting Jesus as their Savior. Are you already saved, or do you see no reason for that?

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares