A PROPHET HAS NO HONOR IN HIS OWN COUNTRY
Wednesday – November 7, 2018, Cheshvan 29, 5779
Greetings and welcome back to this wonderful Bible study of the Book of John. The featured picture today is of colorful fall foliage at the head of Messalonskee Lake in Oakland, Maine. Now let’s pick up with our Bible Study by reading the primary text aloud.
John 4:43-45 (KJV)
43 Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
44 For Jesus himself testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.
45 Then when he was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received him, having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for they also went unto the feast.
As we have been progressing through this gospel of John we see that Jesus is on the move. You will recall He was baptized by John the Baptist marking the beginning of His earthly ministry and the Anointing to carry that out. We then found Him in Cana where the wonderfully prophetic miracle of turning water to wine occurred. He then returned home to Capernaum to rest a few days and then they all went to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover. Here we find Him overturning the money changers and chasing the people out of the Temple who were selling various sacrificial animals. His disciples are baptizing at an unnamed location in Judaea but due to the Jews trying to cause strife between Jesus’ disciples and John and his disciples, Jesus leaves heading back home (Capernaum) and stops along the way in Samaria. Many there believed He was the Christ due to the testimony of a Samaritan woman and many more believed because of the Word He spoke. As we look at verse forty-four we find reference to an event spelled out in two other gospels (Matthew and Mark). I think it will be profitable to explore this event and I will take my text from Matthew.
Matthew 13:54-58 (KJV)
54 And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works?
55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?
56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things?
57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Jesus has come into the Galilee from Samaria on his way to Cana once again and then home to Capernaum. When it says “his own country” that would be Nazareth and as we can see from the text the folks there knew Him and His family. It seems that all or most of the folk’s present were astonished at His wisdom and mighty works which they no doubt heard of that He did elsewhere since He was not able to do many mighty works here in Nazareth. They allowed their familiarity with Jesus and His family to be a stumbling block to faith in Him, and His name. They were offended in Him. By this account in Scripture we see a clear example of offence leading to unbelief. Unbelief is sin, whatever is not of faith is sin. In the Book of Mark, it tells us that Jesus could do no mighty works there due to unbelief.
Faith is the Anointing activator. God will not, can not make us have faith, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. If you are offended by the person speaking you will not receive and believe and benefit from the message preached. This offense is likely part and parcel of envy and jealousy. He was one of them yet He was saying things they did not know and He was doing things they could not do. This brings Jesus to say that Prophets are honored everywhere except in their own neighborhood, and family. Along these lines we had a saying in medicine that a guest speaker from over one hundred miles away was regarded as an expert. That particular speaker in fact may not have had any more expertise then those already among us but being out of town automatically conferred a greater stature to the person. Have you not seen the same thing in your very own Church? Offense is a faith blocker at least in part because it interferes with our love walk and faith works by love. Lack of love (agape) and faith will keep the manifestation, the glory of God, out of our lives.
Next, we find Jesus on the move out of Nazareth on His way to Cana. On the way the people of the Galilee region received Him and He preached among them. Tomorrow Lord willing I will pick up with the healing of a nobleman’s son. The nobleman meets Jesus in Cana however the son is in Capernaum, Jesus’ home town, so they likely knew one another.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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