Matthew 13:55-57

Matthew 13:55-57

[55] not  this  the carpenter's  son?  his  mother  called  Mary?  and  his  brethren,  James,  and  Simon,  and  Judas?  [56] And  his  sisters,  not  all  with  Whence  then  all  [57] And  they were offended  in  him.  But  Jesus  said  unto them,  A prophet  not  without honour,  in  his own  country,  and  in  his own  house. 

What does Matthew 13:55-57 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The words of Jesus" critics reveal wounded pride. They did not like His having wisdom and power superior to theirs since they had the same background. Their questions reveal denial of His Messiahship. By referring to Joseph as "the carpenter" and to Jesus as his Song of Solomon , they were implying that Jesus should have followed in His father"s footsteps. The definite article before "carpenter" suggests that there may have been only one carpenter in Nazareth. Carpenters did all types of work with wood and stone. Jesus was more of a builder than just a carpenter. [1]
In one sense these questions were legitimate. However the people of Nazareth rejected Jesus" claim to being a prophet ( Matthew 13:57 b). They "took offense" at Him in the sense that His claim caused them to stumble. It was their reaction to His claim, however, not the claim itself, that stumbled them.
"(Incidentally, their questions render impossible the fanciful miracles ascribed to Jesus" childhood by the apocryphal gospels.)" [2]
We must be careful not to confuse Jesus" half-brothers- James , Simon, and Judas-with the disciples who had the same names. There is no evidence that Jesus" half-brothers believed on Him until after His resurrection. His brother James eventually became the leader of the Jerusalem church ( Acts 11).