And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.

And he did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief.
-Matthew 13:58


Notes:

Donald Hagner:

...the unbelief of Jesus' own people in Nazareth.

"their unbelief" only occurs this one time in Matthew.

They were scandalized by him ("And they were offended by him" v 57a).

Jesus' ministry in their midst was severely restricted by their rejection of his message and his claims.

As before (Matt. 12:38-39), Jesus will not perform miracles to counteract unbelief.




Richard France:

Jesus' power is neither magical nor automatic, and the importance of faith..

The lesson is the mistake they made in limiting Jesus to who they had previously known him to be:

“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?
Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
And his sisters, aren’t they all with us?
Matthew 13:54-56

They were unable and it was impossible for them to receive Jesus' ministry because of their automatic limitations they placed on him. The familiarity they had in their thinking forced them into a preconceived framework lacking objectivity.

They did not believe their eyes and ears because they had already made up their minds.

Their unbelief prevailed.




Albert Barnes:

Because of their unbelief - That is, it would have been useless to the great purposes of his mission to have worked miracles there. We are not to suppose that his power was limited by the belief or unbelief of people; but they were so "prejudiced," so set against him, that they were not in a condition to "judge of evidence" and to be convinced. They would have charged it to derangement, or sorcery, or the agency of the devil. Compare John 10:20. It would have been of no use, therefore, in proving to them that he was from God, to have worked miracles. He did, therefore, only those things which were the proper work of benevolence, and which could not easily be charged on the devil. He gave "sufficient" proof of his mission, and left them in their chosen unbelief without excuse. It is also true, in spiritual things, that the unbelief of a people prevents the influences of the Holy Spirit from being sent down to bless them. God requires faith. He hears only the prayers of faith. And when there is little true belief, and prayer is cold and formal, there the people sleep in spiritual death.




Thomas Constable:

The point of this section is to show that even those who knew Jesus best refused to believe on Him.




Mark Bailey:

Jesus led a perfect life and still had family members and friends who struggled to believe.

Sometimes those most difficult to reach are those who know us best.