Matthew 13 55

Matthew 13:55 kjv

Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?

Matthew 13:55 nkjv

Is this not the carpenter's son? Is not His mother called Mary? And His brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas?

Matthew 13:55 niv

"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?

Matthew 13:55 esv

Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas?

Matthew 13:55 nlt

Then they scoffed, "He's just the carpenter's son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers ? James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.

Matthew 13 verses

Matthew 13 55 Meaning

Matthew 13:55 records the rhetorical questions of Jesus' townsfolk in Nazareth, who, recognizing His humble earthly origins—as the son of a carpenter, and brother to known individuals—found themselves in disbelief at His wisdom and mighty works. Their familiarity with Jesus' human family and common background became a stumbling block to acknowledging His divine authority and messianic identity. They were looking at Him through a purely physical, worldly lens, failing to perceive the spiritual reality of who He truly was.

Matthew 13 55 Context

Matthew chapter 13 is rich with parables, depicting various aspects of the Kingdom of Heaven and the responses to it. Following the explanation of several parables to His disciples, Jesus returns to His hometown, Nazareth, a place often associated with low repute. He teaches in their synagogue, eliciting amazement, but their amazement quickly turns to offense. Verse 55 provides the very reason for their scandal: their profound familiarity with Jesus' human background.

Historically and culturally, a person's standing was deeply intertwined with their family and trade. To the people of Nazareth, Jesus was simply "the carpenter's son," one of their own, whose entire family they knew. This intimate knowledge of His humble, ordinary origins directly contradicted their preconceived notions of what a great teacher, prophet, or Messiah should be like. They were not looking for a divine figure but someone fitting their social expectations. This context sets up a poignant display of human expectation blinding spiritual recognition, highlighting the challenging reality that familiarity can sometimes breed contempt or disbelief, even towards divine truth.

Matthew 13 55 Word analysis

• Is not this: A rhetorical question (ouk houtos estin) expressing astonishment and incredulity, implying the answer is an obvious "yes." It conveys a sense of shock and dismissal, reducing Jesus to a familiar, ordinary person rather than acknowledging His profound teaching and power.
• the carpenter's son: Greek: ho tou tektōnos huios (ὁ τοῦ τέκτονος υἱός).
  • Tektōn (τέκτων): Literally "craftsman" or "builder," encompassing work with wood, stone, or other materials. It denoted a common laborer, often implying a lack of prestigious social standing. Identifying Jesus by Joseph's trade underscored His humble social background, challenging their expectations of a revered teacher or Messiah. This phrase highlights His perceived ordinary humanity.
  • Huios (υἱός): Son. Emphasizes Jesus' known earthly parentage.
• his mother called Mary: Reinforces the emphasis on Jesus' ordinary human lineage and familiar local family. Mary was known to them, connecting Jesus firmly to their common understanding of "one of us."
• And are not his brothers: Greek: hoi adelphoi autou (οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ).
  • Adelphoi (ἀδελφοί): Brothers. This term most naturally refers to biological full or half-siblings. In this context, it implies individuals living within the same community, widely known to be directly related to Jesus, further reinforcing His perceived lack of extraordinary origins.
• James and Joses and Simon and Judas: These are the specific names of Jesus' brothers, clearly identifying them as known members of the Nazareth community. The mention of specific names underlines the townspeople's detailed knowledge of Jesus' entire immediate family. James is notable for becoming a prominent leader in the early Christian church (Gal 1:19, Acts 15:13, 21:18).

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary?": These combined questions highlight the central cause of their skepticism—their knowledge of Jesus' very human, very ordinary family. Their argument is that because they know His earthly parents and background, He cannot possibly be special or divinely empowered. This phrase acts as a statement of perceived fact, leading to dismissal.
• "And are not his brothers James and Joses and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us?": By naming His specific brothers and referencing His sisters (who, though unnamed, were also known to be present among them), the people cemented their point. They felt they knew everything about Jesus from a human standpoint, seeing Him as indistinguishable from His ordinary kin, which prevented them from accepting His extraordinary claims or demonstrations of power. Their familiar perception of His lineage stood in direct opposition to recognizing His divine nature.

Matthew 13 55 Bonus section

The exact relationship between Jesus and his "brothers" mentioned in this verse has been a subject of theological discussion for centuries. Interpretations include:

• Full biological brothers: Sons of Mary and Joseph born after Jesus. This is the natural reading of the Greek word adelphoi.
• Half-brothers: Sons of Joseph from a previous marriage.
• Cousins or extended kin: Used in a broader sense, as "brother" sometimes was in ancient contexts. However, the specific naming here usually points to closer relatives.

Regardless of the precise relationship, the critical point for understanding this verse is that the townspeople considered these individuals to be immediate, familiar family, placing Jesus firmly within a common, human lineage, thus obscuring their perception of His divine uniqueness. Their scandal at Jesus' teaching and miracles arose because He defied their human-level categorization based on known family and origin, challenging their established view of the world and the Messiah. The town's small size meant everyone knew everyone's family details, deepening their incredulity at Jesus' messianic claims.

Matthew 13 55 Commentary

Matthew 13:55 encapsulates a profound spiritual irony: the people who should have been most ready to accept Jesus, being His hometown, were precisely those who rejected Him due to their familiarity. They were trapped by their earthly perception. They could not reconcile the extraordinary wisdom and powerful deeds they witnessed with the humble background of the "carpenter's son." Their judgment was based purely on human understanding of social standing, birth, and known lineage, rather than on the divine evidence presented through His words and works. This incident is a powerful illustration of the proverb, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home" (Mt 13:57). It shows how human expectations and preconceived notions can hinder spiritual discernment and acceptance of God's work, especially when it doesn't conform to our conventional ideas of how He should operate. This verse also serves as a warning against judging by outward appearances (1 Sam 16:7) and challenges believers to look beyond the natural to discern the hand of God.

• Example 1: We must be careful not to dismiss God's work simply because it appears through unexpected, humble, or familiar vessels.
• Example 2: Prejudice based on social status, background, or physical appearance can blind us to truth and God's activity.