Matthew 13:52-58: a reflection

52He said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been made a disciple in the Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who is a householder, who brings out of his treasure new and old things.” 53When Jesus had finished these parables, he departed from there. 54Coming into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother called Mary, and his brothers James, Joses, Simon, and Judas? 56Aren’t all of his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all of these things?” 57They were offended by him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country and in his own house.” 58He didn’t do many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

When Jesus comes to his own hometown and teaches in the synagogue, the people are astonished at his wisdom and works, but their very familiarity with him becomes a stumbling block. Isn't this the carpenter's son? they ask. Isn't his mother called Mary? They knew his family, had watched him grow up, thought they knew all about him; and this familiarity blinded them to who he truly was, so that they took offense at him and did not believe. He did not do many mighty works there, the account says, because of their unbelief. Their familiarity with Jesus, thinking they already knew him, kept them from seeing and receiving him for who he was. This is a sobering thing: that familiarity can blind us to Christ, that thinking we already know him can keep us from truly seeing him. Familiarity with Jesus blinded his townspeople to who he was. Thinking we already know Christ can keep us from truly seeing him. Familiarity can breed a blindness that misses Christ. Their unbelief flowed from thinking they already knew him.

Notice how their familiarity worked against them. They had known Jesus as the carpenter's son, known his mother and brothers, watched him grow up among them; and so when he taught with wisdom and did mighty works, rather than being drawn to see who he truly was, they were offended, saying in effect, we know this man, he is just one of us, where does he get all this? Their familiarity, their assumption that they already knew all about him, blinded them to the truth and kept them from believing. This is a real danger for us too. We can grow so familiar with Jesus, so accustomed to him, thinking we already know him, that our familiarity dulls us, keeps us from seeing him afresh, from being astonished, from receiving him more deeply. The townspeople's very closeness to Jesus, wrongly held, became a barrier. Do not let familiarity with Christ breed a dull blindness that misses him. We do well to come to Christ afresh, not assuming we already know him fully, but open to see him anew. Familiarity with Christ, wrongly held, can dull us to him. To assume we already know Christ fully can keep us from seeing him afresh. Come to Christ open to see him anew, not dulled by familiarity.

That is worth taking to heart, for familiarity with Christ, wrongly held, can blind us to him, and we do well to come to him afresh rather than assume we already know him fully. We can grow so accustomed to Jesus, so sure we already know him, that our familiarity dulls us and keeps us from seeing him anew, as his townspeople, thinking they knew the carpenter's son, were offended and did not believe. Do not let familiarity breed a blindness that misses Christ; come to him afresh, open to see him more deeply. Guard against letting familiarity with Christ dull you to him, as his townspeople, knowing him as the carpenter's son and thinking they already knew all about him, were offended and did not believe, so that he did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief; for we can grow so accustomed to Jesus, so sure we already know him, that our very familiarity blinds us and keeps us from seeing him afresh, from being astonished by him, from receiving him more deeply, and we do well to come to Christ open to see him anew rather than assuming we already know him fully, lest our familiarity become a barrier that misses him as his townspeople's did.

Lord Jesus, when you come to your own hometown and teach in the synagogue, the people are astonished at your wisdom and works, but their very familiarity with you becomes a stumbling block. Isn't this the carpenter's son? they ask. Isn't his mother called Mary? They knew your family, had watched you grow up, thought they knew all about you; and this familiarity blinded them to who you truly were, so that they took offense at you and did not believe. You did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief. Their familiarity with you, thinking they already knew you, kept them from seeing and receiving you for who you were. Show me how their familiarity worked against them. They had known you as the carpenter's son; and so when you taught with wisdom, rather than being drawn to see who you truly were, they were offended, saying, we know this man, where does he get all this? Their assumption that they already knew all about you blinded them and kept them from believing. This is a real danger for me too. I can grow so familiar with you, so accustomed to you, thinking I already know you, that my familiarity dulls me and keeps me from seeing you afresh, from being astonished, from receiving you more deeply. Take that to my heart, for familiarity with you, wrongly held, can blind me to you, and I do well to come to you afresh rather than assume I already know you fully. Keep me from letting familiarity breed a blindness that misses you; help me come to you afresh, Lord, open to see you more deeply, not dulled by familiarity nor assuming I already know you fully, lest my familiarity become a barrier that misses you as your townspeople's did.