In Matthew and Luke, the Bible tells us that Jesus could not do many miracles in his home town because of their unbelief. Marks version is "could not do no mighty work" and Matthew is a little different it says "and he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" A prosperity type preacher told me that we unleash the power of God. We bind things in heaven and earth and God can't do anything unless we let him. Kenneth Copeland also says this.
This preacher became angry with me because I disagreed with his interpretation of scripture. I told him Jesus said, when we ask God the Father for something and we doubt, he won't do it for us or he won't grant our request because we doubt or lack faith that he will do it. Its not that God can't but rather he won't because the person asking is doubting and that would be in violation of his word. If God says he won't if we doubt and we ask him doubting in our heart.....then he won't because he said he wouldn't!!!!! If he did anyway in spite or our doubt then he would be violating his own word!
My question to you is what is your interpretation? Jesus did not do many miracles because he couldn't because their lack of faith stripped him of his power or he would not because he already told us God the Father won't grant doubters their requests and if he did he would be violating his own word.
My take from this as JESUS always led by example for the disciples what to expect. JESUS was only gone from them 18 years; Many surely knew JESUS, HIS miracles and gentleness when HE was there. The big take away is there are people in this world that will flat out not except the truth no matter how much proof you show them. The people had pride and jealousy in their heart and knew of JESUS humble upbringing and here HE comes preaching to them. They was not going to accept the concept that a lowly carpenters son telling them of the kingdom to come. No matter what HE did they just was not going to accept it so when this happens we are told not to cast pearls before swine. No one can come to the FATHER except through the SON instead of causing them further sin it is better to walk away and let some one else bring the truth to them when they humble themselves to accept the truth.
"Familiarity breeds contempt." Jesus came back to start his Ministry in his own Home Town. Everybody knew Mary, Joseph (who was now deceased), Jesus's brothers and sisters, the family business
All of a sudden Jesus walks up to the podium, reads Isaiah 61:1, from later named Luke 4:18.
Closes the Scroll and says, "Today in your hearing the scripture is fulfilled."
Of course there was a riot. A hometown boy just said the impossible. They sought to stone Jesus.
If Mary and Jesus's own siblings didn't speak up, no one else would.
Luke 4:43 Jesus left to fulfill his mission; beginning with calling His disciples.
It's always best to read from scripture what was historically happening at the moment. John 1:5
I wonder if maybe people just didn't come to him to ask him to help them and that's why he didn't do many ( it doesn't say none ) mighty works . Coming to him and asking him for help is in itself an act of faith so if not many believed in him then maybe not many asked for his help .
It does say he healed a few sick folk. We know people doubted and scripture tells us he won't grant requests if you ask God all the while doubting he will do it. The few sick folk who asked for healing for sure didn't doubt. Psalms tells us that God does whatever he pleases in heaven, on the earth and under the earth.
Here is my understanding of Matthew 13:58. It says He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. What I notice is that it does not say that He went in and did mighty works, and because of their lack of faith nothing happened. For me, that doesn't even apply!
What I see is that He didn't do anything there because of their unbelief. Why? Because the signs and the miracles Jesus performed were supposed be a sign to point them to Christ. But He saw that it would do no good. He saw the condition of their hearts.
There are people today that use this verse in the wrong context. They say that the Lord can't work in your life His mighty works because of your unbelief, or your lack of faith. But that's not what it says here.
In Luke Chapter 1, Zacharias had unbelief. In fact, the angel Gabriel said to him that because of your unbelief, because you do not believe my words which will happen at their appointed time, and please note this because it is very important to know that his unbelief couldn't stop God's will from being done. The angel says because of that, you will be mute and unable to speak until these things take place.
It seems to me that Zacharias dictated to God what God must do to get him to line up to believe. But it didn't stop God. It is impossible to stop God from working. God says this is going to happen to you Zacharias, but you do not believe that this will happen because you are looking at the human condition.
You and your wife are beyond the age of bearing children. So you will be mute and unable speak. You will just be a bystander. I want you to watch the work of God. And after nine months, his tongue was loosed, and he began to praise God, and he began to prophesy over that child. Now he is lined up. He didn't stop God from working because of his unbelief or lack of faith. "He did not do any mighty works there because of their unbelief."
Thank you much for your response! Your comment about performing miracles to demonstrate he is the Christ; and (the lack thereof because of the condition of their hearts) I have never heard that explained like this before. So, what you are saying is Christ did not perform many miracles "save healing a few" because, why demonstrate the power of God (which would be indicative of the Christ) when the people in their hearts doubted who he is because they could not get past the fact that they knew him and his family since he was a lad.
The prosperity guy saying he couldn't or was powerless to do the miracles because of their unbelief is wrong and the whole concept of why he did not do them is wrong or even the wrong approach! My argument that it's not that Christ could not do the miracles but rather he would not do the miracles due to their lack of faith. The whole base of the argument is invalid since we both are not viewing the text correctly. You are saying that Christ performed miracles to demonstrate he is the Christ and the power of God is with him. The people in his hometown did not believe in their hearts, Jesus could see their lack of faith in their hearts so save for healing a few sick folk......he just didn't bother to perform miracles because he knew it would not change their minds.
Thank you for responding and helping me with this text. I appreciate it.
This preacher became angry with me because I disagreed with his interpretation of scripture. I told him Jesus said, when we ask God the Father for something and we doubt, he won't do it for us or he won't grant our request because we doubt or lack faith that he will do it. Its not that God can't but rather he won't because the person asking is doubting and that would be in violation of his word. If God says he won't if we doubt and we ask him doubting in our heart.....then he won't because he said he wouldn't!!!!! If he did anyway in spite or our doubt then he would be violating his own word!
My question to you is what is your interpretation? Jesus did not do many miracles because he couldn't because their lack of faith stripped him of his power or he would not because he already told us God the Father won't grant doubters their requests and if he did he would be violating his own word.
All of a sudden Jesus walks up to the podium, reads Isaiah 61:1, from later named Luke 4:18.
Closes the Scroll and says, "Today in your hearing the scripture is fulfilled."
Of course there was a riot. A hometown boy just said the impossible. They sought to stone Jesus.
If Mary and Jesus's own siblings didn't speak up, no one else would.
Luke 4:43 Jesus left to fulfill his mission; beginning with calling His disciples.
It's always best to read from scripture what was historically happening at the moment. John 1:5
Thank you for your response!
Here is my understanding of Matthew 13:58. It says He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief. What I notice is that it does not say that He went in and did mighty works, and because of their lack of faith nothing happened. For me, that doesn't even apply!
What I see is that He didn't do anything there because of their unbelief. Why? Because the signs and the miracles Jesus performed were supposed be a sign to point them to Christ. But He saw that it would do no good. He saw the condition of their hearts.
There are people today that use this verse in the wrong context. They say that the Lord can't work in your life His mighty works because of your unbelief, or your lack of faith. But that's not what it says here.
In Luke Chapter 1, Zacharias had unbelief. In fact, the angel Gabriel said to him that because of your unbelief, because you do not believe my words which will happen at their appointed time, and please note this because it is very important to know that his unbelief couldn't stop God's will from being done. The angel says because of that, you will be mute and unable to speak until these things take place.
It seems to me that Zacharias dictated to God what God must do to get him to line up to believe. But it didn't stop God. It is impossible to stop God from working. God says this is going to happen to you Zacharias, but you do not believe that this will happen because you are looking at the human condition.
You and your wife are beyond the age of bearing children. So you will be mute and unable speak. You will just be a bystander. I want you to watch the work of God. And after nine months, his tongue was loosed, and he began to praise God, and he began to prophesy over that child. Now he is lined up. He didn't stop God from working because of his unbelief or lack of faith. "He did not do any mighty works there because of their unbelief."
Anyway, that's my understanding.
Thank you much for your response! Your comment about performing miracles to demonstrate he is the Christ; and (the lack thereof because of the condition of their hearts) I have never heard that explained like this before. So, what you are saying is Christ did not perform many miracles "save healing a few" because, why demonstrate the power of God (which would be indicative of the Christ) when the people in their hearts doubted who he is because they could not get past the fact that they knew him and his family since he was a lad.
The prosperity guy saying he couldn't or was powerless to do the miracles because of their unbelief is wrong and the whole concept of why he did not do them is wrong or even the wrong approach! My argument that it's not that Christ could not do the miracles but rather he would not do the miracles due to their lack of faith. The whole base of the argument is invalid since we both are not viewing the text correctly. You are saying that Christ performed miracles to demonstrate he is the Christ and the power of God is with him. The people in his hometown did not believe in their hearts, Jesus could see their lack of faith in their hearts so save for healing a few sick folk......he just didn't bother to perform miracles because he knew it would not change their minds.
Thank you for responding and helping me with this text. I appreciate it.
God Bless YOU!
It appears your backed by scripture
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