June 21
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A PROPHET’S HONOR
43 After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast. – John 4:43-45
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Bibleref.com explains the context of this statement of Jesus about prophets not honored in his own country. In John 4:3-5 we hear that Jesus left Judea to go into Galilee and had to pass through Samaria in a city called Sychar. In John 4:40, we learn that Jesus stayed in Sychar for two days. In verse 43 which is the beginning of this study, he leaves this place to go back to Galilee. Verse 45 says He was welcomed. When Jesus has His next confrontation, it will be with the Pharisees in Jerusalem as recorded in John chapter 4. All of this raises the question of what John means by this remark, and why he included it in this place in his gospel. Scholars offer several ideas. The most reasonable is that Jesus is returning to the region of Galilee, but not to His local hometown of Nazareth. The ensuing verse 46 says that Jesus returned to the town of Cana, where He had performed His first miracle (John 2:11). Nazareth, however is closer to Sychar than Cana – Jesus would have passed right by it. Once Jesus arrived in Cana, He was there long enough for a local official to hear about His arrival and make a journey to see Him (John 4:47). Cana and Capernaum are about 25 miles apart, so this wasn’t a short time. This would put John’s remark about a prophet’s honor in context. Jesus is going to Galilee, the region, but bypasses His hometown of Nazareth, since the people there have no particular interest in His message.
From this scholars’ source, we get to understand the context of Jesus’ statement about prophets not being honored in their own town. It is an irony how someone gifted with prophecy is looked down upon those who actually know that prophet. Isn’t this so similar when our own family do not recognize some of our spiritual gifts and reject them? It is interesting how Jesus skipped going to his hometown since they aren’t interested in His message. How often do some Christians force evangelizing those who are not interested in salvation? Jesus never chased people to listen to His message. So, why do we make a mission field of those who reject His gift of salvation?
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REFLECTION
• Why is it harder to evangelize to those closest to us like friends and family?