Was Jesus All-Powerful?

He left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands! Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Then Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown and among their own kin and in their own house.” And he could do no deed of power there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and cured them.  And he was amazed at their unbelief. (Mark 6:1-6 NRSV)

He came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power?  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? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?”  And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not without honor except in their own hometown and in their own house.” And he did not do many deeds of power there, because of their unbelief. (Matthew 13:54-58 NRSV)

In the passages quoted above, we find Jesus and his disciples traveling to his hometown to preach at the local synagogue. Jesus wasn’t well received. Jesus declares, “Prophets are not without honor, except in their hometown and among their own kin and in their own house.” Jesus’ mother, his three brothers, and his sisters likely attended his sermon.

In Mark 3, we find:

Then he went home, and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.

Many in the crowd believed Jesus was crazy, and when his family heard of this, they tried to restrain him.

….

Then his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers [and sisters in some manuscripts] are outside asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

What do we learn from these passages of Scripture?

First, we learn that Jesus had brothers and sisters. Second, Jesus’ family doubted who he was. Third, Jesus calls himself a prophet. Fourth, Jesus could not do mighty works in their midst because of their unbelief.

Isn’t Jesus God? Isn’t God all-powerful? How could mere humans stop Jesus from doing supernatural works?

Conclusion: Jesus is not all-powerful. Humans can thwart the will of God.

Bruce Gerencser, 68, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 47 years. He and his wife have six grown children and sixteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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