Matthew 13:54

13:54 Then ¹  he came to his hometown ²  and began to teach the people ³  in their synagogue. ⁴  They ⁵  were astonished and said, “Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?

Psalms 45:2

45:2 You are the most handsome of all men! ⁶ 

You speak in an impressive and fitting manner! ⁷ 

For this reason ⁸  God grants you continual blessings. ⁹ 

Mark 1:22

1:22 The people there ¹⁰  were amazed by his teaching, because he taught them like one who had authority, ¹¹  not like the experts in the law. ¹² 

Mark 6:2

6:2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue. ¹³  Many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did he get these ideas? ¹⁴  And what is this wisdom that has been given to him? What are these miracles that are done through his hands?

Luke 4:22

4:22 All ¹⁵  were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They ¹⁶  said, “Isn’t this ¹⁷  Joseph’s son?”

Luke 4:32

4:32 They ¹⁸  were amazed ¹⁹  at his teaching, because he spoke ²⁰  with authority. ²¹ 

Luke 19:48

19:48 but ²²  they could not find a way to do it, ²³  for all the people hung on his words. ²⁴ 

John 7:15

7:15 Then the Jewish leaders ²⁵  were astonished ²⁶  and said, “How does this man know so much when he has never had formal instruction?” ²⁷ 

John 7:46

7:46 The officers replied, “No one ever spoke like this man!”

[13:54]  ¹ tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “Then.”

[13:54]  ² sn Jesus’ hometown (where he spent his childhood years) was Nazareth, about 20 miles (30 km) southwest of Capernaum.

[13:54]  ³ tn Grk “them”; the referent (the people) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[13:54]  ⁴ sn See the note on synagogues in 4:23. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and the relation of both to OT fulfillment.

[13:54]  ⁵ tn Grk “synagogue, so that they.” Here ὥστε (Jwste) has not been translated. Instead a new sentence was started in the translation.

[45:2]  ⁶ tn Heb “you are handsome from the sons of man.” The preposition “from” is used in a comparative (“more than”) sense. The peculiar verb form יָפְיָפִיתָ (yafyafita) is probably the result of dittography of yod-pe (יפ) and should be emended to יָפִיתָ (yafita). See GKC 152 §55.e.

[45:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “favor is poured out on your lips.” “Lips” probably stands by metonymy for the king’s speech. Some interpret the Hebrew term חֵן (khen) as referring here to “gracious (i.e., kind and polite) speech”, but the word probably refers more generally to “attractive” speech that is impressively articulated and fitting for the occasion. For other instances of the term being used of speech, see Prov 22:11 and Eccl 10:12.

[45:2]  ⁸ tn Or “this demonstrates.” The construction עַל־כֵּן (’al-ken, “therefore”) usually indicates what logically follows from a preceding statement. However, here it may infer the cause from the effect, indicating the underlying basis or reason for what precedes (see BDB 487 s.v. I כֵּן 3.f; C. A. Briggs and E. G. Briggs, Psalms [ICC], 1:386).

[45:2]  ⁹ tn Or “blesses you forever.” Here “bless” means to “endue with the power and skill to rule effectively,” as the following verses indicate.

[1:22]  ¹⁰ tn Grk “They.”

[1:22]  ¹¹ sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim; he taught with authority. A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.

[1:22]  ¹² tn Or “the scribes.” The traditional rendering of γραμματεύς (grammateu") as “scribe” does not communicate much to the modern English reader, for whom the term might mean “professional copyist,” if it means anything at all. The people referred to here were recognized experts in the law of Moses and in traditional laws and regulations. Thus “expert in the law” comes closer to the meaning for the modern reader.

[6:2]  ¹³ sn See the note on synagogue in 1:21. Jesus undoubtedly took the opportunity on this occasion to speak about his person and mission, and the relation of both to OT fulfillment.

[6:2]  ¹⁴ tn Or “this teaching”; Grk “these things.” The response of the people centers upon the content of Jesus’ teaching, so the phrase “these ideas” was supplied in the text to make this clear.

[4:22]  ¹⁵ tn Grk “And all.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:22]  ¹⁶ tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:22]  ¹⁷ sn The form of the question assumes a positive reply. It really amounts to an objection, as Jesus’ response in the next verses shows. Jesus spoke smoothly and impressively. He made a wonderful declaration, but could a local carpenter’s son make such an offer? That was their real question.

[4:32]  ¹⁸ tn Grk “And they.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.

[4:32]  ¹⁹ sn They were amazed. The astonishment shown here is like that in Luke 2:48.

[4:32]  ²⁰ tn Grk “because his word was.”

[4:32]  ²¹ sn Jesus’ teaching impressed the hearers with the directness of its claim (with authority). A study of Jewish rabbinic interpretation shows that it was typical to cite a list of authorities to make one’s point. Apparently Jesus addressed the issues in terms of his own understanding.

[19:48]  ²² tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.

[19:48]  ²³ tn Grk “they did not find the thing that they might do.”

[19:48]  ²⁴ sn All the people hung on his words is an idiom for intent, eager listening. Jesus’ popularity and support made it unwise for the leadership to seize him.

[7:15]  ²⁵ tn Or “the Jewish authorities”; Grk “the Jews.” Here the phrase refers to the Jewish authorities or leaders who were Jesus’ primary opponents. See the note on the phrase “the Jewish leaders” in v. 1.

[7:15]  ²⁶ tn Or “began to be astonished.” This imperfect verb could also be translated ingressively (“began to be astonished”), but for English stylistic reasons it is rendered as a simple past.

[7:15]  ²⁷ tn Grk “How does this man know learning since he has not been taught?” The implication here is not that Jesus never went to school (in all probability he did attend a local synagogue school while a youth), but that he was not the disciple of a particular rabbi and had not had formal or advanced instruction under a recognized rabbi (compare Acts 4:13 where a similar charge is made against Peter and John; see also Paul’s comment in Acts 22:3).