Comment: When Jesus Christ came into his own country and taught, the people were amazed at the wisdom he displayed. But rather than become his disciples, they displayed prejudice against him because they knew him from childhood – who his parents and siblings were, even that he was a carpenter. Christ knew that this had been the attitude to prophets of God from time of old. “But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.” (Mark 6:4) Because of their lack of faith, “he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them”.  It was due to their lack of faith that made many of the Jews to fall out of favour with God. “Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.” (Hebrews 4:1-2) It is evident that when people do not have faith in God He would not answer their prayers. St. Paul’s exhortation to gainsayers is very apt: “Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.” –  Hebrews 3:12-14.