Even though they acknowledged His wisdom and were in awe of the wonders He worked, they failed to recognise anything more.
Their preconceptions were too deeply ingrained. They thought they knew Him because they knew His trade and because they knew His family, but the man they thought they knew, they scarcely knew at all. Familiarity had not only bred contempt; it had made them blind.
We can learn from their mistake. Who am I taking for granted and misjudging? Which of my preconceptions have hardened into prejudice? Where is the goodness I am too lazy to notice?
John the Forerunner and Jesus the Christ are born of 2 priestly lines who intermarried according to a unique pattern that involved priests having 2 wives: one a half-sister and the other a patrilineal cousin. The pattern is first found in Genesis 4 and 5 and continues without change to the birth of Jesus. HIS birth from the ever-virgin Mary proves HIS identity as the Son of God and our High Priest and ever authentic priest derives his authority from the One Eternally Begotten High Priest.