Mark 6:1-6

Jesus Is Rejected In His Own Neighbourhood (6:1-6).

Having preached continually in the area by the Sea of Galilee and around Capernaum, and having revealed His glory through His activities, Jesus now returned to His own neighbourhood, that is, around the Nazareth area, no doubt in order to visit His family, but also in order that He might proclaim His message there. But here He was soon to be ‘put in His place', for He discovered that the people there had little interest in Him because they knew Him too well, or at least, they thought that they did. We should note the deliberate stark contrast. He has revealed His power over nature by stilling the storm, He has revealed His authority over the spirit world by healing the demoniac, He has revealed His power over death by healing Jairus' daughter, but to these people He is only ‘the son of Joseph'. Reality could not destroy prejudice.

It is possibly significant that neither Mark nor Matthew mention Nazareth. They speak rather of ‘His own country'. It may therefore be that He did not at this time visit Nazareth, and that what is described here took place in a neighbouring town where His married sisters had gone to live.

On the other hand it could be that Luke 4:16 reflects this time. But the differences rather suggest that in fact that incident was behind Him and that here He was trying again in His own neighbourhood now that He was more established. On the other hand, while Luke does appear at first sight to put the incident he describes at the beginning of Jesus' ministry it is not strictly so, for Luke 4:15; Luke 4:23 demonstrate that even His visit then took place after some considerable ministry, especially at Capernaum. So the positioning in Luke may simply be because it fitted in with, and accentuated, his portrayal of the continuing new activity of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:15; Luke 1:35; Luke 1:41; Luke 1:67; Luke 2:25; Luke 3:16; Luke 3:22; Luke 4:1; Luke 4:14), firstly because it demonstrated that Jesus' whole ministry was in the same power, and secondly because it laid from the beginning the foundation that if the Jews would not listen to Him He would go to the Gentiles.

But it is noteworthy that there Luke makes no mention of the disciples, although that is not decisive as Luke pointedly and deliberately (if he had Mark in front of him) ignores the disciples until chapter 5, even though he describes the healing of Simon's wife's mother. If it is the same incident though, it is surprising that neither Mark nor Matthew mention the attempt on Jesus' life and His significant escape.

The truth is that it is quite possible that the incidents actually occurred in different synagogues. This in Mark (and in Matthew) is not actually said to be in Nazareth, only in ‘His own country', thus in the district containing Nazareth. It could have been at Cana where Jesus and His family were clearly well known (John 2:1). If He had previously been dragged out of the Nazareth synagogue we can understand why He might have avoided going back there even when He visited His own neighbourhood, for He never sought to be unnecessarily provocative. Perhaps it was because Mark wanted his readers to recognise that it was in the area where Jesus was brought up, even though not in Nazareth itself, that he did not specifically mention names. Indeed we might ask, if it  was actually in Nazareth why did Mark not say so? He has mentioned Nazareth earlier (Mark 1:9; Mark 1:24).

Alternately, if it was in Nazareth (Mark 6:3 might be seen as suggesting so, but Cana might equally apply if the family were regular visitors there) it could be that their anger, so quickly aroused in the incident in Luke, had as quickly died down, and that having since heard about His great success and powerful activity they had reconsidered what had so badly upset them the first time and were prepared to give Him, although somewhat grudgingly, a second chance. After all, they may have thought, He had then only been an enthusiastic beginner. But if so their displeasure would soon be roused again. The question is, however, merely academic. It affects not a jot the significance of the passage.

Analysis of 6:1-6.

a And He went out from there and He comes to His own country, and His disciples follow Him, and when the Sabbath was come He began to teach in the synagogue (Mark 6:1).

b And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “From where has this man learned these things?” and “What is the wisdom that is given to this man and what mean such mighty works (‘powers') wrought by His hands?” (Mark 6:2).

c Is this not the carpenter (or ‘craftsman'), the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are His sisters not here with us? ” (Mark 6:3 a).

d And they took offence at Him (Mark 6:3 b).

c And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country (patris 'autou as in Mark 6:1) and among his own kin and in his own house” (Mark 6:4).

b And He could there do no mighty work (‘power') except that He laid His hands on a few sick folk and healed them, and He marvelled because of their unbelief (Mark 6:5 a).

a And He went round about the villages teaching (Mark 6:6 b).

Note that in ‘a' He behaves in His own country as He does elsewhere, but in the parallel it is with a paucity of results. In ‘b' they react to His teaching and manifestations of power, and in the parallel His mighty power is limited by their unbelief. In ‘c' they stress that He is but one of them, and in the parallel Jesus points out that no prophet is accepted in such circumstances. Central in ‘d' is the fact that they took offence at Him..