The Gospel of Mark Chapter 6:1-14

Rejection 6:1 Now Jesus left that place and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.

Jesus now leaves the area where He has done so many miracles and returns to the area in which He

was brought up and to His home town of Nazareth. He was often referred to as "Jesus of Nazareth"

although He was born in Bethlehem and His forefathers were originally from there. Nazareth was

however the home town of Joseph and Mary. We are told in Matthew 2:23 that it was foreordained

that Jesus should live in Nazareth and thus be called a Nazarene. When Paul was brought before

Felix the Jews accused him of being a member of the sect called the "Nazarenes" (Acts 24:5). This is

what some called the followers of Jesus. Mark makes a point of the fact that the disciples followed

Him. This is significant in as much as they were all from the area that Jesus had up to this point

worked in. Now they had to decide either to stay with their families and friends or go with Him to

an unfamiliar area. They chose to stay with Him.

6:2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue. Many who heard him were

astonished, saying, "Where did he get these ideas? And what is this wisdom that has been given to

him? What are these miracles that are done through his hands?

If anyone wanted to find Jesus on the Sabbath day they knew where to look during the service times,

in the synagogue. He would have only read and taught from the scriptures at the invitation of the

synagogue rulers; He would not have done so of His own accord. These people had regularly been

taught by other rabbis from the scriptures but never before had they heard any speak like Jesus did

"for He taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes" (Matt. 7:29). But it would seem

as if they were not so amazed at what He had said as to how this man whom they had known from a

child and whose only schooling would have been the little He had received at the synagogue had this

wisdom, and where He had got the power from to do such mighty miracles that they had heard

about!

6:3 Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And

aren't his sisters here with us?" And so they took offense at him.

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Their lack of knowledge and understanding brought remarks of contempt from them as to his lowly

station in life "only a carpenter's son". His mother and His family still lived among them and were

but common people. They were not prepared to accept Him as the "Son of God" in spite of the

proof that was presented before them, neither did they want to accept Him as a man whom God

had taken a hold of and empowered to be a prophet - just because they knew Him and His lowly

background so well. They were ignorant of the ways of God and of whom He chooses (1 Cor. 1:27-

29). They were "offended" or correctly He became a stumbling block to them (1 Pet. 2:7-8).

6:4 Then Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, and among

his relatives, and in his own house."

So Jesus quotes an old saying "a prophet is honoured in all countries but in his own and among

relatives and in his own house he is rejected". If our Lord and Saviour were so treated can we

expect any better treatment?

6:5 He was not able to do a miracle there, except to lay his hands on a few sick people and heal

them.

Because of their rejection and unbelief He could not do any miracles there except to heal a few who

had faith enough to receive.

6:6 And he was amazed because of their unbelief. Then he went around among the villages and

taught.

Now it was the Lord's turn to be amazed and this was at their unbelief, their lack of faith. He leaves

Nazareth and we are not told that He ever visited it again and went to other towns and villages in

the area. It is unbelief that stops the hand of God from moving.

Sending Forth 6:7 Jesus called the twelve and began to send them out two by two. He gave them authority over

the unclean spirits.

In Mark 1:14 we saw that Jesus called the twelve disciples to be with at all times so that He might

teach and prepare them to go forth to preach.

Now we see Him sending them out for some practical experience of what He has been preparing

them for. We could liken it in today's world of someone being on employment training and being

sent out on placement to put into practice what they have learnt. He calls them to Him and gives

them precise instructions on how they should go about it.

They must not go alone but in pairs so that they may be company for each other; that they may

strengthen the hands, encourage the hearts and be a help to each other (M. Henry). This is a rule

that we should apply to our evangelism; we should not go it alone when we are sent into the

highways and byways. (Personal witness, one to one as opportunity is given is different). He 'gave'

them His power and authority over unclean spirits. It may be more correct to say that He loaned

them this for the period that they were sent out for apart from when He sent out the seventy (Luke

10: 1 - 20) we do not hear of the disciples doing any further miracles until after Pentecost.

6:8 He instructed them to take nothing for the journey except a staff — no bread, no bag, no money

in their belts —

They were to travel light taking with them, a stick to help them walk (in Psalm 23 David refers to the

Lord's staff being a comfort to him in his walk through the valley of the shadow of death), no food,

no money, for they were to prove the Lord as the one who provides.

6:9 and to put on sandals but not to wear two tunics.

They were to wear sandals which speak to us of part of the armour of God in Eph. 6: 5, and only one

coat which suggests that it was summer time.

6:10 He said to them, "Wherever you enter a house, stay there until you leave the area.

If they were offered hospitality in a home they were to remain in that place for as long as they were

in the town and not go from house to house as this could cause offence to the first person who had

freely taken them in. '

6:11 If a place will not welcome you or listen to you, as you go out from there, shake the dust off

your feet as a testimony against them."

If they were not received or welcomed in any community and if their message was not listened to,

they were to leave it. As they left that place as a symbolic act they were to shake off the dust of

that place from their feet as a witness against them of their rejection (see Acts 13:50-51). The

closing words of Jesus to the disciples '"it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day

of judgement" would suggest that there will be various degrees of punishment for unbeliever's

(Matt. 11:22).

6:12 So they went out and preached that all should repent.

And so the disciples were sent forth and followed Jesus's instructions to the letter and preached the

gospel to the people calling on them to repent.

6:13 They cast out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

And because they did as He instructed them their ministry prospered, many were delivered from

demons. Although we are not told in the preceding verses that Jesus instructed them, nevertheless

He must have done so, as they anointed the sick with oil they were healed (James 5:14).

© Derek Williams 2013 Bible Studies Online UK www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk

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Scriptures taken from the NET Bible www.bible.org