Mark 6 - Jesus is More Than A Magician!

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A Prophet Without Honor

After Jesus delivered the Gerasene demoniac and healed Jairus, the synagogue ruler's daughter, he left this area and went to his hometown of Nazareth. He went into the synagogue and taught like a visiting rabbi would. It must have been quite an experience for those who saw Jesus grow up as the "son of a carpenter" teaching with such wisdom.

I got to preach in the congregation I grew up in, and it was very meaningful to me, my family, and the congregation. I was a "son of the congregation". 

But Jesus' hometown was not so sure about all of this,. They asked, 

Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.

We get insight into Jesus' family size and make up. Curiously absent is any mention of Joseph, but we see four brothers mentioned, and learn the fact that Jesus had more than one sister. This confirms that Mary did not remain a virgin after Jesus was born. Importantly it says they "took offense" at him. 

Why would they be offended? Why wouldn't they be proud of this gifted rabbi who grew up in their own town?

Part of it relates to their comment, "Isn't this Mary's son?" This was not a compliment. 

“The additional phrase ‘the son of Mary’ is probably disparaging. It was contrary to Jewish usage to describe a man as the son of his mother, even when she was a widow, except in insulting terms. Rumors to the effect that Jesus was illegitimate appear to have circulated in his own lifetime and may lie behind this reference as well.” (Lane)

So where was Joseph? Why is he not mentioned here, or in John 2 at the Wedding in Cana, and while Jesus is on the cross? 

Because Joseph is not mentioned again, most scholars assume he died sometime before Jesus began His public ministry. By the time we get to the wedding at Cana (John 2), Joseph is conspicuously absent. We see Mary there, but no mention is made of Joseph. Perhaps a part of the reason why Jesus remained at home until He was 30 is that He had a responsibility to care for the family. (GotQuestions.org)

Because of their lack of faith Jesus could do no miracles among them. Surely they heard about the miracles Jesus had done in surrounding towns. It is sad that they could not accept and welcome Jesus rather than taking offense with him. 

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

This is a key transition in Mark's gospel. Up to this point Jesus had done the teaching, healing, and deliverance of demons. But now Jesus sends the disciples out to do the same things he had done. Importantly he gave them "the authority" to do these things, especially casting out demons. Jesus never calls them or us to do anything for which he won't give us the authority to do. See the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20 

Jesus sends them out with specific instructions for what they were to bring with them. The only thing they were called to bring was a staff, clothes, and sandals. Nothing else! Why? 

We find out when Jesus explains to them where they should look for provision on their journey. He says, 

Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.

God would provide for them through people of peace, who would welcome them, offer them hospitality, and most importantly be favorable to their message. What does Jesus mean when he says, "they should shake the dust off their feet if the people did not welcome them?" 

Shaking off the dust of their feet was like saying, "We are not taking anything with us which would come from you!" It was a sign of judgment. 

In that day, if Jewish people had to go in or through a Gentile city, as they left they would shake the dust off their feet. It was a gesture that said, “We don’t want to take anything from this Gentile city with us.” Essentially, Jesus told them to regard a Jewish city that rejects their message as if it were a Gentile city. (Guzik)

Then we see that their ministry was a mirror image of Jesus' ministry. They had learned well from their master. Mark says, 

"They went out and preached that people should repent. They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them."

1. They went out. Ministry is always going out. We don't ministry by staying at home. We go out to a world that needs to hear and experience the gospel. 

2. They preached. The word preaching means to "announce" or to "proclaim". Preaching isn't just reserved for church. We can all preach! 

To preach simply means to proclaim, to tell others in the sense of announcing news to them. Some of the best and most effective preaching never happens inside a church. It happens when followers of Jesus are one-on-one with others, telling about what Jesus did for them.

3. That people should repent. The message was that people needed to turn from a life of sin and return to the God who made them to have a relationship with them. 

4. They drove out many demons. Not just a few demons but many. They were not afraid of the demons, because of the authority Jesus had given them. We don't need to be afraid of demons either. We have the same authority that Jesus did. 

5. They anointed many sick people with oil. Oil was a sign of the Holy Spirit and possibly had some natural healing qualities. In James, we also see anointing the sick was practiced in the early church. 

"Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." James 5:14

There is nothing magical about the oil, it is what the oil symbolizes. When kings in the Old Testament were coronated, they had oil poured all over them as a sign of God's anointing them. Oil was also poured out on the altar. 

In our church all of our prayer ministers carry a small vial of anointing oil. Also when we baptize infants and adults we use oil to trace the sign of the cross on their foreheads saying, "You are marked with the cross of Christ and sealed with the Holy Spirit forever." 

John the Baptist Beheaded

The last time we heard from John the Baptist, he was announcing Jesus by saying, "Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand." But we also know John was beheaded to the request of King Herod's daughter. This continued to haunt Herod, and it came to fruition when heard about all the miracles Jesus was doing. 

Herod's paranoia rose thinking that somehow Jesus was John the Baptist reincarnated. Then, Mark retells the story of the banquet where Herod's daughter Herodias was granted one wish, and she asked for the "head of John the Baptist".  Because Herod had invited many guests and didn't want to embarrass himself, he went through with this vicious act. 

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

When the disciples returned from their first mission trip they were ecstatic because of the things they had done and taught. They had done and taught just what Jesus had told them to. Notice they not only preached and taught, but they also healed and cast out demons. We preach the words of Jesus and do the works of Jesus. 

After a long day of ministry, the disciples realized that they hadn't had much to eat and were famished. Jesus thought they could use a rest, so he took them to a solitude place. But this time it was the disciples who were recognized, and a large number of people showed up on the scene. Rather than dismissing them, Jesus had compassion on them. 

The word "compassion" in the bible means a deep sense of empathy that comes from one's gut. (Literally it means :intestines"). He realized they had not had a real spiritual leader in a long time. Israel's religious leaders had long stopped playing the role of shepherds. They only cared for themselves and left their sheep hungry and alone. 

So Jesus started teaching them. Good shepherds teach their people God's Word. God's Word spells out all we truly need to lead a great life. But someone needs to teach it in a way people can understand it an apply it to their lives. Jesus was a "master teacher". But as the lessons went on it began to get late and now everybody was hungry. 

The disciples came to Jesus realizing there weren't many convenience stores in the area, so they asked Jesus to send them away so they might get back to their retreat. But I am sure the disciples weren't exactly happy when Jesus said, "You give them something to eat!" The lessons they had learned during the day were not finished. Jesus had one last thing he wanted to teach them. 

The disciples were perplexed. There was no way they had enough money to get food enough for all these people. Instead Jesus told them, 

"How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”

I am sure they were wondering, "What's next Jesus?" Jesus divided the crowds into groups of fifties and hundreds. Obviously, he had something up his sleeve. He took the five loaves and two fish, looked up to heaven, gave thanks for the bread and the fish, and gave it to the disciples to feed the people gathered on the grass. 

Miraculously all of the people "ate and were satisfied". There were even leftovers.  When God provides, he provides even more than we could ask or imagine.

So how did this miracle work? I mean how did the five loaves and two fish feed all those people? Is Jesus some kind of magician?

I guess that's why they call it a miracle. It can't be explained in the natural world. It is really true for any true miracle Jesus did. He turned water into wine. He calmed the wind and the waves. He raised Lazarus from the dead. He cast out demons out of a demon possessed man. He healed the blind, the lame, and those who were emotionally distraught for all kinds of reasons. 

If we knew how Jesus did all of these things, they wouldn't be miracles. He did them because He was and is the only Son of God! Only God can do this type of stuff.

Jesus Walks on the Water

Mark 6 ends with yet another miracle. The disciples were out on the boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus decided to pay them a visit but not in another boat but by walking across the water. Can you imagine the shock and awe that overcame the disciples when the Lord came walking out on the water. 

I mean they shouldn't have been too surprised after miraculous feeding. But apparently the miraculous feeding hadn't really set in with them as it says when they saw Jesus walking on the water, 

"They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened."

Once they got to land, they were recognized once again and the chapter concludes with Jesus continuing to heal all who were brought to him. In fact the power was flowing out of him so strongly the people were healed even by touching the edge of the cloak. Now that's power. 

Paul in Ephesians reminds them that they same power is at work in those who believe!

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.