Mark 6 "More Than A Carpenter"
Mark 6 - NIV
A Prophet Without Honor
6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed. “Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. 4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.
Jesus' hometown was Nazareth. Jesus fled from Jerusalem, when evil King Herod tried to kill him. Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt, while Herod killed the boys two years and under in order to try and get rid of the newborn king. After Herod died, they brought Jesus back to Israel but were warned by an angel to go to Galilee because equally ruthless Archelaus was in now power. Joseph and Mary took him there and hence as was said by the prophets he would grow up and be called a "Nazarene". So where was that OT prophecy located?
"Yet what specific prophecy from the Old Testament tells us that the Messiah would come from Nazareth? France notes that there is something peculiar in the way Matthew worded this reference. “It should be noted, however, that the formula introducing the quotation differs from the regular pattern in two ways: it refers not to a single prophet but to the prophets, and it concludes not with ‘saying’ but with ‘that’. This suggests that it is not meant to be a quotation of a specific passage, but a summary of a theme of prophetic expectation…Thus it has been suggested that Matthew saw in the obscurity of Nazareth the fulfillment of Old Testament indications of a humble and rejected Messiah.” (France)
Jesus taught in the synagogue which was not surprising considering at age thirteen he was in the temple confounding the elders. It is not surprising the "Word" would be teaching the "word". Though the people recognized he was a wise teacher and even acknowledged his miracles, they didn't think he had a good enough pedigree. He was a carpenter from the small town of Nazareth. As someone remarked, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth." (John 1:46) The Greek word is "tekton", which probably is better translated as "stonemason" or "stone cutter". They even made remarks about Mary and Jesus' siblings. Joseph is not mentioned, which is curious as well.
"The Son of Mary: This also 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)
His sisters: We know that Jesus had brothers (Mark 3:31), but now we also learn that He had sisters. Mary did not remain a virgin after she gave birth to Jesus. (Guzik)
The bottom line is all of these factors led to them taking offense at him. And because of their lack of faith, he could do no miracles in his hometown. This is not the last time he will be rejected by those closest to him.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits. 8 These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 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.” 12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.
In Mark's gospel, Jesus sends out the disciples early. In Luke, it comes in chapter 9, and in Matthew, chapter 10. Jesus called them and sent them out two by two. It reminds us that it is always better for us to do ministry with at least one other person. It is interesting that the first thing Mark mentions is that Jesus gave them power over impure (evil) spirits. As I said yesterday, Mark's gospel is the "power gospel". Jesus' power is over all things including demonic spirits. Now Jesus gives his disciples (and us) this same power.
Jesus instructed them to travel "very lightly". I.e. only a staff. He tells them to wear sandals but only to take one shirt. Why was he so specific about this? What was he teaching them? I think he wanted them to realize that they would be provided for. In this case they would be relying on the hospitality of others.
Jesus was so serious about hospitality that if someone didn't welcome them, he instructed them to leave that place and shake the dust off their feet as a testimony to them. To shake the dust off your feet was like saying, "We don't want to carry anything related to you with us." Today we often use the phrase, "You are dead to me!"
Like Jesus, their primary message was "repent". To "repent" is to turn from what you know is wrong to follow Jesus more closely. The amazing thing is not only did the disciples preach the same message Jesus preached, but also did the same things he did. They cast out demons and anointed people with oil and they were healed.
There is nothing magical about the oil. It is a sign of healing and symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The word Messiah means "Anointed One". Kings in the Old Testament were anointed with oil. All of this is related to healing and deliverance from sickness and the evil one. They did not just cast out and heal a few people, but many of them!
John the Baptist Beheaded
14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,[b] “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 15 Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” 16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”
Herod reluctantly killed John the Baptist,
17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled[c]; yet he liked to listen to him.
John the Baptist rebuked Herod for his immoral and sinful marriage to his brother's wife, Herodias. Herodias held a big grudge against him from that point on. Herod knew John was a holy man and also the Holy Spirit convicted him when John was preaching. There was something about his message left him wanting to hear more.
“More weak than cruel, Herod listened to John with an undeniable fascination. John’s word left him perplexed, and in anguish. Yet he found a strange pleasure in the authoritative preaching of this holy man, whose stringent life gave added power to his probing word. Too weak to follow John’s counsel, he nevertheless had to listen.” (Lane)
21 Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When the daughter of[d] Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” 23 And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” 24 She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” “The head of John the Baptist,” she answered. 25 At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”
Eventually Herodias got her wish for revenge. On his birthday, Herod invited a bunch of "mucky mucks" including his own military men and VIP's from Galilee. Herodias danced seductively for the guests. No doubt they all had many libations avaiable to them. King Herod, perhaps overserved himself, foolishly told his stepdaughter that she could have whatever she asked, up to half his kingdom. Quite an offer.
Of course, the girl went out to her mom to ask what she should ask for. In a chilling manner and tone Herodias gave her request, "The head of John on the Baptist". This shows how ruthless Herodias was and confirms the type of wife she would be to cheat on her husband with her brother in law. That's a "low blow".
26 The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. 27 So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, 28 and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. 29 On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
Now the king was in quite a spot. Though he did not want to do this to John, he had to save face in front of all these people who had come to celebrate his birthday. Though it was his birthday, this wasn't much a birthday wish. Herod didn't waste any time making his decision. Often when we are making a wrong decision, we want to do it as soon as possible, because we know its wrong. We quench the Holy Spirit and kill our conscience.
John's disciples were near and apparently were allowed to take John's body and lay it in a tomb.
Whatever happened to Herod and Herodias?
Neither was it long ere this tyrant Herod had his payment from heaven.” (Trapp) In order to take his brother’s wife Herodias, Herod put away his first wife, a princess from a neighboring kingdom to the east. Her father was offended, and came against Herod with an army, defeating him in battle. Then his brother Agrippa accused him of treason against Rome, and he was banished into the distant Roman province of Gaul, where Herod and Herodias committed suicide. (Guzik)
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. 31 Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” 32 So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. 33 But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.
The disciples came back after their short term mission trip to report to Jesus all they had done and taught. Again we see the combination of teaching and acts of power. This is the New Testament model. Oftentimes today we "teach" but don't "do". It is more intellectual than experience. We need both!
Jesus realized they needed at break, so he invited them for a little retreat. Unfortunately they were sighted by the masses who followed them on foot. They ran quite a long way and Jesus realized that they were spiritually hungry, so he began teaching them about the kingdom of God.
35 By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. “This is a remote place,” they said, “and it’s already very late. 36 Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”37 But he answered, “You give them something to eat.” They said to him, “That would take more than half a year’s wages[e]! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?” 38 “How many loaves do you have?” he asked. “Go and see.” When they found out, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
Understandably the disciples were still in retreat mode, so they asked Jesus to send them away because they were out in the middle of nowhere. I can only imagine what they thought when he said, "You give them something to eat." They were probably like, "Really Jesus!" They did the the math, and they thought there was no way they had enough money to buy enough food to feed all these people. Jesus was unphased and said, "Well, how much do you have?" Then he said, "Go and see." When they checked their supplies they only had five loaves of bread and two fish. Didn't look to promising.
God’s way of provision always begins with what we already have. He wants us to use what we already have wisely. Don’t foolishly pray for more from God if you don’t use what He already has given you in a godly way. (Guzik)
39 Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.
Jesus organizes the people to sit on the ground in hundreds and fifties knowing that God would provide. He took the loaves and fish looked up to heaven and gave thanks and distributed them to the people. Four things happen next. First, everyone ate. Second, they were all satisfied. They all got enough. Third, there were leftovers.When God provides, He provides more than enough. Finally, 5,000 were fed, which was only the men.
"It really seems too extravagant. Why feed the multitude until they were filled and can’t eat any more? Why not just give them a little meal? Wouldn’t that be enough? No. Jesus had people He loved over for dinner, and there will always be more than enough food. That’s how much Jesus loved them and loves us." (Guzik)
Jesus Walks on the Water
45 Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 After leaving them, he went up on a mountainside to pray.
47 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land. 48 He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, 50 because they all saw him and were terrified.
The night was not over. Jesus shows us where his strength comes from, as he goes on the mountain to pray. Jesus was the Son of God, had just done this miracle, but realizes that it was not of himself but with His Father in heaven and in the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was a man of prayer. If Jesus needed to be in constant prayer and got away even in the middle of the night to pray, how much more do we need to follow his example?
A long, difficult day spent ministering to the spiritual and physical needs of the multitude left Jesus exhausted. But that hard day drove Jesus to prayer, not from prayer.
How often do you pray? When you pray do you see if a difference in your life? My guess is yes. It does for me. I pray in the morning before all of the distractions come. It set the course for my day.
God leads Jesus back out on to the lake, as Jesus sees them straining at the oars as the wind gusted heavily as it often did on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus walked on the water toward them but they were afraid because they thought he was a ghost.
“The apostolic crew rowed, and rowed, and rowed, and it was no fault of theirs that they made no progress, ‘for the wind was contrary unto them.’ The Christian man may make little or no headway, and yet it may be no fault of his, for the wind is contrary. Our good Lord will take the will for the deed, and reckon our progress, not by our apparent advance, but by the hearty intent with which we tug at the oars.” (Spurgeon)
Immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 51 Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, 52 for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
Jesus immediately calmed their fears, climbed into the boat, and the wind died down. Mark says they were completely amazed, as it seemed as though the miraculously feeding had not convinced them because their hearts were hardened.
53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, people recognized Jesus. 55 They ran throughout that whole region and carried the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he went—into villages, towns or countryside—they placed the sick in the marketplaces. They begged him to let them touch even the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it were healed.
Any thought of further rest was taken away when they landed on the other side of the lake and people recognized Jesus. At this point he was well known and easily recognizable. They also knew they had a high probability of being healed if they got an audience with him. People carried their loved ones on mats and people thought if they even touched Jesus they would be healed. And they were. One touch of the master's cloak was enough!
How willing are you to get to Jesus? To what lengths would you go to be in His presence?
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