Lent 2026 Day 22: Sat 14 Mar
Mark 6:1-3
1 Jesus went on from there and came 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 astonished. “Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offence at Him.
This might be the end of the same day in which Jesus had cleansed the man in the Gerasene district. It’s difficult to say whether just one day or more days have passed or not. One of Mark’s favourite words is “immediately”. In older translations of the Greek words kai euthus we might read “and straightway…”. Mark moves Jesus on from event to event with hardly any time for a breath. This may be a device Mark likes to use for effect, but he certainly doesn’t dwell too long on reflection before the next situation is presented to us. Hold on to your hats – the Gospel train is moving on down the line!
Now Jesus has returned to his hometown again. He may have taken a few days off – goodness knows he’d have appreciated some down time. Come the Sabbath day he was teaching in the synagogue. We may be used to preaching in our Sunday services, but do we ever consider that teaching might be a good thing? It’s clear that Jesus had astonished the people with his wise words. Whether miracles took place in that synagogue or whether Jesus’ fame/notoriety had gone before him we can’t tell. Why not believe that miracles were happening on the Sabbath day? Despite the views and prejudices of the Pharisees I can’t think of a better day than the Sabbath for the wonders of God to be displayed! Mark has already covered this in his Gospel.
Things turn sour in the synagogue. How is it that people can turn from amazement to rejection so quickly? Mark didn’t say that everyone was amazed. Many (“hoi polloi” in Greek!) were amazed, but not all. There may have been some who didn’t like Jesus before he’d even entered the building. It may be more likely that, rather than people admiring Jesus one minute and then being offended by him the next, the naysayers in the synagogue caused a change of atmosphere. Being reminded that Jesus was once a local lad would have helped change things, too.
Joseph, absent from the list of Jesus’ close relatives, may have passed away, but that doesn’t mean he was an old man when he married Mary. Jesus has brothers and sisters. Some traditions argue that these were not children of Mary, but of Joseph, who had brought them from an earlier marriage. It seems a little odd, but that’s the view you might have to take if you promote the line that Mary remained a virgin all her life. Matthew’s account says something but it doesn’t shut the door completely on the notion. My view is that these were real brothers and sisters – not half!
Has the negativity of another affected your growth in faith?
Do you still suffer the attitudes of those who stifled your potential in the past or even now? If so, how can you be free?
Do you keep the young people tightly controlled?
Father God, I need not fear, though you know me intimately, my thoughts, attitudes and desires; though you know my past and my successes and failures, that you will judge me on any of this when I turn in repentance to you. Thank you, Father. Amen.
Paul