Mark 6:1

Mark 6:1-6 . And he came into his own country, &c. — For an explanation of this paragraph, see the notes on Matthew 13:53-58 . Is not this the carpenter’s son? — There can be no doubt that Jesus in his youth wrought with his supposed father Joseph. He could there do no mighty work — Not consistently with his wisdom and goodness; it being inconsistent with his wisdom to work miracles there, where he knew the prejudices of the people would certainly prevent any good effect they might otherwise have had in promoting the great end he had in view in coming into the world; and with his goodness, seeing that he well knew his countrymen would reject whatever evidence could be given them of his being the Messiah, or a divinely-commissioned teacher. And, therefore, to have given them greater evidence would only have increased their guilt and condemnation. And he marvelled because of their unbelief — He wondered at their perverseness in rejecting him upon such unreasonable grounds as the meanness of his parentage. It is justly observed here by Dr. Macknight, that “the Jews in general seem to have mistaken their own prophecies, when they expected the Messiah would exalt their nation to the highest pitch of wealth and power, for this was an end unworthy of so grand an interposition of Providence.

When the eternal Son of God came down from heaven, he had something infinitely more noble in view: namely, that by suffering and dying he might destroy him who had the power of death; that by innumerable benefits he might overcome his enemies; that by the bands of truth he might restrain the rebellious motions of men’s wills; that by the sword of the Spirit he might slay the monsters of their lusts; and that by giving them the spiritual armour he might put them in a condition to fight for the incorruptible inheritance, and exalt them to the joyful possession of the riches and honours of immortality. Wherefore, as these characters of the Messiah were in a great measure unknown to the Jews, he who possessed them was not the object of their expectation. And, though he laid claim to their submission by the most stupendous miracles, instead of convincing them, these miracles made him who performed them obnoxious to the hottest resentment of that proud, covetous, sensual people. It seems they could not bear to see one so low in life as Jesus was, doing things which they fancied were peculiar to that idol of their vanity, a glorious, triumphant, secular Messiah.

Mark 6:1-6 . See on Matthew 13:54-58 , who follows Mark with slight abbreviations and unessential changes. As respects the question of position , some advocates of the priority of Matthew have attributed to Mark an unthinking mechanism (Saunier), others a very artistic grouping (Hilgenfeld, who holds that the insusceptibility of the people was here to be represented as attaining its climax). The narrative itself is not to be identified with that of Luke 4:16 ff. See on Matt. ἐξῆλθεν ἐκεῖθεν ] from the house of Jairus. Matthew has an entirely different historical connection, based on a distinct tradition, in which he may have furnished the more correct τάξις . ἤρξατο ] for the first emergence and its result are meant to be narrated. After elimination of ὅτι , the words from πόθεν to αὐτῷ are to be taken together as an interrogative sentence, and καὶ δυνάμεις on to γίνονται forms again a separate question of astonishment. δυνάμεις τοιαῦται ] presupposes that they have heard of the miracles that Jesus had done (in Capernaum and elsewhere); these they now bring into association with His teaching. διὰ τῶν χειρ . αὐτοῦ ] that is, by laying on of His hands , by taking hold of, touching , and the like; Mark 6:5 . Comp. Acts 5:12 ; Acts 19:11 . Mark 6:3 . ὁ τέκτων ] According to the custom of the nation and of the Rabbins (Lightfoot, p. 616; Schoettgen, II. p. 898; Gfrörer in the Tub. Zeitschr. 1838, p. 166 ff.), Jesus Himself had learned a handicraft. Comp. Justin, c.

Tryph. 88, p. 316, where it is related that He made[94] ploughs and yokes; Origen, c. Celsum , vi. 4. 3, where Celsus ridicules the custom; Theodoret, H. E. iii. 23; Evang. infant. 38; and see generally, Thilo, ad Cod. Apocr. I. p. 368 f. The circumstance that Mark has not written ὁ τοῦ τέκτονος υἱός , as in Matthew 13:55 , is alleged by Hilgenfeld, Evang. p. 135 (“Mark tolerates not the paternity of Joseph even in the mouth of the Nazarenes”), Baur, Markusevangel. p. 138, and Bleek, to point to the view of the divine procreation of Jesus. As though Mark would not have had opportunity and skill enough to bring forward this view otherwise with clearness and definitely! The expression of Matthew is not even to be explained from an offence taken at τέκτων (Holtzmann, Weizsäcker), but simply bears the character of the reflection, that along with the mother the father also would have been mentioned. And certainly it is singular, considering the completeness of the specification of the members of the families, that Joseph is not also designated. That he was already dead, is the usual but not certain assumption (see on John 6:42 ). In any case, however, he has at an early date fallen into the background in the evangelical tradition, and in fact disappeared: and the narrative of Mark, in so far as he names only the mother, is a reflection of this state of things according to the customary appellation among the people, without any special design.

Mark 6:1 .[45] Ἀκολουθοῦσιν , follow ) Although they were not all admitted to see the raising of Jairus’ daughter. [45] ἐκεῖθεν ) from thence: this term has a wider sense in this passage of Mark than in Matthew 13:53 , and has respect to the whole sojourn of the Saviour at Capernaum and the adjacent district. Jairus dwelt in Capernaum; and, not long after the resurrection of his daughter, the parables recorded in Matthew 13, etc., were put forth near Capernaum.— Harm. , p. 325.

Ch. Mark 6:1-6 . Christ is despised at Nazareth 1 . his own country ] that is, Nazareth. From this time forward He ceased to have His abiding residence at Capernaum, although He still assembled His disciples on passing occasions. This visit to Nazareth is recorded only by St Matthew and St Mark.

Verse 1. - Our Lord now left the neighbourhood of Capernaum, and came into his own country , the district of Nazareth, where he had been, not born indeed, but brought up, and where his kinsfolk after the flesh still lived. Nazareth would be about a day's journey from Capernaum. This was not the first public exercise of his ministry at Nazareth. Of that and its results St. Luke gives us the account ( Luke 4:16 ). It would seem reasonable to suppose that, after the fame which he had now acquired, he should again visit the place where he had been brought up. His sisters were still living there. St. Mark here again uses the historical present ἔρχεται , "he cometh," for which there is better authority than for ῆλθεν . His disciples follow him . Only the chosen three had been with him in the house of Jairus. The presence of the whole body of the disciples would be valuable at Nazareth. Mark 6:1