Jesus has been staying in Capernaum at the home owned by the disciples Simon Peter and Andrew. Now He goes back to Nazareth for a visit.
"Jesus left there and went to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were amazed." (Mark 6:1-2a) As we learned previously in the book of Mark, Jesus' fame has become so widespread that His own family heard about it in Nazareth. Everyone in His hometown has heard of His powerful preaching and His mighty miracles, but now He travels the fifteen miles from Capernaum to Nazareth so His fellow townspeople can experience these things for themselves. We would expect the people who have known Him all His life to eagerly receive His words, but just the opposite happens.
The folks living in the small town of Nazareth watched Jesus grow up. They saw Him as a young boy running around behind Joseph, the carpenter husband of Mary, carrying a hammer and nails. They witnessed Him growing tall and strong as He labored with His hands in the carpentry shop. They approved of this young man Jesus with His strong work ethic and His kind and loving personality. But this middle-aged Jesus who walks into the synagogue and begins teaching the Scriptures as if He is a trained rabbi....what do they make of Him? He is one of their own and they consider Him their equal, so they take offense when He preaches the word of God to them. "'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? 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." (Mark 6:2b-3)
The townspeople say among themselves, "Who does Jesus think He is? He grew up with us. He grew up poor just like we did. He had to learn a trade and work as a manual laborer. His parents couldn't afford to send Him to a religious school. He's nothing but a small-town boy who gained a name for Himself in Capernaum, and now He thinks He can come here and talk down to us! He grew up working with His hands, not studying under a rabbi. What makes Him think He can preach the word of God and tell us how to live? Furthermore, how can He claim to be the Son of God? We knew His father Joseph, God rest his soul. And we know Joseph's widow Mary. And we know Jesus' brothers and sisters. We don't care how many miracles He claims to have performed; He can't be the Son of God!"
It hurts us to think of Jesus' own townspeople being so cruel to Him, but He takes it in stride. He actually expected this to happen. "Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.'" (Mark 6:4) Mark has already told us that Jesus' mother and brothers came to Capernaum to try to forcibly drag Him back to Nazareth, believing He had become carried away and that His mind and His health were in danger. The Apostle John tells us that Jesus' brothers actually ridiculed Him at one time, scornfully suggesting He should make a major appearance at the Feast of Tabernacles and publicly declare Himself to the world, "For even His brothers did not believe in Him." (John 7:5) Jesus' brother James, who will become a leader in the church at Jerusalem after the resurrection of Christ, does not believe in Jesus before His resurrection. Before the crucifixion, James will laughingly say, "Hey, brother, take Your show on the road! Don't just hang around in the small cities of Galilee. You need to go preach at Jerusalem! That's where the action is. If You really want to be somebody, You're going to have to make a name for Yourself in the big city!"
Men going into the ministry today face some of the same opposition Jesus faced. It can be difficult for a man to preach the word of God in his hometown. People who grew up with him and who know everything about him find it hard to listen to him teaching the word of God. In their minds they think He is no better than they are and has no right to instruct them. My own pastor grew up in the same church he now leads, and he has mentioned several times that he was reluctant to preach in a church where people knew everything about him from his birth. He was reluctant not because he didn't want to help his townspeople, but because he feared they wouldn't let him. It's not only preachers who face this type of opposition, but all of us who have been changed by Christ will encounter it sooner or later. Sometimes people simply will not accept our testimony because they can't let go of who we used to be. They recall us as kids playing pranks such as toilet-papering our neighbor's lawn at Halloween. They remember seeing us at the same parties they attended in high school where alcohol or drugs were present. They have seen us make mistakes and they are unwilling to forgive us of those mistakes, even though God has forgiven us. Although Jesus never made any mistakes, His townspeople can't get over the fact that they grew up with Him. If another prophet from another town came and preached at Nazareth, they would listen to him, but they are unwilling to offer Jesus the same courtesy.
Their lack of faith in Jesus prevents them from receiving many blessings from Him. "He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them. He was amazed at their lack of faith." (Mark 6:5-6) Mark isn't saying it's literally impossible for Jesus to perform miracles at Nazareth. Jesus is God, and God has the same amount of power at all times and in all places. But Jesus won't force healing on anybody. Because very few people at Nazareth had the faith to ask Him for healing, very few people were healed.
We don't find the Maker of the universe amazed at very much. In fact, the only times the Lord is amazed in the Scriptures it is either at the enormity of someone's faith or at their lack of it. Jesus has demonstrated who He is in both words and power. He is amazed that anyone can witness these things, or hear of these things, and not believe. I'm ashamed to say the Lord has probably been amazed at my lack of faith many times. He's demonstrated His faithfulness to me. He's provided His word to me. He's given His love to me. And yet I sometimes doubt He's going to come through for me. I find myself having to pray, "I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! Lord, help me so that You will be amazed by my faith and not by my lack of it."
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