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JESUS (AND WE IN HIM) PREACHED TRUTH, AND THEY WERE OFFENDED AT HIM

12-18-11

(Mark 6:1-6)  And he went out from thence, and came into his own country [Nazareth of Galilee]; and his disciples follow him. And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence [where] hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works [Gk: force; spec. miraculous power] are wrought by his hands? Is not this the carpenter [Gk: a craftsman in wood], the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses [Joseph], and of Juda [Jude], and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but [except] in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save [except] that he laid his hands [healing by “sight”] upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief [Gk: faithlessness]. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

1.      astonished = Greek: to strike with astonishment:--amazed /// (through the idea of flattening out); to pound, i.e. (fig.) to inflict with (calamity):--smitten. [they staggered with the  new godly thoughts]

2.      astonish = Dictionary: to strike with sudden and overpowering wonder; surprise greatly; amaze. 

3.      wisdom = Dictionary: the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action. [they recognized His wisdom, and wondered at where it came from]

4.      wise = Dictionary: having the power of discerning and judging properly as to what is true or right.

5.      offended = Greek: ("scandalized"); entrapped, i.e. tripped up (fig. stumbled or enticed to sin, apostasy or displeasure):--(make to) offend. [they were made to know their sins]

6.      Commentary: “Cognitive dissonance” is a psychological term employed to describe conflicts among a person’s attitudes, beliefs, and opinions. Cognitive dissonance describes Jesus’ own countrymen and kin in that they could not integrate or mentally assimilate the incredible radical changes apparent in the person of Jesus that they knew so well and had lived with for so long (almost thirty years); they therefore rejected the new discordant inharmonious uncomfortable truths that issued forth from Him, and retained their old well-known comfortable truths by concluding that He was still one of them, but was in some unfathomable fashion drastically sick and diseased (a mirror image of themselves). Their rationalized conclusion of His “illness” (perhaps contagious?) justified their sudden repulsive drawing away from and disparagement of Jesus.

7.      The Nelson Study Bible: The people readily acknowledged both Jesus’ wisdom and his mighty works, but with insensitive hearts and spiritual callousness they rejected Jesus’ message.

8.      The Life Application Bible: Jesus was teaching effectively and wisely, but the people of his hometown saw him only as a carpenter. “He is not better than us – he’s just a common laborer,” they said. They were offended that others could be impressed by him and follow him. They rejected his authority because he was one of their peers. They thought they knew him, but their preconceived notions made it impossible for them to accept his message.

a.      Commentary: the people were walking by the physical light of sight, not by the supernatural light of  faith.

b.      (2 Cor 5:7)  (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

9.      Commentary: This lastly noted “effect” (#8) tends to follow those of us who have become born again, i.e., changed, as did Jesus when the dove of the Holy Spirit descended upon Him at the river Jordan and He was empowered to begin His earthly ministry. When the type and shadow of that Holy Jordanian experience occurs in us, we are become a “new creature” (2 Cor 5:17) in Christ Jesus and we progressively think differently and act differently. Many of our old friends and acquaintances see, hear, and sense that miraculous “change” and become offended at us; to them we have become aliens, not conforming to the thoughts and patterns of this their world (Rom 12:2). Somewhat ironically, we are born wolves (carnivores) who have been impossibly but supernaturally converted into sheep (herbivores), and thus we are becoming completely different (on the inside) than our former wolf peer group, and as is invariably the nature of wolves toward sheep (and the nature of demonically possessed people toward saints), they viciously attack us, tear us apart, and seek to kill us.

(Mark 6:7-13)  And he called unto him the twelve [disciples], and began to send them forth by two [why two?] and two; and gave them power [what form of power did Jesus ever give His disciples?] over unclean spirits; And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals [“neither shoes” Mat 10:10]; and not put on two coats. And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place [city]. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable [Gk: more endurable] for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. And they went out, and preached that men should repent [Gk: to think differently, reconsider] [change their mind, their thoughts, from fallen angels to good angels]. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

1.      (Luke 9:1-6)  Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece. And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and [from] thence depart. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them. And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.

2.      (Eccl 4:9-12) Two are better than one; because they have a good [“more satisfying” Amplified Bible] reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together [on a cold night (or symbolically: advice, guidance, suggestions)], then they have heat [success]: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord [the man, his friend, and God; husband and wife and God] is not quickly broken.

a.      (Mat 18:20)  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them [forming “a threefold cord” Eccl 4:12].

3.      (Mat 10:1) And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power [what power?] against [all manner of] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

(2 Cor 10:3-5)  For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh [we are fighting in spiritual warfare continuously, constantly]: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down [Gk: demolition; fig. extinction: destruction] of strong holds [Gk: castles, (fortresses) (fig. arguments)];) Casting down imaginations [prideful thoughts], and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity [Gk: a prisoner of war] every thought to the obedience of Christ;

(Phil 4:8)  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue [Gk: manliness (valor), i.e. excellence], and if there be any praise [Gk: laudation; a commendable thing], think on these things.

Amen