Mark 6:1-6 A Prophet Is Not Honored In His Own Hometown

Jesus went out from there and came into His hometown; and His disciples followed Him. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things, and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and among his own relatives and in his own household.” And He could do no miracle there except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He wondered at their unbelief.

Sometimes people feel the need to pick-up and start over. You may have felt that way sometimes. In the case of Jesus, though, it wasn’t because He needed to start over, but because He felt that He was judged by his own relatives in a way that identified him with his earthly father, Joseph, instead of His Father God Almighty. When compared to the former, he could never be more than the son of a carpenter. When compared to the latter, He could be no less than the Son of God. But this was a symptom of their lack of belief. Jesus could go to other towns and be received as a Messiah, or at least a prophet. But among his relatives, he was not received as the one sent by God, not realizing that when they rejected him, they were likewise rejecting the One who sent Him.

Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, sometimes we say with our lips that we believe, but when we feel life’s troubles pressing in on us, we often times try to fix it ourselves instead of seeking You as our Good Shepherd, Strengthen our faith in You and lessen it in ourselves. This is for Your honor and our own good. In Your holy name I pray Amen.