A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house

 

 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.  But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."  Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. 

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff --- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. 

 

- Mark 6:1-13 

 

Yesterday we read that when Jesus had crossed over again by boat to the other side (after healing a man with a legion of demons), a great multitude gathered to Him; and He was by the sea.  And behold, one of the rulers of the synagogue came, Jairus by name.  And when he saw Him, he fell at His feet and begged Him earnestly, saying, "My little daughter lies at the point of death.  Come and lay Your hands on her, that she may be healed, and she will live."  So Jesus went with him, and a great multitude followed Him and thronged Him.  Now a certain woman had a flow of blood for twelve years, and had suffered many things from many physicians.  She had spent all that she had and was no better, but rather grew worse.  When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment.  For she said, "If only I may touch His clothes, I shall be made well."  Immediately the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of the affliction.  And Jesus, immediately knowing in Himself that power had gone out of Him, turned around in the crowd and said, "Who touched My clothes?"  But His disciples said to Him, "You see the multitude thronging You, and You say, 'Who touched Me?'"  And He looked around to see her who had done this thing.  But the woman, fearing and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth.  And He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has made you well.  Go in peace, and be healed of your affliction."  While He was still speaking, some came from the ruler of the synagogue's house who said, "Your daughter is dead.  Why trouble the Teacher any further?"  As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, He said to the ruler of the synagogue, "Do not be afraid; only believe."  And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James.  Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.  When He came in, He said to them, "Why make this commotion and weep?  The child is not dead, but sleeping."  And they ridiculed Him.  But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.  Then He took the child by the hand, and said to her, "Talitha, cumi," which is translated, "Little girl, I say to you, arise."  Immediately the girl arose and walked, for she was twelve years of age.  And they were overcome with great amazement.  But He commanded them strictly that no one should know it, and said that something should be given her to eat.

 

 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him.  And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue.  And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, "Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!  Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?"  So they were offended at Him.   My study Bible comments that this double response to Christ of being both astonished and offended occurs frequently with those who encounter Him (see Luke 11:14-16; John 9:16).  Christ's rejection in His own country foreshadows His rejection by the whole Jewish nation at His trial before Pilate (John 19:14-15).  Jesus' brothers and sisters are His extended family; this language is used for relatives such as cousins and nephews in Scripture (as is still common across the Middle East today).  They are possibly children of Joseph from an earlier marriage or other family relations.

But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."   Of such significance is this statement, that it is found in all four Gospels; see also Matthew 13:57, Luke 4:24, John 4:44.

Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.  And He marveled because of their unbelief.  Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.   My study Bible says that Jesus could do no mighty work there, not because He lacked power, but because of the unbelief of all but a few in Nazareth.  While grace is always offered to all, it notes, only those who receive it in faith obtain its benefits.  

 

And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.  Matthew lists the names of the apostles in pairs, suggesting who might have traveled with whom, as here Mark tells us Jesus sent them out two by two (see Matthew 10:2-4).  The first note regarding their mission is that Jesus gave them power over unclean spirits.  It suggests to us a military parallel to this mission; they are sent out against an enemy force, albeit a spiritual and not material one (see Ephesians 6:12).

 

He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff --- no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts -- but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.  Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place.  And whoever will not receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under your feet as a testimony against them.  Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"  So they went out and preached that people should repent.  And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.   My study Bible comments that the mission of the disciples (now "sent out" as apostles) is like Christ's they preached and healed.  It also comments on the single-minded nature of this mission, and how Jesus prepares them for that -- they should carry no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts, to wear only sandals and one tunic.  This humility indicates that the power with which they go out is from God; they go out without ostentation nor can they be accused of greed; and they will learn dependence upon God.  In Matthew's Gospel He admonishes them to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16).  My study Bible remarks also that anointing the sick with oil has not only medicinal value but sacramental value as well.  As God's healing power is bestowed through creation (Mark 5:27; Numbers 21:8-9; 2 Kings 13:21; John 9:6-7; Acts 5:15, 19:11-12), so oil is a vehicle of God's mercy and healing in the Church (James 5:14).  

Why do the people in Jesus' hometown of Nazareth reject Him?  We must note that we're told Jesus marveled because of their unbelief.  It seems that even His reputation, His disciples who follow Him, His wisdom, and His mighty works done elsewhere do nothing for the townspeople's unbelief.  They know what they know, and they think they must know all about Him.  He is the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon.  And aren't His sisters there with them?  He can't possibly be a person who speaks with wisdom and authority and does "mighty works."  The text tells us that they were offended at Him!  In the Greek, the root word for that which is translated as "offended" is σκανδαλίζω/skandalizo.  And yes, we can easily see it is the origin of the English word to "scandalize."  It literally means to set a trap or snare, to cause to stumble.  Their own indignation at what they perceive to be socially incorrect is their stumbling block; it is the cause of their failure to recognize Christ's authority and power.  Christ's response, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house" is very important -- particularly, as is noted above, because it is found in all four Gospels.  For what it instructs us to notice is that the nature of the prophetic is to take us outside of our own narrow definitions of life, to open up to us what we're missing, to show us what lies beyond what we think we know.  The townspeople "know" a particular order of things, a particular ranking and hierarchy, and also a particular set of relationships in and amongst and between themselves.  This includes Jesus the carpenter, and His extended clan, in their hometown and their experience of Him growing up there.  But that does not include whatever was hidden from them.  It doesn't include what we might call the "apocalyptic," which literally means in Greek that which is revealed.  That is, the things which God, of necessity, reveals to us because we don't commonly perceive the things of God with our limited means of perception and ways of looking at things.  Jesus is revealed as divine Son through His ministry, but how can that be true of the Carpenter, from Nazareth, one of their neighbors and relation to the rest of His brothers and sisters and mother whom they know?  God calls us outside of our normal experiences, and outside of our set values on things, outside of the ways we already know and have learned to relate to things and to people.  When that happens, our world is changed, shaken up.  We're taught to rethink, to repent -- which literally means, in the Greek word for repentance, to "change our minds."  But what we might crucially observe from this scene in Christ's hometown of Nazareth is the relationship of faith to our capacity to open our minds to the things of God, even when they shake up our notions of how things have always been, or what we have "always" believed.  Faith asks of us to open up, to look toward something that we don't yet know in full.  It asks us to look toward a future, and to grow in understanding, especially in our relationships both to God and to our neighbor.  It is this crucial aspect of faith that seems to be addressed here by Jesus,  even when He is in their midst, even when His perplexing show of wisdom and His mighty works are on display before them.  ("Where did this Man get these things?  And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands!")   Yet God is revealed in this Carpenter whom they've always known but never suspected could possibly play this role.  God's work is revealed in His hands -- those same hands that no doubt they've seen work with nails and will yet bear the marks of nails!  (See John 20:24-29.)  There are times in our lives when, through faith, we will be called out of what we think we know, and asked to expand in faith to something new, a way to shake up our lives and change the way we see the world, even change the way we relate to one another.  These might easily be times of great scandal, when there will be some whose indignation will follow upon the path we choose in faith, in response to a prayerful life.  But Christ has come before us to show us that this is also part of a life of faith, even pronouncing it the lot of a prophet, even when honor is found with outsiders.  Let us remember Jesus' response of humility, and the disciples who will follow Him in the apostolic mission He gives them, as He sends them out in complete humility and dependence upon God, for this is the way of the prophets in the world.

 

 

Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell

 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.  It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.  If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!  Therefore do not fear them.  For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.  Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?  And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Therefore whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."

- Matthew 10:24-33

In yesterday's reading, Jesus continued speaking to the twelve, just as He was sending them out on their first apostolic mission:   "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.  Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.  You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.  But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak.  For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.  Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.  When they persecute you in this city, flee to another.  For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.  It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.  If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!  Therefore do not fear them.  For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.  Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops."  Jesus has just finished telling them that they must conduct themselves in a wise way, and be prudent and humble.  He has warned them about persecution that will come.  (See yesterday's reading, above.  But His conclusion regarding the persecution that they will face, just as He has faced it:   "Therefore do not fear them."  In the following verses, do not fear is repeated three times.  They are prepared for bold witness in the face of adversity.  Prudence and wisdom do not come from fear, but faith.  My study bible says that Christian believers, both then and today, must neither be intimidated by persecution nor fail in their mission to preach.  The entire gospel of Christ is a revelation of the reality of the  Kingdom.  The very nature of what they do is to reveal truth.

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?  And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Therefore whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."  My study bible says that the fact that there is no need to fear the killing of the soul shows the immortality of the human soul, which is our be grace.  Fear Him is a command to fear God (Proverbs 9:10; Luke 1:50, 23:50; Acts 10:2; Colossians 3:22; 1 Peter 2:17), because only God has the power to judge the soul.  Christians are instructed to resist the devil (James 4:7), but not to fear him.  Hell here is translated from "Gehenna."  In Jewish history, Gehenna (which was the Valley of Hinnom) became a place of forbidden religious practices (2 Chronicles 28:3; Jeremiah 32:35).  By Christ's time, my study bible says, the valley had become a garbage dump that smoldered ceaselessly.  Because of these associations, Gehenna acquired the connotation of eternal punishment in the afterlife.

"Gehenna" gives us an image of hell:  in Jesus' time it was a smoldering garbage dump, in ancient times a place of horrible practices, such as burning children alive in sacrifice, an abomination to God.  If we think of the analogy of a ceaselessly smoldering garbage dump, we get a picture of a place in which that which must be left behind or discarded as worthless is burned, and in particular that which stands in the way of union with God.  But, if we can receive it, the flames of hell are the flames of the energies of God, burning away what cannot stand in those flames and the fullness of the light of God.  And in the image of the light and the flame of God's love, we get a context for Jesus' preaching to the apostles about their bold witness even in the face of persecutions.  He has been accused of casting out demons by the ruler of demons (see this reading), and so tells the disciples that if this has been said of Him, the Master, how much more will be said of those who are of His household!  But fear has only one place in them:  it is God who must be feared alone.  In a strange sense, today's reading with its image of hell teaches us about the hell that is on earth, into which they are courageously to go to preach the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. In the world, the One who has come to liberate is persecuted, even claimed to be one who works with the ruler of demons.   The mention of Gehenna sends into the text a message about those who are faithless to God, the practices of evil.  Later on Jesus will teach that the one sin that will stand is to call the work of the Spirit evil (Matthew 12:31-32).  Where the holy is called evil is a vision of hell.  Jesus is calling for His disciples to turn such a "hell" upside down, to boldly preach the revelation of the Kingdom in the world, in the name of the only One who is to be feared.  Persecution seeks to place fear into the hearts of the persecuted, but Jesus exhorts His followers only to fear God, and to reveal that which is given them to reveal.  "For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.  Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops."  Into the valley of fear, they are not to fear the world, but God alone.  The One whom they serve knows each sparrow, and the number of each hair on their heads.  Therefore they are precious members of this Kingdom, and must remember that in mission.  It's an orientation to the world that He gives them, one in which they are to be wise and prudent, to conduct themselves humbly, to have awareness of  their own weaknesses, but to fear only God.  Jesus lays it out very plainly:  "Whoever confesses me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."    We have a choice to make:  we can walk into the worldly hell and bear witness to the kingdom of heaven with our lives, or we can cower in fear of the world instead and betray our own souls.  We choose which master we serve (6:24).  His apostles are those sent out to bring the good news to the world.  Which mission do you choose to live in your life in this world?