Mark 6 Amazing Grace/Unbelief

How long have you known the Lord?

Have you known Him since He was a child?

They Were Astonished ἐκπλήσσω

Mark 1:22 CSB

They were astonished at his teaching because he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not like the scribes.

It was not completely bad because in Mark 11:18 we see that the astonishment of the people was genunin and showed a level of respect and appreciation.

Mark 11:18 CSB

The chief priests and the scribes heard it and started looking for a way to kill him. For they were afraid of him, because the whole crowd was astonished by his teaching.

They Were Offended σκανδαλίζω

Their astonishment was not enough to keep them from being offending. The lesson for us is that we can still take offence or fall away from God even after we are astonished by what He has done for us or in us. We can fall away even after we have observed Him at work.

Matthew and Mark Notes

the son of Mary. This reference is unusual because normally the son’s father would be named, in this case, Joseph. It may allude to Jesus’ unusual birth and show an awareness that Mary was Jesus’ mother in a way that Joseph was not his father (Hurtado 1989:92). It also might simply indicate that Joseph was then deceased.

Matthew 11:6 CSB

and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”

Luke 7:23 CSB

and blessed is the one who isn’t offended by me.”

Mark 9:42–47 CSB

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to fall away—it would be better for him if a heavy millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. “And if your hand causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and go to hell, the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to fall away, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to fall away, gouge it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,

Matthew and Mark Notes

were deeply offended. This term (eskandalizonto [4624A, 4997]) is important in the NT; it refers to someone “tripping over” or “stumbling over” an idea so as to fall in rejecting it (see 4:17). Figuratively, it means being offended at something. It connotes a lack of belief, so the NLT reference to their refusal to believe brings out that implication.

Matthew and Mark Notes

6:5 he couldn’t do any miracles. Jesus did not perform many miracles in Nazareth because the people were not in a frame of mind to appreciate their significance, and might attribute them to the wrong source, as 3:22 suggests.

2019 in July it was Josh Harris, a pastor and author of the mega-best-selling purity-culture book I Kissed Dating Goodbye. This month, it’s Hillsong United songwriter and worship leader Marty Sampson.

Paul Maxwell joins other well-known Christians Jon Steingard from the band Hawk Nelson, I Kissed Dating Goodbye‘s author Joshua Harris, and Hillsong‘s worship musician Marty Sampson who have recently said they renounce or are losing their faith.

Sometimes people who have been around Jesus the longest don’t really know Him that well.

He Was Amazed θαυμάζω

Other people at multiple times said to be amazed. It is a commonly used word in the gospels and mostly they are almost always amazed at Jesus or something Jesus has done. For example…

Matthew 8:27 CSB

The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey him!”

Mark 5:20 CSB

So he went out and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and they were all amazed.

Mark 15:5 CSB

But Jesus still did not answer, and so Pilate was amazed.

Luke 2:18 CSB

and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.

There are however only two stories in the New Testament where it is said that Jesus personally was amazed.

It is kind of hard to amaze God…I don’t even feel comfortable saying it. But here the Bible does say that Jesus was amazed. the other place is in....

Matthew 8:10 CSB

Hearing this, Jesus was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith.

Luke 7:9 CSB

Jesus heard this and was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found so great a faith even in Israel.”

By the way as far as we know Jesus never returned to Nazareth. And this is also the last time that Mark makes a reference to Jesus teaching in a synagogue.

The people who has been around Jesus the longest did not Know who He was.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary 6:5–6a

The people of Nazareth represent Israel’s blindness. Their refusal to believe in Jesus pictured what the disciples would soon experience (cf. 6:7–13) and what Mark’s readers (then and now) would experience in the advance of the gospel.

Mark 12. The Rejection at Nazareth (6:1–6a)

The statement clarifies that Jesus was not the kind of miracle worker whose primary purpose was to impress his viewers.

I guess when humans respond in unbelief at the overwhelming proof of evidence that God has give it is a source of amazement for Him.

(Dale) I have a friend who no longer believes in God. He prayed that this girl would like him. God answered his prayer and he still does not believe in Him. It amazes me but it probably amazes God too.

Unbelief can prevent God from doing a work around you.

Better to have a simple faith than amazing unbelief.