Mark 6: 1-6
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The New
Testament Witness of the Apostle
Peter |
The Pulpit at Pilgrim's Rest Christ Covenant Reformed (PCA) |
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There are several issues that we see highlighted in these short six verses. Three of them are obvious, the family and friends of Jesus, the office of Christ and the work of Christ. The fourth issue is more complex, yet ever the more important - how we may perceive the first three!
A year or two ago, amidst the weekly deluge of junk mail, there was one mailing that has stood out in my mind ever since. It was addressed to a Mr Christ Covenant at the old church address. "Dear Mr Christ," it began, then to personalize the contents it referred to the needs of the whole "Covenant" family. As humorous as that may seem, it indicates the frailty of false familiarity so consistent in our society today. Much like the professional greeters at Sam's Club and the institutional growth organizations whose job it is to pretend to be sincerely interested in strangers! I so much preferred the honest attempt at separating my money from my account that I received at home. It began with the theme: "Why would a complete stranger take the trouble to send an impersonal message to thousands of people?" While they didn't get my money, I at least read the first page of their presentation.
There is a popular proverbial saying that goes "familiarity breeds contempt". Now, I have always hesitated at accepting the so called cultural wisdom contained in that phrase. After all, having put up with all manner of persons in twenty-four years of teaching, I have at least learned that it isn't the familiarity that causes contempt, no indeed it is the character of the people involved that causes us to judge fairly or unfairly our fellow man!
THE FAMILY & FRIENDS OF JESUS. Our passage this morning is a clear and concise example of what I am talking about in this matter. All of those who would so harshly deny the Lordship of Jesus the Carpenter could not have known Him as well as they thought, otherwise they would have realized the uniqueness of His spiritual character! Jesus the Carpenter of Nazareth is how He would have been known in His home town and surrounding area. Jesus, Son of Joseph or even in this case the Son of Mary would be the distinguishing Name since before the adoption of family names, people were either a craftsman or the Son of their elder or from somewhere.
Smith is such a common name today because in a more primitive economy the Blacksmiths, Coppersmiths and metal smiths of all kind were known by their profession. Others were the sons of known individuals, the Scottish Mac, the Hebrew Ben, the Arabic Bir are all words that indicate the son of someone else. In the German, the once coveted "von" meant the family was landed and thus of some substance, their estates being enumerated from after the von.
And so not only the old neighborhood, but the whole district as well, thought they knew Jesus in a familiar way. Yet while the native Son had done well enough, since they thought they knew Him equally well, they did not give Him the consideration that they should have. Indeed much of the immediate family seems to have missed the boat completely until after the resurrection. What this should tell us, is more about the individual family members and friends and neighbors than it ever should about Jesus the Christ!
THE OFFICE OF CHRIST. Not only are they astonished, but they are offended as well. They who were all too human did not appreciate the superior status that the true office of our Lord dictated. Time was, when the human race was better trained to appreciate the royalty of noble persons. That training should have made the nature of Christ's calling obvious from His ability to accomplish the offices of prophet, priest and king, which we so fondly teach today. However, in the turmoil of the Roman world, any evidence of one having such crown rights over his fellows, would certainly have caused more concern than excitement in the Galileean area. Dr Keener's commentary explains that early in the childhood of Jesus, "Sepphoris, then capital of Galilee, had been destroyed by the Romans, and rebuilding had begun immediately."
So we see there were political reasons for the people to be hesitant. However, this is not reason enough for the crude comments that we see reported by Mark. We need to look closely at the spiritual assessment to comprehend a deeper difficulty. "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!" In these words we sense more fear than the religious authorities might supposedly encourage by their professional opposition! Today, we might ask in a similar vein - where did He go to school? Why is His teaching so different from what we commonly receive? How can He accomplish such miracles?
Yes, there is a reluctant admission that He has a certain capacity far beyond the normal ability, yet they are so stubborn that they do not appreciate - to what the miracles must point! There is of course the officially sponsored rumor that Jesus is in league with the devil, yet that supposition is out of tune with the reality of what the people actually hear and see. Yes, they have been confused by the opposition from the leaders of the Old Covenant Church and it will take some doing to overcome the official position. But. their offense is not from the politically correct party line being fed to them.
But, their offense is still personal, they believe that they know this Man and that false knowledge affects their relationship with Whom they have seen revealed. The utter fact of this offense brings us to our third point this morning.
THE WORK OF CHRIST.In verse five we read something astonishing: "Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them." Dr Keener explains: "That Jesus is 'unable' to do works because of their unbelief presumes a limitation not of his power but of his mission: to heal without morally directed faith would be to act like the pagan magicians of antiquity."
I am reminded of a thoroughly modern mantra of the New Age which is perhaps related to a childhood fantasy popular with today's immature adults. This particular fantasy comes from the false desire promoted by the tale of Peter Pan - where the childish waifs refuse to grow up! I can remember seeing Mary Martin flying around the stage and then there was the intense scene where the starlet asked all the little children viewing to help save the mysterious "tinkerbell" from death. I think that far too many Baby Boomers were taken in by that moment as well as many of the Howdy Doody presumptions. Still today - we are affected by the attitude that if we only believe in something - that will make it possible!
Once I was at a public gathering where the special speaker was advocating similar nonsense. I nudged my friend sitting next to me, closed my eyes, opened them and explained the Tinkerbell moment - "Nope - it still doesn't make any sense - and they aren't any brighter because of anything I might try to think!" Unfortunately, we have a generation of Baby Boomers who never did grow up to consider real adult attitudes, knowledge or responsibilities.
But this attitude, like those of the familiar neighborhoods of Nazareth cannot affect the word, work and wisdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. Were He to come today instead of the first century, the great majority of people still would not see, would not hear nor understand what they might be given! Look at the stirring indictment against the first generation of people who actually saw the Lord in the flesh: "And He marveled because of their unbelief."
Anyone alive today who thinks that they could do better than that, needs to comprehend the reality of the orthodox teaching of the whole Scripture - It is more important what God thinks of you, than what you might think of God! Grace - it is called. Jesus, as Mark reports did not as another New Testament writer report it "throw pearls before swine".
AMAZING GRACE - HOW SWEET THE SOUND! Like Jesus, I always marvel at the extreme stupidity of people who simply cannot or will not believe the doctrine of Grace. When I was allowed to be more truthful, I used to have a small sign on my classroom bulletin board which defined the word idiot : "being unable or unwilling to learn, the second is the greater portion." Now just as we know that many in that Galileean region did eventually comprehend the work and witness of Christ, when all things were accomplished, we must account that change in mind to the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit
Just as many people today read the Gospel records and hold them to no account, so may we understand the fallen nature of the human mind and spirit. According to surveys over many years, ninety-five per cent of the American people will admit that there must be a Creator God. Well, even the demons will admit that and what good does that do them? Of much greater import in our culture is the 25% to 30% of the general population who go to church regularly to worship the Creator God, who in His mercy and goodness sent His only Son to die in their place so that we might be accounted righteous because of His sacrifice.
Now, there is a doctrinal mystery involved here that I must not neglect to mention. If we take my definition of idiot and focus on the unable as well as the unwilling parts, when applied to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ both parts are apt descriptions of the human condition. Our inability to believe is defined by the total depravity of mankind whereby the fall in and through Adam affected all of our capacities when it comes to any knowledge of the divine. Our unwillingness is defined by our ongoing reprobation whereby mankind has demonstrated continually his affectation for everything but those heavenly graces whereby he may be saved.
That we fully deserve condemnation we see in the words of Christ's marveling at the unbelief of the Nazarene family, friends and neighbors. That we may have salvation in and through the grace and mercy of our God is evident from the gospel record that follows to the end of Mark. In spite of their unbelief, Jesus still went about the villages teaching so that some might hear and in hearing finally come to faith when all was accomplished. Christianity has never ever been a mass movement popular with the whole people. In the reaction of the people of Nazareth we see that we are all alike in every time and place, even those who should know better will not give to, Jesus the Christ recognition that is so logically evident in the Gospel accounts.
No, the common reaction is to raise the same old, same old stumbling blocks that we see already come to surface in the home district of our Lord and Savior. Will we ever learn that the human reaction to the Gospel tells us more about us as humans than it ever will tell us about Jesus the Christ? Thank goodness, that by the grace and mercy of our Creator God, our eyes have been opened so that we may know beyond a shadow of a doubt, here - in the midst of mankind - the Lord of all the heavens and earth did appear to demonstrate His authority, His love and His grace. Amen.
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Cole, Alan. |
Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries: |
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Keener, Craig S. |
The IVP Bible Background Commentary:
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"Bringing the Light of the Reformation to Scripture" (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995) |
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B2b32 |
07 May 00 |