Jesus began to teaching in the synagogue, “…many hearing Him WERE ASTONISHED (ekplēssō: to be struck with amazement), 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!” (Mark 62-5)
Think about this, these people were:
- STRUCK WITH AMAZEMENT
- ASTOUNDED BY HIS WISDOM
- IMPRESSED BY THE MIGHTY WORKS HE PERFORMED
- THEN, OFFENDED AT JESUS
“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.” (Mark 6:2-5)
He could do no great work there because the people were, AT FIRST, amazed at the mighty works Jesus was doing and were astounded by the wisdom of Christ but being distracted by the fact that Jesus was raised there as a carpenter CAUSED THEM to be filled with UNBELIEF! The devil put an end to their amazement by tempting them, with UNBELIEF. We might say “that couldn’t happen to me!” But Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who BELIEVES IN ME, the works that I do HE WILL DO ALSO; and GREATER WORKS than these HE WILL DO…” (John 14:12)
Your Personal Pastor -Bill Stockham