MARK 6:1-13

MARK 6:1-13

MARK 6 - WHILE the mighty works of Jesus had made a distinct impression upon the mass of the people who heard Him with eagerness, there were very few of the more cultured and outwardly religious classes who were prepared to acknowledge Him as the promised Servant of Jehovah who was to deliver Israel. Instead of owning His Messianic claims they became suspicious of Him as an impostor and arraigned themselves in definite opposition to Him, even going as far as to seek some method whereby they might destroy Him. 

   MARK 6:1-6 - By the expression “His own country” in verse 1 we are to understand the city of Nazareth and the region roundabout, where Jesus had lived as a child and as a young man. This seems to prove conclusively that Mary had other children after the birth of Jesus, her Firstborn (Matt. 1:25). God works in response to faith. Unbelief ties the hands of Omnipotence, except in judgment, and the hour for judgment had not yet come.

Jesus marveled that those who had known Him so well should be so distrustful of Him and even opposed to Him. Luke’s account tells us that they even tried to hurl Him over the cliff on which the city was built, but, passing through the midst of them, He went His way, being grieved at their hardness of heart. 

MARK 6:7-13 - The twelve whom He had chosen already “to be with Him” were now commissioned to go through the villages of Galilee proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and calling the people to repent, and so be prepared to receive the King when He was manifested to them. Jesus sent them out two by two that they might labor together in fellowship and testimony. He empowered them to heal the sick and to cast out demons, thus accrediting these disciples as His representatives. Following their Master’s instructions they went forth preaching that men should repent—that is, change their attitude toward God—and this of course involved a new attitude in regard to self and sin.

   It is of interest to note that they anointed with oil those who came for healing, as commanded in the Epistle of James. This is the only other instance where this particular method is mentioned in connection with physical healing. Oil is the accepted type of the Holy Spirit, and it seems more likely that the anointing was intended to indicate the gracious action of the Spirit of God in connection with healing in answer to the prayer of faith.