14th Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

He was amazed at their lack of faith. (Mk 6:1-6)

Jesus departed from there and came to his native place.

Nazareth. Hence, Jesus of Nazareth (although a variation is Jesus the Nazorean).

When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue.

It was the habit of Jesus to teach in the synagogue on the Sabbath. He was, therefore, addressed as teacher or rabbi.

They said, “Where did this man get all this? " And they took offense at him.

An alternative translation would be: And they found him too much for them.

His countrymen could not accept that a mere carpenter could become a rabbi. Their prejudice blinded them to the possibility that he could be more than a carpenter. This reminded me of a parent who came to the office of the school director. His son had a case and the principal had decided on it already. The parent came to appeal. During the conversation the parent blurted out: "He was just a canteen helper." He was referring to the princpal who started out as a canteen helper but who by diligence and hardwork, rose through the ranks to become a principal. The prejudice and snobbishness of that parent.

So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith.

God can not give us what the goodness of his heart wants to bestow on us if we do not put our faith in him.

Jesus was amazed perhaps he was expecting his countrymen to find it easier to accept him as more than a carpenter. Or Jesus was comparing how his countrymen received him with the acceptance of people from other places. He found more faith in the other towns than in his own.

Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary?

A man is usually introduced as the son of his father. Jesus would have been known as the son of Joseph. Some commentators is of the opinion that Jesus was called son of Mary because at this time Joseph must already be dead.

And the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”

This verse has often been cited to prove that Mary did not remain a virgin because Jesus had other brothers and sisters. First, we must note that in the Jewish culture, brother and sister was used not only of blood brothers and sisters but also of relatives. Second, that James, Joses, Judas and Simon and sisters were possibly the relatives of Jesus can be seen from this verse: "Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome (Mk 15:40). Mary the mother of James and Joses is not Mary the mother of Jesus.