Jesus Rejected in His Hometown
Mark 6:1-6
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Mark.6.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- Και: CONJ
- εξηλθεν: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
- εκειθεν: ADV
- και: CONJ
- ερχεται: VERB,pres,mid,ind,3,sg
- εις: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- πατριδα: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ακολουθουσιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- μαθηται: NOUN,nom,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 13:53-58 (structural): Direct parallel pericope: Jesus returns to his hometown, teaches, and is met with unbelief and offense—corresponds to Mark's account of coming to his own country.
- Matthew 13:54 (verbal): Closely parallels Mark 6:1 in wording and theme (Jesus coming to his own town); both report the hometown visit and the skeptical reception.
- Luke 4:16-30 (thematic): Earlier Nazareth episode where Jesus reads in the synagogue and is rejected by his townspeople—shares the theme of a prophet unrecognized in his hometown.
- Matthew 4:18-22 (thematic): Earliest synoptic account of disciples 'following' Jesus; parallels Mark 6:1's brief note that his disciples accompany him (the motif of discipleship and following).
Alternative generated candidates
- And he went away from there and came into his own country; and his disciples followed him.
- And Jesus went out from there, and came into his own country; and his disciples followed him.
Mark.6.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- γενομενου: VERB,aor,pass,part,gen,sg,m
- σαββατου: NOUN,gen,sg,n
- ηρξατο: VERB,aor,mid,ind,3,sg
- διδασκειν: VERB,pres,act,inf
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- συναγωγη·και: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- οι: ART,nom,pl,m
- πολλοι: ADJ,nom,pl,m
- ακουοντες: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- εξεπλησσοντο: VERB,impf,mid/pass,ind,3,pl
- λεγοντες·Ποθεν: VERB,pres,act,part,nom,pl,m
- τουτω: DEM,dat,sg,m
- ταυτα: PRON,acc,pl,n
- και: CONJ
- τις: PRON,nom,sg,?
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- σοφια: NOUN,nom,sg,f
- η: ART,nom,sg,f
- δοθεισα: VERB,aor,pass,part,nom,sg,f
- τουτω: DEM,dat,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- αι: ART,nom,pl,f
- δυναμεις: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- τοιαυται: ADJ,nom,pl,f
- δια: PREP
- των: ART,gen,pl,m
- χειρων: NOUN,gen,pl,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- γινομεναι: VERB,pres,mid/pass,part,nom,pl,f
Parallels
- Matthew 13:54-58 (structural): Parallel pericope of Jesus teaching in his hometown—crowd astonished and questioning his wisdom and origin; Matthew explicitly records the same amazement and adds that Jesus did not many miracles there because of their unbelief.
- John 7:15 (verbal): Crowd expresses wonder at Jesus' learning—'How does this man know letters, having never learned?'—a verbal parallel to Mark's astonishment at the source of Jesus' wisdom.
- Luke 4:22, 28-30 (thematic): Luke's Nazareth episode: initial positive reaction and amazement at Jesus' words followed by offense and attempted violence—thematically related to the hometown astonishment and subsequent rejection in Mark.
- John 4:44 (thematic): Jesus' proverb that 'a prophet is not without honor except in his own country' explains the broader theme behind the townspeople's surprise and incredulity about his wisdom and powers.
Alternative generated candidates
- And when the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue; and many hearing him were astonished, saying, 'Where did this man get these things? What is this wisdom given to him, and such mighty works performed by his hands?'
- And when the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, Where does this man get these things? and what wisdom is given to him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
Mark.6.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ουχ: PART,neg
- ουτος: PRON,nom,sg,m
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- τεκτων: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- υιος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- της: ART,gen,sg,f
- Μαριας: NOUN,gen,sg,f
- και: CONJ
- αδελφος: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- Ιακωβου: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Ιωσητος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Ιουδα: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- Σιμωνος: NOUN,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εισιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,pl
- αι: ART,nom,pl,f
- αδελφαι: NOUN,nom,pl,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- ωδε: ADV
- προς: PREP
- ημας: PRON,acc,pl,1
- και: CONJ
- εσκανδαλιζοντο: VERB,impf,mp,ind,3,pl
- εν: PREP
- αυτω: PRON,dat,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 13:55-56 (verbal): Near-verbatim parallel: lists Jesus as the son of Mary/the carpenter's son and names brothers (James, Joseph/Joses, Simon, Judas) and sisters, with the same astonished/offended reaction.
- John 6:42 (thematic): Crowd asks 'Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph?'—a similar challenge to Jesus' origin and social status and an expression of familiarity that fuels disbelief, paralleling Mark's question and scandalized response.
- Luke 4:22 (thematic): In Nazareth people say 'Is not this Joseph's son?'—a comparable local skepticism about Jesus' identity and authority based on his family background, echoing Mark 6:3's tone.
- Mark 3:31-35 (structural): Earlier Mark passage highlighting Jesus' mother and brothers and redefining kinship (those who do God's will), showing Mark's interest in family references and the social dynamics surrounding Jesus' relatives.
- Galatians 1:19 (allusion): Paul refers to 'James, the Lord's brother,' corroborating the existence/identification of Jesus' brother James mentioned in Mark 6:3 and reflecting early Christian tradition about Jesus' family.
Alternative generated candidates
- Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us? And they took offense at him.
- Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
Mark.6.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ελεγεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- αυτοις: PRO,dat,pl,3
- ο: ART,nom,sg,m
- Ιησους: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- οτι: CONJ
- Ουκ: PART,neg
- εστιν: VERB,pres,act,ind,3,sg
- προφητης: NOUN,nom,sg,m
- ατιμος: ADJ,nom,sg,m
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- μη: PART
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- πατριδι: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τοις: ART,dat,pl,n
- συγγενευσιν: NOUN,dat,pl,m
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
- και: CONJ
- εν: PREP
- τη: ART,dat,sg,f
- οικια: NOUN,dat,sg,f
- αυτου: PRON,gen,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 13:57 (verbal): Matthew records the same saying: 'A prophet is not without honor except in his own country and in his own house,' closely matching Mark's wording and point about lack of esteem at home.
- Luke 4:24 (verbal): Luke preserves the proverb in Jesus' teaching: 'No prophet is accepted in his hometown,' echoing the Markan saying about a prophet's lack of honor among his own.
- John 4:44 (allusion): John explicitly notes that Jesus testified 'a prophet has no honor in his own country,' referring back to the same proverbial judgment about a prophet's reception at home.
- Mark 6:1-6 (structural): The surrounding Markan narrative (Jesus rejected at Nazareth; inability to perform many miracles) provides the situational context for v.4, showing the proverb's application to the townspeople's unbelief.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.'
- And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.
Mark.6.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- ουκ: PART,neg
- εδυνατο: VERB,impf,mid,ind,3,sg
- εκει: ADV
- ποιησαι: VERB,aor,act,inf
- ουδεμιαν: ADJ,f,acc,sg
- δυναμιν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- ει: VERB,pres,act,ind,2,sg
- μη: PART
- ολιγοις: ADJ,m,dat,pl
- αρρωστοις: ADJ,m,dat,pl
- επιθεις: VERB,aor,act,part,nom,m,sg
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- χειρας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- εθεραπευσεν·: VERB,aor,act,ind,3,sg
Parallels
- Matthew 13:58 (verbal): Parallel report of the Nazareth episode: Jesus 'did not many mighty works there' because of their unbelief—direct synoptic parallel to Mark's statement about inability to do mighty works (Matthew omits the exception about healing a few).
- Mark 6:1-6 (structural): Immediate Markan context (including 6:4 and 6:6): 'A prophet is not without honor…' and Jesus' amazement at their unbelief explain the limited effectiveness of his ministry in his hometown; 6:5–6 follows directly.
- Luke 4:16-30 (thematic): Luke's Nazareth rejection narrative emphasizes the hometown's unbelief and the proverb about prophets and their own people—a thematic parallel explaining why Jesus' works were limited there.
- John 4:44 (allusion): John's remark 'For Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country' alludes to the same proverb cited in Mark 6:4 and helps interpret the lack of notable miracles in Nazareth.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them.
- And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them.
Mark.6.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- και: CONJ
- εθαυμαζεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- δια: PREP
- την: ART,acc,sg,f
- απιστιαν: NOUN,acc,sg,f
- αυτων: PRON,gen,pl,m
- Και: CONJ
- περιηγεν: VERB,impf,act,ind,3,sg
- τας: ART,acc,pl,f
- κωμας: NOUN,acc,pl,f
- κυκλω: NOUN,dat,sg,m
- διδασκων: VERB,pres,act,ptc,nom,sg,m
Parallels
- Matthew 13:58 (verbal): Matthew uses nearly identical language: Jesus did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief — directly parallels Mark’s remark that he marveled at their unbelief and its effect on his work.
- Matthew 13:57 (structural): The saying that a prophet is not honored in his own country (cf. Mark 6:4) frames the same context of hometown rejection that leads Jesus to go about teaching other villages.
- Luke 4:24 (thematic): Luke’s prophetic saying in the Nazareth rejection sequence — no prophet is accepted in his own country — parallels the theme of unbelief and local rejection driving Jesus’ ministry outward.
- John 2:23-25 (thematic): John notes that many believed because of signs but Jesus did not entrust himself to them because he knew human hearts — echoes Mark’s concern with the genuine unbelief that frustrates Jesus’ ministry.
- Mark 9:19 (thematic): Jesus’ rebuke of a ‘faithless generation’ (addressing lack of faith among those around him) resonates with Mark 6:6’s focus on unbelief as a barrier to Jesus’ works and teaching.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he marveled because of their unbelief; and he went about among the villages teaching.
- And he marveled at their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
And he went out from there and came into his own country; and his disciples followed him. And when the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue; and many who heard him were astonished, saying, 'Where did this man get these things? And what is the wisdom given to him, that such mighty works are done by his hands?'
'Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?' And they took offense at him. And Jesus said to them, 'A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house.' And he could there do no mighty work, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marveled at their unbelief; and he went about among the villages, teaching.