Mark 6 reminds me of going home. No matter how accomplished an individual becomes, our family and neighbors forever remember us as the kid next door. In today’s chapter we see that Jesus constantly balancing His divinity and His humanity. The chapter begins with Jesus in his home town, teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath as usual. “Many who heard Him were amazed”, but others were not so impressed, “Isn’t this the carpenter?” They could not see past their memories. With a hint of innuendo, they named His mother, sisters and brothers, but no mention of His dad. It says “they took offense at Him”. Jesus summed up the experience, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town”. Some never grow out of adolescent insecurities. It says that Jesus Himself could not make them see their own need. “He was amazed at their lack of faith”. The first step of faith is to believe that God does not look at you with disappointment. He does not look at who you were, but who you will become.
The very next event describes Jesus sending out the twelve “two by two” to heal and preach. He said, “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts”. And He added, “If any place will not welcome you… leave that place and shake the dust off your feet”. Perhaps you have been a shaker, or maybe the shakee at some point? That was a moment in time. Fully embracing faith is not a once and done thing; very often it requires a series of events before we will welcome change. If life has become a bit dusty, maybe it is time for something new? At the same time, we learn that John the Baptist had been beheaded by King Herod. John’s crime was that he pointed out that Herod was sleeping with his sister-in-law. She demanded, “I want you to give me… the head of John the Baptist on a platter”. We often prefer to shoot the messenger rather than accept the message. There is no mention of a reaction from Jesus. We know He wept for Lazarus (John 11:35), but at least publically there was no time for Messiah to mourn.
After the apostles returned “and reported to Him all they had done and taught”. They attempted travel by boat to find a quiet place to rest, “But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them”. When they arrived, Jesus saw a large crowd waiting. It says “He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So He began teaching them many things”. Afterwards, His disciples came to Jesus and told Him that it was very late and they were in a remote place. They suggested He “Send the people away so that they can go… and buy themselves something to eat”. Listen to His reply, “You give them something to eat”. Remember they had just returned from a time of teaching and performing miracles. What had they learned? “That would take more than half a year’s wages!” The Teacher again taught, “How many loaves do you have? Go and see”. They reported back “Five—and two fish”. It was time for Jesus to demonstrate His Divinity. He began by adding order to chaos, “Have all the people sit down… in groups of hundreds and fifties”. Then, “Taking the five loaves and the two fish… He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to distribute to the people… They all ate and were satisfied”. And there was an abundance left over. The chapter ends with “the disciples straining at the oars” of their boat. “Shortly before dawn He went out to them, walking on the lake”. It says “they all saw Him and were terrified”. Jesus got into the boat, and told them, “Don’t be afraid”. “They were completely amazed, for they had not understood, about the loaves; their hearts were hardened”. Friend, is your heart hardened? Don’t kid yourself, all of us will go home one day. Please don’t go home alone.