Hometown Prophet Mark 6:1-4

 6 Jesus left there and went to his hometown, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.
“Where did this man get these things?” they asked. “What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph,[a] Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him.
4 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.” 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

For the community who assembled the Gospel of Mark, this story seems to touch a question I can imagine they would be often be asked by those who followed more mainstream Judaism in  whatever part of the diaspora they would have lived.  "Why have we not heard of this Jesus that you follow?"  This would be a legitimate question as the historical records of the time although they reference John the Baptist, hold not a single reference to Yeshua Ha Nozri, Jesus of Nazareth, other than the Gospels.  He just wasn't that well known or consequential a figure. 

It also addresses an issue around the authority of Jesus' teaching in that community.  The stories in the Gospel of Mark have to this point based the authority and legitimacy of the teachings of this un-ordained Rabbi on him being a Chasidium, a Rabbi who can dispense the mercy of God in terms of miracles.  The more dramatic Jesus' ability to call on God's power, the more credible his teaching.  The people in Jesus' hometown in the story express how they know his origins, his family, and trade.  They know he doesn't have the background, credentials and pedigree to be able to give his own teaching.  Everything depends on the validating miracles, and that is seen as limited here.

I can imagine sceptics asking this Jesus assembly sect why they can't perform similar miracles to validate the truth of their claims about Jesus' teachings.  Here's where the catch 22 introduced in this story comes in.  Jesus' miracle power is limited by the people's lack of honour and faith in him.  So, you can only get the miracles that would validate having faith if you already have that faith without validation in the first place.

So, what would "faith" that would merit the bestowing of God's miracle working mercy mean to this community?  And how metaphorically was this community speaking in terms of the mercies of God dispensed through the miracles of Jesus?  If we look at the last group of miracles in the Gospel, the calming of the storm can be interpreted as the teachings of Jesus bring order out of chaos, the exorcism of the legion as his teaching removing that which would make them unclean without priestly ritual, likewise the woman with the flow of blood, and the raising of Jairus' daughter could be seen as the new life and wholeness brought by his teaching.  So, then, what is the "faith" required to access the benefits of Jesus' teachings?  

The Greek word translated here as "lack of faith" is ἀπιστία or apistia meaning disbelief or unfaithfulness.  Although disbelief in Jesus' authority as a teacher and ability as a miracle worker would seem to be the obvious use, I think that the interpretation of the word as "faithlessness" in terms of being disloyal, or breaching a promise, might shed some light.  The story has Jesus identify himself as a prophet, "a prophet is not without honour...".  Several Old Testament prophets, most notably Hosea, Jeremiah, Amos, and Elijah, preached against Israel’s unfaithfulness, characterizing it as spiritual adultery, idolatry, and covenant violation. They warned of divine judgment and impending exile, while often calling for repentance and highlighting God's enduring love despite the nation's betrayal.  

I am going to posit that the authors of Mark are suggesting that those who are faithful in heart to their relationship with God are able to "hear" Jesus' teachings as truth and access the benefits.  The Gospel talks about this earlier when Jesus tells his disciples that "the secret of the kingdom of God" is given to them, while those "outside" hear everything in parables, seeing but not perceiving.  The Gospel also talks about the need for spiritual ears. Jesus frequently in this Gospel states that, "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear".  So, looked at this way, the people of Nazareth did not have the faithfulness of heart to look past the familiar and recognize the spiritual authority of Jesus' "amazing" teachings and would not have received the benefits. 

A Girl Restored to Life Mark 5:21-43

 

21 When Jesus had crossed again in the boat to the other side, a great crowd gathered around him, and he was by the sea. 22 Then one of the leaders of the synagogue, named Jairus, came and, when he saw him, fell at his feet 23 and pleaded with him repeatedly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her, so that she may be made well and live.” 24 So he went with him.

And a large crowd followed him and pressed in on him. 25 Now there was a woman who had been suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years. 26 She had endured much under many physicians and had spent all that she had, and she was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28 for she said, “If I but touch his cloak, I will be made well.” 29 Immediately her flow of blood stopped, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 Immediately aware that power had gone forth from him, Jesus turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my cloak?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing in on you; how can you say, ‘Who touched me?’ ” 32 He looked all around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling, fell down before him, and told him the whole truth. 34 He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”

35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing[g] what they said, Jesus said to the synagogue leader, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the synagogue leader’s house, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” 42 And immediately the girl stood up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this and told them to give her something to eat.

In this passage we have a third and fourth miracle after the preceding section of Jesus' teachings that would have attested to their authority and legitimacy. The miracle of healing the woman suffering from a flow of blood, like the exorcism of legion, symbolically shows Jesus (and his Way) as doing away with impurity, making the unclean clean, and eliminating barriers to God and the community without the need for Temple rituals.  This would be an important theme for Jewish followers in this community living in the diaspora after the destruction of the Temple.

Under Second Temple Judaism, menstruating women (niddah) were seen as a source of ritual impurity (tum'ah) that could be transferred through physical contact with people, clothing, or even furniture.  As such a woman who was "suffering from a flow of blood" would be subject to social distancing and strict prohibitions such as being restricted from approaching the Temple.  For the woman to touch Jesus' cloak would have transferred ritual impurity to him.  However, like touching a leper to heal him earlier, the story shows Jesus unconcerned with ritual impurity.  In both cases, Jesus shows ritual impurity to be no barrier to God's mercy and shows his care for those ostracized and marginalized by the community, and brings them both back into full membership of the community.  Looked at symbolically, the Way of Jesus has concern for the marginalized and makes them equal parts of the community.

Another element to this story is the generation of life.  As long as this woman was menstruating she was prohibited from sexual intercourse and would have been unable to conceive a child.  Symbolically then Jesus' Way removes barriers to new life.

Next in the story we have the resurrection of Jairus' daughter.  This story is quite similar to one attributed to Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa, a Galilean holy man active in the mid-late first century.  Several Talmudic traditions describe Hannina as being summoned when a child is gravely ill, near the point of death rather than dead like in the story about Jesus.  Like the story here, there is a desperate family, an authoritative holy man, a confident declaration before physical evidence, and the instant reversal of a death like state.  Some scholars note that traditions such as this show that miracle-working holy men were an accepted category within first-century Judaism.  As mentioned in an earlier post, Apollonius of Tyana, a first‑century Greek philosopher and holy man, was explicitly reported in an ancient source to have brought a young person back from death.  So, the literary tradition of holy men bringing children back to life was also established in the wider Hellenistic world.  That given, I think that instead of looking at this story as factual we need to see the writer as having cast Jesus within a known literary genre in order to say something about Jesus and his Way, that Jesus has the same authority and legitimacy as these other known holy men.

This story also echoes stories of Elijah and Elisha.  Elijah revies the son of the widow of Zarephath in 1 Kings 17, and Elisha revives the son of the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4.  The writer may well have been alluding that Jesus is a prophet like Elijah and Elisha and has similar legitimacy and message from God.  This fits well with the writer having Jesus primarily refer to himself as the "Son of Man" which is the name God uses for the prophet Ezekiel.

Getting back to the reference to the prophet Elijah, he was a confrontational prophet whose life itself was his message.  His core message was around Israel's covenant with Yahweh being an exclusive allegiance and that Israel's worship of Baal was a breach of covenant for which he announced a drought as judgement.  Jesus, is cast as a new Elijah, who like him confronts the nation for it's failure to meet the spirit of the covenant.  

Elisha, on the other hand, emphasized Yahweh as the power that brings healing and restores what is broken where his power brings life, abundance, and renewal.  The writer may well have been alluding that the Way of Jesus similarly brings these things.

What is the teaching or 'Way' that the text has been working so hard to say makes Jesus like the prophets and holy men and that is legitimized by God doing the greatest of miracles through him?  As we've seen in earlier chapters it centers around accounts of Jesus ignoring social barriers and purity standards to bring all, including the most marginalized, into community, where those who were ostracized due to physical deformity or illness or failure to follow religious/social law and custom (tax collectors and sinners) have their barriers to inclusion removed.  It also involves making the circle of tribe ever larger, bigger than family, where "Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother".   This is the Way the writer has Jesus epitomize after announcing the kingdom of God has come near and calls for the people to repent, to change direction.  This is the new direction.  This is the "good news", that everyone is included.

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