First Sunday after Christmas (CL)

Mark 6:1-6

He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. ² And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? ³ 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. ⁴ And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” ⁵ And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And he marveled because of their unbelief. 

And he went about among the villages teaching. 

Jesus returns home after some might think to be many years.  Jesus comes home on the Sabbath and he teaches in his home town synagogue.  Some have compared this to Pastors or seminarians who return home to preach for their old congregation.  But in our modern times there are seems to be a little more respect shared for those people.

In Jesus time and even in our time children and young people are still not thought to be as intelligent as the learned aged.  People who have spent years of study seem to be called experts over people with fresh eyes.

There is some truth to this theory.  Years of study make someone more familiar with the nuances of the subject.  The problem is that years of study can also mean over indoctrination into a certain point of view.  Jesus Christ on the other had has not been indoctrinated into a certain perspective because he is from of old and the time of Creation.

The world noticed that Jesus Christ was a young man, but he was before Abraham.  He was even there at the Creation.  This is the true Son of God, who has come into the world to save it from sin. He has redeemed his people from their sins.  This is the one who has come into the world and to his home town to heal them from their diseases and death.