And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
All Commentaries on Mark 6:6 Go To Mark 6
Theophylact of Ochrid
AD 1107
After the miracles which have been related, the Lord returns into His own country, not that He was ignorant that they would despise Him, but that they might have no reason to say, If Thouhadst come, we had believed Thee.Wherefore it is said, “And He went out from thence, and came into His own country. "It goes on: “And when the sabbath day was come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and many hearing Him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands? "By wisdom is meant His doctrine, by powers, the cures and miracles which He did. It goes on: Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?”.
Or again, if the prophet has noble relations, his countrymen hate them, and on that account do not honour the prophet. There follows, “And He could there do no mighty work” What, however, is here expressed by He could not, we must take to mean, He did not choose, because it was not that He was weak, but that they were faithless; He does not therefore work any miracles there, for He spared them, lest they should be worthy of greater blame, if they believed not, even with miracles before their eyes. Or else, for the working of miracles, not only the power of the Worker is necessary, but the faith of the recipient, which was wanting in this case: therefore Jesus did not choose to work any signs there. There follows: “And He marvelled at their unbelief.”
