Lent 1B (February 26, 2012) Mark 6:1-6a

         On the sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. 

          They said, “Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him?  

          What deeds of power are being 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.                                                                            Mark 6:2-3

I am 'off lectionary' for Lent, but using lectionary Markan texts that would either usually be used on a different Sunday in lent or are assigned to a Sunday in 'Ordinary Time' which will not be used this year because of the date of Easter. This is in order to 'Journey with Jesus' from the Galilee to Jerusalem, to the cross and  beyond.

These two verses occur when Jesus has returned yet again to his hometown of Nazareth. He has already been run out once for his teaching about the fulfillment of the Isaiah prophecy; now he goes back and again teaches in synagogue.

The astonishment occurs because at this time a carpenter, or  tekton, literally a worker of hard substances (wood and stone being the most common) were nomadic peasant workers who went wherever they could find a day or a week's work. They were about as highly thought of as ... shepherds. They weren't really trained or skilled artisans, just day laborers for the most part. 

Now I don't want to sound judgmental, but I do think most of you would have a hard time swallowing a detailed exegetical lesson about this passage from ... an itinerant crop worker. You know, someone from another place with no education who lives in a ratty old Pinto hatchback that has somehow managed to not fall apart from all the rust? OK, so YOU don't have to accept the lesson ... it's his or her HOMETOWN folk who do, and of course they know this person so of course .... they will be ROYALLY offended at the notion s/he has anything to teach ME about this or ANY passage! 

+how do we allow our 'knowledge' of Jesus to put limitations on what he can know, do, and/or teach us?  

+how has the established church, even when trying NOT to, managed to ignore the divinely bestowed gifts and insights of young or new folk because they are .... well .... youngER and newER?

Southern edge of Nazareth (where tradition holds that Jesus was chased to the cliff) 

Entrance to a cave home in Nazareth (wall niche to right is the oven!)

Stone from beside Nazareth home doorway with man ^ holding ^ world (Jerusalem) cross -- the oldest extant Jerusalem cross