Something to Think About
Here's something for you to think about this week. Read the following passage carefully:
And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 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? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house. And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. - Mark 6:1-6
Did you notice anything strange in that passage? The people doubted, but that's nothing new. Jesus healed the sick. Nothing strange about that, but look at the next phrase. And he marvelled because of their unbelief.
The definition of "marvel" is "to become filled with wonder or astonishment; to feel amazement or bewilderment." How could Jesus marvel? He knows all things. How could He be surprised at this turn of events. He knew the people wouldn't believe Him. He knew He would become a sacrifice to appease their blood lust. How could He have been amazed or bewildered? Jesus is God, and NOTHING surprises Him.
I came across that verse in my Bible reading last week, and to be honest, it stumped me. I would love to hear if anyone has any thoughts concerning this passage of Scripture. The Bible is right and true. I know this is not a contradiction. I'm just curious if anyone has any idea what they think the Bible might be telling us here. Feel free to comment on this post if you have any ideas of suggestions.
It's not enough to just read the Bible. We need to meditate on it. We need to understand it. We need to memorize it. We need to cherish it. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this topic.