“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?”
Mark 6:2-3, NIV
Jesus simply amazed people.
We read that when He is brought to the front of the synagogue, He begins to speak. His listeners are driven to silence and an awareness of something else. They attempt to try to decipher these things. It seems they cannot make the connection between the Holy Spirit and their traditions. But as they closely listened their hair must have stood up. What is going on? Something isn’t quite right. Too many things are being threatened. Some doubted Him.
But they remain astonished and attracted. But those eyes are on us.
And yet the situation is getting out of control. This young man is one of their own. They don’t expect this type of intensity from Him. He says things that very closely approaches a definition of blasphemy. Who is this man, and why is He speaking to us in such a manner or attitude?
And on top of all these pronouncements, He begins to perform miracles!
He does what no one can do, or has done before. And He does it so easy– no theatrics or gyrations. There is no effort, no work and no sweat. Those who observe Him, are brought into even more astonishment. Jesus is doing things that are unreasonable, and amazing. I can just imagine their thinking. Who is this guy speaking to and why was He invited in the first place? Has He been brought here to mock and shame us?
And then there are those pesky miracles. Our tendency is to see miracles as some rare and fantastic interventions in our lives, outrageous, but when in fact they’re better understood as revelations of the nature of a Covenant keeping God. They are just second nature to Jesus.
Jesus simply reveals the heart of the Father toward us.
He is the son of God. And at this particular junction, no one can compare. As He stands behind that pulpit, He reveals an incredible intimacy with the Holy Spirit. It’s then Jesus speaks God’s words to us.
“Jesus is God spelling Himself out in language that men can understand.”
S.D. Gordon
Jesus clearly stands as the ultimate deliverer of the human race. We will find no hope by looking somewhere else. He has established Himself as the only way to the Father. His eyes are on our hearts, and He sees us so clearly. We may twist, and we may squirm, but I understand.
But Jesus declares that He is the only way to be saved from our sin.
“Jesus Christ is to me the outstanding personality of all time, all history, both as Son of God and as Son of Man. Everything he ever said or did has value for us today and that is something you can say of no other man, dead or alive. There is no easy middle ground to stroll upon.”
“You either accept Jesus or reject him.”
Sholem Asch
Broken Believers 