What's striking here is the dual nature of their astonishment: they marvel at Jesus' wisdom in teaching but then question the source of that wisdom and the "mighty works" connected to it. Their amazement isn't immediate faith; it's a bewildered recognition of divine power and wisdom that they can't reconcile with the familiar carpenter's son they thought they knew.
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? 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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, a place filled with people who have known him since childhood. On the Sabbath, he steps into the local synagogue to teach, and the familiar faces there are absolutely stunned by his wisdom and authority. Their amazement quickly turns to a questioning of his identity and the source of his miraculous abilities, stemming from their deep-seated familiarity with him as just a local carpenter.
Jesus steps into the synagogue, and His teaching and miracles leave people stunned. They can't figure out where this all comes from. Have you ever encountered something so extraordinary you couldn't explain it?
The people in Nazareth are utterly baffled by Jesus. They ask, 'Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him?' (Mark 6:2). They're wrestling with the source of His incredible insight and the powerful works He performs.
The Unseen Source
These questions highlight a fundamental truth: Jesus' wisdom and power weren't ordinary. They weren't learned from human teachers or developed through personal effort alone. The text implies His abilities are a divine 'giving.' He's operating on a different level, performing 'mighty works' (δυνάμεις - dunamis) that reveal God's power at work in the world. The people are amazed because what they're seeing and hearing transcends their everyday experience. They know Jesus’ background – He grew up among them, working as a carpenter. His current display of divine wisdom and power is therefore astonishingly out of place from their limited perspective.
A Glimpse of God's Kingdom
These 'mighty works' or 'powers' are not just random displays of force. They are tangible manifestations of God's kingdom breaking into the ordinary. They are 'powers of the world to come' impacting the here and now. The people's astonishment is a reaction to this divine incursion, a momentary recognition that something extraordinary is happening.
They know Jesus. They know His family. Yet, this familiarity doesn't draw them closer to Him; it pushes them away. Why does knowing someone well sometimes make it harder to see God in them?
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The people of Nazareth knew Jesus intimately. He wasn't a mysterious figure from a distant land; He was 'the carpenter's son,' their neighbor. This deep familiarity, however, bred not respect, but offense.
The Obstacle of the Ordinary
They can't reconcile the Jesus they grew up with – the one whose hands were used to carpentry – with the authoritative teacher and miracle-worker standing before them. Calvin notes their tendency to focus on His human origins: 'they intentionally turn away their eyes from this sight, to behold Joseph, and Mary, and all his relatives; thus interposing a veil to shut out the clearest light.' They use His known background as a reason to doubt the divine source of His abilities. Instead of seeing God's power manifesting in their midst, they see only a man they thought they understood.
The Danger of Dismissal
This creates a dangerous cycle. Because they dismiss the source of His wisdom and power as potentially divine, they become hardened in their unbelief. As Mark 6:3 states, 'they took offense at him.' This isn't just mild surprise; it's a stumbling block. Jesus Himself later remarks, 'A prophet is without honor except in his own hometown' (Mark 6:4). Their preconceived notions and familiarity prevented them from truly recognizing and receiving Him.
Understand the original words
shabbath · Hebrew Noun
The weekly day of rest and worship commanded by God in the Mosaic Law, commemorating God's creation and the deliverance of Israel from Egypt. In the New Testament, it serves as a context for Jesus' teaching and demonstrations of His authority as Lord of the Sabbath.
sophia · Greek Noun
The Greek word denotes an intellectual and spiritual capacity for divine understanding, insight, and the ability to apply truth to life in a way that aligns with God's will. In the context of Jesus, it refers to the profound and authoritative revelation of God's kingdom.
dynamis · Greek Noun
In the Gospels, this refers to supernatural manifestations of divine power (often translated 'miracles') that serve as signs of the breaking in of the Kingdom of God and the authentication of the messenger.
tekton · Greek Noun
Refers to a skilled worker in wood, stone, or metal. Culturally, it implies manual labor, placing Jesus in the common class of society and highlighting the mystery of His divine authority coming from a humble earthly background.
skandalizō · Greek Verb
A stumbling block or a cause for indignation; it describes a reaction of disbelief and rejection that prevents someone from accepting the truth or the person presenting it.
The astonishment of the Nazareth crowd highlights a deep tension: Jesus' familiar human background clashed with the divine wisdom and power He displayed, leading them to question His source rather than recognize His divine identity.
c. 4 BC - 1 AD
Jesus' Childhood and Youth
Jesus grew up in Nazareth, a small village in Galilee, likely learning the trade of a carpenter from Joseph. During these formative years, he was known to his community as an ordinary local resident.
c. AD 27-28
John the Baptist's Ministry
John the Baptist begins his public ministry, calling people to repentance and baptizing them. This event signals the beginning of the public phase of Jesus' ministry.
c. AD 28
Jesus' Baptism and Temptation
Jesus is baptized by John in the Jordan River, followed by His temptation in the wilderness. This marks the official start of His public ministry.
c. AD 28
Jesus Begins Public Ministry in Galilee
Jesus begins teaching, preaching, and performing miracles throughout Galilee, gaining a growing reputation.
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus Returns to Nazareth
Jesus visits His hometown of Nazareth, where He enters the local synagogue on the Sabbath to teach and demonstrate His authority and wisdom.
c. AD 28
Rejection in Nazareth
The people of Nazareth, familiar with Jesus' humble upbringing, are astonished by His teaching and miracles but ultimately reject Him due to their preconceived notions and lack of faith.
The astonishment of the crowds in Mark 6:2 mirrors the confusion of the Jewish authorities in John 7:15, who recognized Jesus's deep understanding of Scripture without formal training.
Matthew 13:54-57This passage provides the parallel account from Matthew, highlighting the Nazarenes' offense at Jesus's familiarity and humble origins, which blinded them to his divine wisdom and power.
Isaiah 11:2The 'wisdom given to him' that astounds the listeners in Mark 6:2 finds its prophetic source in Isaiah 11:2, which foretells the Spirit of wisdom resting upon the Messiah.
John 10:24-25Jesus's own response to a similar questioning of his identity and works in John 10:24-25 shows the ongoing tension between those who demanded proof and those who refused to believe despite the evidence presented.
pooleMark 6:2: "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?"
See Poole on "Mark 6:1"
gillMark 6:2: "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?"
And when the sabbath day was come,.... For it seems that it was on a weekday, or on one of the common days of the week, that he entered into the city, where he remained without making himself known, till the sabbath day came: a…
What's striking here is the dual nature of their astonishment: they marvel at Jesus' wisdom in teaching but then question the source of that wisdom and the "mighty works" connected to it. Their amazement isn't immediate faith; it's a bewildered recognition of divine power and wisdom that they can't reconcile with the familiar carpenter's son they thought they knew.
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, a place filled with people who have known him since childhood. On the Sabbath, he steps into the local synagogue to teach, and the familiar faces there are absolutely stunned by his wisdom and authority. Their amazement quickly turns to a questioning of his identity and the source of his miraculous abilities, stemming from their deep-seated familiarity with him as just a local carpenter.
Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth, a place filled with people who have known him since childhood. On the Sabbath, he steps into the local synagogue to teach, and the familiar faces there are absolutely stunned by his wisdom and authority. Their amazement quickly turns to a questioning of his identity and the source of his miraculous abilities, stemming from their deep-seated familiarity with him as just a local carpenter.
"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? Is not this the carp…" — What's striking here is the dual nature of their astonishment: they marvel at Jesus' wisdom in teaching but then question the source of that wisdom and the "mighty works" connected to it. Their amaze…
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Last reviewed October 2026
