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Mark 6:4

in Mark 6

Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

KJV

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.

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This verse in Mark 6

Commentary

10 notes on this verse

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Commentary on Mark · Written before 1107.

The Lord speaks generally about all prophets, that they receive no honor in their homelands, among their kinsmen and household members. Do they have distinguished kinsmen? In that case, those kinsmen envy them and therefore dishonor them. Are they of humble origin? Again, they are …

This site's exposition

is a prophet without honor

on Mark 6:4-6

He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them. Mark ties the limit to their unbelief, at which He was amazed.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church3 voices

A commentator

Bede

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 735.

proposed

(ubi sup.) For although human things are not to be compared with divine, still the type is complete, because the Father of Christ works by fire and spirit. It goes on, The brother of James, and Joses, of Jude, and, of Simon. And are not his sisters here with us? They bear witness that His brothers and sisters were with Him, who nevertheless are not to be taken for the sons of Joseph or of Mary, as heretics say, but rather, as is usual in Scripture, we must understand them to be His relations, as Abraham and Lot are called brothers, though Lot was brother's son to Abraham. And they were offended at him. The stumbling and the error of the Jews is our salvation, and the condemnation of heretics. For so much did they despise the Lord Jesus Christ, as to call Him a carpenter, and son of a carpenter. It goes on, And Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country. Even Moses bears witness that the Lord is called a Prophet in the Scripture, for predicting His future Incarnation to the sons of Israel, he says, A Prophet shall the Lord raise up unto you of your brethren. (Acts 7:37) But not only He Himself, Who is Lord of prophets, but also Elias, Jeremiah, and the remaining lesser prophets, were worse received in their own country than in strange cities, for it is almost natural for men to envy their fellow-townsmen; for they do not consider the present works of the man, but they remember the weakness of His infancy.

A commentator

Bede

On the Gospel of Mark · Written before 735.

proposed

And Jesus said to them, a prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and among his own relatives, and in his own house. It is testified in the Scriptures that the Lord Jesus Christ is called a prophet, and Moses, predicting His …

A commentator

Theophylact of Ohrid

Catena Aurea by Aquinas · Written before 1107.

proposed

Or again, if the prophet has noble relations, his countrymen hate them, and on that account do not honour the prophet.

The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices

But Jesus said unto them,.... The following proverb; a prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house; the same as in Mat 13:57; See Gill on Mat 13:

A commentator

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

proposed

He did some good among them, notwithstanding the slights they put upon him, for he is kind even to the evil and unthankful; He laid his hands upon a few sick folks, and healed them. Note, It is generous, and becoming the followers of Christ, to content themselves with the pleasure and satisfaction of doing good, though they be unjustly denied the praise of it.
3 more voices on this verse

The Nineteenth Century3 voices

This passage shows us our Lord Jesus Christ in "his hometown," at Nazareth. It is a melancholy illustration of the wickedness of man's heart, and deserves special attention. We see, in the first place, how apt men are to undervalue things with which they are familiar . The men of Nazareth "were offended" at our Lord. They could not think it possible that one who had lived so many years among themselves, and whose brethren and sisters they knew, could deserve to be followed as a public teacher. Never had any place on earth such privileges as Nazareth.
This passage shows us our Lord Jesus Christ in "his hometown," at Nazareth. It is a melancholy illustration of the wickedness of man's heart, and deserves special attention. We see, in the first place, how apt men are to undervalue things with which they are familiar . The men of Nazareth "were offended" at our Lord. They could not think it possible that one who had lived so many years among themselves, and whose brethren and sisters they knew, could deserve to be followed as a public teacher. Never had any place on earth such privileges as Nazareth. For thirty years the Son of God resided in this town, and went to and fro in its streets. For thirty years He walked with God before the eyes of its inhabitants, living a blameless, perfect life. But it was all lost upon them. They were not ready to believe the Gospel, when the Lord came among them and taught in their synagogue. They would not believe that one whose face they knew so well, and who had lived so long, eating, and drinking, and dressing like one of themselves, had any right to claim their attention. They were "offended at Him." There is nothing in all this that need surprise us. The same thing is going on around us every day, in our own land. The holy Scriptures, the preaching of the Gospel, the public ordinances of religion, the abundant means of grace that England enjoys, are continually undervalued by English people. They are so accustomed to them, that they do not know their privileges. It is a solemn truth, that in religion, more than in anything else, familiarity breeds contempt. There is comfort in this part of our Lord's experience, for some of the Lord's people. There is comfort for faithful ministers of the Gospel, who are cast down by the unbelief of their parishioners or regular hearers.

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

proposed

See this curious subject explained, Mat 13:55-58 (note).

The words behind it

26 Greek words

Every Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

5 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

John 4:44Now He Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.19 worksLuke 4:24Then He added, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.16 worksMatthew 13:57And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”12 worksJeremiah 12:6Even your brothers—your own father’s household—even they have betrayed you; even they have cried aloud against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.9 worksJeremiah 11:21Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life and saying, “You must not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand.”3 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Luke 4:24

    Then He added, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

    it leads to

    • Matthew 13:57

      And they took offense at Him. But Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • John 4:44

      Now He Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

    • Mark 6:4–5

      Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”

  • Through

    John 4:44

    Now He Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.

    it leads to

    • Luke 4:24

      Then He added, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in his hometown.

      Reached by 2 separate paths from here.

  • Through

    Jeremiah 12:6

    Even your brothers—your own father’s household—even they have betrayed you; even they have cried aloud against you. Do not trust them, though they speak well of you.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 26:25

      When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart.

    • Jeremiah 9:4

      “Let everyone guard against his neighbor; do not trust any brother, for every brother deals craftily, and every friend spreads slander.

    • Psalms 12:2

      They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.

    • Genesis 37:4–11

      When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him.

Where this verse is studied

About Mark

Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Public domain.
Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee, Rembrandt, 1633, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Public domain.
Mark: the study guide →Read Mark 6 →
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Gospels; Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; Bede, On the Gospel of Mark; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark and Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas.

Read on in Mark 6 →