Mark 6:2
in Mark 6When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles?
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, Whence hath this man these things? and, What is the wisdom that is given unto this man, and what mean such mighty works wrought by his hands?
KJV
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?
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This verse in Mark 6
Commentary
4 notes on this verseAnd 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: and then he began to teach in the synagogue; that is, at Nazareth; where he expounded the law and the prophets, and preached the Gospel: and many hearing him were astonished. The Vulgate Latin adds, "at his doctrine"; and so it is read in Beza's most ancient copy: saying, from whence hath this man these things?
This site's exposition
came into his own country
on Mark 6:1-2
Jesus returns to Nazareth with his disciples now following him as an established rabbi, and the synagogue crowd is astonished at wisdom and mighty works they cannot reconcile with the man they think they already know. Their question, from whence hath this man these things, is not disbelief in the works themselves but disbelief that this particular man could be their source. The bench reads the whole scene as familiarity breeding a peculiar kind of blindness, wonder curdling into offense within the space of two verses.
The record, by era
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Were astonished - επι τῃ διδαχῃ αυτου, at his doctrine, or teaching. This is added by the Codex Bezae and eight others, later Syriac, Armenian, Vulgate, and all the Itala.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
on Mark 6:1-6
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.
The words behind it
32 Greek wordsEvery 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.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| καὶ | kai | And | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| γενομένου | genomenou | when was becoming | G1096 → | 667 times |
| σαββάτου | sabbatou | [the] Sabbath | G4521 → | 68 times |
| ἤρξατο | erxato | He began | G757 → | 85 times |
| διδάσκειν | didaskein | to teach | G1321 → | 96 times |
| ἐν | en | in | G1722 → | 2738 times |
| τῇ | tea | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| συναγωγῇ· | sunagogea | synagogue; | G4864 → | 56 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| πολλοὶ | polloi | many | G4183 → | 367 times |
| ἀκούοντες | akouontes | hearing | G191 → | 425 times |
| ἐξεπλήσσοντο | exeplessonto | were astonished | G1605 → | 13 times |
| λέγοντες· | legontes | saying; | G3004 → | 1325 times |
| πόθεν | pothen | From where | G4159 → | 29 times |
| τούτῳ | touto | to this [man] | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| ταῦτα, | tauta | these things, | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| τίς | tis | what [is] | G5101 → | 563 times |
| ἡ | he | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| σοφία | sophia | wisdom | G4678 → | |
| ἡ | he | which | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δοθεῖσα | dotheisa | having been given | G1325 → | 412 times |
| τούτῳ | touto | to Him | G3778 → | 1381 times |
| καὶ | kai | even | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| αἱ | hai | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| δυνάμεις | dunameis | miracles | G1411 → | 119 times |
| τοιαῦται | toiautai | such | G5108 → | 56 times |
| διὰ | dia | through | G1223 → | 664 times |
| τῶν | ton | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| χειρῶν | cheiron | hands | G5495 → | 175 times |
| αὐτοῦ | autou | of Him | G846 → | 5565 times |
| γινόμεναι; | ginomenai | are done? | G1096 → | 667 times |
καὶAnd
kaiG2532 →9120 times
γενομένουwhen was becoming
genomenouG1096 →667 times
σαββάτου[the] Sabbath
sabbatouG4521 →68 times
ἤρξατοHe began
erxatoG757 →85 times
διδάσκεινto teach
didaskeinG1321 →96 times
ἐνin
enG1722 →2738 times
τῇthe
teaG3588 →19766 times
συναγωγῇ·synagogue;
sunagogeaG4864 →56 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
πολλοὶmany
polloiG4183 →367 times
ἀκούοντεςhearing
akouontesG191 →425 times
ἐξεπλήσσοντοwere astonished
exeplessontoG1605 →13 times
λέγοντες·saying;
legontesG3004 →1325 times
πόθενFrom where
pothenG4159 →29 times
τούτῳto this [man]
toutoG3778 →1381 times
ταῦτα,these things,
tautaG3778 →1381 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
τίςwhat [is]
tisG5101 →563 times
ἡthe
heG3588 →19766 times
σοφίαwisdom
sophiaG4678 →
ἡwhich
heG3588 →19766 times
δοθεῖσαhaving been given
dotheisaG1325 →412 times
τούτῳto Him
toutoG3778 →1381 times
καὶeven
kaiG2532 →9120 times
αἱthe
haiG3588 →19766 times
δυνάμειςmiracles
dunameisG1411 →119 times
τοιαῦταιsuch
toiautaiG5108 →56 times
διὰthrough
diaG1223 →664 times
τῶνthe
tonG3588 →19766 times
χειρῶνhands
cheironG5495 →175 times
αὐτοῦof Him
autouG846 →5565 times
γινόμεναι;are done?
ginomenaiG1096 →667 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach 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
Matthew 4:23Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people.
it leads to
- Matthew 9:35
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness.
- Mark 1:39
So He went throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
- Luke 7:22
So He replied, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and…
- Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, and how Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, because God was with Him.
- Matthew 11:5
The blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor.
- Matthew 9:35
Through
John 7:15The Jews were amazed and asked, “How did this man attain such learning without having studied?”
it leads to
- Luke 4:22
All spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that came from His lips. “Isn’t this the son of Joseph?” they asked.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Luke 4:22
Through
John 6:42They were asking, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How then can He say, ‘I have come down from heaven?’”
it leads to
- Matthew 13:55–56
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t His mother’s name Mary, and aren’t His brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
- Mark 6:3
Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.
- Matthew 13:55–56
Where this verse is studied
About Mark

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; J. C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 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) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
