Astonished and Amazed

~~~ Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15 ~~~ Psalm 103 ~~~ Mark 6:1-6 ~~~

Jesus returned home and began to teach in the synagogue.

The community who regularly came

 to worship there probably had no idea 

Jesus would be teaching that day.

There was no public announcement about his visit. 

He proceeded to the front where he began

 to deliver his teaching.

 ...many who heard him were astonished. 

Astonish means to surprise someone very much.

If you are astonished your eyes may be wide opened

and your jaw dropped down.

Astonished is more than just being surprised.

You are completely caught off guard.

Often you are speechless.

In this case the crowd began to murmur among themselves.

...Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary...

A carpenter's son would not have the knowledge

 or wisdom to speak in such a manner or with such conviction.

They had many reasons to be astonished.

In the end Jesus had much the same reaction to them.

He expected more from them

after all they were sitting in the synagogue.

They were keeping the laws.

They were active participants in their church.

He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Jesus was amazed because there he was standing before them

speaking words that obviously touched them;

yet they were questioning and doubting.

They were not trusting 

what they were seeing or hearing.

How many times do we find ourselves in similar situations?

God speaks to us but we make excuses...

we try not to believe.

We seclude our faith in a corner 

of our mind and heart.

It is God who wants to astound and amaze us.

Will you let him?

Blessed...Astounded...Amazed.

~~~Peace~~~

The Word Speaks of Itself

 

~~~  Hebrews 2:5-12 ~~~ Psalm 8 ~~~ Mark 1:21-28 ~~~

 

The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

 

 

From the first time Jesus taught in the synagogue at age twelve

those listening to him were amazed and astonished.

for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

 

A scribe is a person who writes books or documents by hand.

They might also be called to copy the sacred texts.

By the very nature of their profession they were educated...

they could read and write.

In Ancient Israel the scribes would have been

the ones creating copies of the Torah.

 

There were very strict guidelines for the scribe to follow for creating

a copy of the sacred writings.

In addition to counting the exact number of lines and writing in black ink

they were also to speak each aloud as they were writing.

In other words they would have been very familiar with the

sacred texts by the time the copy was completed.

 

It would have been the scribes who taught the people to read the Bible.

The scribes were the teachers of the synagogue...

the "rabbi".

The scribes were respected because they were the keepers of the words of God.

 

Now we see Jesus teaching in the synagogue as one having authority...

as one who knew the text he was teaching.

 

The scribes knew the mechanics of the words.

They knew how to write the letters to make the words.

They knew how to speak the words.

But they did not have the spirit and meaning of the words like Jesus.

 

The scribes could copy the words exactly,

but Jesus could make the words come to life.

He was after all "the Word" made flesh.

 

 

Jesus was teaching from the heart.

The scribes were following procedures...

originating from the head.

 

When Jesus taught it way more than mechanical rhetoric.

When Jesus taught it was with spirit and passion.

 

A scribe had to measure exactly and carefully count.

A scribe had to speak precisely each word as he was writing.

A scribe had to do his work in a the proper environment.

 

Jesus went about his work in the streets;

among the poor, lame, and possessed.

Jesus took his teaching outside of the synagogue proper

and all who heard him were astonished.

 

He spoke differently than the learned scribes.