This coming Sunday is the 14th Sunday in Ordinary Time. The stories and accounts of Jesus’ Galilean ministry have undoubtedly reached his hometown of Nazareth. We know from the gospel account that his reception and return is not exactly exuberant. While the text says that they were “astonished” in reference to his teaching in the synagogue, it is ambiguous in meaning. What kind of astonishment is amplified with the following verse: “They said, ‘Where did this man get all this?’”  Is the tone of the statement one of wonder at the marvelous exposition and wisdom just offered or is it amazement as in “who does he think he is coming here and trying to teach us – how presumptuous!”

As noted previously by Perkins, the trajectory in Mark’s gospel has been the winnowing of people, separating the curious from the committed and the feckless from the followers, in order to arrive at the true family of Jesus. Jesus’ human origins form a roadblock to the belief that should follow from experiencing the extraordinary wisdom and healing power exercised by Jesus. Reading the episode against the backdrop of honor and shame in peasant villages provides some insight into the hostile reception. Jesus has stepped out of the status and role in society that he had in the village of 1,600 to 2,000 people.

Domenico Ghirlandaio | Calling the Apostles | 1481 | Sistine Chapel, Vatican | PD-US