Greetings!
This reading is Mark 6.
People who knew Jesus from his youth were amazed at his teachings and miracles. The Bible records very little of his youth. This passage notes that Jesus had at least four brothers and two sisters.
Yet some people were offended by his message (this hasn’t changed in 2,000 years!). When it says Jesus “could not” do miracles there, it is in the sense of not being able to do them because he chose not to. He was God in flesh, so He could do miracles at any time. He only did them where there was faith, though. And Jesus was “amazed at their lack of faith.” Pay close attention to what really brings joy to Jesus and you’ll see that faith is the #1 thing.
Note the singular message that the Disciples took to the villages: Repent (v. 12). To repent is to turn away from our sins and turn towards God. Many parts of the Bible can be difficult to understand, but our core problem is that we are sinners in need of a Savior. Repentance is a critical part of being reconciled to God.
King Herod was tricked by his wife into beheading John the Baptist (No one said the Bible wasn’t PG-13 or even R-rated at times. It records what really happened.)
The famous miracles of the loaves and fishes is recorded here. Assuming the 5,000 men had families with them, roughly 20,000 people were fed by the 5 loaves and 2 fishes. Jesus did what they thought was impossible, and once again showed his power over nature.
Jesus walked on water and amazed his disciples. The Gospel of Matthew records how Peter walked on water (temporarily) as well. Jesus told them, “Don’t be afraid.” Trivia fact: The Bible says, “Do not fear” 366 times – one for each day of the year, including leap year. Keep that in mind when the world makes you fearful.
In closing, think about Jesus’ words to his disciples in v. 31: “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Jesus wants us to spend time with him alone and He knows the importance of rest for us.
Reflect on what stood out to you in this reading and share your comments and questions if you like.
The next reading is Mark 7.