THEY
WERE ASTONISHED ― WHY?
John Stone
Why were people in Jesus’ hometown of
"And
he … came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. … 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?" (Mark
6:1-2 King James Version)
Even the author of Matthew copied Mark’s synagogue
teaching story about how those in Jesus’ hometown were so amazed at his wisdom
and behavior. Again, why?
"And
when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue,
insomuch that they
were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these
mighty works?" (Matthew 13:54)
A surprise? Astonishment?
Remember, Jesus’ mother and father [the New
Testament also says that Joseph was Jesus’ father, not the holy ghost 1] were visited by angels 2 and knew that God ―
as the Holy Ghost ― made Mary pregnant 3 with the “physical” son of the Christian god. Also, John the Baptists’ mother (Mary’s
cousin Elisabeth) also knew this tale.4 Was she or anyone commanded to keep this
information to themselves? NO! And their neighbors and cousins knew of John the
Baptist’s holy birth, surely this was the case for Mary and Joseph also.5 After all, even the “three
wise men” knew. Joseph even took a hiatus to
Would not Mary and Joseph proudly tell the
townspeople that Jesus was to be the “saviour of the world?” After all, Mary
revealed that an angel told her:
“ …from henceforth all generations shall call
me blessed." (Luke 1:48)
"Mary:
for thou hast found favour with God. (Luke 1:30) And he [Jesus] shall reign over the house of
Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (Luke 1:33)
Yes, Mary (and Joseph and the rest of the family
too) knew it all:
“…Mary
said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And
the angel departed from her…” (Luke 1:38)
But the synagogue astonishment event expressed by
the unknown authors of Mark and Matthew was long, long after many super natural
events had already happened; such as:
· Jesus’
virgin birth;
· The
star of
· The
three wise men (Matthew 2:1-2);
· The
parlor trick that all pagan gods performed ― “wine-to-water” (John 2:1-11
and
· Much,
much more.
After all this, these two unknown Christian authors
want you to believe Jesus, Joseph and Mary’s fellow townspeople did not know
anything that had been going on all around them for years ― decades even!
Think about it ― Jesus plus his family’s many
angelic visits et al ― the town’s tongues would have been wagging
overtime ― nonstop! What a claim to fame for the hamlet of
According to the Christian bible stories, people
knew Jesus, the man-god, far-and-wide even into the country of the
Gadarenes (Mark 5:1, 6): Let us briefly
list just a few other miracles that Mark told about before his reported “astonishment:
· Casting
out unclean spirits (Mark 5:8). [In so doing, Jesus killed someone's innocent
herd of swine without compensation, but that is another story]
· Bringing
a dead 12-year old girl back from the dead
[This was the daughter of one the rulers of the synagogue. Remember that
Mark claimed later “in the synagogue …many … were astonished]
· Healing
a woman with a 12 year malady ― just by touch (Mark 5:38-42); [She had
already heard of Jesus’ super-natural abilities] and
· Much
more was attributed to this virgin birthed god-man
Everyone knew about Jesus, but his own townsfolk?
Even after all the adventures/tales that Matthew and Mark had revealed, Jesus’
fellow temple members were astonished? NOT! Everyone knew about Jesus, but his
own townsfolk? NOT!
I can imagine what really happened; close your eyes
and try to think back to that time 2,000 years ago. Picture Joseph and Mary
meeting and talking with friends in an outdoor café, near a bazaar filled with
bustling people and aromas of baking bread, spices, dates and olives. Hold that
picture and imagine the conversation that would ensue ― some mother might
have said to Mary, “my son is a camel driver for a large caravan.”
Joseph and Mary would have responded, “So your son
is a camel driver; big deal, my son is a man-god who is the savior of the
world. Yeah, and he will save you and your camel-driver son from ’your sins.’
After all, you will need his saving grace, because everyone knows what really
happens on those long camel drives/caravans.”
Mark says Jesus was practicing a trade ― a
carpenter, like his dad. And since he did not embark on his ministry until he
was about 30 years old, he would have been plying his trade in
And now in Mark and Matthew, the so-called “Holy
Ghost inspired“ (many claim inerrant) NEW testament expects you to believe that
when Jesus went into Nazareth’s synagogue (the one he would have attended as he
matured), the people were “astonished?” This does not the least bit of sense.
But then again the New Testament does not make sense; because it is a work of
fiction!
Never forget one thing your clergy, theologians and
missionaries don’t want you to think about. No one knows who wrote the
“gospels.” That means that the authors of Mark and Matthew are totally unknown;
whether male or female, or when ― no one knows. One thing that is
certain, the early church theologians, editors and copyists had free reign to
play with the manuscripts as they wished.
Remember the famous words attributed to
Phineas Taylor Barnum; “There's a sucker born
every minute (and two to take him)”
Study hard and independently! Don’t be a sucker,
use your head for something besides a ‘hat rack.”!
A
Bonus Story !
If there were telephones 2,000 years ago, this may
have been one of the conversations.
Jesus calls home and Mary, his mother answers,
“Hello, this is Mary, mother of Jesus, son-of-god (or god incarnate.)”
Jesus: Mom
…
Mary:
What? You couldn’t have called last week or the week before? Your father
Joseph, he has been ill, gout or something. It kept him out of the workshop –
where you should have been helping him. Work a miracle or something. Can’t you
conjure up a few shekels for us to buy groceries? After all, we are not getting
younger and work is so hard for your father.
Jesus: Aw
Mom, I’ve been really busy with the boys and all. We went over to Gadarenes and while I was trying to get some spirits out of
this man, I accidentally killed some poor guy’s whole herd of swine.
Mary: You
what! How’s he gonna make a living now? You get some
money and pay that poor guy back. You hear your Mother now, don’t ya Jesus! Hey, listen to me; you are the miracle guy so
turn a few barrels of water into wine so he can sell ‘em
at the market and get some new piggies.
Jesus: Yes
Mom, but I have some good news too.
Mary: Nu,
what now is good, after killing a poor family’s livelihood ― a herd of
pigs?
Jesus: I
healed a woman, just by her touching my clothes. And then I brought a rabbi’s
12-year old daughter back to life.
Mary: I
only hope you know what you are doing, messing in other people's lives. Oh, but
Mr Healer, you “are” the son-of-god (or god
incarnate) so what difference does it make. You kill them (as god) then save
then as “the son-of-god.” Hey, wadda I know, you’re
de man.
And so it goes, if you accept Christianity and the
fiction of the New Testament. Break away from the fiction of religion!
QUESTION: How do you know
you're god?
ANSWER: Simple. When I pray to him, I find I'm talking to myself. -Peter
O'Toole (1932-)
Footnotes:
1. Philip … saith … We have
found him, of … Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. (John 1:45); “… Is not this
Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? …” (John
6:42) Is not this the carpenter… the
brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? … his sisters here…(Mark
6:3)
2. “… the angel Gabriel was … came in unto her, and
said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art
thou among women.” (Luke 126, 28)
“... the angel of the LORD appeared unto him … saying, Joseph ...
fear not … for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph
being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took
unto him his wife” (Matthew 1:20, 24)
3. “…the … said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come
upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also
that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke
1:35) Strangely, Mormons claim that their god physically did the deed with
Mary:
"The birth of the Saviour was as
natural as are the births of our children; it was the result of natural action.
He partook of flesh and blood—was begotten of his Father, as we were of our
fathers." (Brigham Young, Journal of
Discourses, v. 8, p. 115).
...the Father God was the literal parent of Jesus in the flesh...”
(Joseph Fielding Smith, Religious Truths
Defined, p. 44)
"Christ was begotten by an Immortal Father in the same way
that mortal men are begotten by mortal fathers," ( Bruce McConkie, Mormon
Doctrine, 1966, page 547.)
4, “And [Mary] entered into the house … and saluted
Elisabeth. And she [Elisabeth] spake out with a loud voice, and said,
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.. (Luke
1:40;42;)
5. … her [Elisabeth]
neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her;
and they rejoiced with her.” (Luke 1:58)
6. “… when they were departed, behold, the angel of the
Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child
and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word:
for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.” (Matthew 2:13)
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