Mark 6:5 Jesus could do no mighty work

Jesus was home, in his hometown. He was with people he'd grown up with, in the town where he learned his trade (carpentry), where people knew him. He was where he felt that comfortable it's-good-to-be-home feeling. He brought with him those with whom he'd been traveling, preaching and teaching, those with whom he'd been spending most of his time, eating with, and healing with -  His disciples. He was with all the people he loved the most.  His friends, his family, and his disciples. But Mark said in chapter 6 verse 5  "And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them."

Can you imagine how Jesus hurt from this? He loved these people. He wanted healing for them.  He wanted them to accept God's greatest gift. He wanted so much for them. But he was unable to do any "mighty work there".  Why was Jesus unable to do any "might work" there? Was he powerless there, like Superman around krypton?  Were his abilities limited by their reaction to him: 3b "And they took offense at him."? Why did they take offense?

There are so many questions. I offer a couple of my own responses - not necessarily answers though!
1) Jesus "could do no mighty work there". Why? Perhaps Jesus needed the faith of those in living in the town to help his abilities.  Perhaps Jesus is only able to complete a miracle if we participate in it, like prayer or faith or belief.  I do not believe that.  I think that Jesus can do whatever He wants anytime He wants. I think He is only bound by His own devotion to God and God's glory.  I think he "could do no might work there" because God would not have been glorified in that place with those people. The abilities of Jesus are not for the purpose of other people's healing but for God's glory and purposes.  If God isn't going to be glorified then Jesus doesn't do it. Look at the story of Lazarus in John 11.  Jesus allowed Lazarus to die so that he could be raised from the dead: "it is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

2) Why were the people of his hometown offended by Jesus?  We have this same experience in our own towns, family and friends and former schoolmates. We either are not given any credit or don't give others credit because we "knew them when." We are reluctant to see people in the light of today, in who they are today. We cling to our old perceptions of them.  What a wonderful thing it would be if we could/would look at everyone as a new creation each day!! Shedding all old ideas about them, discarding old hurts and embarrassments, relieving each other of the baggage of the past. I'm not saying Jesus had baggage but they did watch him grow up. There may have been old hurts because another person's son wasn't as successful, or because they thought Jesus was a troublemaker - after all He did hide in the temple causing his parents to go back for him. (Luke 2:45 - 47) Also, they probably had a hard time with his celebrity because he was a nobody too just like they were.
3)Why did Jesus heal the few he did heal? Perhaps the circumstances were similar to the story of Noah (See Genesis 5 - 9), or Lot (Genesis 19).  God favored and saved them from destruction.  Maybe the ones whom Jesus healed were the few "righteous" people in Jesus' hometown.

One more thought.  Isn't it interesting that Jesus laid his hands on and healed a few people but those weren't considered Mighty Works?

Lessons: 1) Expect God to act in ways that will bring Glory to himself. (See Isaiah 43:7)  We were created for God's glory.  Answers to prayer and miracles will be those that bring glory to God somehow - glory as defined and desired by God, not us.
2) Look at other Christians as a new creation in Christ each time you meet. And look at everyone else as having the potential to be a new creation in Christ.
3) God is fair - healing those HE chooses to heal using HIS definition of righteous and HIS definition of healed.  Some will be healed (under our definition) and some will not. That is God being just - His justice, and God being fair - His fairness. If we trust Him, we can depend on those always being true, regardless of the outcome.

Thank you, Father God, for lessons - consistent lessons - throughout Your holy word.  Help us to view the world using those lessons from as close to your perspective as possible. Teach us to trust. Help us to look anew at each person. Help us to expect Godly and God-sized things from You.  You are awesome.  Amen.