Hebrews 12:25-27; 13:22-25
Brethren, see that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” This phrase, “Yet once more”, indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain...I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. Grace be with all of you.
Mark 6:1-7
At that time, Jesus went away from there and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him. And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offence at him. And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour, except in his home town and among his relatives and in his own household.” And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching. And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.
While yesterday's readings were about faith, today's readings are about the lack thereof. The Lord goes to His hometown, not ignorant of their unbelief, but in order that they would not later be able to say "had He come, we would have believed" and in order to admonish them publicly lest others be inclined to follow their example. Accordingly, St. Paul, writing to the Hebrews, inhabitants of the Lord's home country, warns them not to refuse Him as these people did. St. John Chrysostom suggests that "him who warned them on earth" is Moses. If those who refused Moses were punished, how much more will those who refuse Christ suffer on account of their unbelief. I wonder, however, if these cannot also be references to Christ's first and second comings, with the shaking of the earth refering to the destruction of Jerusalem and the dispersal of the People of Israel on account of their unbelief. Just as those in His hometown had rejected Christ on account of His lowly birth, so those who crucified Him did so because they could not recognise God clothed in the humanity of a poor carpenter: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." As St. Paul says, elsewhere, "if they had [understood], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (1 Cor. 2:8) Yet when Christ returns, His glory will be manifest for all to see, there will be no excuse for ignorance and the consequences of unbelief will be far greater. For at His second coming, He shall not just shake the earth, but the "heaven and earth will pass away" (Matt. 24:35), in order that only the things that cannot be shaken - "a new heaven and a new earth" (Rev. 12:1) - shall remain.
Furthermore, we once again see the need for active faith, a co-operation between God and man. The Lord "could do no mighty work there" because of their unbelief. As St. Diognetus says, "God persuades, He does not compel, for violence is foreign to Him" (7:4). The Lord will come to meet us, as He travelled to His home town, He will stretch out His hand, but it is up to us to grab hold of it. He departs from the large town and goes into the small villages in order to show us that unbelief comes from pride, and that we can accept Him only through humility. It is through this humility and faith that the disciples were given authority over unclean spirits (see below). He calls the Apostles to Himself and sends them out, in order to show that they act not on their own authority, but His. They go two by two in order to strengthen one another, and perhaps also because "where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them" (Matt. 18:20). St. Paul therefore makes the point that he and St. Timothy - who has just been released from prison, a testament both to his faith and humility - shall arrive together, in the same manner as the twelve.
Furthermore, we once again see the need for active faith, a co-operation between God and man. The Lord "could do no mighty work there" because of their unbelief. As St. Diognetus says, "God persuades, He does not compel, for violence is foreign to Him" (7:4). The Lord will come to meet us, as He travelled to His home town, He will stretch out His hand, but it is up to us to grab hold of it. He departs from the large town and goes into the small villages in order to show us that unbelief comes from pride, and that we can accept Him only through humility. It is through this humility and faith that the disciples were given authority over unclean spirits (see below). He calls the Apostles to Himself and sends them out, in order to show that they act not on their own authority, but His. They go two by two in order to strengthen one another, and perhaps also because "where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I among them" (Matt. 18:20). St. Paul therefore makes the point that he and St. Timothy - who has just been released from prison, a testament both to his faith and humility - shall arrive together, in the same manner as the twelve.
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