Laying hands upon the sick (Notes)

Saint Mark - Chapter 6

Christ healed them. J-J Tissot

Going out from thence, i.e., from Capernaum, where He raised Jairus’ daughter.
He went into His own country, i.e., to Nazareth, where He was brought up.

[2] et facto sabbato cœpit in synagoga docere : et multi audientes admirabantur in doctrina ejus, dicentes : Unde huic haec omnia? et quae est sapientia, quae data est illi, et virtutes tales, quae per manus ejus efficiuntur?
And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were in admiration at his doctrine, saying: How came this man by all these things? and what wisdom is this that is given to him, and such mighty works as are wrought by his hands?

They were in admiration at His doctrine: literally, they admired in His doctrine. This is a Hebraism. For the Hebrews use ב as a preposition of contact either corporal or mental in the place of an accusative. Thus they say, I touch in the hand, instead of, I touch the hand; I believe in God, instead of, I believe God; I admire in wisdom, for I admire wisdom.

[3] Nonne hic est faber, filius Mariae, frater Jacobi, et Joseph, et Judae, et Simonis? nonne et sorores ejus hic nobiscum sunt? Et scandalizabantur in illo.
Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joseph, and Jude, and Simon? are not also his sisters here with us? And they were scandalized in regard of him.

[4] Et dicebat illis Jesus : Quia non est propheta sine honore nisi in patria sua, et in domo sua, et in cognatione sua.
And Jesus said to them: A prophet is not without honor, but in his own country, and in his own house, and among his own kindred.

[5] Et non poterat ibi virtutem ullam facere, nisi paucos infirmos impositis manibus curavit :
And he could not do any miracles there, only that he cured a few that were sick, laying his hands upon them.

And He could not do any miracles there. Could not, i.e., would not, because He did not think it proper to give what was holy to dogs, that is, to force His miracles upon unbelieving and ungrateful citizens. So could not is used for would not (Gen. 37:4, and John 7:7). “Because,” says Victor of Antioch on this passage, “two things must coincide for the attaining of health, namely, the faith of those who need healing, and the power of him who will heal; therefore, if either of these be wanting, the blessing of a cure will not readily be attained.”

[6] et mirabatur propter incredulitatem eorum, et circuibat castella in circuitu docens.
And he wondered because of their unbelief, and he went through the villages round about teaching.

He wondered because of their unbelief. This seems to conflict with what is said in Luke 4:22, And all bare Him record, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. I answer, that the inhabitants of Nazareth wondered, indeed, that Jesus, the son of a carpenter, their well-known neighbour, should be so wise and eloquent, and yet were incredulous with respect to His doctrine and person, that He was in very deed the Messias or Christ. And that this was so is plain from what Luke subjoins.

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam