The very first words that Jesus says in Mark’s Gospel are ‘the Kingdom of God has drawn near’. From January to Easter 2022 we are journeying together through the Gospel of Mark to discover more about this Kingdom and the person of Jesus. In this series of podcasts we’ll be taking a chapter a week and expanding on the material covered at our Sunday Gatherings to help us dig deep and unearth some of the life-changing truths in Mark's extraordinary account of the life of Jesus.

Mark 6

A prophet without honour

1 Jesus left there and went to his home town, accompanied by his disciples. 2 When the Sabbath came, he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were amazed.

‘Where did this man get these things?’ they asked. ‘What’s this wisdom that has been given him? What are these remarkable miracles he is performing? 3 Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him.

4 Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honour except in his own town, among his relatives and in his own home.’ 5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few people who were ill and heal them. 6 He was amazed at their lack of faith.

Jesus sends out the Twelve

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. 7 Calling the Twelve to him, he began to send them out two by two and gave them authority over impure spirits.

8 These were his instructions: ‘Take nothing for the journey except a staff – no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. 9 Wear sandals but not an extra shirt. 10 Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. 11 And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.’

12 They went out and preached that people should repent. 13 They drove out many demons and anointed with oil many people who were ill and healed them.

John the Baptist beheaded

14 King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying,[b] ‘John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’

15 Others said, ‘He is Elijah.’

And still others claimed, ‘He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.’

16 But when Herod heard this, he said, ‘John, whom I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!’

17 For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. 18 For John had been saying to Herod, ‘It is not lawful for you