GREAT THINGS ENTERPRISE
CLAUDE BLACK
Mark 6:1
Home, Sweet Home
In the Anabasis, Greek historian Xenophon records the story of the march of a Greek army, known as the Ten Thousand, deep into Persian territory, where their commander, Cyrus the Younger, died. Stranded and leaderless, the army decided to return home. The retreat was grueling as the army traveled through the hostile land under severe conditions. At last, the army reached Mount Theches near the Black Sea (in modern-day Turkey) and saw the sea—a symbol of home and safety. According to Xenophon, after the fifteen-month campaign, when the soldiers saw the sea, they shouted, “Θάλαττα! θάλαττα!” (Thálatta! Thálatta!, The sea! The sea!), which might be translated, “We’re home, we’re home.”
Most, but admittedly not everyone, has a tender spot in their heart for their home, the place where they grew up. So when they say, “We’re going home,” they don’t necessarily mean the place where they currently live, but the place where they grew up. That place will always be “home” for them.
Alice and I visited the city where she was born and lived until she was twenty-two years old. We drove by the house built by her father and grandfather—her childhood home. She wanted to stop at the house, so we did. She couldn’t resist knocking on the door and introducing herself to the current resident of the house. The woman was kind and welcomed Alice into the house, and even took Alice to her childhood upstairs bedroom. For her, it was a sentimental experience—home, sweet home.
Jesus ministered and taught around the Sea of Galilee and in Capernaum. “And he went from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him.” (Mark 6:1) Jesus was born in Bethlehem, spent a few months in Egypt, but lived most of the first thirty years of his life in the little village of Nazareth—home, sweet home. One writer estimated that Nazareth had about 300 residents. The village was about twenty miles west of Capernaum, situated on a hillside with a sweeping view of the valley below.
Jesus had been away from Nazareth, away from his mother, sisters, and brothers for several months, so it was understandable that he wanted to make a visit home, or possibly a return visit if Luke’s account describes a first visit. (4:16-30) One must not make the error of placing Jesus on a suprahuman plane, for he displayed the normal range of human emotions—anger, sadness, disappointment, and joy. Therefore, it’s legitimate to think that he wanted to hug his mother, sit at a table with his siblings, and be hugged by them—to feel the warmth of home, sweet home.
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