Mark 6:1

He went out. [Second Rejection at Nazareth, Mark 6:1-6 = Matt. 13:54-58. Major comment: Mark. See Closing Galilean Ministry; a Synopsis of the Life of Christ.] According to Matthew’s account, the second rejection of Jesus by the people of Nazareth occurred after the Sermon by the Sea, though how long after is not stated (see Matt. 13:53, 54; cf. DA 241). Matthew closely links the second rejection at Nazareth with the death of John the Baptist (see chs. 13:53 to 14:12). Mark gives it in connection with events of the Third Galilean Tour and with the death of John the Baptist (see Mark 6:1–30; cf. DA 360). The Baptist’s death must have come either shortly before or after the beginning of the tour, for it was the work of the Twelve on the Third Galilean Tour that led Herod to think that John the Baptist had come to life (see on v. 14). Thus it is likely that this final visit to Nazareth (see DA 241) took place in the winter of A.D. 30-31.

His own country. For a discussion of the probable time of Jesus’ first visit to Nazareth during the period of His Galilean ministry see Additional Note on Luke 4. Apparently the only way the gospel record can be harmonized is on the basis of two visits. Neither Matthew nor Mark mentions Nazareth by name in connection with this, the second visit, but there can be no doubt that Nazareth is here appropriately referred to as Jesus’ “own country” by virtue of the fact that He had been brought up there (see Luke 4:16; cf. ch. 2:51), that He was living there at the time He had taken up His lifework (see Mark 1:9), and that it was His parents’ home (see Luke 2:1-5). After leaving Nazareth to take up His ministry Jesus did not revisit it until He began His Galilean ministry. The time elapsed was about 18 months (see on Luke 4:16), probably from the autumn of A.D. 27 to the spring of A.D. 29 (see on Matt. 4:12). The Galilean ministry as a whole continued from the spring of A.D. 29 to the spring of A.D. 30. Thus it was toward the close of this period that the second and final visit to Nazareth took place (cf. DA 241).