What does Mark 6:6 mean?

"Marveled" is taken from the Greek root word thaumazo and means to wonder at. It is also used of Jesus during His interaction with the centurion (Matthew 8:10) and of the disciples when Jesus calms a storm (Matthew 8:27). Nazareth is only about twenty-five miles from Jesus' home base of Capernaum, and He has traveled through the region before, teaching, performing miracles, and expelling demons (Mark 1:39). His family must have heard of the miracles He performed when they tried to visit Him (Mark 3:31–32), as some others from Nazareth must have seen Him perform miracles in nearby towns. But still they will not believe that these miracles are signs from God that this man they know is divinely chosen.

They not only disbelieve, they are actively hostile. They run Him out of town and try to throw Him from the cliff on the hill the town is built on. But Jesus slips away (Luke 4:29–30).

The entire trip to Nazareth serves as an object lesson for the Twelve and the larger group of disciples. Thus far, the Twelve have seen Jesus rejected by Pharisees (Mark 3:1–6, 22), Herodians (Mark 3:6), scribes (Mark 3:22), Jesus' family (Mark 3:21), and very frightened Gentiles (Mark 5:17). But they have seen Him embraced by thousands of others all over Galilee. This is the first time they witness a large group of Jews reject Jesus to the point of murder. And Jesus' response is to quietly leave. Although the Twelve's first missionary trip will be largely successful (Mark 6:7–13, 30) they still need to know how and when to walk away from a town that rejects them (Mark 6:11). And they begin to understand that rejection of their message can be hazardous to their lives.

The disciples also learn that rejection shouldn't hamper their mission. Later, the apostles will ignore explicitly anti-godly laws (Acts 4:18–21), beatings (Acts 5:40–42), and imprisonments (Acts 12:1–5), considering it joy that they were found worthy to suffer for the gospel.