Shocked! Amazed! Filled with wonder!
The teachings and miracles that Jesus performed caused a powerful reaction from the people who witnessed His life: they were astounded. The word is ekplesso ... from ek = out and plesso = strike). It means that they were smacked right out of their mind with what they saw...they were struck with astonishment...almost as if someone whacked their normal state of thinking right out of their skull.
And coming to His home town He began teaching them in their synagogue, so that they became astonished (ekplesso) and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom, and these miraculous powers? ( Matthew 13:54 )
Ekplesso is used 13 times in the NT.
