Mark 6

The Rejection at Nazareth

1 Jesus went on from there and came to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. ¹

2 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. “Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles?

3 Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, ^[a] Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?” And they took offense at Him.

4 Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”

5 So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them.

6 And He was amazed at their unbelief.

The Ministry of the Twelve

7 Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. ²

8 He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bread, no bag, no money ^[b] in their belts—

9 and to wear sandals, but not a second tunic.

10 And He told them, “When you enter a house, stay there until you leave that area.

11 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that place, as a testimony against them.” ^[c]

12 So they set out and preached that the people should repent.

13 They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil.

The Beheading of John

14 Now King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known, and people were saying, ^[d] “John the Baptist has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” ³

15 Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”

16 But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!”

17 For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married.

18 For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”

19 So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable,

20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John’s words, he was greatly perplexed; yet he listened to him gladly.

21 On Herod’s birthday, her opportunity arose. Herod held a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee.

22 When the daughter of Herodias ^[e] came and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests, and the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.”

23 And he swore to her, “Whatever you ask of me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom!”

24 Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?”

25 At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.”

26 The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her.

27 So without delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an executioner, who went and beheaded him in the prison.

28 The man brought John’s head on a platter and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother.

29 When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

30 Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught. ⁴

31 And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.

32 So they went away in a boat by themselves to a solitary place.

33 But many people saw them leaving and recognized them. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them.

34 When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.

35 By now the hour was already late. So the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late.

36 Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”

37 But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.”

38 “Go and see how many loaves you have,” He told them.

39 Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass.

40 So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.

41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all.

42 They all ate and were satisfied,

43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish.

44 And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves.

Jesus Walks on Water

45 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. ⁵

46 After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray.

47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land.

48 He could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them. About the fourth watch of the night, ^[f] Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them,

49 but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost—

50 for they all saw Him and were terrified.

51 Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded,

52 for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened.

Jesus Heals at Gennesaret

53 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat. ⁶

54 As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus

55 and ran through that whole region, carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was.

56 And wherever He went—villages and towns and countrysides—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed.

Mark 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

Christ despised in his own country. (1-6) The apostles sent forth. (7-13) John the Baptist put to death. (14-29) The apostles return, Five thousand fed by a miracle. (30-44) Christ walks on the sea, He heals those that touch him. (45-56)

Verses 1-6 Our Lord's countrymen tried to prejudice the minds of people against him. Is not this the carpenter? Our Lord Jesus probably had worked in that business with his father. He thus put honour upon mechanics, and encouraged all persons who eat by the labour of their hands. It becomes the followers of Christ to content themselves with the satisfaction of doing good, although they are denied the praise of it. How much did these Nazarenes lose by obstinate prejudices against Jesus! May Divine grace deliver us from that unbelief, which renders Christ a savour of death, rather than of life to the soul. Let us, like our Master, go and teach cottages and peasants the way of salvation.

Verses 7-13 Though the apostles were conscious to themselves of great weakness, and expected no wordly advantage, yet, in obedience to their Master, and in dependence upon his strength, they went out. They did not amuse people with curious matters, but told them they must repent of their sins, and turn to God. The servants of Christ may hope to turn many from darkness unto God, and to heal souls by the power of the Holy Ghost.

Verses 14-29 Herod feared John while he lived, and feared him still more when he was dead. Herod did many of those things which John in his preaching taught him; but it is not enough to do many things, we must have respect to all the commandments. Herod respected John, till he touched him in his Herodias. Thus many love good preaching, if it keep far away from their beloved sin. But it is better that sinners persecute ministers now for faithfulness, than curse them eternally for unfaithfulness. The ways of God are unsearchable; but we may be sure he never can be at a loss to repay his servants for what they endure or lose for his sake. Death could not come so as to surprise this holy man; and the triumph of the wicked was short.

Verses 30-44 Let not ministers do any thing or teach any thing, but what they are willing should be told to their Lord. Christ notices the frights of some, and the toils of others of his disciples, and provides rest for those that are tired, and refuge for those that are terrified. The people sought the spiritual food of Christ's word, and then he took care that they should not want bodily food. If Christ and his disciples put up with mean things, surely we may. And this miracle shows that Christ came into the world, not only to restore, but to preserve and nourish spiritual life; in him there is enough for all that come. None are sent empty away from Christ but those who come to him full of themselves. Though Christ had bread enough at command, he teaches us not to waste any of God's bounties, remembering how many are in want. We may, some time, need the fragments that we now throw away.

Verses 45-56 The church is often like a ship at sea, tossed with tempests, and not comforted: we may have Christ for us, yet wind and tide against us; but it is a comfort to Christ's disciples in a storm, that their Master is in the heavenly mount, interceding for them. And no difficulties can hinder Christ's appearance for his people, when the set time is come. He silenced their fears, by making himself known to them. Our fears are soon satisfied, if our mistakes are set right, especially our mistakes as to Christ. Let the disciples have their Master with them, and all is well. It is for want of rightly understanding Christ's former works, that we view his present works as if there never were the like before. If Christ's ministers now could cure people's bodily diseases, what multitudes would flock after them! It is sad to think how much more most care about their bodies than about their souls.

Cross References

• 1. (Matthew 13:53–58; Luke 4:16–30)
• 2. (Matthew 10:5–15; Luke 9:1–6)
• 3. (Matthew 14:1–12; Luke 9:7–9)
• 4. (Matthew 14:13–21; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15)
• 5. (Matthew 14:22–33; John 6:16–21)
• 6. (Matthew 14:34–36)

Footnotes

• [a]. Joses is a variant of Joseph; see Matthew 13:55.
• [b]. Or copper coins
• [c]. BYZ and TR include Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town; see Matthew 10:15.
• [d]. Literally they were saying; some manuscripts he was saying
• [e]. Some early manuscripts When his daughter Herodias
• [f]. That is, between three and six in the morning