Mark 6
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CHAPTER 6
A Prophet Without Honor (6:1-6)
(Matthew 13:53-58)
1 Jesus then went to his home town, Nazareth, and its neighboring villages.38 The people there had rejected Him once before (Luke 4:16,28-30), but now He wanted to give them a second chance.
2-3 At first the people of Nazareth were amazed at Jesus’ teaching. He taught with authority (Matthew 7:28-29). They were amazed at His wisdom and at His miracles. Jesus was not like other teachers they had heard.
But then what happened? The people realized that Jesus was from their own village. They remembered Him as a boy. He was one of them. And they became jealous and angry; they took offense at him. “Who is he to teach us?” they scoffed. “He is only the carpenter’s son.”
4 This kind of rejection is a very common thing. If someone from our own village becomes famous and then comes back and begins to teach us, we don’t like it. We reject his teaching because of jealousy. We do not show honor to him. Yet if he goes elsewhere, he will receive honor.
5-6 Jesus could not do any miracles there. Jesus has all power. Nevertheless, He will not do any great work among people who do not believe. He taught His disciples that if any village rejected them, they should go elsewhere (verse 11). In the same way, Christ will not work in the heart of one who does not believe. If we want to experience the power of Christ in our community and in our individual lives, we must believe.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve (6:7-13)
(Matthew 10:9-15; Luke 9:1-6)
7 Mark here describes the first time that Jesus sent the twelve disciples out on their own. From this experience the disciples learned that even when Jesus was not with them, they had His authority and power over evil spirits and every kind of sickness (Matthew 10:1,8; Luke9:1). Mark here says that Jesus sent them out two by two. Whenever possible, it is good for preachers and Christian workers to travel in pairs (Luke 10:1; Acts 13:2-3; 15:40).
8-9 The disciples also learned that God would provide all their needs. Jesus told them to take no bread,39 no bag,40 and no money (see Matthew 10:9-10). Those whom they preached to and healed should give them their food and lodging. According to Matthew 10:10, Jesus said that the worker is worth his keep (see 1 Corinthians 9:14; 1 Timothy 5:18).
According to Mark’s account, the disciples were allowed to take a staff (verse 8) and sandals (verse 9). But according to Matthew 10:10, Jesus ordered His disciples not to take staff and sandals. Most Bible scholars think that Jesus gave different instructions for different kinds of journey. Sandals and staff would be necessary for long, rocky, mountainous trails. Jesus’ meaning was that the disciples should take only what was necessary. They were to depend on God for everything else.
10 When the disciples entered a town, they first were to find someone worthy (Matthew 10:11); that is, they were to find someone upright and God-fearing who would accept their message and give them hospitality. When they found such a person, they were to stay at his home until they left that town. They were not to move from one house to another looking for more convenient accommodations, or else their first host might be offended. According to Matthew 10:12-13, they were to give the deserving home their greeting; that is, they were to pronounce the benediction of peace upon that home.41 They were to bring the peace of God into that home. But if the home was not deserving, they were to take back the blessing they had spoken. On such a house God’s peace would not rest (see Luke 10:5-7).
11 Any home or town that did not accept the disciples’ message and did not offer them hospitality was “unworthy” or “undeserving.” The disciples were to shake the dust of such a home or town off their feet. This was a sign of judgment against that unworthy place (Acts 13:51). According to Matthew 10:15, such a town will receive greater punishment than did the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, which God destroyed with burning sulphur (Genesis 19:1-29). The people of Sodom and Gomorrah had mistreated two angels sent by God. But the towns that rejected Christ’s disciples rejected Christ Himself, God’s Son. Therefore, their punishment will be greater (see Luke 10:8-12).
Today also, when we travel from place to place preaching God’s word, the same is true for us as it was for those first disciples. Those who reject our word reject Christ. They lose the opportunity to be saved. But those who accept our word are accepted by Christ and brought into His family and receive salvation.
12-13 The disciples went out, and as Christ had done, so they did also. They preached that people should repent (see Mark 1:15 and comment). And they healed the sick and drove out demons (Luke 9:6). Mark says that they anointed many sick with oil and healed them. Anointing the sick with oil was a custom in Jesus’ time. It was considered to be a type of medical treatment (see Luke 10:34; James 5:14 and comments).
Many people ask: Why do Christ’s disciples not have this kind of power today to heal the sick and to drive out demons? Many Bible scholars give the answer that in New Testament times there was a special need for miracles in order to prove to people that Jesus was indeed the Savior, the Son of God, and that the kingdom of God had indeed come among men. Also, the many miracles performed by the first apostles played an important role in the establishing of the church. These Bible scholars say that in modern times there is not such a great need for miracles. However, other Christians point out that there are many miracles happening in different countries of the world today. They say that Christ is ready to give His servants today the same power He gave His first disciples (John 14:12). Both of these answers can be true. But we should remember one thing: The most important miracle is the conversion and spiritual rebirth of sinful men. Leading men and women to Christ is the greatest work that God gives us to do.
John the Baptist Beheaded (6:14-29)
(Matthew 14:1-12; Luke 9:7-9)
14-15 King Herod heard about this, that is, about Jesus’ fame. This King Herod was the son of King Herod the Great mentioned in Matthew Chapter 2. Herod had been given authority by the Roman Emperor to rule over Galilee. Therefore, Herod was worried about this Jesus, because as a result of all the miracles Jesus was doing in Galilee, He was becoming more famous than Herod himself.
In New Testament times, people believed that the spirit of a dead person had greater power than the person himself had when he was alive. Therefore, some people supposed that the miracle-working Jesus must be John the Baptist risen from the dead. John had done no miracles during his lifetime (John 10:41); therefore, these people supposed that John had come back to life and was now doing miracles.
Other people thought Jesus was the great Old Testament prophet Elijah. Many Jews believed that Elijah would come again (Malachi 4:5). Still others thought Jesus was one of the other Old Testament prophets.
16 But Herod had a special reason for supposing Jesus was, in fact, John the Baptist—because he had killed John. He was afraid that John’s spirit had come back to punish him. A guilty conscience leads to many kinds of unnecessary fears. The wicked man flees though no one pursues (Proverbs 28:1).
17-18 In verses 17-29, Mark describes how John was killed. Herod had taken his brother’s wife Herodias and married her, while his brother was still living. John had spoken against this act of adultery. Therefore, Herodias had become angry with John and sought for an opportunity to kill him. People are either benefited by the reproofs of God’s ministers or provoked by them. John, like most of God’s servants, suffered for doing good.
19-20 However, Herod was afraid to put John to death. He feared John, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. Herod also feared the anger of the people, because they considered him a prophet (Matthew 14:5). Therefore, Herod protected John from the plots of his wife Herodias.
Mark says that Herod liked to listen to John. But though he listened, Herod never believed in John’s message; he never repented of his sins. He rejected the word of God given through John. Herod was a hearer of the word, but not a doer of it (see James 1:23). But hearing is not enough. In the end, Herod killed the greatest prophet of them all (verse 27).
21-29 Mark here gives a description of the death of John the Baptist.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand (6:30-44)
(Matthew 14:13-21; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-15)
30-34 The twelve disciples (that is, apostles) returned from their preaching journey and reported to Jesus all that had happened. Then, because they were tired, they crossed the sea by boat, hoping to find a solitary place.42 But the crowds saw them leave and ran around by the shore, and were waiting for them when they landed on the opposite side.
But Jesus did not say, “I am tired.” He did not send the crowd away. The people were like sheep without a shepherd (verse 34), and Jesus, being a good shepherd (John 10:11), had compassion on them and began teaching them many things (see Matthew 9:36). He also healed their sick (Matthew 14:14).
35-37 The disciples began to worry about how all the people gathered there were going to find food in such a remote place. The disciples were always worrying about such things. They said to Jesus, “Send the people away.” But Jesus did not want to send the people away. He had a plan: He was going to use His disciples to feed the crowd. So Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.”
The disciples protested that it would take two hundred denarii—eight months’ wages—to buy enough food for that many people (2 Kings 4:42-44).
38 Then Jesus asked how much food they had with them. When they had found out, they said, “Five loaves and two fish.” The five loaves and two fish, in fact, belonged to a small boy whom Andrew had found in the crowd (John 6:8-9). So they gave the loaves and the fish to Jesus. That was the boy’s supper—hardly enough to feed one adult, let alone thousands.
39-44 Then Jesus performed one of His greatest miracles. Taking the five loaves and two fish, He divided them among the crowd. There were five thousand men there, and besides the men, there were women and children as well (Matthew 14:21). They all ate and were satisfied (verse 42).
Out of those loaves and fish, Jesus, the living God, created enough food to feed the entire crowd. With God nothing is impossible (Mark 10:27). But Jesus first took what the little boy had given to the disciples. In the same way, Jesus also asks us to give Him what we have. We may not have much. We may say, “I am poor; our church is poor.” But Jesus says: “Give me what you have.” And when we obey Him, when we are ready to share what little we have, He will take what we give Him and use it to do mighty works. Let us, therefore, not look at our own resources and say, “We can never feed all those people.” Rather, let us look at Jesus and His power. He is able to feed them. And when Jesus feeds people, they are satisfied.
Just as Jesus gave the crowd physical food, so He also gives people spiritual food. He offers us living water (John 4:10), and when we have drunk it we shall never thirst again (John 4:13-14). He offers us the bread of life, and when we have eaten it we shall never hunger again (John 6:35). If Jesus could feed over five thousand people with five loaves and two fish, He can certainly feed, both bodily and spiritually, everyone who comes to Him in faith. Jesus is not only the creator of all life (John 1:3); He is also the sustainer of all life, both physical and spiritual.
The feeding of the five thousand is not only a tremendous miracle; it is also an illustration of how the kingdom of God grows. It is a parable of missions. We need to ask the question: At what point did the loaves and fish begin to multiply? They began to multiply as they left the disciples’ hands. As the disciples began to give, they kept on having more and more to give.
Some Christians are like the little boy—they are providers. Other Christians are like the disciples—they are distributors. And out in the world are the hungry multitudes, waiting to be fed the bread of life.
Jesus, the Son of God, with whom is all authority in heaven and on earth, has chosen us to help Him feed the multitudes. He could do it by Himself, but He has chosen not to. He has chosen, instead, to use us. And as we give to Him our resources, our time, our skills, ourselves, He will use us to reach the hungry multitudes, and in the process He will enrich us beyond all imagining.
Jesus Walks on the Water (6:45-56)
(Matthew 14:22-36; John 6:16-24)
45 According to John’s Gospel, when Jesus had finished feeding the five thousand, the people said among themselves, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world” (Deuteronomy 18:15; John 6:14). John says that the people wanted to make Jesus their king by force. But Jesus didn’t let them. He dismissed the people and withdrew by Himself to pray (John 6:15).
When Jesus saw that the people were about to try to make Him their king, He immediately sent His disciples away by boat to Bethsaida.43 Jesus’ disciples also wanted Him to be a king. They didn’t understand yet that instead of becoming a king, Jesus must suffer and die. If He became an earthly king, He would have no chance to suffer and be killed, and thus God’s plan for man’s salvation would have been blocked. Therefore, Jesus didn’t want His disciples to remain in that place and listen to the crowd talk about making Him a king. So He immediately sent them away from there.
Satan had promised to make Jesus the ruler of many nations if Jesus would agree to worship him (Matthew 4:8-9). Again the temptation had come. Again Christ resisted the temptation. He was not to be an earthly king, but rather a suffering servant (Isaiah 53:3,11). His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36).
46-47 Therefore, after sending away His disciples, Jesus then dismissed the crowd, and went into the hills to pray. His disciples, meanwhile, were in a boat trying to row toward Bethsaida. But the wind was blowing against them, and they were blown off course toward the middle of the lake.
48-50 At the fourth watch of the night—about 3 A.M.—Jesus came to them walking on the water. He was about to pass by them (verse 48). He wanted to test their faith. The disciples were terrified because they thought they were seeing a ghost. But Jesus told them not to be afraid. “It is I.”
Then, according to Matthew 14:28-31, Peter said: “Lord, if it’s you … tell me to come to you on the water” (Matthew 14:28). Peter was testing Jesus to see if He was real or only a ghost. Jesus said, “Come.” So Peter, at first full of courage, stepped onto the water and walked toward Jesus. But then his faith failed him. He took his eyes off Jesus, and began to look at the wind and the waves. Peter forgot that Jesus was Lord of the wind and waves (Mark 4:39-41). And he began to sink. But Jesus held on to him and brought him into the boat. Then Jesus said to him, “You of little faith … why did you doubt?” (Matthew 14:31).
We, likewise, whenever we take our eyes off Jesus and begin to look at our troubles, will surely sink. If we have faith in Jesus and in His promises, we shall not be afraid of wind and waves.
According to Matthew 14:30, after Peter had looked at the waves and begun to be afraid, he again turned his eyes to Jesus and cried out, “Lord, save me!” We, too, when troubles come upon us and we feel like we are sinking, can call out to Jesus, and He will hold out His hand and keep us from sinking. Peter did not try to save himself; neither should we.
51-52 The disciples were amazed. They had seen Jesus feed the multitude. They had just seen Him walk on water. Earlier, they had seen Him still the storm (Mark 4:39-41). But even having seen all this, they still did not understand who Jesus really was. When they saw Him on the water, they said, “It’s a ghost” (Matthew 14:26); but they should have said: “It’s the Lord.” If they had known that Jesus was God, they would not have been amazed at these miracles. They would not have been terrified. They didn’t know who Jesus was because their hearts were hardened (verse 52). They did not fully believe in Jesus. They were still men of little faith.
Nevertheless, Matthew writes that after Peter and Jesus got into the boat and the wind died down, the disciples worshiped Jesus and said, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33). Finally they had begun to be aware of who Jesus was.
53-56 Here Mark gives a final description of Jesus’ healing ministry in Galilee (see Matthew 15:29-31). And all who touched him were healed (verse 56). Even those who touched the edge of His cloak were healed (see Mark 5:27-29).
According to John 6:22-24, the morning after the feeding of the five thousand, the crowd looked for Jesus. They had seen the disciples leave in the boat without Jesus, so they supposed that Jesus was still nearby. They still wanted to make Him a king.
But finally, when they could not find Jesus anywhere, they got into some boats that had come from the city of Tiberias,44 and went across the lake in search of Him.