Mark 6

1 Jesus left that place and went back to his hometown, followed by his disciples.

2 On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue. Many people were there; and when they heard him, they were all amazed. "Where did he get all this?" they asked. "What wisdom is this that has been given him? How does he perform miracles?

3 Isn't he the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas, and Simon? Aren't his sisters living here?" And so they rejected him.

4 Jesus said to them, "Prophets are respected everywhere except in their own hometown and by their relatives and their family." ¹

5 He was not able to perform any miracles there, except that he placed his hands on a few sick people and healed them.

6 He was greatly surprised, because the people did not have faith. Then Jesus went to the villages around there, teaching the people.

7 He called the twelve disciples together and sent them out two by two. He gave them authority over the evil spirits

8 and ordered them, "Don't take anything with you on the trip except a walking stick - no bread, no beggar's bag, no money in your pockets.

9 Wear sandals, but don't carry an extra shirt."

10 He also told them, "Wherever you are welcomed, stay in the same house until you leave that place.

11 If you come to a town where people do not welcome you or will not listen to you, leave it and shake the dust off your feet. That will be a warning to them!" ²

12 So they went out and preached that people should turn away from their sins.

13 They drove out many demons, and rubbed olive oil on many sick people and healed them. ³

14 Now King Herod heard about all this, because Jesus' reputation had spread everywhere. Some people were saying, "John the Baptist has come back to life! That is why he has this power to perform miracles." ⁴

15 Others, however, said, "He is Elijah." Others said, "He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago."

16 When Herod heard it, he said, "He is John the Baptist! I had his head cut off, but he has come back to life!"

17 Herod himself had ordered John's arrest, and he had him tied up and put in prison. Herod did this because of Herodias, whom he had married, even though she was the wife of his brother Philip. ⁵

18 John the Baptist kept telling Herod, "It isn't right for you to marry your brother's wife!"

19 So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but she could not because of Herod.

20 Herod was afraid of John because he knew that John was a good and holy man, and so he kept him safe. He liked to listen to him, even though he became greatly disturbed every time he heard him.

21 Finally Herodias got her chance. It was on Herod's birthday, when he gave a feast for all the top government officials, the military chiefs, and the leading citizens of Galilee.

22 The daughter of Herodias came in and danced, and pleased Herod and his guests. So the king said to the girl, "What would you like to have? I will give you anything you want."

23 With many vows he said to her, "I swear that I will give you anything you ask for, even as much as half my kingdom!"

24 So the girl went out and asked her mother, "What shall I ask for?" "The head of John the Baptist," she answered.

25 The girl hurried back at once to the king and demanded, "I want you to give me here and now the head of John the Baptist on a plate!"

26 This made the king very sad, but he could not refuse her because of the vows he had made in front of all his guests.

27 So he sent off a guard at once with orders to bring John's head. The guard left, went to the prison, and cut John's head off;

28 then he brought it on a plate and gave it to the girl, who gave it to her mother.

29 When John's disciples heard about this, they came and got his body, and buried it.

30 The apostles returned and met with Jesus, and told him all they had done and taught.

31 There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his disciples didn't even have time to eat. So he said to them, "Let us go off by ourselves to some place where we will be alone and you can rest a while."

32 So they started out in a boat by themselves to a lonely place.

33 Many people, however, saw them leave and knew at once who they were; so they went from all the towns and ran ahead by land and arrived at the place ahead of Jesus and his disciples.

34 When Jesus got out of the boat, he saw this large crowd, and his heart was filled with pity for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began to teach them many things. ⁶

35 When it was getting late, his disciples came to him and said, "It is already very late, and this is a lonely place.

36 Send the people away, and let them go to the nearby farms and villages in order to buy themselves something to eat."

37 "You yourselves give them something to eat," Jesus answered. They asked, "Do you want us to go and spend two hundred silver coins on bread in order to feed them?"

38 So Jesus asked them, "How much bread do you have? Go and see." When they found out, they told him, "Five loaves and also two fish."

39 Jesus then told his disciples to make all the people divide into groups and sit down on the green grass.

40 So the people sat down in rows, in groups of a hundred and groups of fifty.

41 Then Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish, looked up to heaven, and gave thanks to God. He broke the loaves and gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all.

42 Everyone ate and had enough.

43 Then the disciples took up twelve baskets full of what was left of the bread and the fish.

44 The number of men who were fed was five thousand.

45 At once Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to Bethsaida, on the other side of the lake, while he sent the crowd away.

46 After saying good-bye to the people, he went away to a hill to pray.

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

48 He saw that his disciples were straining at the oars, because they were rowing against the wind; so sometime between three and six o'clock in the morning, he came to them, walking on the water. He was going to pass them by,

49 but they saw him walking on the water. "It's a ghost!" they thought, and screamed.

50 They were all terrified when they saw him. Jesus spoke to them at once, "Courage!" he said. "It is I. Don't be afraid!"

51 Then he got into the boat with them, and the wind died down. The disciples were completely amazed,

52 because they had not understood the real meaning of the feeding of the five thousand; their minds could not grasp it.

53 They crossed the lake and came to land at Gennesaret, where they tied up the boat.

54 As they left the boat, people recognized Jesus at once.

55 So they ran throughout the whole region; and wherever they heard he was, they brought to him the sick lying on their mats.

56 And everywhere Jesus went, to villages, towns, or farms, people would take their sick to the marketplaces and beg him to let the sick at least touch the edge of his cloak. And all who touched it were made well.

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. 6.4John 4.44.
• 2. 6.11Acts 13.51.+O+N6.8-11Luke 10.4-11.
• 3. 6.13James 5.14.
• 4. 6.14, 15Matthew 16.14;Mark 8.28;Luke 9.19.
• 5. 6.17, 18Luke 3.19, 20.
• 6. 6.34Numbers 27.17; 1 K 22.17;2 Chronicles 18.16;Ezekiel 34.5;Matthew 9.36.

Footnotes

• [a]. king herod: [Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee.]
• [b]. The daughter of Herodias; [some manuscripts have] His daughter Herodias.
• [c]. silver coins: [A silver coin was the daily wage of a rural worker (see Mt 20.2).]
• [d]. pass them by; [or] join them.