JESUS IS REJECTED IN HIS OWN NEIGHBOURHOOD (6:1-6). Having preached continually in the area by the Sea of Galilee and around Capernaum, and having revealed His glory through His activities, Jesus now returned to His own neighbourhood, that is, around the Nazareth area, no doubt in order to visit Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he went out from there and he comes to his own country, and his disciples follow him. And when the Sabbath was come he began to teach in the synagogue.' Jesus returned home to ‘His own country', the place where He had been brought up, and presumably visited His family if they were still living... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And many hearing him were astonished, saying, “From where has this man learned these things?” and “What is the wisdom that is given to this man and what mean such mighty works (‘powers') wrought by his hands? Is this not the carpenter (or ‘craftsman'), the son of Mary and the brother of James and J... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour, except in his own country (patris 'autou as in Mark 6:1) and among his own kin and in his own house.” This may be a general saying rather than a specific claim to be a prophet, although others unquestionably saw Him as one, and it does indi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he could there do no mighty work (‘power') except that he laid his hands on a few sick folk and healed them.' The reason that He could not perform miracles was because they would not come to Him. Those who did come He healed. It was not He Who was inadequate, but they. There was a general lack... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he marvelled because of their unbelief.' Jesus was filled with wonder at the total lack of faith in Him among His neighbours. His own relationship with His Father was such that He found it quite incredible that they should be so unbelieving in the face of all that they must have heard about Hi... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EXTENSION OF THE MINISTRY - THE TWELVE ARE SENT OUT EMPOWERED BY JESUS TO PROCLAIM THE KINGLY RULE OF GOD (6:6A-13). Now begins the further expansion of the ministry. Jesus sends out His Apostles in order to extend the sphere of His ministry. It is the seed of worldwide evangelisation (compare... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WIDER MINISTRY BEGINS - THE APOSTLES ARE SENT OUT - OPPOSITION CONTINUES (6:6A-56). Having established that Jesus is Lord of the elements, Lord over evil spirits and Lord over life and death, Mark now deals with the widening of His ministry, although again this does not take place without disapp... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he called to him the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and he gave them authority over unclean spirits.' Jesus was aware that much needed to be done so, after a time, when He felt they were ready, He commissioned the twelve to go out in twos to teach (gathered from Mark 6:6 a) and t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he charged them that they should take nothing for their journey except only a staff, no bread, no pack, no money in their belt, but to go shod with sandals and not to put on two coats.' They were to take only the minimum that they were standing up in on their journeying. God would provide the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he said to them, “Wherever you enter a house, there stay until you leave the area. And whatever place will not receive you and do not listen to you, as you leave there shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony to them.” ' They were not to be choosy or look for comfort. Whenever... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they went out and preached that men should repent.' As Jesus had commanded, the twelve Apostles went out, calling on men to ‘repent'. This meant to ‘have a change of heart and mind', and to ‘turn from sin' (see on Mark 1:4) and to recognise that the Kingly Rule of God was drawing near (Matthew... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them.' Their ministry was accompanied by successful acts of power. Evil spirits were cast out, and as well as that they healed the sick by the anointing with oil (compare James 5:14 where it is ‘in the Name of the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And King Herod heard of him, for his name had become known, and he said “John the Baptiser is risen from the dead, and that is why these powers work in him”. But others said, “It is Elijah”. And others said, “It is a prophet, even as one of the prophets”. But Herod when he heard of it said, “John w... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RESPONSE OF KING HEROD IN VIEW OF HIS PREVIOUS EXECUTION OF JOHN THE BAPTISER (6:14-29). Meanwhile it was inevitable that news of the activities and power of Jesus, and of His disciples, would reach Herod's palace through his spy system, and when it did his conscience struck him, for he had had... [ Continue Reading ]
‘For Herod himself had sent out and laid hold on John and bound him in prison, for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, for he had married her. For John said to Herod “It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife.” And Herodias set herself against him and desired to kill him, but... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when an opportune day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a feast for his court officials and military officers and the chief men of Galilee, and when Herodias' daughter herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and those who sat at meat with him, and the king said to the young woman,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And she went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask?” And she said, “the head of John the Baptiser”. And she came in immediately and hastily to the king, and asked saying, “I will that you forthwith give me on a plate the head of John the Baptiser.” And the king was deeply sorry, but for the... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And immediately the king sent out an executioner and commanded to bring his head, and he went and beheaded him in prison, and brought his head on a plate and gave it to the young woman, and the young woman gave it to her mother.' The evil deed was done. No excuse can be found for Herod. Had he wan... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when his disciples heard, they came and collected his corpse and laid it in a tomb.' The same word for corpse is used in Mark 15:45 in a similar setting and the parallel may be intentional. And they also laid him in a tomb (compare Mark 15:46). Both the forerunner and his Master received simil... [ Continue Reading ]
THE DISCIPLES RETURN AND TAKE A BREAK - THE FEEDING OF FIVE THOUSAND PEOPLE (6:30-44). When the disciples returned and explained to Jesus all that had happened He sought to take them somewhere where they could rest and recuperate, and no doubt where He could give them advice and reassurance. Perhap... [ Continue Reading ]
THE APOSTLES RETURN FROM THEIR MISSION (6:30-34). ‘And the Apostles gather themselves together to Jesus, and they told him all things, whatever they had done and whatever they had taught.' ‘The Apostles.' This is remarkably the only reference to ‘the Apostles' in Mark. But that it carries all the f... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he says to them, “Come you yourselves apart into an isolated (or desert) place and rest awhile.” For there were many coming and going and they had no leisure so much as to eat.' Recognising the strain their activities had put them under Jesus desired to take them to a quiet and uninhabited pla... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they went away in the boat to a desert place apart.' So taking ship the group sailed to an isolated place where they could be alone. Luke tells us that this was in the vicinity of Bethsaida Julias situated near the top of the lake to the East (Luke 9:10). It was necessary even for these young... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And the people saw them going, and many knew them, and they ran there together on foot from all the cities and outran them.' But this time ‘the boat trick' did not work, for their action in taking ship was noted by those who knew them, who discerned where they were going and made their way there o... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he came out and saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them much.' Jesus was not dismayed by what had happened. He recognised the great longing of the crowd and their sense of needing guidance and help. He ‘had c... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when the day was now far spent his disciples came to him and said, “The place is isolated, and the day is now far spent. Send them away that they may go into the country and villages round about and buy themselves something to eat.” As evening approached and Jesus went on preaching, the discip... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FEEDING OF THE FIVE THOUSAND (6:35-43). Many attempts have been made to rationalise this account. The suggestion is made that when the crowd saw the disciples (or the little boy) sharing food they too began to share their food; or that it was only a symbolic meal, merely a taste of bread giving... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he says to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” And when they knew they say, “Five, and two fish.” Then He called their attention to what they did have. His command was firm. They must sum up their resources. And when they did so they found that they had five loaves and two fish. And... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he commanded them that all should sit down group by group on the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds and by fifties.' Peter remembered vividly the greenness of the grass, which indicated springtime. But was there a hint here that He Who made the grass to grow by abundant rain,... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And he took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven he blessed, and broke the loaves, and he gave to the disciples to set before them, and he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were filled.' There is no avoiding the miraculous supply. (It would even have t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they took up broken pieces, twelve basketfuls, and also of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men.' The term for ‘basket' denotes the wicker basket (kophinos) carried regularly by Jews, (and for which they were well known), so that they could take their provisions with t... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And immediately he constrained his disciples to board the boat and to go before him to the other side, towards Bethsaida, while he himself sends the crowds away. And after he had taken leave of them he departed to the mountain to pray.' ‘Immediately He constrained His disciples.' There was certainl... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS COMES TO HIS DISCIPLES IN THEIR NEED, WALKING ON THE WATER (6:45-53). As ever in salvation history the blessing is to be followed by trial. Having been fed by God they must now learn that times can also be hard, and that He is trustworthy in the hard times also. In the future they would have... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when evening was come the boat was well out at sea and he alone on the land, and seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night he comes to them walking on the sea. And he would have passed by them.' Night drew in as the disciples were at s... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost and cried out, for they all saw him and were distressed.' They had spent hours at the oars and were exhausted, the wind was howling, the waves beating against the boat, and it was night, and the sight of this figure walki... [ Continue Reading ]
‘But he immediately spoke with them and says, “Be of good cheer. It is I. Do not be afraid.” And he went up to them in the boat and the wind ceased.' Jesus immediately assured them that all was well. They had failed the test but they would learn from it in the future. It was at this time that Peter... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And they were greatly amazed in themselves, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their heart was hardened.' Mark sums up their position. They were full of amazement (and in their amazement cry out ‘truly you are the Son of God' - Matthew 14:33), and it was because they had not learned... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when they had crossed over they came to the land to Gennesaret, and moored to the shore.' Having crossed over they moored to the shore. They were safe on dry ground at last, and now they had Jesus with them. All is well when we have Jesus with us. They ‘ran into the shore' or ‘moored to the sho... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And when they were come out of the boat immediately the people knew him, and ran round about that whole region and began to carry about on their mattresses those who were sick where they heard he was.' As it was not far from Capernaum it was inevitable that people would be there who recognised Him... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MINISTRY CONTINUES IN GALILEE (6:54-56) . Although brief this summary gives the hint of an eyewitness. There is a memory of how people were healed just by touching his clothes. The purpose of the summary is to bring out His continued manifestations of power but it is noteworthy that His preachi... [ Continue Reading ]
‘And wherever he entered, into villages, or towns or the countryside, they laid their sick in the marketplaces and begged him that they might touch if it were but the hem of his clothing, and as many as touched him were made whole.' Whether He visited town or countryside they came for healing and l... [ Continue Reading ]