Mark 6:45

And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people. AND STRAIGHTWAY HE CONSTRAINED HIS DISCIPLES TO GET INTO THE SHIP, AND TO GO TO THE OTHER SIDE BEFORE (HIM) UNTO BETHSAIDA - Bethsaida of Galilee (John 12:21). John says they "went over the sea toward Capernaum" - the wind, probably, occasioning this slight deviation from the direction of Bethsaida. WHILE HE SENT AWAY THE PEOPLE, [ ton (G3588) ochlon (G3793)] - 'the multitude.' His object in this was to put an end to the misdirected excitement in His favour ...

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...

Verse 45. _TO THE OTHER SIDE BEFORE UNTO BETHSAIDA_] John says, John 6:17, to _Capernaum_. It is probable our Lord ordered them to steer to one or other of these two places, which were about _four_ miles distant, and on the _same_ side of the sea of Galilee....

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 14:22. Mark 6:52 THEY CONSIDERED NOT THE MIRACLE OF THE LOAVES - They did not remember or call to mind the “power” which Jesus had shown in feeding the five thousand by a miracle, and that, having done that, he had power also to save them from the storm. THEIR HEART WAS HARDENED - Their “mind” was dull to perceive it. This does not mean that they were “opposed” to Jesus, or that they had what we denominate “hardness of heart,” but simply that they were slow to perceive his power. They did not quickly learn, as they ought to have done, that he had all power, and could therefore allay the storm. The word “heart” is frequently used in this sense.

EXPOSITION MARK 6:1 Our Lord now left the neighbourhood of Capernaum, and came INTO HIS OWN COUNTRY, the district of Nazareth, where he had been, not born indeed, but brought up, and where his kinsfolk after the flesh still lived. Nazareth would be about a day's journey from Capernaum. This was not the first public exercise of his ministry at Nazareth. Of that and its results St. Luke gives us the account (Luke 4:16). It would seem reasonable to suppose that, after the fame which he had now acquired, he should again visit the place where he had been brought up. His sisters were still living there. St. Mark here again uses the historical present ἔρχεται, "he cometh," for which there is better authority than for ἧλθεν_. _HIS

AND STRAIGHTWAY HE CONSTRAINED HIS DISCIPLES,.... The reasons of this is Matthew 14:22, TO GET INTO THE SHIP; in which they came to this place, and which was waiting for them: AND TO GO TO THE OTHER SIDE BEFORE UNTO BETHSAIDA; or rather "to go to the other side over against Bethsaida"; for they were now in a desert belonging to that city, wherefore they were ordered to go, and did go to the other side of the sea of Tiberias, or Galilee, even to Capernaum, as appears from John 6:17; WHILE HE SENT AWAY THE PEOPLE; Matthew 14:22....

MARK 6:45 eivj to. pe,ran {A} The phrase eivj to. pe,ran is omitted by several witnesses (î45vid W ¦1 syrs), no doubt because of the difficulties involved in the geography (Bethsaida was in the domain of Philip the tetrarch, and consequently was east of the Jordan River)....

CHAPTER 6 _ 1. The Servant rejected in Nazareth. (Mark 6:1. Matthew 13:54; Luke 4:16)_ 2. The Servant sends forth the Twelve. (Mark 6:7 .Matthew 10:5; Luke 9:1) 3. King Herod troubled. (Mark 6:14. Matthew 14:1; Luke 9:7)...

JESUS DISMISSES THE CROWD AND WALKS ON THE SEA. The first verses of this section apparently touch on an unexplained crisis in the life of Jesus. Why does He compel the disciples to leave Him? Why does He spend the night alone in prayer? Is the dismissal of the crowd a farewell, like Paul's farewell to the elders of Ephesus? The word used in Mark 6:46 occurs in Acts 18:18; Acts 18:21. There is, as J. Weiss sees, significant history here to which the evangelist does not give the key. Jesus seems to be in a condition of soul which makes the presence even of the disciples insupportable and communion with His heavenly Father indispensable (SNT, i. 131). Possibly John 6

WITHOUT HONOR IN HIS OWN COUNTRY (Mark 6:1-6)...