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 ]