CHAPTER VI. _Our Lord's countrymen are astonished at his wisdom and mighty_ _works, and are offended at him_, 1-4. _He works few miracles there, because of their unbelief_, 5, 6. _He sends forth his disciples by two and two to preach, c._, 7-11. _They depart, preach, and work miracles_, 12, 13... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:2. _WERE ASTONISHED_] επι τῃ διδαχῃ αυτου, _at his doctrine_, or _teaching_. This is added by the _Codex Bezae_ and _eight_ others, later _Syriac, Armenian, Vulgate_, and all the _Itala_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:3. _IS NOT THIS THE CARPENTER_] Among the ancient Jews, every father was bound to do four things for his son. 1. To circumcise him. 2. To redeem him. 3. To teach him the law. 4. To teach him a trade. And this was founded on the following just maxim: "He who teaches not his son to d... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:4. See this curious subject explained, Matthew 13:55-40.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:5. Mark 6:4, Mark 6:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:6. Mark 6:4, Mark 6:4.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:7. _BY TWO AND TWO_] That they might _encourage_ and _support_ each other; and to show that _union_ among the ministers of the Gospel is essential to the promotion of the cause of truth. Luke 10:1, Luke 10:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:8. _A STAFF ONLY_] It is likely he desired them to take only _one_ with every _two_, merely for the purpose of carrying any part of their clothes on, when they should be obliged to strip them off by reason of the heat; for walking staves, or things of this kind, were forbidden, see Matt... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:9. _SHOD WITH SANDALS_] The _sandal_ seems to have been similar to the Roman _solea_, which covered only the _sole_ of the foot, and was fastened about the foot and ankle with straps. The _sandal_ was originally a part of the _woman's_ dress; ancient authors represent them as worn only... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:11. _AND WHOSOEVER SHALL NOT RECEIVE YOU_] Ὁς αν τοπος μη δεξηται, _whatsoever_ PLACE _will not receive you_: this is the reading of BL, _four_ others, and the later _Syriac_ in the margin. _VERILY_, c.] All this clause is omitted in BCDL, two others, one _Arabic_, one _Persic, Copti... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:13. _ANOINTED WITH OIL MANY THAT WERE SICK_] This is only spoken of _here_, and in James 5:14. This ceremony was in great use among the Jews; and in certain cases it might be profitable. But in the cases mentioned here, which were merely miraculous, it could avail no more of _itself_ th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:14. _AND KING HEROD HEARD?_] την ακιην αοτου, _his fame_, is added by KM, _fifteen_ others, and in the margin of several. It seems necessary to complete the sense.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:15. OR, _AS ONE OF THE PROPHETS._] η, _or_, is omitted by ABCEGHKLMS-BHV, and one hundred others, _Syriac_, all the _Arabic_, all the _Persic, Coptic, AEthiopic, Gothic, Slavonic, Vulgate_, two _Itala, Origen, Victor_, and _Theophylact. Bengel, Wetstein_, and _Griesbach_ leave it out of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 19. _WOULD HAVE KILLED_] εζητει, SOUGHT _to kill him_. C and _five_ of the _Itala_. See the whole of this account, from Mark 6:17, explained on Matthew 14:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 21. _LORDS_] μεγιστασιν, probably governors of particular districts. _HIGH CAPTAINS_] χιλιαρχοις; literally, _chiefs_ or _captains_ over a _thousand men_, military chiefs. _CHIEF ESTATES_] πρωτοις; probably such as might be called _nobles_ by _title_ only, having no _office_ civil or militar... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _UNTO THE HALF OF MY KINGDOM._] A noble price for a _dance_! This _extravagance_ in favour of _female dancers_ has the fullest scope in the east, even to the present day. M. _Anquetil_ _du Perron_, in the preliminary discourse to his _Zend Avesta_, p. 344 and 345, gives a particular accou... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _FOR THEIR SAKES WHICH SAT WITH HIM_] Probably these persons joined in with the request, and were glad of this opportunity to get this light of Israel extinguished; he being a public reprover of all their vices.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _THE APOSTLES GATHERED THEMSELVES TOGETHER_] For they went _different_ ways before, by _two_ and _two_, Mark 6:7; and now they return and _meet_ Christ at Capernaum.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _REST A WHILE_] _Rest_ is necessary for those who _labour_; and a _zealous_ preacher of the Gospel will as often stand in need of it as a _galley slave_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _THE PEOPLE_] Or, οχλοι, _the multitudes_. This is wanting in many MSS., but it seems necessary to make the sense clear. There is scarcely a verse in the whole New Testament that has suffered so much from transcribers as this verse. Amidst the abundance of various readings, one can scarcel... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _MUCH PEOPLE_, c.] See this miracle explained on Matthew 14:14, c.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 40. _BY HUNDREDS, AND BY FIFTIES._] "That is," says Mr. Wesley, "fifty in a rank, and a hundred in file. So, a hundred multiplied by fifty, made just five thousand." But if they sat fifty _deep_, how could the disciples conveniently serve them with the bread and fish?... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 41. _AND BLESSED_] I think the word _God_ should be inserted here, as in Matthew 14:19. See the note there. The food we receive from God is already blessed, and does not stand in need of being blessed by man; but God, who gives it, deserves our warmest thanksgivings, as frequently as we are ca... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 43. _TWELVE BASKETS_] These were either the baskets used by the disciples, see Matthew 14:20, or baskets belonging to some of the multitude, who might have brought some with them to carry provisions, or other things necessary for the _sick_, whom they brought to Christ to be healed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 44. _WERE ABOUT FIVE THOUSAND_] ωσει, _about_, is omitted by a great majority of the best MSS. and by the principal versions. It is wanting in several _editions: Bengel, Wetstein_, and _Griesbach_, leave it out of the text. It is omitted by some in the parallel place, Matthew 14:21, but it sta... [ Continue Reading ]
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.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 47. _THE SHIP WAS IN THE MIDST OF THE SEA_] See all the parts of this wonderful transaction considered, on Matthew 14:22.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 49. _THEY SUPPOSED IT HAD BEEN A SPIRIT_] That is, by whom the storm had been raised.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:52. _THEIR HEART WAS HARDENED._] See this explained Matthew 14:33.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:53. _THE LAND OF GENNESARET_] This country lay on the coast of the sea of Galilee: it is described by Josephus as being exceedingly pleasant and fertile. It had its name of Gennesaret from גן, _gen_, a _garden_, and סר _sar_, a _prince_, either because the _king_ had a _garden_ there, o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:54. _THEY KNEW HIM_] επιγνοντες, _They recollected him_; for he had before preached and wrought miracles in different places of the same country.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Mark 6:56. _VILLAGES_] Probably small towns near cities. _COUNTRY_] Villages at a distance from cities and large public towns. See the notes on Matthew 14:34. Christ went about doing good - he _confined_ his ministry and miracles to _no_ place - wherever he went, they stood in need of his he... [ Continue Reading ]