Mark 6

And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.

And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.

But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.

And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;

And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:

But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.

And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.

And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.

Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.

But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.

For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.

For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:

For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;

And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.

And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.

And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.

And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.

And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.

And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.

And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.

And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.

And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.

And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.

And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.

And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:

Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.

He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?

He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.

And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.

And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.

And they did all eat, and were filled.

And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.

And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.

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 when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.

But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:

For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.

And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,

And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.

And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.

What does Mark 6:13 mean?

Explanation

The verse Mark 6:13 describes an event where disciples of Jesus cast out many demons and heal the sick by anointing them with oil.

It is a concrete illustration of Jesus's followers carrying out his commission to minister to the needy, extending His healing ministry.

Literally, the verse denotes a physical healing of illnesses and exorcism of demonic spirits.

On a deeper level, it could represent the spiritual authority Jesus conferred upon His disciples and the transformative power of His message, which includes both spiritual and physical restoration.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Mark 6:13 falls within the account of Jesus sending out the twelve apostles two by two to preach repentance, cast out demons, and heal the sick.

The practice of anointing the sick with oil, as witnessed in this verse, has historical roots in ancient medicinal practices and was common in Jewish culture.

Anointing oil was believed to have healing properties and also held religious significance, symbolizing God's blessing and presence.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse shows the extension of Jesus's ministry through his disciples.

In many Christian traditions, it underscores the belief in the continuation of divine authority and spiritual gifts.

For example, Catholic and Orthodox traditions see this verse as a basis for the sacrament of anointing the sick, while many Protestant faiths view it as evidence of the immediacy of Christ's power available to believers through faith and prayer.

Practical Applications

The practical applications of this verse in contemporary life might include the compassionate care for those who are suffering, the importance of prayer and faith in God's healing power, and the community's role in supporting the sick and oppressed.

Additionally, it can inspire believers to be agents of change, carrying forward the healing and liberating message of the Gospel in their daily interactions.

Cross-References

James 5:14-15: "Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:"
Mark 16:17-18: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;"
Luke 10:1, 17: "After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. ...

And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name."

Acts 5:12: "And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.)"

Language Study

In the original Greek text, key words to analyze would include:

"Devils" (δαιμόνια - daimonia): Often translated as "demons," referring to evil spirits.
"Anointed" (ἀλείψαντες - aleipsantes): The term used for "anointing" derived from the practice of applying oil, typically in a ritual or medicinal context.
"Healed" (ἰάσαντο - iasanto): This term signifies the act of curing or making whole which could refer to both physical and spiritual healing.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the ancient world, healing and exorcism were common themes across various cultures and religions. The use of anointing for medicinal or religious purposes was not exclusive to Judaism and can be seen in Egyptian and Greco-Roman practices.

The concept of disciples carrying out the work of their teacher mirrors practices seen in other religious traditions, where the master-disciple lineage is crucial for the transmission of authority and teaching.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific viewpoint, the healing in Mark 6:13 may be interpreted in several ways. The placebo effect acknowledges that belief and ritual might induce real psychological and physiological changes in individuals.

While modern medicine doesn't attribute healing power to oil by itself, the act of anointing with oil could symbolize the care and attention that supports the healing process.

Commentaries

Various Bible scholars and commentators have given their thoughts on this verse.

William Barclay notes the simplicity of the disciples' method, which combined the natural remedy of oil with the supernatural power of casting out demons.

John Calvin comments on the significance of anointing with oil as a symbol of the Holy Spirit at work.

Many contemporary commentaries focus on the continuation of these practices in the church today and their symbolism in terms of God's healing and presence.

Mark 6

Mark 6

What does Mark 6:13 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does Mark 6:13 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?