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 6:17 mean?

Explanation

Mark 6:17 recounts an incident involving three central figures: Herod (Antipas), John the Baptist (referred to as John in this verse), and Herodias, Herod's brother Philip's wife.

This verse tells us that Herod arrested John the Baptist and imprisoned him because of Herodias, with whom Herod had entered into an unlawful marriage.

John had condemned this marriage, leading to his imprisonment.

The literal reading of the verse indicates an act of political and personal retribution against John by Herod and Herodias.

The deeper meanings may reflect themes of speaking truth to power, the consequences of prophetic witness, and the complexity of moral complicity.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

Herod Antipas was a ruler in Galilee during the time of Jesus' ministry.

He was a son of Herod the Great and was known for his construction projects and political maneuvering.

Herodias was initially married to Herod's brother, known as Philip in the New Testament (though he may have been another Herod, son of Herod the Great).

According to Jewish law, Herod's marriage to his brother's wife was considered adulterous and incestuous.

John the Baptist's public condemnation of this marriage was a significant critique of the ruling elite's moral behavior.

This historical context places the verse in the midst of political intrigue and the challenging of societal norms.

Theological Insights

From a theological perspective, this verse demonstrates the biblical principle of standing up for righteousness, despite personal cost.

John the Baptist stood firmly against what he saw as a violation of God’s law, regardless of the consequences.

This aligns with the prophetic tradition of speaking truth against power.

It also reflects a theme prevalent in the New Testament, where the earthly kingdoms often stand in opposition to the kingdom of God and its values.

Practical Applications

This verse can encourage individuals to uphold their values and speak out against wrongdoing, even when it threatens their personal safety or status.

It serves as a reminder that moral integrity may lead to social or political pushback but that such integrity is vital to personal and communal spiritual health.

For those in positions of power, the verse is a warning to heed truth and to avoid using power to silence critics or cover up wrongdoing.

Cross-References

Matthew 14:3-4: "For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.

For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her."

Luke 3:19-20: "But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison."
Leviticus 18:16: "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness."

Language Study

Key words in this verse in the original Greek language include:

“Herod” (Ἡρῴδης, Herōdēs): The name of the tetrarch, derived from the Herodian dynasty.
“Bound” (δήσας, dēsas): This verb indicates the act of arresting or restraining, reflecting the authority Herod wielded.
“Prison” (φυλακῇ, phylakē): Referring to a place of detention, indicating John's loss of freedom.
“Herodias” (Ἡρῳδιάδος, Hērōiadias): The name of the woman who was the center of the controversy, indicating her role in the narrative.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In many ancient cultures, rulers often married for political alliances, with little regard for existing kinship laws or religious statutes.

The story of Herod and Herodias runs counter to this pattern, as their marriage was not only politically motivated but also challenged by a religious figure.

Comparatively, many religious narratives from different cultures feature prophets or holy men challenging the status quo or confronting rulers for unethical behavior.

Scientific Perspectives

This verse itself does not directly intersect with modern scientific understandings.

However, the study of archaeology has provided insights into the historical settings and characters mentioned in this scriptural account, confirming the existence of these historical figures and giving context to the biblical narrative.

Commentaries

Commentators often view this incident from different angles.

Some focus on John the Baptist's role as a moral compass of his time, fearless in the face of political power. Others examine Herod's motives, suggesting he may have been torn between his illicit desire for Herodias and his understanding of John's righteous standing among the people.

Some note the political risk Herod took by arresting John, hinting at Herodias' possible influence over Herod. Overall, experts agree on the historical reliability of this account and its implications for the complex interplay between political authority and moral law in the New Testament context.

Mark 6

Mark 6

What does Mark 6:17 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 6:17 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?