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 6:33 mean?

Explanation

Mark 6:33 depicts a scene where Jesus's popularity is evident.

The verse suggests that Jesus and his disciples were attempting to withdraw from the crowds to a quiet place, presumably for rest and private discourse.

However, the people recognized them and anticipated where they were heading.

The people then ran from all the nearby cities, arriving ahead of Jesus and his disciples.

The text describes an enthusiastic response from the populace, who are eager to be in Jesus's presence and possibly to receive teaching, healing, or witness miracles.

This fervent reaction of the crowds illustrates the widespread appeal that Jesus had during his ministry.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

The verse is part of the Gospel of Mark, believed by scholars to have been written around 70 AD, possibly by John Mark, a companion of the apostle Peter.

The event takes place in a Jewish context, where an itinerant rabbi like Jesus would travel from place to place, often drawing crowds.

Such a following would typically comprise people seeking spiritual guidance, those in need of healing, and others who were simply curious.

The reference to "all cities" suggests the incident likely occurred in a region with many towns and villages, possibly in Galilee, where Jesus performed much of his early ministry.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse demonstrates Jesus's growing ministry and the public's recognition of his authority and power.

It also reflects the intense yearning of the people for the Messiah, a desire that caused them to go to great lengths to be near him.

In Christian theology, this can represent the hunger of the human soul for spiritual nourishment that is believed to be found in Christ.

The people outrunning Jesus and his disciples may also symbolize the idea that while humans seek God, it is ultimately God who comes to them.

Practical Applications

This verse can inspire individuals to actively seek spiritual growth and enlightenment.

It suggests that one should not passively wait for guidance but instead take initiative and effort to seek out spiritual leaders and opportunities for learning. The eagerness of the crowd serves as an example of how one might enthusiastically approach faith, community, or service.

Moreover, it might inspire modern-day readers to consider the importance of community and coming together in pursuit of a common cause or belief.

Cross-References

Matthew 14:13-14: And when Jesus went out, He saw a great multitude; and He was moved with compassion for them, and He healed their sick.
Mark 1:37-38: And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee.

And he said unto them, Let us go into the next towns, that I may preach there also: for therefore came I forth.

Luke 9:11: And the people, when they knew it, followed him: and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word for "knew" is ἐπιγνόντες (epignontes), which indicates a recognition or realization, suggesting that the people were already familiar with Jesus and his ministry.

The word "ran" is δραμόντες (dramontes), which conveys a sense of urgency and effort on the part of the people.

"Afoot" (πεζῇ, pezē) refers to traveling by foot, indicating that they made haste without the aid of animals or vehicles.

The phrase "outwent them" (προῆλθον, proēlthon) is significant as it shows the people's determination by not just following but actually overtaking Jesus on the way.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The eagerness of crowds to meet a religious figure is not unique to Christianity.

In various ancient cultures, there are accounts of individuals going to great lengths to encounter prophets, diviners, or miracle workers.

For example, in Greek mythology, the Oracle at Delphi attracted many seeking guidance.

In terms of religious parallels, figures like the Buddha also drew large gatherings eager for enlightenment.

Scientific Perspectives

From a scientific perspective, the human desire for social interaction and collective behavior can be seen in this verse.

The impulse to gather and follow a charismatic leader has been observed in sociological and psychological studies, reflecting an innate human tendency to seek direction and purpose in groups, often under influential figures.

This tendency could be linked to evolutionary advantages of communal living and cooperation.

Commentaries

Commentaries on Mark 6:33 often highlight several aspects, including the compassion of Jesus despite his desire for solitude and the intensity of his ministry's impact on the people.

Matthew Henry's commentary, for example, stresses the tireless dedication of the people in their pursuit of Jesus's teachings.

The Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary draws attention to the extraordinary excitement and the spiritual hunger displayed by the crowd.

Furthermore, they speak to the miraculous nature of Jesus's life and ministry that attracted such crowds.

Mark 6

Mark 6

What does Mark 6:33 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 6:33 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?