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 6:34 mean?

Explanation

Mark 6:34 speaks of a moment when Jesus, upon encountering a large crowd, is filled with compassion because they appeared lost and leaderless, like "sheep not having a shepherd".

Jesus's compassion leads him to teach the people many things.

The literal meaning of the verse is clear; Jesus sees a crowd in need of guidance and begins to provide it through his teachings.

On a deeper level, the imagery of the crowd as “sheap not having a shepherd” symbolizes humanity’s spiritual need for leadership and truth, which Jesus, as the shepherd, provides.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

This verse falls within the context of Jesus's ministry in Galilee.

Mark's Gospel is one of the Synoptic Gospels and it presents Jesus as a tireless servant of God who travels and preaches.

At this point in Mark’s narrative, Jesus had been teaching, performing miracles, and sending his disciples to spread his message.

The first century Judeo-Christian culture highly valued the role of a shepherd, which is reflective in this verse as Jesus embodies this role for the people.

Theological Insights

From a Christian theological perspective, Jesus is often referred to as the "Good Shepherd" (as seen in John 10:11-14).

This particular verse in Mark reinforces that image of Jesus as the shepherd to the leaderless and those in need.

The compassion he shows is central to Christian understandings of Jesus's nature.

Some theologians might interpret the "many things" as the spiritual teachings necessary for salvation, while others may see them as practical instructions for righteous living.

Practical Applications

This verse suggests the importance of compassion in daily life.

Just as Jesus felt compassion for the crowd, individuals are encouraged to recognize the struggles of others and take action to help.

On a communal level, the verse speaks to the need for providing guidance and moral leadership, implying an ethical responsibility to contribute positively to society and help those in need of guidance and support.

Cross-References

Matthew 9:36 – “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.”
Psalm 23:1 – “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Isaiah 40:11 – “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”
John 10:11 – “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.”

Language Study

The original Greek word for "compassion" in this verse is "σπλαγχνίζομαι" (splanchnizomai), which conveys a deep, gut-level feeling of compassion, signifying a profound emotional reaction.

The word picture is almost visceral; it is as if Jesus feels the peoples' needs in his very being. Another key term is "ποιμήν" (poimen), meaning "shepherd," which carried rich connotations of caring, guidance, and protection in the cultural context of the time.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the ancient Near East, the metaphor of the shepherd was widely used to signify leadership and care.

Similar imagery can be found in various cultures, where kings and gods were often depicted as shepherds of their people.

For example, in Mesopotamian cultures, kings like Sargon of Akkad were often referred to as shepherds.

In the Hebrew Scriptures, God is frequently depicted as a shepherd of the Israelite people.

Scientific Perspectives

While this verse does not directly touch on scientific themes, modern psychology may provide insight into the human need for leadership and the psychological effects of compassion.

Studies in social science have shown that effective leadership can contribute to individual well-being, and the experience of compassion has substantial mental health benefits, both for the giver and the receiver.

Commentaries

Contemporary biblical scholars have different perspectives on this verse.

Some emphasize Jesus's role as a substitute for the religious leaders of the time, who were failing to shepherd the people properly. Others focus on the scope of Jesus's ministry and how it went beyond just the physical healing of individuals to addressing the spiritual void in their lives.

Commentators like William Barclay note that Jesus's teaching was focused on giving guidance to those who were lost.

Mark 6

Mark 6

What does Mark 6:34 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 6:34 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?