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 6:35 mean?

Explanation

Mark 6:35 speaks of an event where the disciples of Jesus approach him toward the end of the day, concerned about the remoteness of their location and the lateness of the hour.

The disciples suggest that due to the isolation of the place and the advanced time, it would be prudent to send the gathered crowds away so they can find food and lodging in the surrounding countryside and villages.

This verse sets the stage for the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000, where Jesus uses five loaves and two fishes to feed a multitude. The literal meaning is clear: the disciples were worried about the practical needs of the crowd.

However, there is a deeper meaning, which is indicative of the compassionate ministry of Jesus and his divine ability to provide beyond human limitations.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

The Gospel of Mark is believed to have been written around 66–70 AD.

The narrative of the feeding of the 5,000 in a remote place reflects the life in 1st-century Palestine, where large crowds might gather to hear a teacher, especially in regions removed from the cities.

Such locations would lack the infrastructure to support a large gathering, making the disciples' concerns very plausible and practical.

The situation also reflects the socio-economic realities of the time, where food scarcity was a genuine concern.

Theological Insights

From this verse, theological insights emerge about God's provision, the disciples' leadership and understanding of Jesus' ministry, and the nature of Jesus as the shepherd of his people.

Different theological perspectives might emphasize the act of trust in God's providence, Jesus' compassion for both physical and spiritual hunger, or the disciples' evolving perception of Jesus' identity and mission.

In some Christian interpretations, this event also prefigures the Eucharist or Last Supper.

Practical Applications

The practical application of this verse can be seen in terms of faith, compassion, and community responsibility.

Believers might be encouraged to trust in God's provision even in seemingly desolate situations.

It also urges individuals to be attentive to the needs of others, calling for practical solutions to meet those needs, while also recognizing the spiritual significance behind Jesus' actions.

Cross-References

Matthew 14:15 - "And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals."
Luke 9:12 - "And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him, Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place."
John 6:5-7 - "When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?"

Language Study

The phrase "the day was now far spent" translates the Greek "ἤδη ὥρας πολλῆς" (ēdē hōras pollēs), which indicates the significant passing of time, suggesting it was late afternoon or early evening.

The word "desert" here is "ἔρημος" (erēmos), meaning a solitary, lonely, desolate, or uninhabited place.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In the Jewish tradition, providing hospitality and sharing food are important values, and the miraculous feeding would resonate with the Jewish audience as an echo of God's provision in the wilderness during the Exodus.

In various other ancient cultures, feasts often signified divine favor and abundance.

The story can be compared to mythical tales where deities provide for their followers.

Scientific Perspectives

Scientific perspectives might analyze the natural limitations of food production and distribution in remote areas.

Modern understanding of crowd psychology could shed light on the disciples' concerns for dispersing the crowd before nightfall, emphasizing the potential dangers and logistical problems presented by a large group of people in a remote location without adequate provisions.

Commentaries

Biblical scholars and commentators often see this verse as highlighting the tension between human concern for material needs and Jesus' mission to address deeper spiritual needs.

It might also describe the moment as a test or teaching moment for the disciples.

Experts like William Barclay note Jesus' compassion, while others like John Calvin focus on the divine power demonstrated in the subsequent miracle.

Each interpreter brings out different nuances based on theological tradition and scholastic focus.

Mark 6

Mark 6

What does Mark 6:35 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 6:35 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?