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 6:36 mean?

Explanation

Mark 6:36 presents a scenario where the disciples of Jesus suggest a practical solution to an imminent problem: the crowd following Jesus is hungry and needs to eat.

The disciples propose to Jesus that the crowd should be sent away to provide for their own needs, as they were in a remote place with limited resources.

The literal meaning of this verse indicates a concern for the physical well-being of the people.

On a deeper level, the verse sets the stage for the miracle that follows, the feeding of the five thousand, highlighting the disciples' human reasoning in contrast to Jesus' impending divine provision.

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Historical Context

Mark 6:36 is situated in the context of Jesus' ministry in Galilee.

This was a time when Jesus was becoming increasingly popular, with large crowds following Him to hear His teachings and witness His miracles.

Typically, in the ancient Jewish context, people traveled to towns and villages for trade and provisions.

The suggestion of the disciples reflects the socio-economic reality of the time, where purchasing bread would be necessary for sustenance during travel or in secluded places.

Theological Insights

From a theological standpoint, this verse illustrates humanity's inclination to seek practical solutions to physical needs, overshadowed by the spiritual and miraculous sustenance that Jesus is about to provide.

Different viewpoints might consider this verse as a test of faith for the disciples, an opportunity for Jesus to demonstrate His divine power, or a moment underscoring the all-sufficiency of Christ in contrast to human limitations.

Practical Applications

Practically, Mark 6:36 encourages believers to consider the needs of others and to be aware of the limitations of human solutions when faced with seemingly unsolvable challenges.

It teaches the importance of having compassion towards the needs of the community and the value of seeking divine guidance and provision in every circumstance.

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."
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? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.

Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little."

Language Study

Key words in the original Greek text of this verse:

"Send them away" (ἀπόλυσον αὐτούς): The word ἀπόλυσον is an imperative form of ἀπολύω, meaning to release or dismiss.
"Buy" (ἀγοράσωσιν): From ἀγοράζω, which means to purchase or procure at the marketplace, reflecting the economic activity of the time.
"Bread" (ἄρτους): Refers to a basic staple food item of the culture, often used symbolically for sustenance or life.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient cultures, bread is a common symbol of sustenance and life.

For example, in ancient Egypt, bread was central to the diet, and Osiris was associated with the wheat used to make bread.

In the Judeo-Christian context, bread holds significant symbolism, such as being likened to the Torah or to Christ Himself, referred to as the "Bread of Life" in the New Testament.

Scientific Perspectives

Nutritionally, bread is a source of carbohydrates necessary for energy. Scientific perspectives on this verse might focus on the physiological need for food to maintain strength and the psychosocial aspects of sharing a meal together, which are integral parts of human well-being.

Commentaries

Biblical commentaries on this verse note that the disciples were expressing concern for the welfare of the crowd, yet their understanding was limited to conventional means of problem-solving.

Commentators like Matthew Henry emphasize the compassion of Jesus contrasted with the disciples' practical, yet insufficient, perspective. Other experts suggest that this event gives a prelude to the coming miracle, which would serve as a powerful sign of Jesus’ identity and mission.

Mark 6

Mark 6

What does Mark 6:36 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 6:36 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?