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 6:41 mean?

Explanation

Mark 6:41 recounts the moment when Jesus performed one of his most famous miracles, the feeding of the five thousand.

In this verse, Jesus takes the five loaves and two fishes provided by a boy, which are inadequate for feeding such a large crowd, looks up to heaven, says a blessing, and then breaks the loaves.

Afterward, he hands them to his disciples to distribute to the people, along with the two fish.

The literal meaning of this verse is that through an act of divine blessing and breaking of bread, a small amount of food is miraculously multiplied to feed a large number of people.

On a deeper level, this verse emphasizes Jesus' power over physical needs, his compassion for the people, and prefigures the Eucharist in Christian belief, where bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ during Mass.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

The feeding of the five thousand is a miracle reported by all four Gospels (Matthew 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14).

This suggests its importance in the early Christian community.

At the time of this miracle, Jesus was in a remote location with a large crowd following him, having been teaching and healing.

The event occurs in a Jewish context, where blessings over bread are a part of the religious practice, and it likely took place near the Sea of Galilee in a Jewish territory.

The occurrence of this miracle also led the people to recognize Jesus as the Prophet who is to come into the world (John 6:14), referring to the prophecy in Deuteronomy about God raising up a Prophet like Moses.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints provide diverse insights into this passage.

From a traditional Christian perspective, the miracle signifies Jesus as the sustainer and the one who provides for his followers' needs, showing his divinity.

It also has Eucharistic overtones, suggesting that Jesus is the bread of life who provides spiritual nourishment.

A Liberation theology perspective might emphasize Jesus' concern for physical needs and sharing resources, reflecting a call to social justice.

Covenant theology might view it as a sign of the New Covenant, where Jesus feeds his people spiritually.

Finally, some theologians could interpret the event as a symbol of the Kingdom of God, where there is abundance for all.

Practical Applications

The feeding of the five thousand offers several practical applications, including the idea that God is able to provide abundantly even from scarce resources.

It teaches trust in divine providence and encourages the sharing of resources with those in need.

The passage may inspire acts of charity and hospitality, reminding believers that service to others is integral to the Christian faith.

Moreover, it can be seen as a call to spiritual nourishment, emphasizing the importance of regularly partaking in the spiritual food provided through Scripture and the Eucharist.

Cross-References

Matthew 14:19-21 – "And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude."
Luke 9:16 – "Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude."
John 6:11 – "And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would."
1 Kings 17:14 – "For thus saith the LORD God of Israel, The barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail, until the day that the LORD sendeth rain upon the earth."

Language Study

In the original Greek text of Mark 6:41, several key words stand out:

Took (λαβών, labōn): Jesus took the loaves, signifying an action of taking hold or receiving with a purpose.
Blessed (εὐλόγησεν, eulogēsen): This word can also mean "gave thanks," indicating that Jesus gave a prayer of thanksgiving or blessing to God before breaking the bread.
Brake (κατέκλασεν, kateklasen): This means to break or divide, emphasizing the action of Jesus preparing the bread for distribution.

These words highlight the deliberate and thankful nature of Jesus' actions as he prepared to feed the multitude.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

The sharing of food has deep roots in many cultural and religious traditions as an act of hospitality and blessing.

In Jewish tradition, blessing and breaking bread is a part of many religious observances, such as the Sabbath meal.

The act of looking up to heaven acknowledges God as the provider.

In some other ancient myths, gods also provide food or manna from heaven, signifying divine provision.

The concept of a miraculous feeding can also be compared to other religious texts where a deity satisfies the hunger of followers, such as the Hindu god Krishna providing an unlimited supply of food in the Bhagavata Purana.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific perspective, the miracle described in Mark 6:41 defies the laws of physics and biology, as it involves the creation of matter, food, from a very limited supply.

Metaphorically, the story could be viewed in light of modern understandings of sharing and the multiplication effects of generosity, where resources can be efficiently utilized to support larger groups when shared communally.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians have commented on Mark 6:41. William Barclay emphasizes the love and power of Jesus in meeting the needs of the people. John Calvin, in his commentary on the Gospels, recognizes the divine nature of this miracle, showing Jesus' mastery over nature.

Many modern scholars, like Craig A. Evans, discuss the Eucharistic overtones and the early Christian significance of the event.

Some contemporary theological commentaries focus on the social implications, prompting believers to consider issues of hunger and distribution of resources in the world today.

Mark 6

Mark 6

What does Mark 6:41 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 6:41 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?