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 6:43 mean?

Explanation

The verse Mark 6:43 "And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes," describes the conclusion of the feeding of the 5,000, one of Jesus' miracles recounted in the New Testament.

After Jesus miraculously multiplied five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed the large crowd, his disciples gathered the leftovers.

This passage highlights a miraculous event where provision far exceeded the immediate need, resulting in an abundance of food remaining even after everyone was fed.

The specific mention of "twelve baskets" is often interpreted as symbolically significant, possibly reflecting the twelve tribes of Israel or the twelve disciples.

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Historical Context

The event described in Mark 6:43 occurred during the early part of Jesus' ministry in Galilee.

It is set within a first-century Jewish context under Roman occupation.

The feeding of the 5,000 is recorded in all four Gospel accounts (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, Luke 9:10-17, and John 6:1-15), which reflects its importance to the early Christian community.

Miracle stories, like the multiplication of loaves and fishes, served to validate Jesus' divine authority and messianic identity in a culture that valued signs and wonders.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints provide varied insights into Mark 6:43:

Traditional Christian theology sees the miracle as a testament to Jesus' divine power and his compassion for the people's physical needs.
Some scholars suggest a typological interpretation, viewing the feeding as prefiguring the Eucharist or the Heavenly Banquet.
Liberation theology might emphasize the miracle as a sign of God's provision and care for the poor and marginalized.
A symbolic reading might perceive the twelve baskets as representing the fulfillment and inclusiveness of God's kingdom, ministering to the twelve tribes of Israel and, by extension, the whole world.

Practical Applications

Mark 6:43 can inspire practical applications for believers today:

Trust in God's provision: Just as Jesus provided more than enough food for the crowd, individuals are encouraged to trust God's ability to meet their needs.
Importance of stewardship: The act of collecting leftovers suggests the responsible use of resources and care for the environment.
Hospitality and generosity: As Jesus shared food with a great multitude, people are encouraged to share their own resources and care for others in their communities.

Cross-References

Matthew 14:20 "And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full."
Luke 9:17 "And they did eat, and were all filled: and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets."
John 6:13 "Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten."

Language Study

In the original Greek text of Mark 6:43, key words include:

"Fragments" (Greek: "κλάσματα" - klasmata): Broken pieces, emphasizing the abundance of leftover food.
"Baskets" (Greek: "κοφίνους" - kophinous): Refers to a particular type of basket, likely small enough for an individual to carry, but the plural usage indicates the large quantity collected.
"Fishes" (Greek: "ἰχθύων" - ichthyōn): The term specifies that both bread and fish were among the leftovers gathered.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In other ancient cultures, bread and fish were common dietary staples, and miraculous stories of provision are not unique to the Christian tradition. For instance, in some ancient Egyptian myths, deities provide abundant harvests.

However, the specificity of the twelve baskets and the public nature of the miracle in a Jewish context give this event a distinct identity tied to Jesus' ministry.

Scientific Perspectives

While modern scientific understanding does not support the occurrence of miracles such as food multiplication in the natural world, the account of Mark 6:43 is typically approached from a standpoint of faith within religious communities.

Some have explored the psychological effect of shared experiences of awe and how collective memories of such events might be reinforced in a community.

Commentaries

Various Bible commentaries offer interpretations of Mark 6:43:

Matthew Henry's Commentary details the frugality and stewardship Jesus teaches, even in times of abundance.
The Pulpit Commentary discusses the significance of the number twelve and its connection to Israel, as well as the testament the miracle provides to the divine nature of Christ.
The IVP New Testament Commentary Series relates the event to the good news of the kingdom of God and notes the Eucharistic overtones of Jesus distributing bread.

Mark 6

Mark 6

What does Mark 6:43 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 6:43 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?