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 6:48 mean?

Explanation

Mark 6:48 depicts a dramatic and miraculous event where Jesus is seen walking on water.

The verse highlights the struggle of the disciples as they toil against adverse weather conditions. In the fourth watch of the night, between 3 AM and 6 AM, Jesus approaches them by walking on the sea, which was, according to the narrative, an act defying nature.

The phrase "and would have passed by them" is subject to various interpretations; it might suggest that Jesus intended to cross their path to demonstrate his divine nature or that his intention was to come alongside them without startling them.

This event conveys not only a literal miracle but also encapsulates deeper spiritual truths, such as Jesus' mastery over nature, his supernatural presence, and his timely rescue in moments of difficulty.

Top Rated Mark Books

Historical Context

This verse is part of the Gospel of Mark, believed to have been written around 65-70 AD.

It takes place shortly after the feeding of the five thousand, another miracle of Jesus.

The scene is set on the Sea of Galilee, a place familiar to the disciples, most of whom were fishermen.

During this time, the early Christian communities faced persecutions and hardships, and this narrative might have served to reassure them of Christ's power and presence in the midst of struggles.

Theological Insights

The event of Jesus walking on water holds various theological insights. From one perspective, it showcases Jesus' divine authority over the physical world, affirming his identity as the Son of God.

Some theologians see this act as symbolic of Jesus' ability to transcend human limitations and offer help that is beyond human capacity.

Others focus on the aspects of faith and doubt illustrated when Peter later attempts to walk on water and falters, which occurs in the verses following the passage in question.

Practical Applications

The account of Jesus walking on water has practical applications for believers.

It can be interpreted as an encouragement to trust in Gods help during difficult times.

Believers are reminded that even when faced with seemingly impossible circumstances, there is a divine presence that can guide and support them.

The passage also serves as a call to recognize divine intervention in one's life and to maintain faith even when the path ahead appears treacherous.

Cross-References

Matthew 14:24-25: "But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea."

John 6:18-19: "And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.

So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid."

Psalm 77:19: "Thy way is in the sea, and thy path in the great waters, and thy footsteps are not known."

Language Study

A key phrase in this verse is "walking upon the sea" (περιπατῶν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης).

The word for walking (περιπατῶν) carries the connotation of regular walking but set in an extraordinary context here.

The word for sea (θαλάσσης) refers specifically to the Sea of Galilee, a freshwater lake known in Hebrew as Kinneret, which is prone to sudden and violent storms due to its geographical characteristics.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

In various ancient cultures, there are myths of deities or heroes with the power to control or be unaffected by natural elements, such as Gilgamesh or the Greek god Hermes, who could traverse freely across realms.

In the context of Judaism and early Christianity, however, Jesus walking on water would be seen as a sign of divine authority rather than a mythical feat, distinguishing him from polytheistic narratives and emphasizing his unique relationship with God the Father.

Scientific Perspectives

From a modern scientific standpoint, walking on water is, naturally, impossible for humans due to the laws of physics and issues of buoyancy and weight distribution.

The event described in Mark 6:48 is therefore considered a miracle, an occurrence that transcends natural explanation.

For the believer, it is a divine act that goes beyond the ability of science to explain or replicate.

Commentaries

Different scholars and theologians have offered varied interpretations of this passage:

John Calvin saw here not just a miracle but a sign of the spiritual support Christ provides to believers.
William Lane suggests that the phrase "would have passed by them" indicates that Jesus was fully aware of the disciples' plight and his passing by was a deliberate act to draw their attention.
R.T.

France comments on the significance of the timing, the fourth watch of the night, symbolizing the darkest moment before dawn when help arrived.

Craig A.

Evans discusses the narrative in light of the larger context of Mark's Gospel, where it serves as a revelation of Jesus' identity and an invitation for the reader to respond with faith.

Each expert draws from the text based on different denominational backgrounds, theological frameworks, and interpretive strategies.

Mark 6

Mark 6

What does Mark 6:48 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 6:48 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?