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 6:8 mean?

Explanation

Mark 6:8 is part of a passage in which Jesus sends out the twelve apostles, giving them authority over unclean spirits and instructing them on how they should conduct their mission.

In this verse, Jesus commands the apostles to adopt a lifestyle of complete reliance on God's provision and the hospitality of those they encounter.

They are instructed to travel light, taking only a staff and to forsake other provisions or money.

This command emphasizes the importance of focusing on their spiritual mission without the encumbrance of material possessions or the distraction of resource acquisition.

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Historical Context

During the time of Jesus, it was common for religious teachers and philosophers to travel and spread their teachings.

The idea of traveling with minimal possessions is consistent with the practices of some Jewish and Greco-Roman itinerant preachers and philosophers of the era, who often relied on the hospitality and generosity of others.

Additionally, the staff was a typical item for travelers, symbolizing the journey and also serving as practical support.

Theological Insights

Theologically, this verse illustrates the principle of dependence on God and the kingdom's priorities.

By traveling without provisions, the apostles place their trust in God to meet their needs, which reflects Jesus' teaching on seeking the Kingdom of God first.

It also serves to free them from the temptation to rely on wealth or material goods, fostering humility and ensuring that their message, rather than personal gain, remains central.

From a different perspective, the instruction can be seen as a way to ensure the authenticity of the apostles' mission; they are to be identified as genuine messengers of Jesus, not as peddlers of religion for profit.

It also shows a communal aspect of their mission where the apostles engage with communities and build relationships through mutual dependency.

Practical Applications

This verse can be applied in daily life through the concept of simplicity and trust in God's provision.

Believers today can reflect on their own lives and consider where they may be placing their trust in material possessions or wealth instead of God.

It encourages living with only what is necessary and sharing generously with others.

Furthermore, it can imply the importance of trusting in human relationships and community support in pursuit of spiritual goals.

Cross-References

Luke 9:3: "And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece."
Luke 10:4: "Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way."
Matthew 10:9-10: "Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat."

Language Study

In the original Greek text of the New Testament, the word for "staff" is "ράβδος" (rabdos), which signifies a rod or staff typically carried by travelers for support or protection.

"Scrip" translates from "πήρα" (pēra), a traveler's bag used to carry provisions.

These specific terms underscore the practical simplicity intended for the apostles' journey.

The use of the negative particle "μή" (mē) in the admonition "take nothing" reinforces the restrictive command, emphasizing the total reliance on God and others that Jesus was teaching.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparing this with other religious practices, Buddhist monks are also known for their vows of poverty and owning very few possessions, often relying on alms for sustenance, which echoes the Christian value of relying on God and the charity of others.

Similarly, ancient Stoic philosophers embraced the value of living simply and without excess possessions as a means of focusing on their philosophical pursuits.

Scientific Perspectives

While there isn't a direct scientific perspective on the instruction to take nothing for a journey, psychological studies on materialism and happiness could be relevant.

Studies have demonstrated that excessive attachment to material possessions can distract from personal fulfillment and happiness, indicating the potential benefits of simpler living.

Additionally, the reliance on community support accords with research highlighting the psychological benefits of social connections and mutual aid.

Commentaries

Various biblical scholars and theologians offer different interpretations of this verse.

Some focus on the aspect of itinerancy and the historical practice of traveling ministry.

Others draw on the spiritual discipline of detachment from material goods, highlighting that the apostles were to act as examples of the reliance on God.

William Barclay notes that this command was for a specific mission and was not necessarily meant as a general rule for all time.

Matthew Henry comments on the willingness of the apostles to leave behind their security, trusting entirely in the provision of God.

Mark 6

Mark 6

What does Mark 6:8 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 6:8 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?