Mark 6

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Mark 6 is a chapter of rejections and abundance. Jesus is dismissed in his hometown, where they know his family and take offense. He sends the Twelve out two by two with nothing but a staff, and they preach, heal, and drive out demons. Meanwhile Herod, hearing of Jesus, thinks John the Baptist has come back, and Mark tells how John died: Herodias's grudge, a birthday banquet, a dancing daughter, a rash oath, and a head on a platter. The apostles return exhausted; Jesus takes them away to rest, the crowds follow, and he feeds five thousand with five loaves and two fish. That night he walks to the disciples across the sea, and the sick of Gennesaret are healed by touching his cloak.

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Mark 6 packs more into fifty-six verses than most books, and it is held together by a question: who is this? In Nazareth the answer is easy and wrong. He is the carpenter, Mary's son, we know his brothers and sisters, and they are offended that he presumes to teach them; Mark says he could do almost nothing there and was amazed at their unbelief. Jesus sends the Twelve out with a staff and sandals and nothing else, and they come back with stories. In between, Mark tells the story of how John the Baptist died, because Herod Antipas has heard of Jesus and is sure it is John come back to haunt him. The tale is told slowly: the grudge of a queen, a birthday party, a girl dancing, a king who promises half his kingdom and cannot back down in front of his generals, and a prophet's head brought in on a dish. It is a preview of another execution by a reluctant ruler under pressure from a crowd. Then the chapter opens out. Jesus tries to take his exhausted men to a quiet place, five thousand people get there first, and instead of resenting them he sees sheep without a shepherd, teaches them, and feeds them with a boy's lunch until twelve baskets are left over. That night he walks across the water to the disciples, says the words God says, it is I, do not be afraid, and climbs into the boat. They are astonished, Mark says, because they had not understood about the loaves. The chapter ends with the sick lining the marketplaces of Gennesaret, reaching for the edge of his cloak.

Historical and literary context

Nazareth was a village of a few hundred people where everyone knew the carpenter's family; the brothers named here appear elsewhere in the New Testament, and James led the Jerusalem church. Herod here is Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, who had married Herodias, the wife of his half-brother. The Jewish historian Josephus records that Antipas executed John at the fortress of Machaerus and gives the daughter's name as Salome. The disciples' travelling kit matches what a Jewish teacher might allow for a short mission, and shaking off dust was what Jews did when leaving pagan territory. The green grass places the feeding in spring, near Passover, and the groups of hundreds and fifties recall Israel organized in the wilderness. "Passing by" and "It is I" echo God's appearances to Moses and Elijah.

How the chapter unfolds

Verses 1 to 6: rejection at Nazareth and the saying about a prophet without honor. Verses 7 to 13: the sending of the Twelve. Verses 14 to 29: Herod's guilt and the flashback to John's execution, inserted between the sending and the return. Verses 30 to 44: the return of the apostles, the attempt to rest, the compassion on sheep without a shepherd, and the feeding of the five thousand. Verses 45 to 52: the walk on the sea, the disciples' terror, and their hardened hearts. Verses 53 to 56: healings at Gennesaret as the sick reach for the fringe of his cloak.

Why this chapter matters

The feeding of the five thousand is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels and became, for the early church, a picture of the Eucharist and of Christ as the shepherd who feeds Israel in the wilderness. "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown" passed into proverb. The death of John the Baptist is the Gospel's rehearsal for the death of Jesus, a righteous man killed by a weak ruler under pressure from a banquet crowd. "Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid" on the water has been heard as the voice of God himself. Mark's note that Jesus "was amazed at their unbelief" is one of the rare places where the Gospels show Jesus surprised.

Interpretive tension to watch

Mark says Jesus "could not" perform miracles in Nazareth, a statement Matthew softens to "did not," and readers have to decide what unbelief can and cannot limit. Mark calls Herodias's first husband Philip, while Josephus names him Herod, a discrepancy explained in several ways. The disciples' hardened hearts in verse 52, blamed on their failure to understand the loaves, shows Mark's characteristic severity toward the Twelve. Why Jesus "intended to pass by them" on the water is debated: an echo of God passing by in Exodus 33, or a test, or simply the way it looked from the boat.

Perguntas para este capítulo

  • The people of Nazareth could not believe because they knew Jesus' family. How does familiarity get in the way of faith?
  • Herod was sorry, but kept his oath because of his guests. When have you seen a bad decision made to save face?
  • Jesus took the tired disciples away to rest, and the crowd arrived first. How does he respond, and what does that ask of us?

Study with context

Use this as a chapter guide, then press deeper into the text itself. The goal is to slow down observation, notice structure, and ask better questions before jumping to conclusions.

1 And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him. 2 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? 3 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. 4 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. 5 And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed [them]. 6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching. 7 ¶ And he called [unto him] the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; 8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for [their] journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in [their] purse: 9 But [be] shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. 10 And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. 11 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. 12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent. 13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed [them]. 14 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. 15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets. 16 But when Herod heard [thereof], he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. 17 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. 18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife. 19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: 20 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. 21 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; 22 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. 23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give [it] thee, unto the half of my kingdom. 24 And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. 25 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. 26 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. 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, 28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29 And when his disciples heard [of it], they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. 30 And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught. 31 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. 32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. 33 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. 34 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. 35 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: 36 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. 37 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? 38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. 39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. 40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. 41 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. 42 And they did all eat, and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. 44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men. 45 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. 46 And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray. 47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land. 48 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. 49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out: 50 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. 51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered. 52 For they considered not [the miracle] of the loaves: for their heart was hardened. 53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore. 54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him, 55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was. 56 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.

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