Mark6

Jesus faced rejection in his hometown of Nazareth, where their unbelief limited his miraculous works. He then commissioned the twelve disciples, sending them forth to preach repentance and heal. The chapter recounts the tragic beheading of John the Baptist by King Herod, influenced by Herodias's vengeful request. Later, Jesus miraculously fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fishes, and subsequently walked on water to his disciples during a stormy night.

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Jesus Rejected in Nazareth

And he went out from thence; and he cometh into his own country; and his disciples follow him.

And when the sabbath was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, Whence hath this man these things? and, What is the wisdom that is given unto this man, and what mean such mighty works wrought by his hands?

Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him.

And Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honor, save 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.

The Mission of the Twelve

And he calleth unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and he gave them authority over the unclean spirits;

and he charged them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no bread, no wallet, no money in their purse;

but to go shod with sandals: and, said he, put not on two coats.

And he said unto them, Wheresoever ye enter into a house, there abide till ye depart thence.

And whatsoever place shall not receive you, and they hear you not, as ye go forth thence, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony unto them.

And they went out, and preached that men should repent.

And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

Herod and the Death of John the Baptist

And king Herod heardthereof; for his name had become known: and he said, John the Baptizer is risen from the dead, and therefore do these powers work in him.

But others said, It is Elijah. And others said, It is a prophet, even as one of the prophets.

But Herod, when he heard thereof, said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen.

For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife; for he had married her.

For John said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.

And Herodias set herself against him, and desired to kill him; and she could not;

for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. And when he heard him, he was much perplexed; and he heard him gladly.

And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, and the high captains, and the chief men of Galilee;

and when the daughter of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased Herod and them that sat at meat with him; and 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 out, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptizer.

And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou forthwith give me on a platter the head of John the Baptist.

And the king was exceeding sorry; but for the sake of his oaths, and of them that sat at meat, he would not reject her.

And straightway the king sent forth a soldier of his guard, and commanded to bring his head: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,

and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother.

And when his disciples heard thereof, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

And the apostles gather themselves together unto Jesus; and they told him all things, whatsoever they had done, and whatsoever they had taught.

And he saith 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 went away in the boat to a desert place apart.

And the people saw them going, and many knew them, and they ran together there on foot from all the cities, and outwent them.

And he came forth and saw a great multitude, and he had compassion on 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, The place is desert, and the day is now far spent;

send them away, that they may go into the country and villages round about, and buy themselves somewhat to eat.

But he answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred shillings’ worth of bread, and give them to eat?

And 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 that all should sit down by companies upon the green grass.

And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.

And he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake the loaves; and he gave to the disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.

And they all ate, and were filled.

And they took up broken pieces, twelve basketfuls, and also of the fishes.

And they that ate the loaves were five thousand men.

Jesus Walks on Water

And straightway he constrained his disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before him unto the other side to Bethsaida, while he himself sendeth the multitude away.

And after he had taken leave of them, he departed into the mountain to pray.

And when even was come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

And seeing them distressed in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them, about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking on the sea; and he would have passed by them:

but they, when they saw him walking on the sea, supposed that it was a ghost, and cried out;

for they all saw him, and were troubled. But he straightway spake with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.

And he went up unto them into the boat; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves;

for they understood not concerning the loaves, but their heart was hardened.

Widespread Healing in Gennesaret

And when they had crossed over, they came to the land unto Gennesaret, and moored to the shore.

And when they were come out of the boat, straightway the people knew him,

and ran round about that whole region, and began to carry about on their beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.

And wheresoever he entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, 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.

Study Notes for Mark 6

Verse 1

His return to his hometown, Nazareth, highlights the difficulty of accepting prophetic authority from a familiar source, especially after achieving fame elsewhere.

Verse 2

The people were astonished not only by his teaching but by the combination of his wisdom and the 'mighty works' (miracles), which challenged their assumptions about his humble background.

Verse 3

This verse provides rare historical detail about Jesus’ family, identifying him as the 'carpenter' and naming his four brothers and mentioning his sisters.

Verse 4

This common proverb explains why Jesus’ ministry faced resistance where he was best known, illustrating how familiarity can blind people to spiritual truth.

Verse 5

Mark’s strong statement that Jesus 'could there do no mighty work' emphasizes that divine power, while limitless, is often hindered by human unbelief and resistance.

Verse 6

Jesus' 'marvel' (astonishment) at their unbelief is a significant humanizing detail, showing his disappointment at the lack of response to his presence and power.

Verse 7

Sending them 'by two and two' provided mutual support, accountability, and fulfilled the requirement for two witnesses (Deut. 19:15). They were given authority over demonic forces.

Verse 8

The strict limitations emphasized radical dependence on God and the hospitality of those they served, ensuring the focus remained on the message, not material resources.

Verse 11

Shaking off the dust was a symbolic gesture, signifying that the disciples were absolving themselves of responsibility for the non-receptive city and its judgment.

Verse 12

The core message of the disciples was the same as John the Baptist and Jesus: calling people to 'repent' (a change of mind leading to a change of life).

Verse 13

The use of 'oil' (anointing) was a traditional practice for healing in the ancient world, here combined with the miraculous power granted by Jesus.

Verse 14

'King Herod' is Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee. His troubled conscience leads him to believe Jesus is John the Baptist resurrected.

Verse 17

This begins a narrative interlude detailing John’s execution, triggered by Herod’s illegal marriage to Herodias, his niece and sister-in-law (Lev. 18:16).

Verse 18

John’s uncompromising confrontation of sin, even in the highest political office, demonstrates the prophetic role of holding rulers accountable to God’s moral law.

Verse 20

Herod’s complex relationship with John—fearing him as righteous yet hearing him 'gladly'—shows the conflict between political expediency and moral conviction.

Verse 21

The 'convenient day' refers to a fateful opportunity for Herodias to exact revenge, utilizing the public setting of Herod’s birthday celebration.

Verse 23

Herod’s rash oath, made under the influence of public spectacle and flattery, traps him into committing a heinous act to save face and uphold his honor.

Verse 26

This reveals Herod’s moral weakness; he prioritizes his political image and the honor of his oath over justice and the life of a righteous man.

Verse 30

The disciples return as 'apostles' (meaning 'sent ones'), indicating the successful completion of their mission, and report back to Jesus.

Verse 31

Jesus models the necessity of rest and spiritual retreat, especially after intense ministry, though the demands of the crowds soon interrupt this intention.

Verse 34

Jesus’ 'compassion' is the driving force of his ministry. He sees the crowd as 'sheep not having a shepherd,' a phrase describing Israel’s spiritual leadership vacuum (Num. 27:17).

Verse 37

Jesus issues a challenge: 'Give ye them to eat.' This tests the disciples' faith and forces them to recognize their limitations and Jesus’ limitless power.

Verse 41

The actions—taking, blessing, breaking, and distributing—are reminiscent of Jewish grace before meals and powerfully foreshadow the institution of the Lord’s Supper (Eucharist).

Verse 43

The 'twelve baskets full' of fragments emphasizes the superabundance of the miracle, with twelve symbolizing the completeness of Israel or the apostles.

Verse 45

Jesus 'constrained' (compelled) the disciples to leave, likely to prevent them from becoming caught up in the crowd's enthusiasm following the miracle.

Verse 46

Following intense ministry, Jesus withdraws for solitary 'prayer,' emphasizing the importance of communion with the Father even during periods of high demand.

Verse 48

The 'fourth watch' (3:00 to 6:00 AM) indicates the disciples had been struggling against the wind for most of the night. Jesus demonstrates his sovereignty over the natural world.

Verse 50

The phrase 'It is I' (Greek: Egō eimi) is a powerful declaration, often used in the Greek Old Testament to evoke the covenant name of God (Yahweh), assuring them of his divine presence.

Verse 52

This crucial comment by Mark explains the disciples’ slow understanding. They failed to grasp the significance of the feeding miracle, leading to a 'hardened' (dull or unperceptive) heart regarding Jesus' true identity.

Verse 56

The widespread desire to touch just the 'border of his garment' (the fringe or tassel) shows the intense faith of the people and their belief in Jesus' power flowing even through mere contact.

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Mark6

Jesus Rejected in Nazareth

The Mission of the Twelve

Herod and the Death of John the Baptist

The Feeding of the Five Thousand

Jesus Walks on Water

Widespread Healing in Gennesaret

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