Mark 6

Mark 6:1

K. The Servant Rejected at Nazareth (6:1-6) 6:1-3 Jesus returned to Nazareth with His disciples. This was His own country, where He had worked as a Carpenter. On the Sabbath He taught in the synagogue. The people, astonished, could not deny the wisdom of His teaching or the wonder of His miracles. But there was a deep unwillingness to acknowledge Him as the Son of God. They thought of Him as the carpenter, the Son of Mary, whose brothers and sisters were still there. Had He returned to Nazareth as a mighty conquering Hero, they might have accepted Him more readily. But He came in lowly grace and humility. This offended them. 6:4-6 It was then that Jesus observed that a prophet is generally given a better reception away from home. His relatives and friends are too close to him to appreciate his person or ministry. No place harder to serve the Lord than at home. The Nazarenes themselves were a despised people. A popular attitude was: Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Yet these social outcasts looked down on the Lord Jesus. What a commentary on the pride and unbelief of the human heart! Unbelief largely hindered the work of the Savior in Nazareth. He healed a few sick people, but that was all. The unbelief of the people amazed Him. J. G. Miller warns: Such unbelief as this has immense consequences for evil. It closes the channels of grace and mercy, so that only a trickle gets through to human lives in need. Again Jesus tasted the loneliness of being misunderstood and slighted. Many of His followers have shared this sorrow. Often the servants of the Lord appear in a very humble guise. Are we able to look beyond outward appearances and recognize true spiritual worth? Undaunted by His rejection in Nazareth, the Lord went about the surrounding villages, teaching the Word.

Mark 6:7

L. The Servant Sends Forth His Disciples (6:7-13) 6:7 The time had come for the twelve to launch out. They had been under the matchless tutelage of the Savior; now they would go forth as heralds of a glorious message. He sent them out two by two. The preaching would thus be confirmed in the mouths of two witnesses. Also there would be strength and mutual help in traveling together. Finally, the presence of two might be helpful in cultures where moral conditions were low. Next He gave them power over unclean spirits. This is worth noting. It is one thing to cast out demons; only God can confer this power on others. 6:8 If our Lord’s kingdom were of this world, He would never have given the instructions which follow in verses 8-11. They are the very opposite of what the average worldly leader would give. The disciples were to go forth without provisionsno bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts. They were to trust Him to supply these needs. 6:9 They were allowed to take sandals and a staff, the latter perhaps for protection against animals, and only one tunic. Certainly no one would envy the disciples’ possessions, nor be attracted to Christianity by the prospect of becoming wealthy! And whatever power the disciples would have must come from God; they were totally cast upon Him. They were sent out in the most frugal circumstances, yet representatives of the Son of God, invested with His power. 6:10 They were to accept hospitality wherever it was offered them, and were to stay there till they left the area. This instruction prevented their shopping around for more comfortable lodgings. Their mission was to preach the message of One who did not please Himself, who was not self-seeking. They were not to compromise the message by seeking luxury, comfort or ease. 6:11 If a place rejected the disciples and their message, they were not obligated to remain. To do so would be casting pearls before swine. In leaving, the disciples were to shake off the dust under their feet, symbolizing God’s rejection of those who reject His beloved Son. Although some of the instructions were of a temporary nature and were later withdrawn by the Lord Jesus (Luk_22:35-36), yet they embody lasting principles for the servant of Christ in every age. 6:12, 13 The disciples went out and preached repentance, cast out many demons, anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them. The anointing with oil, we believe, was a symbolic gesture, picturing the soothing, alleviating power of the Holy Spirit.

Mark 6:14

M. The Servant’s Forerunner Beheaded (6:14-29) 6:14-16 When news reached King Herod that a miracle-worker was traveling through the land, he immediately concluded that it was John the Baptist … risen from the dead. Others said it was Elijah or one of the other prophets, but Herod was convinced that the man whom he had beheaded had risen. John the Baptist had been a voice from God. Herod had silenced that voice. Now the terrible pangs of conscience were stabbing Herod for what he had done. He would learn that the way of the transgressor is hard. 6:17-20 The narrative now switches back to the time of John’s execution. The Baptizer had reproved Herod for entering into an unlawful marriage with his brother Philip’s wife. Herodias, now Herod’s wife, became furious and vowed to take revenge. But Herod respected John as a holy man and thwarted her efforts. 6:21-25 Finally her chance came. At Herod’s birthday party, with local celebrities attending, Herodias arranged for her daughter to dance. This so pleased Herod that he promised to give the girl anything up to half his kingdom. Prompted by her mother, she asked for the head of John the Baptist on a platter. 6:26-28 The king was trapped. Against his own desires and better judgment, he granted the request. Sin had woven its web around him, and the vassal king was victimized by an evil woman and by a sensual dance. 6:29 When John’s faithful disciples heard what had happened, they claimed his corpse and buried it, then went and told Jesus.

Mark 6:30

N. Feeding of the Five Thousand (6:30-44) 6:30 This miracle, found in all four Gospels, took place at the beginning of the third year of His public ministry. The apostles had just returned to Capernaum from their first preaching mission (see vv. 7-13). Perhaps they were flushed with success, perhaps weary and footsore. Recognizing their need for rest and quiet, the Lord took them by boat to a secluded area on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. 6:31, 32 We often hear, Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while used to justify luxurious vacations for Christians. Kelly wrote: It would be well for us if we needed thus to rest more; that is to say, if our labors were so abundant, our self-denying efforts for the blessing of others were so continual, that we could be sure that this was the Lord’s word for us. 6:33, 34 A crowd followed the Lord and His disciples by taking the land route along the shore of the lake. Jesus had compassion on the people. They were wandering around without a spiritual guide, hungry and defenseless. So He began to teach them. 6:35, 36 As the day wore on, His disciples became restless about the crowdso many people and nothing to eat. They urged the Lord to send them away. The same crowd that drew out the compassion of the Savior annoyed the disciples. Are people an intrusion to us, or the objects of our love? 6:37, 38 Jesus turned to the disciples and said, You give them something to eat. The whole thing seemed preposterousfive thousand men, plus women and children, and nothing but five loaves and two fishand God. 6:39-44 In the miracle that followed, the disciples saw a picture of how the Savior would give Himself to be the bread of life for a starving world. His body would be broken that others might have eternal life. In fact, the words used are highly suggestive of the Lord’s Supper which commemorates His death: He had taken; He blessed; He broke; He gave. The disciples also learned precious lessons about their service for Him:

1. Disciples of the Lord Jesus should never doubt His power to supply their needs. If He can feed five thousand men with five loaves and two fish, He can provide for His trusting servants under any circumstances. They can labor for Him without worry as to where their food is coming from. If they seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, every need will be supplied.
2. How can the perishing world ever be evangelized? Jesus says, You give them something to eat! If we give Him what we have, however trivial it may seem, He can multiply it in blessing to multitudes.
3. He handled the work in a systematic way by seating the crowd in groups of hundreds and fifties.
4. He blessed and broke the loaves and fish. Unblessed by Him, they would never have availed. Unbroken, they would have been utterly insufficient. The reason we are not more freely given to men is that we are not yet properly broken (Selected).
5. Jesus did not distribute the food Himself. He allowed His disciples to do this. His plan is to feed the world through His people.
6. There was enough for all. If believers today would put everything above current necessities into the work of the Lord, the whole world could hear the gospel in this generation.
7. The fragments that were left over (twelve baskets full) were more than He started with. God is a bountiful Giver. Yet notice that nothing was wasted. The surplus was gathered up. Waste is a sin.
8. One of the greatest miracles would never have happened if the disciples had stuck to their plan to rest. How often that is true with us!

Mark 6:45

O. Jesus Walks on the Sea (6:45-52) 6:45-50 The Savior can provide not only for His servants’ sustenance, but for their safety as well. After sending the disciples back to the west shore of the lake by boat, Jesus went up into a mountain to pray. In the darkness of the night, He saw them rowing hard against a contrary wind. He went to their assistance, walking on the sea. At first, they were terrified, thinking it was a ghost. Then He spoke reassuringly to them and boarded the boat. The wind ceased immediately. 6:51, 52 The account closes with the comment: They were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and marveled. For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened. The thought seems to be that even after seeing the power of the Lord in the miracle of the loaves, they still did not realize that nothing was impossible for Him. They shouldn’t have been surprised to see Him walking on the water. It was no greater a miracle than the one they had just witnessed. Lack of faith produced hardness of heart and dullness of spiritual perception. The church has seen in this miracle a picture of the present age and its close. Jesus on the mountain represents Christ in His present ministry in heaven, interceding for His people. The disciples represent His servants, buffeted by the storms and trials of life. Soon the Savior will return to His own, deliver them from danger and distress and guide them safe to the heavenly shore.

Mark 6:53

P. The Servant Healing at Gennesaret (6:53-56) Back on the west side of the lake, the Lord was besieged with sick people. Wherever He went, people carried needy cases to Him on mats. Marketplaces became improvised hospitals. They wanted only to get close enough to Him to touch the hem of His garment. All who touched Him were made well.