The Gospel According to
Mark 6
56 verses≈ 9 min4 peopleBSB
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In this chapter
The Rejection at Nazareth
Jesus went on from there and came to His hometown, accompanied by His disciples. When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished.
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Nazareth synagogue
“Where did this man get these ideas?” they asked. “What is this wisdom He has been given? And how can He perform such miracles? Isn’t this the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us as well?”
And they took offense at Him.
Isn’t this the carpenter
Mark 6:3
Then Jesus said to them, “Only in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his own household is a prophet without honor.”
So He could not perform any miracles there, except to lay His hands on a few of the sick and heal them. And He was amazed at their unbelief. And He went around from village to village, teaching the people.
The Ministry of the Twelve
Then Jesus called the Twelve to Him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over unclean spirits. He instructed them to take nothing but a staff for the journey—no bread, no bag, no money in their belts— and to wear sandals, but not a second tunic.
So they set out and preached that the people should repent. They also drove out many demons and healed many of the sick, anointing them with oil.
Reflect
Travel light
Jesus sent the Twelve out with “nothing but a staff for the journey” and the authority He gave them. What are you carrying that makes it harder to depend on Him?
The Beheading of John
The crowds
Now King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known, and people were saying, “John the Baptist has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.”
The crowds
Others were saying, “He is Elijah,” and still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.”
Herod
But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!”
For Herod himself had ordered that John be arrested and bound and imprisoned, on account of his brother Philip’s wife Herodias, whom Herod had married. For John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!”
So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she had been unable, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man. When he heard John’s words, he was greatly perplexed; yet he listened to him gladly.
Herodias’ daughter
Then she went out and asked her mother, “What should I request?”
Herodias
And her mother answered, “The head of John the Baptist.”
Herodias’ daughter
At once the girl hurried back to the king with her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter immediately.”
The king was consumed with sorrow, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to refuse her. So without delay, the king commanded that John’s head be brought in. He sent an executioner, who went and beheaded him in the prison. The man brought John’s head on a platter and presented it to the girl, who gave it to her mother.
When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and placed it in a tomb.
Who is He?
Whiteboard
Everyone has an answer. His neighbors see only a carpenter; Herod’s court guesses John or Elijah. Mark leaves the question open until a disciple answers it on the road two chapters later.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
Meanwhile, the apostles gathered around Jesus and brought Him news of all they had done and taught. And He said to them, “Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.
So they went away in a boat by themselves to a solitary place. But many people saw them leaving and recognized them. They ran together on foot from all the towns and arrived before them.
When Jesus stepped ashore and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And He began to teach them many things.
0:10
Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain
By now the hour was already late.
The disciples
So the disciples came to Jesus and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
Jesus
But Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat.”
The disciples
They asked Him, “Should we go out and spend two hundred denarii to give all of them bread to eat?”
Jesus
“Go and see how many loaves you have,” He told them.
The disciples
And after checking, they said, “Five—and two fish.”
You give them something to eat.
Mark 6:37
Then Jesus directed them to have the people sit in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, Jesus spoke a blessing and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And He divided the two fish among them all.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. And there were five thousand men who had eaten the loaves.
Question
Quick question
Before He blessed and broke the loaves, Jesus had the disciples seat the crowd.
How did the people sit down?
Jesus Walks on Water
Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of Him to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. After bidding them farewell, He went up on the mountain to pray.
When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and Jesus was alone on land. He could see that the disciples were straining to row, because the wind was against them.
About the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the sea. He intended to pass by them, but when they saw Him walking on the sea, they cried out, thinking He was a ghost— for they all saw Him and were terrified.
Jesus
But Jesus spoke up at once: “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
Then He climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. And the disciples were utterly astounded,
for they had not understood about the loaves, but their hearts had been hardened.
Pray
Take courage
In the dark, straining against the wind, the disciples heard Him say, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.” Tell Him where the wind is against you right now, and ask Him to climb into the boat.
Jesus Heals at Gennesaret
Stylised map · locations approximate
Where it happened
Ashore at Gennesaret
Jesus sent the boat on ahead toward Bethsaida, near the north end of the lake. After a night rowing into the wind, they came ashore at Gennesaret, a small, fertile plain on the northwest shore, and the crowds found Him there too.
When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret and moored the boat. As soon as they got out of the boat, the people recognized Jesus and ran through that whole region, carrying the sick on mats to wherever they heard He was.
And wherever He went—villages and towns and countrysides—they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him just to let them touch the fringe of His cloak. And all who touched Him were healed.
You’ve experienced
Mark 6
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A verse to carry with you
Come with Me privately to a solitary place, and let us rest for a while.
Mark 6:31
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