Comments Mark 6:3 This verse shows that Jesus is a carpenter because Joseph is a carpenter (See Matthew 13:55), and that is why He got the same trade as His earthly caretaker. Jesus worked as a carpenter with Joseph before He started His ministry on earth, and people in His hometown know Him as a carpenter. Jesus worked with His hands, and this is an example for humans. If the Lord has worked with His hands, why do humans try to find the way not to work, but see the sample, the Son of God is a carpenter by trade. (See Comments Matthew 13:54-56).

Comments Mark 6:1-6 (See also Comments Matthew 13:54-58). Matthew 13:54-58 and Mark 6:1-6 present the same events happening at the same time, but Luke 4:16-30 presents different time events. As it is written, in His own town, Jesus has been rejected many, many times. They did not look to Him but His earthly family. By human eyes, Jesus walked parallel with His early family; human eyes do not see the mighty works Jesus did without their own thinking (criticism). They cannot accept an ordinary man, as they see Jesus, do mighty works as He is doing. The question arises in human hearts “is this the same person they know?” This way humans try to put out (spread), is not the same man they know; if it is the same man, what about His family; the concern of His earthly family, thinking of Him who grew up together with them, this is the human thought. Regardless of how many mighty works Jesus will do, the doubt is in their heart and soul, the question will always arise, between Him and the earthy family will not be able to separate in human eyes. What His earthly family will be doing, He must take the responsibility, but they don’t look at Him as His own to be different and special. Even now is the same; people read the Bible and think the same way; why His earthly family is in that way, but He is separated out and is different; from a low-level family; how can He rise up to be a teacher? Now and then, there is no difference in how people think, and that is why these days, many people come up with the idea that the Bible is a manmade book. But the Lord will not hide the truth about the way of the things (regarding His earthly family). But if it is by human, the book will praise the Lord in different levels of human; He does not have to be born in a poor family. We can say a narrow mind makes wisdom be limited [the idea is that if humans chose a savior, they would make him be born in a rich family, be successful on earthly things]. But, because for the Father Himself, the level of humans, rich or poor, has no meaning, and the way the Lord to be born is to save all humans from below to up, that is why the Lord came in a low-level family. The earthly treasures are not things that lift the Lord in any way. If the Lord has been born in a king family, the humans will not have the cross to save them; that is why it is this way.

Comments Mark 6:7-13 (See also Comments Matthew 10: 5-14, and Comments Luke 9:1-6). Reading these portions of Scripture, we can say that the event described herein Mark 6:7-13 is different from the events described in Matthew 10:5-14 and Luke 9:1-6.
Q: Did the Lord send His disciples out to minister more than once? A: As time goes by, the Lord has sent the disciples according to the traveling time of the Lord. The Lord will send the disciples out sometimes in many directions to prepare the people that the Lord is coming. The Lord will send the disciple out to prepare the way and also announce the coming of the Lord. Because the time is short, that is why the Lord used the disciples to go ahead to make the time be useful; that is the way the Lord has done.
Q: Did the Lord give them similar instructions every time they went out? A: Always, the Lord will give the same instructions to the disciples regarding how to go out and what they should announce to people. The Lord wants them to prepare the people. Always the instructions will be the same, to tell all people that the Lord is coming, be ready and come to meet the Lord; come with a sincere heart and it does not need to bring anything, just come as you are with honest heart; the Lord has come for humans, come to the Lord. So, all the disciples will go and prepare the people to announce the good news and make people be alert and be ready to meet the Lord.

Event Analysis
Mark 6:7. Notice the term of using “by two and two,” the disciples are not ready to be alone, to go out in the world alone; they are not ready yet; going with another disciple can help one another. As the Lord creates the situation, another voice that comes together will help both go until the end of the work. Even nowadays, the Lord will not send one to go alone and get lost in the world; always the Lord will have someone else to help; they go out, and they will meet someone that the Lord brings to meet, and both will do work together, not as a personal relationship, but as personal workers of the Lord. At that time, life was difficult, and traveling in pairs was better than alone; it strengthened each other. Even these days, the Lord will not advise anyone to go out and do things alone; always He will send out to meet someone.
Q: Did the disciples lose their authority given to them by the Lord after they finished their work? A: This authority will not stay forever; they only retain it during the work period. When the work has ended, the authority given will return to the Lord; and the disciples know that it is not their own power but by the mercy of the Lord. In this way, security is in their heart that they are not alone; the Lord always is with them; as they go and do work, their faith will grow, and they will learn to trust in the Lord. Every time the Lord sends the disciples out, He gives them the authority they need.
Mark 6:8-9. As you just read, Mark and Matthew differ only one thing, wear sandals and not wear shoes. You can see clearly that the sending out of the disciples happened not only once, so that is not only one time that the Lord sent the disciples ahead of Him. But, also, the Lord wants people to see the disciples humble the way it should be. If the disciples go and make themselves look luxurious, what would people expect to receive, outside blessing or internal blessing? (See also Matthew 10:9-10 Comments).
Q: Why is it advised in Mark to wear sandals, and in Matthew, it says do not wear shoes? A: Because one it walks straightway (on dirt and rocky roads), another walks more distance (through hills and forests). If you just walk the straight way, you have limited people you meet, but the one that He sends around will go around villages as well. So, on the path that they take they were advised to take sandals, walk on the road or walk in the forest, because in the bush there are thorns you need to wear something, on the path there are just rocks and dirt, they can walk without shoes or sandals.
Mark 6:10-11. Here it shows clearly, that people will invite the disciples; when you receive the invitation, stay there until the work is done, do not walk from house to house. If the person has invited you in, the Lord has already opened their hearts to receive the word you will tell. If the house does not accept the word, depart and do not return; pay attention to, they did not receive the word, the worries of life make the voice of the Lord not fruitful. Don’t take responsibility because you already told the good news; your duty has ended, but they did not receive it.
Mark 6:11-13. These verses tell that the fruit has grown in someplace, and in another place, the fruit has withered; both places have received the fruit, but the difference is there, the Lord has given you eyes to see where the fruit has produced, according to the verse.

Comments Mark 6:14-29 (See also Comments Matthew 14:1-12, and Comments Luke 9:7-9). Matthew and Mark support each other for these portions of Scripture. See comments posted for Matthew 14:1-12. John has touched many hearts in that time because of the way he lived and the message that he proclaimed; no one else has come to proclaim the same message as John did. John has prepared the human hearts to accept the Lord; he always talked about the One who is to come; that is the message of John. The people and the disciples have seen who John is for the Lord; when Jesus heard about the death of John, He went to a desolate place (See Comments Matthew 14:13).

Comments Mark 6:30-44 (See also Comments Matthew 14:13-21, Comments Luke 9:10-17, and Comments John 6:1-13).
Q: Is the feeding of 5,000 presented in these passages of Scripture one feeding event? A: There are two feeding events described in these passages, one distinct feeding described in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21 and Luke 9:10-17, and the other distinct feeding described in John 6:1-13. We can tell the difference of the place; two different places, not the same.
Q: The problem with the two feedings is that there were about 5,000 men each time, plus we have the same situation with five loaves and two fishes, and the twelve baskets left over; so how do we explain this similarity of numbers? A: The Gospel that uses the term men and people (See John 6:10 ESV), that is the point of separation; when say people it includes men and woman, but when saying men, it is just men counting and then will include woman and children later, use that as a point to notice. The 5,000 is also just an approximate number.
Q: Do all translations use men? A: Because we didn’t know how to search, but it does not mean it is not there. It has been fighting for many things; even what it says clearly, 5,000 against 4,000, it is still being debated, and now we come with one more extra feeding event. Just the way humans look over the information, but it does not mean it is not there; you must open your eyes and heart at the same time.
Matthew 14:21 versus John 6:10 are the separating verses as per the number of people. From Matthew 14:21, we can conclude that at the first feeding area (See Map Jesus’ Travel), there were about “five thousand men besides women and children.” And from John 6:10, we can conclude that at the second feeding area (See Map Jesus’ Travel), there were about five thousand people. It is believed that when John 6:10 says, “make the people sit down,” and then “the men sat down,” both refer to the same amount of people. In John 6:10, people and men are one in God’s eyes.
Mark 6:30-31 (Mark 6:30-31, Luke 9:10, John 6:1-2). Timewise the feeding described in Matthew, Mark, and Luke occurs after the apostles return from their sending out (See Mark 6:7-13). Pay attention to the word return; are they returning alone, or are people following as well? This part will be able to link why we have two feedings. The people that were before (following the disciples, See Mark 6:31) and the people that followed Jesus (See John 6:2) and came later, makes it become two groups of people; the first feeding group moves further, and the second group is coming to go to the second feeding event. That is why we have two feedings, but the Bible has put them together, but we can separate the situation into two times by these verses. Remember also that we have another group before the disciples returned, making two distinct groups of people, the group that was there before the disciples returned to whom Jesus ministered and did miracles, and the group that followed the disciples. As a group of people moved in, it will push another group to move further, so the group that comes after does not know what happened to another group, it starts the new group; that is why the Bible will tell the Lord has never stopped working, people come in and go out at all times.
Also, pay attention in John 6:1 to the words “after this,” which tells that something else happened before; the events in John 6:1-15 happened after the events described in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21, and Luke 9:10-17, and we can understand that there were two distinct groups of people that were fed. Imagine also the picture; these two feedings cannot be far apart. As the second group comes, it pushes the first group further, and it comes almost the same place as the first group being there, but still a little gap of space and time between these two feedings. That is why it has become the Gospel of each individual (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John); Matthew has done his portion, Mark and Luke also did their portion, and John has come to do his part to make the Bible complete. Some put their heart on one Gospel, others put their heart in another Gospel, but both of these have to learn to combine all Gospels because the Bible is one only; it may have many Gospels, but still, one Bible and all can be connected together, with One Spirit it has branches to many writers.
Mark 6:32. (Mark 6:32, Matthew 14:13, Luke 9:10-11). Combining the events from Mark, Matthew, and Luke, we understand that Jesus meets all the disciples after they come together to Him to report “all that they have done and taught” (See Mark 6:30) after Jesus sent them out two by two to minister in the surrounding villages (See Mark 6:7-13). Then Jesus and the disciples went separate ways: 1) the disciples go by boat by themselves “to a desolate place to rest a while” (See Mark 6:31-32); the Lord tells them to separate themselves from the people that followed them and go by themselves; 2) Jesus goes apart by Himself to a town called Bethsaida where He welcomes the people and teaches and heals them (See Luke 9:10-11); “and He took them and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida” meaning that He took them away from people as shown in Mark and He withdrew apart. Afterward, Jesus hears about John’s death (See Matthew 14:1-12); when Jesus heard about John’s death, He withdrew from Bethsaida “in a boat to a desolate place by Himself” (no people) (See Matthew 14:13). Some people followed Jesus on foot, and others followed the disciples, and a big group of people went to this desolate place where the feeding of the first group of “about 5,000 men besides women and children” took place.

Comparison Analysis (See Map Jesus’ Travel for this chapter)
Part 1: (Mark 6:30-35, Matthew 14:13-15, Luke 9:10-12). In this part, we have the events prior to the first feeding of 5,000. To better understand these portions of Scripture, we show a time map with the order of verses from the three Gospels.
1). Mark 6:30 and Luke 9:10a happen at the same time; here Jesus and all the apostles are together somewhere nearby Bethsaida. The events in Mark and Luke start from the point when all the apostles returned to Jesus from their sending out.
2). Mark 6:31 shows that many people were coming and going, and the Lord instructs the disciples to go by themselves "to a desolate place and rest awhile."
3). Mark 6:32 and Luke 9:10ba (“And He took them”) happen at the same time; here, it shows that the disciples go by themselves to the desolate place by boat. Luke 9:10ba (“And He took them”), which really means that Jesus took them (the disciples) away from the crowd since many were following them.”
4). Luke 9:10b ("and withdrew apart to a town called Bethsaida"), which really means that Jesus separated from the disciples and went to Bethsaida.
5). Mark 6:33 shows that there is a group of people that follow the disciples on foot to the desolate place.
6). Luke 9:11 shows that a group of people follow Jesus at Bethsaida, and at Bethsaida, Jesus teaches these people and heals their sick.
7). Matthew 14:13a shows that Jesus hears about John’s death. Matthew now starts to report the events from this point in time.
8). Matthew 14:13b shows that after Jesus hears about John’s death, He leaves Bethsaida and goes by Himself to a desolate place (where the disciples went before) by boat, and a group of people followed Jesus by foot.
9). Mark 6:34 and Matthew 14:14 happen at the same time, and it shows that Jesus goes ashore and sees a large group of people waiting (the group that followed the disciples and the group that followed Jesus).
10). Luke 9:11 compresses the events and refers to both places (Bethsaida and the shore place) where it shows that people follow Jesus, and He teaches the people and heals them. Notice that Bethsaida was close to the desolate place; Jesus did healing and teaching at both points, which are close to each other, space-wise and time-wise. Luke reports just the teaching and healing up to this point.
11). Mark 6:35, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12. This is where all three Gospels are synchronized in time and space; they all are in the same spot at the desolate place and in the evening before the Passover begins.
Part 2. (Mark 6:35-37, Matthew 14:15-16, Luke 9:12-13). The day had ended, the people who stayed there needed provisions; now it is when the Lord is concerned for the people who stayed around, not for the people who had already left. The area where they were, was not easy to find people there; it is a desolate area.
Continuing with the verses time map, we can follow the events from all three Gospels.
1). Mark 6:35-36, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12. All these verses show that the day ended, and the disciples came to the Lord to ask Him to send the people away. Now we notice how the disciples think, the human mind's thought, the time is late, let the people go, and they can do something for themselves. But they did not think about the number of people there, where they could go to find food and a place to lodge in this desolate place. This is because the disciples are common men, and they think humans have a limit for this amount of people to provide for them; when they cannot do it themselves, they ship them away, but the Lord thinks of the people first. The Lord thinks how they shall be fed, the old and the young are in the Lord’s concern, that is why the Lord tells the disciples you feed them, to bring the disciples mind back to themselves and think of their duty as well; as a disciple, you have a responsibility towards people.
2). Mark 6:37a, Matthew 14:16, Luke 9:13a. All these portions of Scriptures show that the Lord Jesus tells His disciples that the people "need not go away" and the disciples should "give them something to eat."
3). Mark 6:37b. This portion of the verse shows that the disciples are confused and believe that they need to buy food for all these people. Before they know how much food they have, they are concerned about how they will get food. The 200 denarii is a large amount of money for the disciples. When the Lord traveled with them, they did not carry money, and to go and buy food is not for them to think because they know they don’t have money. Here the disciples see in a limited view; they think only what is in front of them; that amount of money, none of them carry, is significant for ordinary men; the concern has come to the disciples. When the disciples said this, they said to show that they do not have money to buy food and remind the Lord that none disciple has money.
Part 3. (Mark 6:38, Matthew 14:17-18, Luke 14:13b). In this part, the Lord teaches the disciples not to worry and use what they have to feed the people and bring all the problems to the Lord before worrying about something.
The verses time map for this part continues:
1). Mark 6:38a. This portion of verse shows that the Lord asks the disciples to go and see how many loaves of bread they have. Also, the Lord wants them to think first about what you have in your hand, know what you have before worry for what you don't have; here is a teaching for the disciples.
2). Mark 6:38b, Matthew 14:17, Luke 14:13b. These portions of Scripture show that the disciple have only five loaves of bread and two fishes unless they go to buy some more.
3). Matthew 14:18. This verse shows that the Lord instructs the disciples to bring the food to Him. Now the Lord wants them to learn whom they should look first when the troubles come, and come to seek the help from the Lord, doesn't matter what problem is, small or big, only One that they should look for, and believe the Lord can help them to solve the problem. Now the Lord is teaching the disciples to bring all problems to the Lord, as all humans should do the same, bring all troubles to the Lord, don't carry it on your own; the Lord can carry for all.
Part 4. (Mark 6:39-44, Matthew 14:19-21, Luke 9:14-17). Now it comes to the time the Lord shows His authority over all life and nature and, also, the Lord has shown the power on earth whom people can come and put trust in; the One that can give all to people, only One on earth that has that authority. And, also the Lord has been giving faith in human heart towards the Lord's mercy; from little small food, if people trust, the Lord can make them full again, not just full spiritually, but also the stomach can be full too. (See also Comments Matthew 14:19-21).
The verses time map for this part continues:
1). Mark 6:39-40, Matthew 14:19aa (here 14:19aa means the first half part of the first half of verse 19; the first half of verse 19 would be noted as 19a and the second half as 19b), Luke 9:14-15. These verses show that the Lord “commanded them all” (not just the men, but all the people) to sit down on the green grass, and the people sat in groups of the fifties and hundreds. Q: Why is green grass mentioned? A: Because where they are now, it has all over the area green grass; in some places else may not be the same, but in this portion of Scripture where the Lord is, there is green grass everywhere.
2). Mark 6:41, Matthew 14:19ab-19b (here 14:19ab-19b means the second half part of the first half of verse 19 and the second part of verse 19), Luke 9:16. These verses show that the Lord took the five loaves and the two fishes and looked up to heaven and said a blessing, then He broke the loaves and the fish in pieces and gave them to the disciples, and “the disciples gave them to the crowds.” The Lord broke the loaves and the fish in small pieces, and these pieces became loaves in the Lord’s hand (See Comments Matthew 14:19b). But also remember now it is in human eyes, they have seen the food from little pieces turn to be loaves, confirming and strengthening the faith of multitudes that are sitting there. Everybody has seen a small amount of food the Lord had and multiplied it in front of their eyes. So, now the word will spread more that the Lord will give food as well, to follow Him, and people will be talking and thinking at the same time, who is He that can do that; the word that God has come down has been confirmed among humans.
3). Mark 6:42-43, Matthew 14:20, Luke 9:17. These verses tell that the people ate until they were satisfied (See Comments Matthew 14:20), and there were collected twelve baskets full of broken pieces of bread and fish. Now here also we have seen the mercy of the Lord, He feeds until they are satisfied, no one was left to be hungry. The Lord has shown clearly the power of multiplication of food; people will never be lacking as long as they listen and obey, the food for the body the Lord can provide, but think about the food for the inner soul that only the Lord can give in the whole universe, no one else can do.
4). Mark 6:44, Matthew 14:21, Luke 9:14a. These verses show that there were about 5,000 men that the Lord fed besides women and children.
5). John 6:1-15. In John’s message itself, it tells clearly that Jesus went over from the Sea of Galilee side where the first feeding took place (as shown above) to the Tiberias side where the second feeding will occur. The events described in John 6:1-15 took place after Mark 6:44; this indicates a gap of more than a day between Mark 6:44 to Mark 6:45. There is a gap of time in many places in the Bible between verses, but people choose to ignore this.
In this comparison analysis, we can see that the Gospel of Mark shows more details. Still, even what they don’t have in some Gospels, all Gospels connect and even missing some information, none are against each other, in the end, there will still be the same meaning.

Comments Mark 6:45-52 (See Comments Matthew 14:22-32, and Comments John 6:15-21). Q: Are the events describing Jesus walking on water telling the same story in all three Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and John)? A: All three Gospels describe one and the same event, have some minor differences, each difference is for a purpose, but none are against each other. For comments on this passage of Scripture, see Comments Matthew 14:22-32.
In Mark 6:48, we have an addition saying, “and He would have passed by them”; Here in this place, the Lord wants to strengthen their faith, what the eyes have seen, the heart must accept it, and also the mind has to acknowledge. All must come to the conclusion that they are walking with the Lord; maybe in different situations but still the same Lord, the Lord of the land and the Lord of the water, still only One Lord over all, over life and nature, One Lord over all. Notice the three ways humans are created, now the details of three ways, pay attention to it, eyes see, the heart accepts, the mind acknowledges (they see the Lord walking on water, they accept in their hearts that He is God and then they praise Him as the Lord). The disciples themselves, the fear has covered everything; how another human would be, wouldn’t be better than them.
Verse 52 is an addition here in Mark; they are seeing miracles but still don’t understand what it means when the Lord makes miracles to them. All miracles for disciples are mainly to strengthen their faith so they will be able to walk through troubles. All disciples’ faith will be challenged later; watching the Lord making miracles will help them when the time comes to face the challenge of themselves, this will be for them and all humans as well; come and read the Word and see what the Lord has done.

Comments Mark 6:53-56 For this portion of Scripture see Comments Matthew 14:34-36.