Mark 6
Summary. The overall theme of Chapter 6 is that the Lord Jesus has authority over life and nature. In this chapter, the Lord Jesus interacts with many people, including His disciples. We can summarize the events presented in Chapter 6 into four categories. 1) Showing what the Lord has done: the Lord Jesus goes to Nazareth, and He encounters rejection from the people of His own town; the Lord Jesus sends the twelve apostles in groups of two to minister in the villages ahead of His traveling schedule; the Lord Jesus teaches the multitudes, heals them, and feeds them, showing mercy and demonstrating that He has authority over life on earth; the Lord Jesus walks on water to teach the disciples about His authority over nature. 2) Showing situations the disciples have encountered: to be humble to all, not to lift themselves above anyone; they witness the feeding of the multitudes; they go by boat ahead of the Lord Jesus and are caught in a storm at sea. 3) Showing the relationship between the disciples and the Lord: the disciples learn to listen and obey (they go to minister as being sent out; they return and report to the Lord about their ministry; they go to the solitary place to rest; they feed the multitudes; they go on the boat to the other side); the disciples learn that the Lord Jesus has power and authority (the Lord Jesus multiplies five loaves of bread and two fish to feed immense multitudes; the Lord Jesus calms the storm). 4) John the Baptist touched many hearts at that time because of the way he lived and the message that he proclaimed: John has prepared the human heart to accept the Lord Jesus; he always talked about the One who is to come.
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And the Sabbath having come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and many hearing were astonished, saying, From where has this Man these things? And, What is the wisdom having been given to Him ? How are such miracles done by His hands?
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Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joseph, and Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us? And they took offense at Him .
Comments Mark 6:3
This verse indicates that the Lord Jesus was a carpenter because Joseph, His earthly caretaker, was a carpenter as well (see Matthew 13:55). The Lord Jesus worked as a carpenter with Joseph before He began His ministry on earth, and people in His hometown knew Him as a carpenter. The Lord Jesus worked with His hands; this is an example for humans. If the Lord Jesus worked with His hands, why do humans have to find ways not to work? However, see the example: the Son of God was a carpenter by trade. (See Comments Matthew 13:54-56).
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And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his house.
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And He was not able to do any mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick and healed them.
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 events at different times. As it is clearly written, the Lord Jesus has been rejected many, many times in His hometown. They all did not look to Him but to His earthly family. By human eyes, the Lord Jesus walked parallel with His early family. Human eyes did not see the mighty works the Lord Jesus did without judging with their own thinking. They could not accept a common man, as they thought the Lord Jesus was, performing mighty works. The question that arose in the hearts of humans was: Was this the same person they had known? This way, humans tried to spread the idea that He was not the same man they knew, because if He was the same man, what about His family? The concern about His earthly family, and thinking of Him who grew up together with them, this was the human thought. Regardless of how many mighty works the Lord Jesus would do, doubt was in their hearts and souls. The question would always arise between Him and His earthly family, and in human eyes, they could not separate them. What His earthly family would be doing, the Lord Jesus must take responsibility, but they did not look at Him as His own to be different and special.
Even now, people read the Bible and think the same way about the Lord Jesus: why is His earthly family in that way, but He is separated out and different? From the low-level family, how can He rise up to be a Teacher? Now and then, there is no difference in how people think. That is why these days, many people come up with the idea that the Bible is a man-made book. But the Lord will not hide the truth about the way things were regarding His earthly family. However, if the Bible is a man-made book, it will praise the Lord on different levels of humans; the Lord Jesus would not have had to be born into a poor family; but that way, we can say a narrow mind limits the wisdom of God. The idea is that if humans were to choose a savior, they would have him born into a wealthy family and succeed in earthly things. But, because for the Father Himself, the level of humans as rich or poor, has no meaning, the way the Lord Jesus was born is to save all humans from below to up; that is why the Lord Jesus came into a low-level family. The earthly treasures are not the things that lift the Lord up in any way. If the Lord Jesus had been born into a royal family, humans would not have had the cross to save them; that is why it happened this way. The Lord Jesus came for the entire human race.
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 events at different times. As it is clearly written, the Lord Jesus has been rejected many, many times in His hometown. They all did not look to Him but to His earthly family. By human eyes, the Lord Jesus walked parallel with His early family. Human eyes did not see the mighty works the Lord Jesus did without judging with their own thinking. They could not accept a common man, as they thought the Lord Jesus was, performing mighty works. The question that arose in the hearts of humans was: Was this the same person they had known? This way, humans tried to spread the idea that He was not the same man they knew, because if He was the same man, what about His family? The concern about His earthly family, and thinking of Him who grew up together with them, this was the human thought. Regardless of how many mighty works the Lord Jesus would do, doubt was in their hearts and souls. The question would always arise between Him and His earthly family, and in human eyes, they could not separate them. What His earthly family would be doing, the Lord Jesus must take responsibility, but they did not look at Him as His own to be different and special.
Even now, people read the Bible and think the same way about the Lord Jesus: why is His earthly family in that way, but He is separated out and different? From the low-level family, how can He rise up to be a Teacher? Now and then, there is no difference in how people think. That is why these days, many people come up with the idea that the Bible is a man-made book. But the Lord will not hide the truth about the way things were regarding His earthly family. However, if the Bible is a man-made book, it will praise the Lord on different levels of humans; the Lord Jesus would not have had to be born into a poor family; but that way, we can say a narrow mind limits the wisdom of God. The idea is that if humans were to choose a savior, they would have him born into a wealthy family and succeed in earthly things. But, because for the Father Himself, the level of humans as rich or poor, has no meaning, the way the Lord Jesus was born is to save all humans from below to up; that is why the Lord Jesus came into a low-level family. The earthly treasures are not the things that lift the Lord up in any way. If the Lord Jesus had been born into a royal family, humans would not have had the cross to save them; that is why it happened this way. The Lord Jesus came for the entire human race.
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And He calls the twelve, and He began to send them out two by two; and He gave them authority over the unclean spirits;
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and He instructed them that they should take nothing for the journey, except a staff only; no bread, no bag, no money in the belt;
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but wearing sandals, and do not put on two tunics.
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And He said to them, Wherever if you enter into a house, there remain until you depart from there.
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And whatever place will not receive you nor hear you, departing from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom or Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that town.
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And they went out, and preached that people should repent.
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And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many sick and healed them.
Comments Mark 6:7-13
See also Comments Matthew 10:5-14, and Comments Luke 9:1-6.
Upon reading these passages of Scripture, we can conclude that the event described in Mark 6:7-13 differs from those in Matthew 10:5-14 and Luke 9:1-6.
Q: Did the Lord Jesus send His disciples out to minister this way more than once? A: As time went by, the Lord Jesus sent the disciples according to the Lord’s traveling time. The Lord Jesus will sometimes send the disciples out in many directions at the same time, preparing the people for the Lord’s coming. The Lord will send the disciple out to prepare the way and also announce the coming of the Lord. Because His time on earth is short, the Lord used the disciples to go ahead of Him and make the time more 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: tell all the people that the Lord Jesus is coming, be ready, and come to meet the Lord with a sincere heart. It does not need to bring anything, just come as you are with an honest heart. The Lord Jesus has come for all humans; come to the Lord. So, when sent, all the disciples go to announce the good news, prepare the people, and make them alert and ready to meet the Lord Jesus.
Event Analysis Mark 6:7. Notice in this verse the term “two by two.” The disciples are not ready to be alone. To go out into the world alone, they are not ready yet, but going with another disciple can help each other. As the Lord creates the situation, another voice that comes together will help both to go until the end of the work. Even nowadays, the Lord will not send one to go alone to minister and get lost in the world. Always, the Lord will have someone else to help; as they go out, 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; traveling in pairs was better than being alone; they strengthened each other. Even nowadays, the Lord will not advise anyone to go out and do things alone; He will always send someone out to meet someone to support the ministry work.
Q: Did the disciples lose the authority given to them by the Lord after they finished their work? A: This authority will not last forever; they retain it only during the work period. When the work is finished, the authority that has been given to the disciples will return to the Lord, and the disciples will know that not by their own power but by the mercy of the Lord. In that way, security is in their hearts: they know they are not alone, and that the Lord will always be with them. As they go to work, their faith will grow, and they will learn to trust in the Lord. Every time the Lord Jesus sends the disciples out, He gives them the authority they need.
Mark 6:8-9. As you read these events in the Gospels, Mark and Matthew differ on only one thing: whether to wear sandals or not. You can clearly see that the sending out of the disciples happened not only once, but that the Lord sent them ahead of Him more than once. But also, the Lord wants people to see that the disciples are humble, as they should be. If the disciples go and make themselves look luxurious, what would people then expect to receive? Outside living blessings or internal blessings? (See also Matthew 10:9-10 Comments).
Q: Why is it advised in Mark to wear sandals, and in Matthew, it says not to acquire sandals? A: Because in one case they walk on a straight way (on a dirt-and-rock road), and in another case they walk a longer distance (paths through hills and forest). They walk on the roads or paths through hills and forests. If they walk on a straight way, they have a limit on the people they meet, but the ones He sends around will go through villages as well. When walking on paths, they are advised to wear sandals because there are thorns in the bushes, and they need to wear something. On the roads, there are just rocks and dirt, so they can walk without shoes or sandals.
Mark 6:10-11. Here, it clearly shows that the people will invite the disciples. When the disciples received the invitation, the Lord Jesus advised them to stay in that house until the work was done, rather than walking from house to house. If the person has invited them in, the Lord Jesus has already opened their hearts to receive the word they will tell. If the place does not accept the word, they were to depart and not return. Pay attention to the fact that the place did not receive the word, because the worries of life made the voice of the Lord not fruitful. And the disciples were not supposed to take responsibility because they had already told the good news; their duty had ended, but the people did not receive the good news.
Mark 6:11-13. These verses tell us that in some places the fruit has grown, and in others it has withered; both places have received the fruit, but the difference is this: the Lord has given you eyes to see where the fruit has produced, according to the verse.
Upon reading these passages of Scripture, we can conclude that the event described in Mark 6:7-13 differs from those in Matthew 10:5-14 and Luke 9:1-6.
Q: Did the Lord Jesus send His disciples out to minister this way more than once? A: As time went by, the Lord Jesus sent the disciples according to the Lord’s traveling time. The Lord Jesus will sometimes send the disciples out in many directions at the same time, preparing the people for the Lord’s coming. The Lord will send the disciple out to prepare the way and also announce the coming of the Lord. Because His time on earth is short, the Lord used the disciples to go ahead of Him and make the time more 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: tell all the people that the Lord Jesus is coming, be ready, and come to meet the Lord with a sincere heart. It does not need to bring anything, just come as you are with an honest heart. The Lord Jesus has come for all humans; come to the Lord. So, when sent, all the disciples go to announce the good news, prepare the people, and make them alert and ready to meet the Lord Jesus.
Event Analysis Mark 6:7. Notice in this verse the term “two by two.” The disciples are not ready to be alone. To go out into the world alone, they are not ready yet, but going with another disciple can help each other. As the Lord creates the situation, another voice that comes together will help both to go until the end of the work. Even nowadays, the Lord will not send one to go alone to minister and get lost in the world. Always, the Lord will have someone else to help; as they go out, 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; traveling in pairs was better than being alone; they strengthened each other. Even nowadays, the Lord will not advise anyone to go out and do things alone; He will always send someone out to meet someone to support the ministry work.
Q: Did the disciples lose the authority given to them by the Lord after they finished their work? A: This authority will not last forever; they retain it only during the work period. When the work is finished, the authority that has been given to the disciples will return to the Lord, and the disciples will know that not by their own power but by the mercy of the Lord. In that way, security is in their hearts: they know they are not alone, and that the Lord will always be with them. As they go to work, their faith will grow, and they will learn to trust in the Lord. Every time the Lord Jesus sends the disciples out, He gives them the authority they need.
Mark 6:8-9. As you read these events in the Gospels, Mark and Matthew differ on only one thing: whether to wear sandals or not. You can clearly see that the sending out of the disciples happened not only once, but that the Lord sent them ahead of Him more than once. But also, the Lord wants people to see that the disciples are humble, as they should be. If the disciples go and make themselves look luxurious, what would people then expect to receive? Outside living blessings or internal blessings? (See also Matthew 10:9-10 Comments).
Q: Why is it advised in Mark to wear sandals, and in Matthew, it says not to acquire sandals? A: Because in one case they walk on a straight way (on a dirt-and-rock road), and in another case they walk a longer distance (paths through hills and forest). They walk on the roads or paths through hills and forests. If they walk on a straight way, they have a limit on the people they meet, but the ones He sends around will go through villages as well. When walking on paths, they are advised to wear sandals because there are thorns in the bushes, and they need to wear something. On the roads, there are just rocks and dirt, so they can walk without shoes or sandals.
Mark 6:10-11. Here, it clearly shows that the people will invite the disciples. When the disciples received the invitation, the Lord Jesus advised them to stay in that house until the work was done, rather than walking from house to house. If the person has invited them in, the Lord Jesus has already opened their hearts to receive the word they will tell. If the place does not accept the word, they were to depart and not return. Pay attention to the fact that the place did not receive the word, because the worries of life made the voice of the Lord not fruitful. And the disciples were not supposed to take responsibility because they had already told the good news; their duty had ended, but the people did not receive the good news.
Mark 6:11-13. These verses tell us that in some places the fruit has grown, and in others it has withered; both places have received the fruit, but the difference is this: the Lord has given you eyes to see where the fruit has produced, according to the verse.
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And King Herod heard, for His name had become known; and he said, John the Baptizer is risen from the dead, and because of this, the miraculous powers work in Him .
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However, others said, It is Elijah. And others said, A prophet, even as one of the prophets.
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But Herod, having heard, said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen!
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For Herod himself, having sent, seized John and bound him in prison, on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.
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For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.
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And Herodias had a grudge against him, and desired to kill him, and could not;
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for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. And having heard him, he was greatly perplexed and heard him gladly.
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And having come a convenient day, when Herod on his birthday made a supper to his chief men, and the chief captains, and the leading men of Galilee;
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and having come in the daughter of Herodias herself and having danced, she pleased Herod and those reclining with him; and the king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatever you wish, and I will give you.
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And he swore to her, That if you might ask me, I will give you up to half of my kingdom.
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And having gone out, she said to her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptizer.
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And she came in straightaway with haste to the king, and asked, saying, I desire that you at once give me on a platter the head of John the Baptist.
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And the king was exceedingly sorry; on account of the oaths and those reclining with him, he would not refuse her.
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And straightaway the king having sent an executioner, he commanded to bring his head; and having gone, he beheaded him in the prison,
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and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother.
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And his disciples, having heard, came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
Comments Mark 6:14-29
See 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 the Baptist 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 heart to accept the Lord Jesus; he always spoke of the One who is to come, and that was the message he came to tell humans. The people and the disciples have seen who John is to the Lord Jesus, because when the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death, He went to a desolate place (see Comments Matthew 14:13).
Matthew and Mark support each other for these portions of Scripture. See comments posted for Matthew 14:1-12. John the Baptist 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 heart to accept the Lord Jesus; he always spoke of the One who is to come, and that was the message he came to tell humans. The people and the disciples have seen who John is to the Lord Jesus, because when the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death, He went to a desolate place (see Comments Matthew 14:13).
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And the apostles are gathered together to Jesus ; and they reported to Him all things, how much they had done, and how much they had instructed.
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And He said to them, Come you yourselves independently to a solitary place, and rest a while. For those coming and those going were many, and they had no leisure not even to eat.
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And they went away by the boat into a solitary place by themselves.
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And the people saw them going, and many recognized and they ran together there on foot from all the cities and went before them.
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And having come forth, He saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
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And already the hour being late, His disciples having come to Him were saying, The place is desert, and the hour is already late;
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send them away, that having gone into the region and villages around, they might buy for themselves something to eat.
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But answering, He said to them, Give you them to eat. And they say to Him , Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii of bread, and give them to eat?
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And He says to them, How many loaves do you have? Go see. And coming to know, they say, Five, and two fishes.
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And He commanded them that all should sit down, groups by groups on the green grass.
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And they sat down groups by groups, by hundreds, and by fifties.
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And having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to the heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves; and He kept giving to His disciples that they might set before them; and the two fishes He divided among all.
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And they all ate, and were filled.
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And they took up broken pieces, twelve baskets full, and of the fishes.
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And those eating of the loaves were five thousand men.
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: These passages describe two distinct feeding events: one in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21 and Luke 9:10-17, and another in John 6:1-13. We can differentiate between these events based on the different feeding places described in these passages of Scripture; they are not the same.
Q: The problem with the two feeding events is that each time, there are about 5,000 men, plus we have the same situation with five loaves, two fishes, and the twelve baskets left over; so how do we explain this similarity of numbers? A: The Gospels that use the term “men” (see Matthew 14:21) and “people” (see John 6:10) give the point of separation. Specifically, when it says “people,” it includes men and women; when it says “men,” it counts only men, and then includes women and children later. Use that as a point to notice the difference between the two feedings. The number 5,000 is also just an approximate number.
Q: Do all translations use men in these passages? A: It doesn’t mean the difference isn’t there; we just don’t know how to search for it. People fight for many, many things, even when the Bible clearly says 5,000 and 4,000; it is still being debated. And now we come with one more extra feeding event. However, as humans review information, just because something isn’t immediately obvious doesn’t mean it isn’t present. It is important to have both open eyes and an open heart. As you study the Bible further, you will notice why people debate about everything.
We understand that verses Matthew 14:21 and John 6:10 separate the two feedings based on the number of people. From Matthew 14:21, we can conclude that at the first feeding area (see the Map Jesus’ Travel), there were about “five thousand men besides women and children.” Furthermore, from John 6:10, we can conclude that at the second feeding area (see the Map Jesus’ Travel), about 5,000 people were present. It is believed that when a John 6:10 says, “Make the people sit down” and “Then, the men sat down,” both refer to the same amount of people. In a John 6:10, people and men are one in God’s eyes.
Comments Mark 6:30-31 (Mark 6:30-31, Luke 9:10, John 6:1-2). Timewise, the feeding described in Matthew, Mark, and Luke takes place after the apostles returned from their sending out (see Mark 6:7-13). Pay attention to the words “are gathered together” or “returned”: are they returning alone, or are people following as well? In this part, it will be able to link why we have two feedings. The people who were in the area before, those who followed the disciples (see Mark 6:31), and the people who came later, those who followed the Lord Jesus (see John 6:2), form two groups of people following. The first feeding group moves further. The second group is coming to the second feeding event. That is why we have two distinct feedings, but the Bible has put them together. However, we can separate the situation into two feedings by these verses. Remember also that we had another group before the disciples returned, making two distinct groups of people: the group that was there before the disciples returned, to whom the Lord Jesus ministered and performed miracles, and the group that followed the disciples. As a group moves in, it pushes another group farther, so the group that comes after does not know what happened to the other group. This way, a new group is formed; that is why the Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus never stops working: people come in and go out at all times.
Also, pay attention in John 6:1 to the words “after these,” which indicate that something else happened before. The events in John 6:1-15 occurred after those described in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21, and Luke 9:10-17, and we can infer that there were two distinct groups of people who were fed. Imagine the scene of the events; these two feedings can’t be far apart. As the second group comes, it pushes the first group further, and it arrives almost at the same place as the first group, but there is a small gap in space and time between the two feedings. That is why each Gospel is unique in its own way (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). The Gospel of Matthew has done its part; the Gospels of Mark and Luke have done theirs; and the Gospel of John has come to do its part to make the Bible complete. Some put their heart in one Gospel, others put their heart in another Gospel; but all must learn to combine all Gospels, because the Bible is one only. The Bible may have many Gospels, but still one Bible, and all can be connected together with one Spirit (the Holy Spirit); the Holy Spirit has branches to many writers.
Comments Mark 6:32. (Mark 6:32, Matthew 14:13, Luke 9:10-11). Combining the events from the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, we understand that the Lord Jesus met all the disciples when they came together to Him to report “all things, how much they had done, and how much they had instructed” (Mark 6:30) after He sent them out two by two to minister in the surrounding villages (see Mark 6:7-13).
Then the Lord Jesus and the disciples went their separate ways as follows.
1) The disciples went by boat independently; Mark 6:31 says, “Come you yourselves independently to a solitary place, and rest a while”; specifically, the Lord Jesus told the disciples to separate themselves from the people who followed them and go on their own.
2) The Lord Jesus goes apart by Himself to a town called Bethsaida, where He welcomed the people and taught and healed them (see Luke 9:10-11); Luke 9:10 says, “And having taken them, He withdrew by Himself into a city called Bethsaida,” meaning that the Lord Jesus took the disciples away from people as shown in Mark and He withdrew apart.
3) Afterward, the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death (see Matthew 14:1-12). When the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death, He withdrew from Bethsaida “by a boat to a desolate place by Himself,” meaning that no people were with Him (see Matthew 14:13). Specifically, the Lord Jesus went to the “Desolate Place 2” (see Map Jesus’ Travels).
4) Some people followed the Lord Jesus on foot, and others followed the disciples. A large group of people, following the disciples, went to the “Desolate Place 1,” where the feeding of the first group, “about five thousand men, besides women and children,” took place (see the Map Jesus’ Travels).
Comparison Analysis (For this chapter see the Map Jesus’ Travels)
Note: In this comparison analysis, we will use specific notations to indicate partial verses. For example, “verse 14:19a” refers to the first half of the verse, while “verse 14:19b” refers to the second half. Additionally, “verse 14:19aa” indicates the first half of the first half of verse 19, “verse 14:19ab-19b” means the second half part of the first half of verse 19 and the second part of the verse 19, and so on.
Part 1: (Mark 6:30-35, Matthew 14:13-15, Luke 9:10-12). In this part, we have the events leading up to the first feeding of the five thousand. To better understand these portions of Scripture, we present a sequential timeline mapping of the verses across the three Gospels.
Part 1: sequential timeline mapping of the verses across the three Gospels.
1) Mark 6:30 and Luke 9:10a occur at the same time; here, the Lord Jesus and all the apostles are together somewhere near Bethsaida. The events in Mark and Luke begin when all the apostles return to the Lord Jesus after their sending out.
2) Mark 6:31 shows that many people were coming and going, and the Lord Jesus instructs the disciples to go “independently to a solitary place, and rest a while.”
3) Mark 6:32 and Luke 9:10ba (“And having taken them”) occur at the same time; this shows that the disciples go by themselves to the desolate place by boat. When Luke Luke 9:10ba says, “And having taken them,” it really means that the Lord Jesus took them (the disciples) away from the crowd since many were following them.
4) Luke 9:10b (“He withdrew by Himself into a city called Bethsaida”), which really means that the Lord Jesus separated from the disciples and went to Bethsaida.
5) Mark 6:33 shows that a group of people followed the disciples on foot to the desolate place.
6) Luke 9:11 shows that a group of people followed the Lord Jesus to Bethsaida, where the Lord Jesus taught the people and healed their sick.
7) Matthew 14:13a shows that the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death. The Gospel of Matthew begins reporting on events from this point in time.
8) Matthew 14:13b shows that after the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death, He left Bethsaida and went by boat to the solitary place where the disciples had gone before. A group of people followed the Lord Jesus on foot.
9) Mark 6:34 and Matthew 14:14 occur at the same time, and they show that the Lord Jesus went ashore and saw a large group of people waiting: the group that followed the disciples and the group that followed the Lord Jesus.
10) Luke 9:11 really compresses the events and refers to both places: Bethsaida and the place on the shore. It shows that people followed the Lord Jesus, who taught them and healed them. Notice that Bethsaida was close to the desolate place where the disciples went. The Lord Jesus did healings and teaching at both locations; these events were close to each other, space-wise and time-wise. The Gospel of Luke reports just about the teaching and healing up to this point.
11) Mark 6:35, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12. These verses show all three Gospels synchronized in time and space; they are all in the same location, in the desolate place, during the evening before the Passover begins.
Part 2. (Mark 6:35-37, Matthew 14:15-16, Luke 9:12-13). The day had ended, and the people who stayed there needed provisions. Now is the time when the Lord is concerned for the people who stay around, not for those who have already left. The area they were in was hard to find people to buy food; it was desolate.
Part 2: sequential timeline mapping of the verses across the three Gospels.
1) Mark 6:35-36, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12. All these passages of Scripture show that the day ended, and the disciples came to the Lord to ask Him to send the people away. In these verses, we notice how the disciples think: the human mind thinks that the time is late; so let the people go, and they can do something for themselves. But they did not think about the amount of people there, and where they could go to find food and a place to lodge in this desolate place. The disciples are common men; they think that, as humans, they have limitations in providing for this many people. When they can’t do it themselves, they ship the people away, but the Lord thinks of the people first. The Lord thinks that the people need to be fed; the old and the young are in the Lord’s concern. That is why the Lord tells the disciples, “Give you them to eat,” to bring the disciples’ minds back to themselves and to think of their duty; as well as a disciple, you have a duty towards people.
2) Mark 6:37a, Matthew 14:16, Luke 9:13a. All these portions of Scripture show that the Lord Jesus told His disciples that the people “have no need to go away” and the disciples should “give them 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 for that many people. The two hundred denarii is a significant amount of money for the disciples. When the Lord traveled with them, they did not carry money. So, buying food was not for them to think about, because they knew they didn’t have any money. Here, the disciples see with limited eyes; they think only about what is in front of them. That amount of money none of them carry; it is a big amount for common men. Now, the concern has come to the disciples. When the disciples say, “shall we go and buy two hundred denarii of bread,” this also shows that they do not have money to buy food. And they remind the Lord that none of the disciples have money.
Part 3. (Mark 6:38, Matthew 14:17-18, Luke 9:13b). In this part, the Lord Jesus teaches the disciples not to worry, to use what they have to feed the people, and to bring all their problems to the Lord before worrying about anything.
Part 3: sequential timeline mapping of the verses across the three Gospels.
1) Mark 6:38a. This portion of the verse shows that the Lord Jesus asks the disciples to go and see how many loaves of bread they have. The Lord also wants them to think first about what they have in their hands and know what they have before worrying about what they don’t; this is a teaching for the disciples.
2) Mark 6:38b, Matthew 14:17, Luke 9:13b. These portions of Scripture show that the disciples have only five loaves of bread and two fish, unless they were to go and buy more food.
3) Matthew 14:18. This verse shows that the Lord Jesus instructs the disciples to bring the food to Him. Now, the Lord wants them to learn to whom they should look first when troubles come: come to seek help from the Lord, no matter what the problem is, small or big. There is only One whom they should seek, the Lord, and believe that 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: bring all troubles to the Lord; don’t carry them on your own; the Lord can carry them for all.
Part 4. (Mark 6:39-44, Matthew 14:19-21, Luke 9:14-17). Now it comes to the time for the Lord Jesus to show His authority over all life and nature. Also, the Lord Jesus has shown the power on earth, whom people can come and put trust in, the One who can give all to people, the only One on earth that has that authority. And also the Lord has been giving faith into the human heart towards the Lord’s mercy; from a little, small amount of food, if people trust the Lord, He can make them full again, not just full only spiritually, but also the stomach can be full too. (See also Comments Matthew 14:19-21).
Part 4: sequential timeline mapping of the verses across the three Gospels.
1) Mark 6:39-40, Matthew 14:19aa, Luke 9:14-15. These verses show that the Lord Jesus “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 hundreds and fifties. Q: Why is green grass mentioned in this place? A: Because where they are now, there’s green grass all over the area. In some other areas, it may not be the same, but in this portion of Scripture, where the Lord Jesus is, there is green grass everywhere.
2) Mark 6:41, Matthew 14:19ab-19b, Luke 9:16. These verses show that the Lord Jesus takes the five loaves and the two fish, looks up to heaven, and says a blessing. Then He breaks the loaves and the fish in pieces and gives them to the disciples, and “the disciples to the multitudes.” The Lord broke the loaves and the fish into small pieces, and these pieces became new loaves and fish in the Lord Jesus’ hand (see Comments Matthew 14:19). But also remember now how it is in human eyes: they have seen the little food, little pieces of food turning into loaves and fish in the Lord Jesus’ hand, confirming and strengthening the faith of multitudes sitting there. Everybody has seen the Lord Jesus multiply a small amount of food in front of their eyes. Now the word will spread more that the Lord Jesus will also give food to follow, and people will be talking and thinking at the same time about who He is that can do that. The word that God has come down among people has been confirmed among humans.
3) Mark 6:42-43, Matthew 14:20, Luke 9:17. These verses tell us that the people ate until they were satisfied (see Comments Matthew 14:20), and that twelve baskets full of broken pieces of bread and fish were collected. Now, we have also seen the mercy of the Lord; He feeds them until they are full, and no one is left to be hungry. Here, the Lord Jesus has clearly shown 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 Jesus can provide, but think about the food for the inner soul that only the Lord Jesus can give in the whole universe; no one else can satisfy the soul.
4) Mark 6:44, Matthew 14:21, Luke 9:14a. These verses show that the Lord Jesus fed about five thousand men, besides women and children.
5). John 6:1-15. Now, in John’s message itself, it clearly states that the Lord Jesus went from the Sea of Galilee side, where the first feeding took place (as shown above), to the Tiberias side, where the second feeding will take place. The events described in John 6:1-15 take place after Mark 6:44; this shows a gap of more than a day between Mark 6:44 and Mark 6:45. In many places in the Bible, there is a gap of time and place between verses, yet people choose to ignore it. The Gospels are written in a spiritual (i.e., Holy Spirit-dictated) order, not necessarily a chronological order.
In this comparison analysis, we can see that the Gospel of Mark provides more detail. But even though some details are missing in some Gospels, all Gospels connect; even when some information is missing, none are contradictory. At the end, all the Gospels still have the same meaning.
Q: Is the feeding of 5,000 presented in these passages of Scripture one feeding event? A: These passages describe two distinct feeding events: one in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21 and Luke 9:10-17, and another in John 6:1-13. We can differentiate between these events based on the different feeding places described in these passages of Scripture; they are not the same.
Q: The problem with the two feeding events is that each time, there are about 5,000 men, plus we have the same situation with five loaves, two fishes, and the twelve baskets left over; so how do we explain this similarity of numbers? A: The Gospels that use the term “men” (see Matthew 14:21) and “people” (see John 6:10) give the point of separation. Specifically, when it says “people,” it includes men and women; when it says “men,” it counts only men, and then includes women and children later. Use that as a point to notice the difference between the two feedings. The number 5,000 is also just an approximate number.
Q: Do all translations use men in these passages? A: It doesn’t mean the difference isn’t there; we just don’t know how to search for it. People fight for many, many things, even when the Bible clearly says 5,000 and 4,000; it is still being debated. And now we come with one more extra feeding event. However, as humans review information, just because something isn’t immediately obvious doesn’t mean it isn’t present. It is important to have both open eyes and an open heart. As you study the Bible further, you will notice why people debate about everything.
We understand that verses Matthew 14:21 and John 6:10 separate the two feedings based on the number of people. From Matthew 14:21, we can conclude that at the first feeding area (see the Map Jesus’ Travel), there were about “five thousand men besides women and children.” Furthermore, from John 6:10, we can conclude that at the second feeding area (see the Map Jesus’ Travel), about 5,000 people were present. It is believed that when a John 6:10 says, “Make the people sit down” and “Then, the men sat down,” both refer to the same amount of people. In a John 6:10, people and men are one in God’s eyes.
Comments Mark 6:30-31 (Mark 6:30-31, Luke 9:10, John 6:1-2). Timewise, the feeding described in Matthew, Mark, and Luke takes place after the apostles returned from their sending out (see Mark 6:7-13). Pay attention to the words “are gathered together” or “returned”: are they returning alone, or are people following as well? In this part, it will be able to link why we have two feedings. The people who were in the area before, those who followed the disciples (see Mark 6:31), and the people who came later, those who followed the Lord Jesus (see John 6:2), form two groups of people following. The first feeding group moves further. The second group is coming to the second feeding event. That is why we have two distinct feedings, but the Bible has put them together. However, we can separate the situation into two feedings by these verses. Remember also that we had another group before the disciples returned, making two distinct groups of people: the group that was there before the disciples returned, to whom the Lord Jesus ministered and performed miracles, and the group that followed the disciples. As a group moves in, it pushes another group farther, so the group that comes after does not know what happened to the other group. This way, a new group is formed; that is why the Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus never stops working: people come in and go out at all times.
Also, pay attention in John 6:1 to the words “after these,” which indicate that something else happened before. The events in John 6:1-15 occurred after those described in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21, and Luke 9:10-17, and we can infer that there were two distinct groups of people who were fed. Imagine the scene of the events; these two feedings can’t be far apart. As the second group comes, it pushes the first group further, and it arrives almost at the same place as the first group, but there is a small gap in space and time between the two feedings. That is why each Gospel is unique in its own way (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). The Gospel of Matthew has done its part; the Gospels of Mark and Luke have done theirs; and the Gospel of John has come to do its part to make the Bible complete. Some put their heart in one Gospel, others put their heart in another Gospel; but all must learn to combine all Gospels, because the Bible is one only. The Bible may have many Gospels, but still one Bible, and all can be connected together with one Spirit (the Holy Spirit); the Holy Spirit has branches to many writers.
Comments Mark 6:32. (Mark 6:32, Matthew 14:13, Luke 9:10-11). Combining the events from the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, we understand that the Lord Jesus met all the disciples when they came together to Him to report “all things, how much they had done, and how much they had instructed” (Mark 6:30) after He sent them out two by two to minister in the surrounding villages (see Mark 6:7-13).
Then the Lord Jesus and the disciples went their separate ways as follows.
1) The disciples went by boat independently; Mark 6:31 says, “Come you yourselves independently to a solitary place, and rest a while”; specifically, the Lord Jesus told the disciples to separate themselves from the people who followed them and go on their own.
2) The Lord Jesus goes apart by Himself to a town called Bethsaida, where He welcomed the people and taught and healed them (see Luke 9:10-11); Luke 9:10 says, “And having taken them, He withdrew by Himself into a city called Bethsaida,” meaning that the Lord Jesus took the disciples away from people as shown in Mark and He withdrew apart.
3) Afterward, the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death (see Matthew 14:1-12). When the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death, He withdrew from Bethsaida “by a boat to a desolate place by Himself,” meaning that no people were with Him (see Matthew 14:13). Specifically, the Lord Jesus went to the “Desolate Place 2” (see Map Jesus’ Travels).
4) Some people followed the Lord Jesus on foot, and others followed the disciples. A large group of people, following the disciples, went to the “Desolate Place 1,” where the feeding of the first group, “about five thousand men, besides women and children,” took place (see the Map Jesus’ Travels).
Comparison Analysis (For this chapter see the Map Jesus’ Travels)
Note: In this comparison analysis, we will use specific notations to indicate partial verses. For example, “verse 14:19a” refers to the first half of the verse, while “verse 14:19b” refers to the second half. Additionally, “verse 14:19aa” indicates the first half of the first half of verse 19, “verse 14:19ab-19b” means the second half part of the first half of verse 19 and the second part of the verse 19, and so on.
Part 1: (Mark 6:30-35, Matthew 14:13-15, Luke 9:10-12). In this part, we have the events leading up to the first feeding of the five thousand. To better understand these portions of Scripture, we present a sequential timeline mapping of the verses across the three Gospels.
Part 1: sequential timeline mapping of the verses across the three Gospels.
1) Mark 6:30 and Luke 9:10a occur at the same time; here, the Lord Jesus and all the apostles are together somewhere near Bethsaida. The events in Mark and Luke begin when all the apostles return to the Lord Jesus after their sending out.
2) Mark 6:31 shows that many people were coming and going, and the Lord Jesus instructs the disciples to go “independently to a solitary place, and rest a while.”
3) Mark 6:32 and Luke 9:10ba (“And having taken them”) occur at the same time; this shows that the disciples go by themselves to the desolate place by boat. When Luke Luke 9:10ba says, “And having taken them,” it really means that the Lord Jesus took them (the disciples) away from the crowd since many were following them.
4) Luke 9:10b (“He withdrew by Himself into a city called Bethsaida”), which really means that the Lord Jesus separated from the disciples and went to Bethsaida.
5) Mark 6:33 shows that a group of people followed the disciples on foot to the desolate place.
6) Luke 9:11 shows that a group of people followed the Lord Jesus to Bethsaida, where the Lord Jesus taught the people and healed their sick.
7) Matthew 14:13a shows that the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death. The Gospel of Matthew begins reporting on events from this point in time.
8) Matthew 14:13b shows that after the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death, He left Bethsaida and went by boat to the solitary place where the disciples had gone before. A group of people followed the Lord Jesus on foot.
9) Mark 6:34 and Matthew 14:14 occur at the same time, and they show that the Lord Jesus went ashore and saw a large group of people waiting: the group that followed the disciples and the group that followed the Lord Jesus.
10) Luke 9:11 really compresses the events and refers to both places: Bethsaida and the place on the shore. It shows that people followed the Lord Jesus, who taught them and healed them. Notice that Bethsaida was close to the desolate place where the disciples went. The Lord Jesus did healings and teaching at both locations; these events were close to each other, space-wise and time-wise. The Gospel of Luke reports just about the teaching and healing up to this point.
11) Mark 6:35, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12. These verses show all three Gospels synchronized in time and space; they are all in the same location, in the desolate place, during the evening before the Passover begins.
Part 2. (Mark 6:35-37, Matthew 14:15-16, Luke 9:12-13). The day had ended, and the people who stayed there needed provisions. Now is the time when the Lord is concerned for the people who stay around, not for those who have already left. The area they were in was hard to find people to buy food; it was desolate.
Part 2: sequential timeline mapping of the verses across the three Gospels.
1) Mark 6:35-36, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12. All these passages of Scripture show that the day ended, and the disciples came to the Lord to ask Him to send the people away. In these verses, we notice how the disciples think: the human mind thinks that the time is late; so let the people go, and they can do something for themselves. But they did not think about the amount of people there, and where they could go to find food and a place to lodge in this desolate place. The disciples are common men; they think that, as humans, they have limitations in providing for this many people. When they can’t do it themselves, they ship the people away, but the Lord thinks of the people first. The Lord thinks that the people need to be fed; the old and the young are in the Lord’s concern. That is why the Lord tells the disciples, “Give you them to eat,” to bring the disciples’ minds back to themselves and to think of their duty; as well as a disciple, you have a duty towards people.
2) Mark 6:37a, Matthew 14:16, Luke 9:13a. All these portions of Scripture show that the Lord Jesus told His disciples that the people “have no need to go away” and the disciples should “give them 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 for that many people. The two hundred denarii is a significant amount of money for the disciples. When the Lord traveled with them, they did not carry money. So, buying food was not for them to think about, because they knew they didn’t have any money. Here, the disciples see with limited eyes; they think only about what is in front of them. That amount of money none of them carry; it is a big amount for common men. Now, the concern has come to the disciples. When the disciples say, “shall we go and buy two hundred denarii of bread,” this also shows that they do not have money to buy food. And they remind the Lord that none of the disciples have money.
Part 3. (Mark 6:38, Matthew 14:17-18, Luke 9:13b). In this part, the Lord Jesus teaches the disciples not to worry, to use what they have to feed the people, and to bring all their problems to the Lord before worrying about anything.
Part 3: sequential timeline mapping of the verses across the three Gospels.
1) Mark 6:38a. This portion of the verse shows that the Lord Jesus asks the disciples to go and see how many loaves of bread they have. The Lord also wants them to think first about what they have in their hands and know what they have before worrying about what they don’t; this is a teaching for the disciples.
2) Mark 6:38b, Matthew 14:17, Luke 9:13b. These portions of Scripture show that the disciples have only five loaves of bread and two fish, unless they were to go and buy more food.
3) Matthew 14:18. This verse shows that the Lord Jesus instructs the disciples to bring the food to Him. Now, the Lord wants them to learn to whom they should look first when troubles come: come to seek help from the Lord, no matter what the problem is, small or big. There is only One whom they should seek, the Lord, and believe that 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: bring all troubles to the Lord; don’t carry them on your own; the Lord can carry them for all.
Part 4. (Mark 6:39-44, Matthew 14:19-21, Luke 9:14-17). Now it comes to the time for the Lord Jesus to show His authority over all life and nature. Also, the Lord Jesus has shown the power on earth, whom people can come and put trust in, the One who can give all to people, the only One on earth that has that authority. And also the Lord has been giving faith into the human heart towards the Lord’s mercy; from a little, small amount of food, if people trust the Lord, He can make them full again, not just full only spiritually, but also the stomach can be full too. (See also Comments Matthew 14:19-21).
Part 4: sequential timeline mapping of the verses across the three Gospels.
1) Mark 6:39-40, Matthew 14:19aa, Luke 9:14-15. These verses show that the Lord Jesus “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 hundreds and fifties. Q: Why is green grass mentioned in this place? A: Because where they are now, there’s green grass all over the area. In some other areas, it may not be the same, but in this portion of Scripture, where the Lord Jesus is, there is green grass everywhere.
2) Mark 6:41, Matthew 14:19ab-19b, Luke 9:16. These verses show that the Lord Jesus takes the five loaves and the two fish, looks up to heaven, and says a blessing. Then He breaks the loaves and the fish in pieces and gives them to the disciples, and “the disciples to the multitudes.” The Lord broke the loaves and the fish into small pieces, and these pieces became new loaves and fish in the Lord Jesus’ hand (see Comments Matthew 14:19). But also remember now how it is in human eyes: they have seen the little food, little pieces of food turning into loaves and fish in the Lord Jesus’ hand, confirming and strengthening the faith of multitudes sitting there. Everybody has seen the Lord Jesus multiply a small amount of food in front of their eyes. Now the word will spread more that the Lord Jesus will also give food to follow, and people will be talking and thinking at the same time about who He is that can do that. The word that God has come down among people has been confirmed among humans.
3) Mark 6:42-43, Matthew 14:20, Luke 9:17. These verses tell us that the people ate until they were satisfied (see Comments Matthew 14:20), and that twelve baskets full of broken pieces of bread and fish were collected. Now, we have also seen the mercy of the Lord; He feeds them until they are full, and no one is left to be hungry. Here, the Lord Jesus has clearly shown 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 Jesus can provide, but think about the food for the inner soul that only the Lord Jesus can give in the whole universe; no one else can satisfy the soul.
4) Mark 6:44, Matthew 14:21, Luke 9:14a. These verses show that the Lord Jesus fed about five thousand men, besides women and children.
5). John 6:1-15. Now, in John’s message itself, it clearly states that the Lord Jesus went from the Sea of Galilee side, where the first feeding took place (as shown above), to the Tiberias side, where the second feeding will take place. The events described in John 6:1-15 take place after Mark 6:44; this shows a gap of more than a day between Mark 6:44 and Mark 6:45. In many places in the Bible, there is a gap of time and place between verses, yet people choose to ignore it. The Gospels are written in a spiritual (i.e., Holy Spirit-dictated) order, not necessarily a chronological order.
In this comparison analysis, we can see that the Gospel of Mark provides more detail. But even though some details are missing in some Gospels, all Gospels connect; even when some information is missing, none are contradictory. At the end, all the Gospels still have the same meaning.
[45]
And straightaway He compelled His disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He should dismiss the multitude.
[46]
And having taken leave of them, He departed into the mountain to pray.
[47]
And evening having come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land.
[48]
And He saw them distressed in the rowing, for the wind was contrary to them. About the fourth watch of the night He comes to them, walking on the sea, and He would have passed by them.
[49]
And having seen Him walking on the sea, they thought that it is a ghost, and cried out;
[50]
for they all saw Him , and were troubled. And straightaway He spoke with them, and says to them, Take courage: it is I ; fear not.
[51]
And He went up to them into the boat, and the wind ceased, and they were greatly in abundance amazed in themselves;
[52]
for they did not understand concerning the loaves, but their heart had been hardened.
Comments Mark 6:45-52
See Comments Matthew 14:22-32, and Comments John 6:15-21.
Q: Are the events describing the Lord Jesus’ walking on the water telling the same story in all three Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and John)? A: All three Gospels describe one and the same event, with some little differences, but each difference is for a purpose; however, none of the Gospels 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 the mind also has to acknowledge it. All must come to the conclusion that they are walking with the Lord; maybe a different situation, 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 the water, they accept it in their hearts that He is God and then they praise Him as the Lord. For the disciples themselves, the fear covered everything; how would another human be? They wouldn’t be better than them.
Verse 52 is an addition in Mark. The disciples were seeing miracles but still didn’t understand what it meant when the Lord made miracles for them. All miracles for the disciples were mainly to strengthen their faith so they could walk through troubles. All disciples’ faith was challenged later, and watching the Lord make miracles would help them when the time came to face the challenge of themselves. These miracles are for them and all humans as well; come and read the Word and see what the Lord has done.
Q: Are the events describing the Lord Jesus’ walking on the water telling the same story in all three Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and John)? A: All three Gospels describe one and the same event, with some little differences, but each difference is for a purpose; however, none of the Gospels 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 the mind also has to acknowledge it. All must come to the conclusion that they are walking with the Lord; maybe a different situation, 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 the water, they accept it in their hearts that He is God and then they praise Him as the Lord. For the disciples themselves, the fear covered everything; how would another human be? They wouldn’t be better than them.
Verse 52 is an addition in Mark. The disciples were seeing miracles but still didn’t understand what it meant when the Lord made miracles for them. All miracles for the disciples were mainly to strengthen their faith so they could walk through troubles. All disciples’ faith was challenged later, and watching the Lord make miracles would help them when the time came to face the challenge of themselves. These miracles are for them and all humans as well; come and read the Word and see what the Lord has done.
[53]
And having passed over to the land, they came to Gennesaret and drew to shore.
[54]
And they having come out of the boat, straightaway having recognized Him ,
[55]
they ran round about all that region, and they began to carry about on the mats those being sick, to wherever they heard that He is.
[56]
And wherever He entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might touch only the border of His outer garment; and as many as touched Him were made whole.
Comments Mark 6:53-56
For this portion of Scripture see Comments Matthew 14:34-36.
Life and Faith Applications. 1) Use what the Lord has given to you, be pleased in everything, give thanks to the Lord, and don’t look for what other people have. If you look at what other people have, greed might come. As the disciples have gone out into the world with little, in the same way, use what the Lord is giving you and be pleased; what the Lord has given to others is not important to you. 2) Don’t fall into the same error and judgment when you read the Bible as the people in Nazareth did and rejected the Lord; separate between the Lord and His earthly family. 3) The Lord walked on the water, and the disciples have seen this, but the rest of humans should believe what is written in the Bible; for us, it comes to using blind faith and believing the miracles that are written in the Bible. Amen!