Mark 6

Mark 6:1

Matt. xiii. xiv.

he went into their synagogue, and there expounded the Old Testament to them, to their great amazement, whereupon they questioned among themselves how he should be able to do this, who gave him this wisdom, and withal this power of miracles, saying,

Mark 6:3

Is not this man the son of Joseph the carpenter, brought up in the same trade with him? is not Mary his mother, and James, &c. his near kinsmen? and do not his near kinswomen live among us? And thus upon the consideration of his mean and known beginnings they were discouraged from following, and so forsook him.

A prophet is not so subject to be despised and set at nought any where as among them that are nearest to him, that think they know his beginnings, &c.

Mark 6:5

And accordingly there was such a general unbelief and undervaluing him there in his own country, that he had no fit opportunity there to shew his power in working miracles: only a few sick people that had faith to be healed came and besought him, and those by his bare laying his hands on them were healed presently: see Luke iv. 23. ᶜ to cast the devils out of those that were possessed by them.

Mark 6:8

See note [e] on Matthew x. ᵈ Whensoever ye come into a town or city, the first house ye enter into, let it be the place of your abode while you stay in that city. ᵉ as a significative ceremony what a crying sin this is, and what a punishment will attend it, (Matt. x. 14.) and that they may know that a prophet hath been among them, Ezek. xxxiii. 33, that it is the message of God which they have rejected. Verily— ᶠ preached or proclaimed in the same words that John Baptist and Christ had done before them, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand, Matt. x. 7. ³ Where, ἄπω. ⁴ depart thence and shake.

Mark 6:13

And they cast devils out of many that were possessed by them, and using no other means but only that of unction (and laying on their hands, ch. xvi. 18.) they cured many sick persons.

g now he is risen, the same power that raiseth him worketh also miraculously in him.

h one of the old prophets raised from the dead, or else such an one as they were of old now newly raised up.

i the conscience of what he had done to John Baptist made him fear, and say, It is John—

j on occasion of Herodias, whom Herod had married, though she were his own brother’s wife.

Mark 6:18

Whereupon John dealt freely and plainly with him, and told him that it was utterly unlawful for him to live with her.

Mark 6:19

Herodias therefore, being touched with this, designed him a mischief, and would have removed him out of the way by some death or other, but could not any way compass it:

[a] had a quarrel] Ἐνείχεν αὐτῷ, which here (as also Luke xi. 53.) is to be rendered, was angry with him, will be best understood by the notion of the Hebrew שטש, which is rendered by it in the Old Testament; that signifies to hate, to hinder, or to set one’s self against another, to be an adversary, and is rendered by ἐγκοτέω, being angry, as of Esau against Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 41, and psalm liv. 4, by μνησικακέω, bearing injuries in mind, designing revenge, Gen. l. 15, and so by ἐνέχω in the same sense, Gen. xlix. 23. Accordingly Hesychius ἐνείχον, ἐχόλουν, (it should be ἐχολοῦντο) ὠργίζοντο, they were wroth, or angry, and both he and Phavorinus, ἐνέχει, μνησικακεί, ἔγκειται, (or perhaps ἐγκοτεί) he bears the injury in mind, sets him against, or is angry: so Eustathius, ἐνέχειν, is τὸ κατά τινος ἔχειν, to have somewhat against any one.

Mark 6:20

For Herod because of his authority with the people, on whom John had wrought very much, (saith Josephus,) was afraid to meddle with him, Matt. xiv. 5, and besides knew him to be a just and holy man, which extorted respect from him, and accordingly he had care to keep him safe, and moreover heard him oft, and in obedience to him did reform many things, and indeed took a delight to hear him, but this one particular of Herodias stuck so close to him, that John’s reproofs could not prevail to make him part with her.

was angry with him. kept him, or

[b] observed him] What συνεπήρει here signifies is a matter of some question. That which seems most probable is, that it signifies, as the literal notation imports, and as the Vulgar’s custodiebat expresseth, kept him guarded, and so secured and preserved him. For though he were imprisoned by him before, yet it is clear that he suffered him not to be hurt by any; and accordingly Herodias, though she bare him a grudge, and would have killed him, yet she could not, ver. 19. And the reason is rendered in this verse, for he bare such a reverence to him for his justice and piety, that he preserved and guarded and kept him safe from her malice.

Mark 6:21

[c] a convenient day] Ἡμέρα εὔκαιρος is a festival day, a day of vacancy, יום טוב, in Hebrew, a good day, that is, a solemn festival, a day of rest from labour, set apart for festivity, from whence hath the Glossary εὔκαιρος, σχολάζουσα, it is a day of vacancy, and εὐκαιρῶ, vaco, as it is here used ver. 31, οὐδὲ φαγεῖν ηὐκαίρουν, they had not leisure to eat, and Phavorinus, εὐκαιρεῖν, εὖ σχολῆς ἔχειν, (perhaps it should be read, εὐσχολεῖν σχολὴν ἔχειν, or ἄγειν,) to be vacant, and such, it is clear, was this Herod’s birthday, whereon he made a supper for his lords, &c. and whereon there was a dancing, ver. 22.

Mark 6:26

And Herod the king was exceeding sorrowful and much troubled, not only that he should be obliged to shed blood upon his birthday, (see note [b] on Matt. xiv.) but especially as having a reverence and kindness to John, ver. 20, and also fearing the inconvenience that might come of it by reason of the authority which John had with the people, Matt. xiv; and yet, because he had sworn so publicly before those that were at the feast with him, that they might not discern either imprudence or inconstancy in him—imprudence in promising, or inconstancy in not performing—he granted her request.

festival day came, when Herod on the anniversary of his birth, τοῖς γενεῖοις. prin-

cipal men: see note [e] on John i. were at meat with him, συνανακτιμένοις. I desire,

ἐδῶ: see note [g] on Col. ii. a soldier of his guard.

Mark 6:27

[d] executioner] Spiculator in the stories of the Roman emperors signifies a soldier of the guard, and agreeably, when we read (in the stories of Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar) the captain of the guard, the interpreter of the Chaldee Paraphrase generally reads princeps spiculatorum. So the captains of fifties, 1 Kings ix. 11, 13, were captains of the king’s guards, which being (by the custom of Jews, Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Romans) executioners of those whom the king condemned to death, it is here therefore appointed to one of these, to go and behead the Baptist, which accordingly is done.

Mark 6:35

And when it began to be late toward the evening, (see note [d] on Matt. xiv.) the disciples— ¹³ And much time being now past, Καὶ ἦδη Ἐραι πολλῆς γενομένης. long while, ἦδη Ἐρα πολλή. ¹⁴ It is already a

Mark 6:39

[e] by companies] Of the manner of accubitus, or lying at meat, we have formerly spoken, and so of the custom of eating in gardens, and lying on beds, or areolæ, or πρασιά in them (see note [g] Matt. viii.). All that will be needful here to add, is the observing of the phrases of πρασιά πρασιά, συμπόσια συμπόσια, ἀνὰ ἀνὰ, the two former clearly taken from the Hebrews, who want phrases of distribution, and

Mark 6:40

And they lay down in several companies or divisions on the ground, after the manner that they used on beds whereon they were wont to eat, (see note [g] on Matt. viii.) by hundreds—

P of the broken pieces of bread and of the remainder of the fishes.

Mark 6:43

See note [b] on Matt. viii. ### CHAP. VI.

Mark 6:44

And they that were entertained and supped on these few loaves and fishes were about—