Mark 6

Mark 6:1

As we come to Mark 6, we see the unfolding of unbelief: in Jesus’ acquaintances (verses Mar_6:1-6); in His adversaries (verses Mar_6:14-28); and even in His own disciples (verses Mar_6:35-37). This is not an insight acknowledging Jesus’ unique birth. Rather, it is an insult, for in that culture one was always identified as the son of his father, whether his father was living or dead. In this case, even if Joseph were indeed dead, as most Biblical scholars believe, Jesus would nonetheless be identified as being his son. But by calling Him the son of Mary, Jesus’ countrymen were saying, “We do not even know who his father is,” thereby accusing Him of being illegitimate. It was imperative that Jesus be born of a virgin. At the moment of conception, although a baby draws nutrients and liquids from the mother, it draws blood from its own blood supply, which is determined by the father. Therefore, the fact that Jesus, being conceived supernaturally without a human father, and developing in the womb without drawing blood from His mother meant that His blood, unlike any other blood in human history, was free from human pollution of any kindand was, therefore able to cleanse our sin. After viewing the art in a renowned art museum, a man said to the guard, “I don’t see any great value in this artwork.” “Sir,” the guard answered, “the paintings are not what’s on trial here. The visitors are.” That’s true. If you look at a Rembrandt or a Monet, you’re saying, “I don’t see anything good about that,” simply shows your ignorance concerning art. So, too, these people saying, “We don’t see anything so special about Jesus. He’s just the carpenter, and we know his mother, brothers, and sisters,” showed their ignorance concerning Him. We are in danger of making the same mistake if we take for granted His proximity to us. Yes, He lives inside us. Yes, He will never leave nor forsake us. Yes, He is always available to usbut He is God nonetheless. And, as God, He has the right to our time, money, abilities, energy, life, and heart. As God, Jesus has the right to all we are. When Peter at last realized that Jesus was Master of creation, he fell on his face before Him, saying, “Depart from me. I am a sinful man” (see Luk_5:8). So, too, as we cultivate a friendship with Jesus, let us never forget that because He is God, He deserves our utmost respect and devotion, submission and reverence.

Mark 6:5

Mark doesn’t say Jesus should do no mighty work, but that He could do no mighty work because of their unbelief. Why? Because the Lord has placed Himself in a partnering position with us in order to prepare us for the next billion years when we will rule and reign with Him.

Mark 6:6

Scriptures record Jesus marveling on only two occasions. One is herewhen He marveled at the unbelief of the Jews. The other is in Luke 7 and Matthew 9, when He marveled at the belief of a Gentile. I wonder what Jesus thinks about us. Does He marvel at our unbelief, saying, “Oh, there is so much more I could do if you would just believe and partner with Me in faith”?

Mark 6:7

Why did Jesus send His disciples out two by two? Perhaps it’s because, as we’ve experienced, faith becomes bolder when ministering with someone else. But more likely, it’s because one of the principles of the law was that in the mouth of two witnesses, every word would be established (Deu_19:15). The connection between power and simplicity is undeniable. Jesus gave His disciples power as He sent them out in simplicity. “Scrip” refers to a beggar’s bag. In other words, Jesus said, “Don’t beg in ministry.” This should be “scrip”-ted into all televangelism programming. “Travel light,” Jesus said because the urgency and nature of what His disciples were to do required that they move about freely and simply.

Mark 6:10

In other words, “When you go into a house, stay there until you leave the town. Don’t look around for better accommodations.”

Mark 6:11

“Their sin shall remain upon those who don’t receive you,” Jesus said, “upon those who fail to respond to your message of repentance.”

Mark 6:12

This is the only reference in the Gospels to the practice of anointing with oil, which James will later talk about in his epistle. Throughout the Bible, oil is an emblem of the Holy Spirit, so when one is anointed with oil, it symbolizes his placing himself in submission to the work of the Spirit in his life.

Mark 6:14

Notice it was Jesus’ name that was spread abroadnot the names of the disciples. This means that just as when Jesus ministered, all glory went to the Father, when the disciples ministered all of the attention went to Jesus. Why would Herod think that Jesus was John the Baptist? Josephus tells us that, being second cousins, Jesus and John the Baptist had a remarkable physical resemblance. But more likely, it was because Herod’s conscience was haunting him.

Mark 6:16

Herod Antipas was one of the three sons of Herod the Greatthe Herod who, following Jesus’ birth, had ordered the deaths of all males less than two years of age. Herod Antipas took his brother Philip’s wifea union that John the Baptist had denounced as immoral. Why didn’t Herod call for this One he thought was John in order the he could investigate for himself? Perhaps it was because he thought John, Jesus, or whoever this was would be out to get him. People make this same mistake today. They look at Jesus as One who is sure to point His finger at them. But such is not the case, for Jesus is the One who dialogued freely with sinners (Mat_11:19), who ate alongside sinners (Mat_9:10), who stood up for sinners (Joh_8:7), who gave great hope to sinners. Jesus’ rebukes, in fact, were reserved for the religious peoplethose who were pious and proud that they “weren’t like other men” (see Luk_18:11). I believe had Herod called for Jesus at this time, he would have found Jesus to be exactly who He is to this day: meek and lowly in heart (Mat_11:29), the Friend of Sinners.

Mark 6:18

Realizing John was a man unlike himselfa man of integrityHerod respected John the Baptist. Yet his wife, Herodias, was incensed by His insistence that Herod’s marriage to her was unlawful.

Mark 6:21

Herod was “exceeding sorry” to have to kill John the Baptist. Yet kill him he did because he was put on the spot at a party where wine and oaths flowed freely. Stay away from such places, dear people. You’ll regret it if you don’t because there’s always a price to pay. Demands will be made. Peer pressure will mount. Things will happen you’ll wish hadn’t. Ask Herod. Historians tell us he was haunted all the days of his life by what he had done to John the Baptist.

Mark 6:30

Jesus models something that a lot us are discovering. That is, if we don’t come apart, we’ll fall apart. There’s an ebb and flow in ministry in which times of service alternate with times of quietness and solitude, prayer, and contemplation. We need to come apart daily and have a quiet, quality time with the Lord. We need to come apart weekly for a Sabbath rest in Him.

Mark 6:32

As the true Shepherd, Jesus felt compassion for the sheep who were wandering and hurting; those in need of a Word from Him to set their lives and hearts in order.

Mark 6:35

The disciples’ heart was, “Send them away. We’re weary.” Jesus’ heart is, “Come unto Me, all ye who are weary.” I relate to the disciplesbut I long to be more like Jesus. “You saw the need. You meet the need,” Jesus said, wanting to partner with them in faith. “I can’t do that,” we say. “I don’t have those kinds of gifts or money.” We have all the reasons why nothing can be done. Jesus, however, takes no regard for what we lack. Rather He asks what we have.

Mark 6:39

Blessing and breaking always precede true feeding. The Father must allow our lives to be blessed and broken, blessed and broken, blessed and broken before he can use us to nourish anyone else. So much food did Jesus provide that the Greek word translated “filled” literally means “glutted.” John gives us further insight when he says that, following the feeding of the five thousand, some of the men tried to take Jesus by force to make Him king (Joh_6:15). But their priority was wrong. They saw Jesus as being the king of the material in a physical kingdom. Jesus, however, departed from them because His kingdom is spiritual and eternal. How easily we make this same mistake. Being so caught up in what is happening presently rather than seeing the big picture eternally, we want the Lord to comfort us now, to provide for us now, to heal us now. While the Lord is indeed a Comforter, a Provider, a Healer, those are not His highest priorities. The priority of God is not our present comfort, but our eternal state. Therefore, He will allow us to suffer presentlybe it physically, emotionally, or financiallyif that is what it takes to enrich us eternally.

Mark 6:45

Jesus sent His disciples into the sea, where He knew a storm would be brewing. And such is the way He works with us today. He blesses us and then allows us to go into the midst of a storm. Why? Because He knows that storms will inevitably come into each of our lives without exception. And were we not seasoned veterans of the storm, we would be blown away. Even as five thousand men were fed on the hillside of Galilee, five thousand would be saved in the city of Jerusalem (Acts 3-4). But what happened immediately after the five thousand were saved? A storm of fierce persecution arose. Knowing this, Jesus sent them into the storm in Mark 6 in order to develop the faith necessary to keep them from being blown away in Acts 5.

Mark 6:49

We know from the other Gospel accounts that Peter said, “Lord, if it’s You, bid me come"to which Jesus did indeed bid Peter to come to Him, and Peter walked on water. Why isn’t that incident mentioned in this account? Because if Mark’s Gospel is indeed comprised of Peter’s account given to John Mark, perhaps Peter didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention to himself. Notice the order. Before Jesus identified Himself, He said, “Be of good cheer.” That’s always the way it is. We say, “Lord, if I can see You, I’ll be of good cheer.” Jesus, however, says, “In faith, be of good cheer firstand then you’ll see Me.”

Mark 6:51

In simple faith and in need of a miracle, the needy ones simply touched Jesus. And as a result, they were made whole physically, spiritually eternally.