Mark 6: 1-6 HCSB
1 He went away from there and came to His hometown, and His disciples followed Him. 2 When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished. "Where did this man get these things?" they said. "What is this wisdom given to Him, and how are these miracles performed by His hands? 3 Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And aren't His sisters here with us?" So they were offended by Him. 4 Then Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown, among his relatives, and in his household." 5 So He was not able to do any miracles there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He was amazed at their unbelief.
It is the people who thought they knew Jesus best,who had watched him grow up and knew his family who respected him the least. It is interesting to me that his response to their disbelief was to do less miraculous work, rather than more to try to win them over. He seems to know that no evidence will break their preconceived notions.
Mark 6: 7-13 HCSB
Now He was going around the villages in a circuit, teaching. 7 He summoned the Twelve and began to send them out in pairs and gave them authority over unclean spirits. 8 He instructed them to take nothing for the road except a walking stick: no bread, no traveling bag, no money in their belts. 9 They were to wear sandals, but not put on an extra shirt. 10 Then He said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11 If any place does not welcome you and people refuse to listen to you, when you leave there, shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them."
12 So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13 And they were driving out many demons, anointing many sick people with oil, and healing.
Jesus finally feels the disciples are ready to go out on their own. He sends them with no resources, for they Will be supernaturally be provided for. this in not an injunction that we should never be prepared, but a specific test of the disciple faith. when Jesus sends them out again latter in his ministry, he has them fully prepared for trouble including extra provisions and weapons. (Luke 22: 35-38)
Mark 6: 14-15 HCSB
14 King Herod heard of this, because Jesus' name had become well known. Some said, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that's why supernatural powers are at work in him." 15 But others said, "He's Elijah." Still others said, "He's a prophet —like one of the prophets."
There was a lot of discussion and rumors among the people as to who Jesus was. obliviously the could not be John the Baptist because John was still alive at the beginning of Jesus ministry. There was a prophecy that Elijah would return and preach before the Messiah arrives, but it is clear from Chapter 1 that this is a reference to John the Baptist. I do find it interesting that the concept of Jesus being the promised Messiah is not mentioned by the people here.
Mark 6: 16-29 HCSB
16 When Herod heard of it, he said, "John, the one I beheaded, has been raised!" 17 For Herod himself had given orders to arrest John and to chain him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, whom he had married. 18 John had been telling Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife!"19 So Herodias held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him. But she could not, 20 because Herod was in awe of John and was protecting him, knowing he was a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard him he would be very disturbed, yet would hear him gladly.
21 Now an opportune time came on his birthday, when Herod gave a banquet for his nobles,military commanders, and the leading men of Galilee. 22 When Herodias' own daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. The king said to the girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I'll give it to you." 23 So he swore oaths to her: "Whatever you ask me I will give you, up to half my kingdom." 24 Then she went out and said to her mother, "What should I ask for?" "John the Baptist's head!" she said. 25 Immediately she hurried to the king and said, "I want you to give me John the Baptist's head on a platter —right now!"
26 Though the king was deeply distressed, because of his oaths and the guests he did not want to refuse her. 27 The king immediately sent for an executioner and commanded him to bring John's head. So he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl. Then the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard about it, they came and removed his corpse and placed it in a tomb.
Herod still feels guilty over Johns murder, which is why he latches onto the John Resurrection story as the Identity of Jesus. I also find it fascinating that Herod recognises that John is a man many of God and respects him for it but it does not lead to any sort of heart change on Herod's part. Herodius also shows herself here to be a thoroughly evil person .
Mark 6: 30-44 HCSB
30 The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all that they had done and taught. 31 He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest a while." For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. 32 So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place, 33 but many saw them leaving and recognized them. People ran there by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. 34 So as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things. 35 When it was already late, His disciples approached Him and said, "This place is a wilderness, and it is already late! 36 Send them away, so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat." 37 "You give them something to eat," He responded. They said to Him, "Should we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?" 38 And He asked them, "How many loaves do you have? Go look." When they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."
39 Then He instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in ranks of hundreds and fifties. 41 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to His disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 Everyone ate and was filled. 43 Then they picked up 12 baskets full of pieces of bread and fish. 44 Now those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men.
This is the first of several mass feedings in Mark. After all that they had seen Jesus do and the miracles they themselves had performed through the power of God the disciples were still clueless as to what Jesus was capable of. Once again a tired and exhausted Jesus looking for some privacy ministers to the crowds because he loves them. Every disciple walks away with a basket full of excess as well.
Mark 6: 45-51 HCSB
. 45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd. 46 After He said good-bye to them, He went away to the mountain to pray.47 When evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. 48 He saw them being battered as they rowed, because the wind was against them. Around three in the morning He came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them. 49 When they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were terrified. Immediately He spoke with them and said, "Have courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." 51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. They were completely astounded, 52 because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead, their hearts were hardened.
Jesus was not intending to impress of frighten the disciples , his plan was t completely pass them by, because of their response to seeing him he comes and comforts them. This though does serve to break them out of the biter attitude and hardness of hearts from not understanding the miracle of the loaves and fishes.
Mark 6: 53-56 HCSB
53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and beached the boat. 54 As they got out of the boat, people immediately recognized Him. 55 They hurried throughout that vicinity and began to carry the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard He was. 56 Wherever He would go, into villages, towns, or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and begged Him that they might touch just the tassel of His robe. And everyone who touched it was made well.
Evidently the story of the woman touching his robe and being healed had gotten around, Jesus is becoming more and more popular as a faith healer and miracle worker, but his true purpose is yet to be understood by most of the crowds.
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