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Mark Chapter
Six
I. Content of the Chapter
Though the Bondman
the Savior Was Rejected, He Was Moved with Compassion
A.
He was rejected by His own country (v.1-6);
B.
He sent the twelve
disciples to seek those who would receive them (v.7-13);
C.
His forerunner John
the Baptist was killed by King
Herod (v.14-29);
D.
He was moved with compassion for the sheep not having a shepherd ---- five bread and two fish (v.30-44);
E.
He was moved with compassion the disciples who strained
at rowing ---- walking on the
sea (v.45-52);
F.
He showed mercy to
those who were sick ---- healing those who were sick in the
II. Verse by Verse commentary
Mark. 6:1 “Then He went out from there and came to His
own country, and His disciples followed Him.”
YLT: “And he went
forth thence, and came to his own country, and his disciples do follow him,”
Literal Meaning: “came to His own country”,
it meant He came to
Spiritual Meaning: men in the Lord’s own
country here referred to the Jews who did not believe Him.
Mark. 6:2 “And when the Sabbath had come, He began to
teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying,
"Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is
given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! ”
YLT: “and sabbath
having come, he began in the synagogue to teach, and many hearing were
astonished, saying, `Whence hath this one these things? and what the wisdom
that was given to him, that also such mighty works through his hands are done?”
Literal Meaning: “And many hearing Him were
astonished, saying”, in the original, it meant that they felt strongly
astonished and shocked.
“Wisdom” referred to what He had said; “Mighty
hands” referred to what He had done. They were amazed by His words and works,
for He was different from the “man” they had ever known before.
Mark. 6:3 “Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary,
and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here
with us?" So they were offended at Him. ”
YLT: “Is not this the
carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and
Simon? and are not his sisters here with us?' -- and they were being stumbled
at him.”
Literal Meaning: “Is this not the carpenter?”
---- They just teased the Lord, indicating that: “it he not a common man who
labors by his hands, like us?”
“The carpenter”, He was “the son of the
carpenter” (see Matt.13:55). Probably, after the death of Joseph, Jesus, as the
older brother, had been a carpenter in order to make the living of his whole
family.
“The
Son of Mary”, Joseph might have already been dead at this time, so here it
mentioned Mary only.
“They
were offended at Him.” ---- It showed that they neither believed Jesus was
different from them, rather nor believed He was especially anointed by God, for
they knew him in the flesh before.
Spiritual Meaning: “Is this not the
carpenter?” ---- “Carpenter” builds the house. The Lord Jesus is the builder of
the church (see Matt. 16:18).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
They
despised the Lord Jesus for they knew His physical birth, and this was the
greatest reason why the Jews did not believe “Jesus is Christ”.
2)
We
should not know one according to flesh (2Cor.5:16), lest we lose the
opportunity of receiving the blessing of God.
3)
Concerning
those who lead us and all brothers and sisters, we shall only pay attention to
the grace of God on them and to the spiritual help given to us by them, and not
to the shortcoming or faults of their own.
Mark. 6:4 “But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is
not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in
his own house." ”
YLT: “And Jesus said
to them -- `A prophet is not without honor, except in his own country, and
among his kindred, and in his own house;'”
Literal Meaning: “A prophet”, “prophet”
refers to the one who speaks for the Lord.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Blessed
is whoever shall not be offended in me (Matt. 11:6).
2)
Let
those laboring in word and teaching be esteemed worthy of double honor (1Tim.
5:17). However if we know the Lord’s servants according to flesh, it will
prevent us from receiving more the Lord’s words.
Mark. 6:5 “Now He could do no mighty work there, except
that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them.”
YLT: “and he was not
able there any mighty work to do, except on a few infirm people having put
hands he did heal ;”
Literal Meaning: “Now He could do no mighty
work there”, it was not because He had no power to do signs in
They did not believe the Lord, for they
knew the Lord according to flesh. And they received no gracious works of the
Lord because of their unbelief of the Lord.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
But
without faith it is impossible to please God (Heb.11:6).
2)
The
unfaith of many people may block the mighty works of God. Faith is the precondition
for us to experience the great power of God.
3)
God
distributes His grace according to the measure of men’s faith. If our faith is
small, the Lord’s works shall be restricted.
Mark. 6:6 “And He marveled because of their unbelief.
Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching. ”
YLT: “and he wondered
because of their unbelief. And he was going round the villages, in a circle,
teaching,”
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Those
who do not believe the Lord marvel that why Christians believe the Lord and
regard us as superstition. However, what is really astonishing is their
unbelief, for there is no reason for it.
2)
The
Lord did not stopped working because of men’s unbelief in his own country. When
we believers preach the gospels, we should neither be discouraged nor fainted
for men’s rejection of believing.
Mark. 6:7 “And He called the twelve to Himself, and
began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits.”
YLT: “and he doth
call near the twelve, and he began to send them forth two by two, and he was
giving them power over the unclean spirits,”
Literal Meaning: “disciples” referred to
those who followed the Lord and received the strict training and discipline of the
Lord.
“Send them out two by two”, they went
out two by two, for it was not only because two witnesses were credible (see
Deut 17:6), but also for the purpose of making them help each other in the
process of the training.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
The
workers of the Lord are out of the selection of the Lord, not of men’s own
willingness. Only the “disciples” who are perfectly trained and disciplined by
the Lord are worthy of being sent to do the Lord’s work.
2)
“Twelve”
is an eternal and perfect number. The Lord Jesus will make the twelve disciples
a perfect testimony and example, and take them as the foundation of God’s
building forever (see Rev. 21:14).
3)
The
Lord sends the disciples two by two, which indicates that we shall cooperate
with and help each other instead of acting individually in the service of the
Lord.
4)
Since
Jesus “called” them, He would surely “give them power”. It means that the Lord
will provide sufficient power for those who are called by Him. The calling and
commitment of the Lord will never go beyond His gracious provision.
5)
The
authority is for the works of the Lord. He who is willing to receive the
sending of the Lord is worthy of receiving the authority.
6)
The
spiritual power in the service is due to the Lord’s commitment. If there is no
commitment of the Lord, there will be neither spiritual power nor true
spiritual effect.
7)
There
are two advantages of the spiritual power in the church ---- one is to deal
with the enemy of God, Satan and its armies, and the other is to help believers
in spiritual life and make their life grow up soundly.
8)
That
the Lord came to the earth was not going to gain a so-called work of Christianity,
but a group of men. He firstly gave Himself to them and made Himself in them,
and then He would be manifested by such group of men.
Mark. 6:8 “He commanded them to take nothing for the
journey except a staff--no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts--”
YLT: “and he
commanded them that they may take nothing for the way, except a staff only --
no scrip, no bread, no brass in the girdle,”
Literal Meaning: “provide”: to purchase or
gain something purposely; “bag”, it refers to the bag used to keep foods; “money
belts”: the drapes in the belts of the garment, which were functioned as the
pockets of the modern clothes ---- being used to put one’s stuff and money.
Controversial
Clarification: this
rule of taking nothing (neither money nor basic necessities) for the journey
had been cancelled before the Lord was taken (see Luke 22:35-38). Therefore
when we read this verse today, we should understand it in spirit instead of
following it literally. The principle of the life of a Lord’s worker is neither
to prepare, nor to plan, nor to consider for himself, but to prove in him that
God is able to feed us and He takes the responsibility for us all.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
He
who works for the Lord should give up both the enjoyment in this age and the
reliance besides God, so the Lord says one shall neither take garment nor food
nor money. However, the spiritual work requires spiritual power ---- staff, and
the consecrated position ---- sandals (see v.9), so the Lord commands to bring
staff and sandals.
2)
Workers
of the Lord should have faith towards God and should not trust on the
uncertainty of riches, but in the God who affords us all things richly for
enjoyment (1Tim. 6:17).
3)
Those
who serve the Lord should not be distracted by material enjoyment on earth.
Having sustenance and covering, we will be content with these (1Tim. 6:8).
4)
No
matter how weak we are, we are still God’s children. We represent God in the
world and therefore we should not live a random life.
5)
The
life of the Lord’s workers should be the life of faith. If the Lord has not
done anything, we dare not prepare anything for us by ourselves.
Mark. 6:9 “but to wear sandals, and not to put on two
tunics.”
YLT: “but having been
shod with sandals, and ye may not put on two coats.”
Literal Meaning: the Lord has ordained
those who announce the glad tidings should live of the glad tidings (1Cor.
9:14). Therefore the workers of the Lord who are sent to work among God’s
people need not make unnecessary preparation for their daily necessities.
However, the Lord’s workers should gain nothing from unbelievers (see John 7).
Mark. 6:10 “Also He said to
them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart
from that place.”
YLT: “And he said to
them, `Whenever ye may enter into a house, there remain till ye may depart
thence,”
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Our
relationship with men should be established on our relationship with the Lord.
2)
Those
who fear God in heart will assuredly respect and receive those who have been
sent by God.
Mark. 6:11 “And whoever will not
receive you nor hear you, when you depart from there, shake off the dust under
your feet as a testimony against them. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more
tolerable for
YLT: “and as many as
may not receive you, nor hear you, going out thence, shake off the dust that is
under your feet for a testimony to them; verily I say to you, It shall be more
tolerable for Sodom or Gomorrah in a day of judgment than for that city.'”
The Background: “shake off the dust from
your feet”, when the Pharisees departed from a gentile place, they would do
this symbolic action, indicating that they had nothing to do with the “uncleanness”
of the Gentiles.
Literal Meaning: “as a testimony against
them”: “as a warning to them”;
Spiritual Meaning: “shake off the dust from
your feet”, it shows that the men or place that have rejected Christ should
suffer their own actions and their endings in future have nothing with the
dsiciples (Acts. 13:50-51).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Our
relationship with the world should be established on the ground whether they
receive the Lord or not. To those who do not receive the Lord, we should not
maintain earthly intimate relationship with them.
2)
The
disguised social services should not replace the gospel of Christ. What the Lord
cares about is whether men receive the glad tidings that we have preached, not
whether we have helped them to improve their living standard.
Mark. 6:12 “So they went out and
preached that people should repent.”
YLT: “And having gone
forth they were preaching that might reform,”
Literal Meaning: this was the beginning
that the disciples were sent by the Lord to preach the Lord’s word (see
3:14-15).
Mark. 6:13 “And they cast out
many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.”
YLT: “and many demons
they were casting out, and they were anointing with oil many infirm, and they
were healing .”
Literal Meaning: “and anointed with oil
many who were sick”, in the old days, the olive oil was wildly used as medicine
by the Jews (see Is. 1:6; Luke 10:34; James 5:14).
Mark. 6:14 “Now King Herod heard
of Him, for His name had become well known. And he said, "John the Baptist is risen from the dead, and therefore
these powers are at work in him." ”
YLT: “And the king
Herod heard, (for his name became public,) and he said -- `John the Baptist out
of the dead was raised, and because of this the mighty powers are working in
him.'”
Meaning of Words: “powers are at work”:
operate, miraculous power;
The Background: “Herod” is the fourth son
of Herod the Great (Matt. 2:1) and he was also called Herod Antipas. He reigned
over Galilee and
Literal Meaning: “John the Baptist is risen
from the dead”, the process that John the Baptist was put into prison and
killed was recorded in the following verses from verse 17 to verse 28.
Spiritual Meaning: “Herod the tetrarch”, the
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
When
the Lord was rejected by people in His own city, that was to say, when God’s
people did not allow God to govern them, the world would replace the position
of God and reign over God’s people.
2)
“Herod”
was an unbeliever, a politician (“the tetrarch”) and a typical sinner. He
represented the unbelieving Gentiles who knew the Lord Jesus according to
others’ report (“heard the report about Jesus”).
3)
The
world does not know Christ because their thoughts are blinded by the god of
this world (2Cor. 4:4), and thus living in darkness.
4)
Pagans
have blind faith in spiritual things and hold that Jesus is one of those who
have powers (“these powers are at work in him”), but do not know that He is the
only-begotten Son of God.
5)
Only
doing mighty works cannot make men know the true God (See Matt. 7:22-23).
6)
Herod
misunderstood the Lord Jesus was John the Baptist who is risen from the dead,
which proves that John was really “like” Christ. He was a real witness of
Christ. Christ had been magnified in John whether by life or by death, and “for
him to live Christ, and to die gain” (see Phil. 1:20-21).
Mark. 6:15 “Others said,
"It is Elijah." And others said, "It is the Prophet, or like one
of the prophets." ”
YLT: “Others said --
`It is Elijah,' and others said -- `It is a prophet, or as one of the
prophets.'”
Literal Meaning: “prophet” wad the one was
sent by God to preach the word of God to the people of God; “Elijah” was the
most famous prophet among the Jews.
Mark. 6:16 “But when Herod
heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from
the dead!" ”
YLT: “And Herod
having heard, said -- `He whom I did behead -- John -- this is he; he was
raised out of the dead.'”
Literal Meaning: probably Herod was not peace
in his conscience for he had killed John the Baptist. Besides, he was so superstitious
that he was afraid that the spirit of John the Baptist would come back to haunt
him.
Mark. 6:17 “For Herod himself
had sent and laid hold of John, and bound him in prison for the sake of
Herodias, his brother Philip's wife; for he had married her.”
YLT: “For Herod
himself, having sent forth, did lay hold on John, and bound him in the prison,
because of Herodias the wife of Philip his brother, because he married her,”
The Background: “Philip” was the
consanguineous brother of Herod. He was also called Herod I. He did not reign
as the king and lived in Roman. “Herodias” was the granddaughter of Herod the
Great. She was married to her uncle Philip in Roman and then was married to her
another uncle Herod Antipas.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Pagans
seem to fear those who have mighty power (those whom John the Baptist
represent) in appearance, but actually their god is their belly (Pill. 3:19).
If one is unable to help them to satisfy their lusts and blocks them, no matter
who he is, he will be oppressed by them (“Herod had laid hold of John and bound
him, and put him in prison”).
2)
Herod
represented Roman political power ---- the main political system in the world
at that time ---- which was full of evil, corruption and darkness. The
politicians serve the people in appearance, but actually they give priority to
their own benefits instead of that of the people and utilize authority to
discriminate those who have different views.
Mark. 6:18 “Because
John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's
wife." ”
YLT: “for John said
to Herod -- `It is not lawful to thee to have the wife of thy brother;'”
Meaning of Words: “not lawful”: not just, not right;
The Background: according to the Law of
Moses, if one’s brother is still alive, it is forbidden to marry his brother’s
wife (see Lev. 20:21).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Though
believers in the New Testament are not under the ordinance of the Law (Col.
2:20-21), we still have to walk in order (Col. 2:5, 1Cor. 14:40).
2)
Believers
should not only walk according to reasons in the sight of men, and what’s more
important is that we should judge whether it is right in the sight of God in
everything (see Acts. 4:19).
Mark. 6:19 “Therefore Herodias
held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not;”
YLT: “and Herodias
was having a quarrel with him, and was willing to kill him, and was not able,”
Mark. 6:20 “for
Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just and holy man, and he protected
him. And when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. ”
YLT: “for Herod was
fearing John, knowing him a man righteous and holy, and was keeping watch over
him, and having heard him, was doing many things, and hearing him gladly.”
Mark. 6:21 “Then
an opportune day came when Herod on his birthday gave a feast for his nobles,
the high officers, and the chief men of
YLT: “And a
seasonable day having come, when Herod on his birthday was making a supper to his
great men, and to the chiefs of thousands, and to the first men of
Enlightenment in the Word:
1) The celebration
of one’s birthday is to remember the beginning of one’s life in the flesh,
which is to follow the mind of the flesh according to the spiritual meaning. The
mind of the flesh is enmity against God and it brings about death consequently
(
2) This verse is the only
place in the Bible to mention birthday, which shows that the celebration of one’s
birthday is not good and is easy to cause trouble, for sin may easily come
through men’s happiness.
Mark. 6:22 “And when Herodias' daughter herself came in
and danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat with him, the king said to the
girl, "Ask me whatever you want, and I will give it to you." ”
YLT: “and the
daughter of that Herodias having come in, and having danced, and having pleased
Herod and those reclining (at meat) with him, the king said to the damsel, `Ask
of me whatever thou wilt, and I will give to thee,'”
The Background: according to the research
of the Jewish historian Joseph, “the daughter of Herodias” was named Salome. She
was at that time in her teens and danced beautifully and attractively. Later
she was married to her another grand uncle who ruled the northern districts,
i.e. Herod Philip II (the consanguineous brother of Philip I).
Enlightenment in the Word: “celebrating one’s
birthday” is to remember oneself and exult oneself. “Dance” represents
fulfilling the fleshly lust. Under such condition, men were easily to make
mistakes------he promised with an oath and killed John the Baptist (see
v.24-27).
Mark. 6:23 “He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask
me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom." ”
YLT: “and he sware to
her -- `Whatever thou mayest ask me, I will give to thee -- unto the half of my
kingdom.'”
Meaning of Words: “promised”: acknowledge, confess, announce;
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Once
a man has promised something, he is beyond the control of himself. Every one
that practices sin is the bondman of sin and he does not have freedom (John.
8:44).
2)
There
is a common saying going like this, “one gets dizzy with success”. Men are most
easily to lose self-control in their extreme cheerfulness.
3)
Man
cannot restrain his flesh by themselves, for it is uncontrollable.
Mark. 6:24 “So she went out and said to her mother,
"What shall I ask?" And she said, "The head of John the
Baptist!" ”
YLT: “And she, having
gone forth, said to her mother, `What shall I ask for myself?' and she said,
`The head of John the Baptist;'”
Mark. 6:25 “Immediately she came in with haste to the
king and asked, saying, "I want you to give me at once the head of John
the Baptist on a platter." ”
YLT: “and having come
in immediately with haste unto the king, she asked, saying, `I will that thou mayest
give me presently, upon a plate, the head of John the Baptist.'”
Literal Meaning: “platter” is a kind of
flat plate made of wood and is used to hold meat to serve the guests.
Mark. 6:26 “And the king was exceedingly sorry; yet,
because of the oaths and because of those who sat with him, he did not want to
refuse her.”
YLT: “And the king --
made very sorrowful -- because of the oaths and of those reclining (at meat)
with him, would not put her away,”
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
When
men walked according to the lust of the flesh, the first result is “being sorry”------the
unpeaceful consciousness.
2)
For
grief according to God works repentance to salvation, never to be regretted;
but the grief of the world works death (2Cor. 7:10).
3)
Herod
was sorry because he talked boldly. Once a man speaks incautiously, he may
become the first one being snared by his own words (“because of the oaths”).
4)
Since
Herod was keen on face-saving (“because of those who sat with him”), he
disregarded the unpeaceful conscience (“was sorry”). Those who love to brag are
every sensitive to their reputations. Those who are keen on face-saving are
easy to make things worse by repeated delays.
Mark. 6:27 “Immediately the king sent an executioner and
commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison,”
YLT: “and immediately
the king having sent a guardsman, did command his head to be brought,”
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Herod
rather respected John the Baptist in the beginning and desired the spiritual
things under John’s guidance (see v.20). However, he later made terrible
mistake for the sake of his indulgence of this time, and was too late to repent.
This was a great warning example for those who desire to seek the Lord. We
should not ruin our spiritual future for the sake of the temporary relaxation
(pleasure) or pride (oath), and thus regretting lifetime.
2)
The
mind of the flesh is death (
3)
Herod
dared not kill John for he feared the crowd (see Matt.14:5), but here he did
not have any scruple since he had fulfilled his lusts. Therefore, the lusts may
rob a man of his rationality.
Mark. 6:28 “brought his head on a platter, and gave it
to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother.”
YLT: “and he having
gone, beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head upon a plate, and did
give it to the damsel, and the damsel did give it to her mother;”
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
When
the girl brought the platter with a head which was dripping with blood to her
mother, the mother and the daughter were actually with perfect composure. It
showed that the lust of the flesh made men extremely audacious.
2)
It
indicated that Herod married Herodias because they both liked each other and
corrupted public morals together. Moreover Herodias hated John the Baptist
deeply in her heart for being blamed by him and waited for the opportune moment
to kill him. Herodias exposed the nature of a vicious woman.
3)
Believers
should not partake in the sins of others, but keep themselves pure (1Tim.
5:22). Once a man is not cautious and partakes in the sins of others, he will
be easily against the truth with others.
Mark. 6:29 “When his disciples heard of it, they came
and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.”
YLT: “and having
heard, his disciples came and took up his corpse, and laid it in the tomb.”
Enlightenment in the Word: “buried it”, it means to
cover the proof of being treated unfairly. It is of the most vanity to see the
corpse and sorrow all day.
Mark. 6:30 “Then the apostles
gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.”
YLT: “And the
apostles are gathered together unto Jesus, and they told him all, and how many
things they did, and how many things they taught,”
Meaning of Words: “apostle”: messenger, he
that is sent;
Literal Meaning: “the apostles gathered to
Jesus”, here, it is the only place in this book where the word “apostle”
appears. Here, the apostles refer to the twelve disciples appointed by the Lord
Jesus (see 3:14).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
“All
things” include both the sorrowful and joyful things. When believers are sad,
they may pray to the Lord for help. However, when they are joyful, they may
easily forget the Lord.
2)
“Both
what they had done and what they had taught”, the disciples told the Lord what
they had said to men. All that we “cannot” or “should not” say to the Lord
should also not be preached to men.
Mark. 6:31“And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while."
For there were many coming and going, and they did not
even have time to eat. ”
YLT: “and he said to
them, `Come ye yourselves apart to a desert place, and rest a little,' for
those coming and those going were many, and not even to eat had they
opportunity,”
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Though
diligent work is important, we should not forget to “rest a while”. The Lord
likes us to have proper rest instead of laboring excessively.
2)
The
Lord’s words go like this: “come aside by yourselves … rest a while”. The rest
in the presence with the Lord is far greater than our rest alone ---- for that
will not only give us sweet rest and renew our strength as well.
3)
In
the service of the Lord, we should learn to withdraw to the deep inside and
have rest with the Lord when we are fully engaged.
4)
The
Lord and His disciples were busy working, and “they did not even have time to
eat”. Yes, there are full of spiritual request on the earth. Are we willing to
sacrifice our own enjoyment and coziness and care for the need of others?
Mark. 6:32 “So they departed to a
deserted place in the boat by themselves.”
YLT: “and they went
away to a desert place, in the boat, by themselves.”
Literal Meaning: “so they
departed to a deserted place by themselves”, that was a deserted place
outside the city of
Enlightenment in the Word: “so they departed to a
deserted place by themselves”, they departed in order to draw near to God. We
should also have the experience of withdrawing to a private place to pray (see
Matt.6:6).
Mark. 6:33 “But the multitudes saw them departing, and
many knew Him and ran there on foot from all the cities. They arrived before
them and came together to Him. ”
YLT: “And the
multitudes saw them going away, and many recognised him, and by land from all
the cities they ran thither, and went before them, and came together to him,”
Mark. 6:34 “And Jesus, when He came out, saw a great
multitude and was moved with compassion for them, because they
were like sheep not having a shepherd. So He began to teach them many
things. ”
YLT: “and having come
forth, Jesus saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion on them, that
they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach many things.”
Literal Meaning: “they were like sheep not
having a shepherd”, it was quoted from the Book of Numbers (27:17), which
described the miserable condition that there were no one who looked after the
people of
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Though
the Lord was very tired (v.31), He still devoted His rest time to deal diligently
with the need of men, for He cared for men. It indicated that serving God was
working according to the need and burden, not the “fixed time table”.
2)
Though
men reject the Lord, He is still merciful to men.
3)
For
we have not the Lord not able to sympathize with our infirmities. Let us
approach therefore with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive
mercy, and find grace for seasonable help (Heb. 4:15-16).
Mark. 6:35 “When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said,
"This is a deserted place, and already the hour is
late.”
YLT: “And now the
hour being advanced, his disciples having come near to him, say, -- `The place
is desolate, and the hour is now advanced,”
Literal Meaning: “When the day was now far
spent”, there were two evenings for the Jews. One started from three o’clock in
the afternoon and the other began from six o’clock in the afternoon when the
sun set. Here, it referred to the first evening.
Mark. 6:36 “Send them away, that they may go into the
surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have
nothing to eat." ”
YLT: “let them away,
that, having gone away to the surrounding fields and villages, they may buy to
themselves loaves, for what they may eat they have not.'”
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
“The
hour is late in a deserted place”, and the need of the multitudes were so
urgent and huge. We may often be encountered with such predicaments. The way to
solve it is “to come to the Lord”, and one shall not voice one’s own opinions.
2)
“Send
the multitudes away”, it is to ask the multitudes to depart from the Lord and
we may usually have this tone. “They may buy themselves food.” ---- It is an
irresponsible attitude.
3)
The
disciples suggested to “sent the multitudes away” and “buy themselves food”,
for they did not know the fullness of Christ, who is able to meet all the need
of men. Those who do not know the Lord always ask men to rely on themselves.
Mark. 6:37 “But He answered and said to them, "You
give them something to eat." And they said to Him, "Shall we go and
buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?" ”
YLT: “And he
answering said to them, `Give ye them to eat,' and they say to him, `Having
gone away, may we buy two hundred denaries' worth of loaves, and give to them
to eat?'”
Literal Meaning: “shall we go and buy two
hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?” ---- “two
hundred dearii”, a common worker at that time earned about one denarii (see
Matt 20:2) per day, so two hundred denarii would be earned through almost a
year. The disciples here meant that it would be costly to feed so many people.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
The
Lord said, “you give them something to eat.” The Lord’s words were to compel
the disciples to turn to Him so that they would know and experience Him as the
merciful and mighty Lord.
2)
“You
give them something to eat.” The Lord’s words showed that the disciples
actually had something that could be given to them, yet they did not know. The
Lord always firstly supplies those who draw near to Him before supplying the
multitudes.
3)
Asking
men to “buy themselves food” was the principle of the law ---- one can only
have enjoyment through his works. “You give them something to eat”, this is the
principle of grace ---- one shall obtain enjoyment by free grace instead of his
own works.
4)
If
believers love the Lord, they will take care of and feed the lambs of the Lord
(John. 21:15-17).
Mark. 6:38 “But He said to them, "How many loaves
do you have? Go and see." And when they found out they said, "Five,
and two fish." ”
YLT: “And he saith to
them, `How many loaves have ye? go and see;' and having known, they say, `Five,
and two fishes.'”
Spiritual Meaning: “five loaves and two fish”,
they on one hand symbolize the poorness of believers themselves, e.g. the
limited power, wisdom and physical strength, and on the other hand they also typify
the limited property that we have received from the Lord and the experience of
the risen life of Christ.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
What
we have in our own hands are too limited to meet the great need of the
multitudes before our eyes.
2)
Believers
must know that they are nothing and then turn to trust in God who calls the
things which be not as being (Rom. 4:17).
Mark. 6:39 “Then He commanded them to make them all sit
down in groups on the green grass.”
YLT: “And he
commanded them to make all recline in companies upon the green grass,”
Meaning of Words: “group”: a drinking-party,
company; “sit”: lean back, lay;
Spiritual Meaning: “sit down on the grass”,
it symbolizes that one has stopped his struggle and effort and rests at the
feet of the Lord (see Luke. 10:39).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
Corporate
fellowship is different from that of individuals ---- for it embraces a special
enjoyment and even much fuller.
2) If we want to enjoy the
Lord, we have to be quiet (“sit down”) first.
Mark. 6:40 “So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and
in fifties.”
YLT: “and they sat
down in squares, by hundreds, and by fifties.”
Meaning of Words: “rank”: a garden plot, flower-bed;
Literal Meaning: “so they sat down in
ranks”, “in ranks” meant “cluster by cluster” in the original. The multitudes
sat down in good order, just like the flower-bed with clusters of flowers on
the green.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
The
Lord Jesus always sets things in good order when He makes arrangement for
something. In the service of the Lord, we shall also have decent and proper
arrangements.
2)
Let
all things be done decently and with order (1Cor.14:40).
Mark. 6:41 “And when He had taken
the five loaves and the two fish, He looked up to heaven,
blessed and broke the loaves, and gave
them to His disciples to set
before them; and the two fish He divided among them all. ”
YLT: “And having
taken the five loaves and the two fishes, having looked up to the heaven, he
blessed, and brake the loaves, and was giving to his disciples, that they may
set before them, and the two fishes divided he to all,”
Spiritual Meaning: this verse reveals us the process
of becoming the blessing of others:
1.
“Jesus had taken”, it indicates that one shall devote
himself to the Lord.
2.
“Looked
up to heaven, blessed”, God, the fountainhead of all provisions, bestows us the
necessary spiritual equipments ---- including gifts, enlightenments, power and
etc.
3.
“Broke
the loaves”, it symbolizes being dealt with and being broken by the cross.
This verse also reveals the
course of passing on the blessings:
1.
“Jesus
had taken”, being devoted to the Lord firstly;
2.
“Gave
them to His disciples”, returning back to us after the Lord’s blessing;
3.
“To
set before them … divided among them all”, sharing with each other;
Enlightenment in the Word:
2)
If
the limited things of us linger in our own hands, they will be nothing. But it
they are devoted to the Lord, they will become blessings for many people.
3)
The
key point does not rest on the amount of the loaves in our hands, but whether
the Lord has given blessings or not. When we are unable to meet the present
need, if the Lord grants His blessings to us, there will be more than
sufficient provisions.
4)
If
the loaf remains perfect, it will never satisfy the need of others. But if it
has been broken and distributed to others, it will bring about satisfaction to
more people.
5)
If
believers love their souls and are not willing to be broken by the Lord, they
are of no value.
6)
The
word “gave” shows that believers are merely the channels of the Lord to deliver
the Lord’s provisions.
7)
The
disciples delivered something to others (“the disciples gave to the
multitudes”) because they had received from the Lord (“He gave the loaves to
the disciples”). The Lord makes us experience His life first and then we can
supply others with His life.
8)
We
shall not hide the experience that we have obtained from the Lord every time,
even though it seems so limited. Instead, we should learn to share it with
others.
9)
We
are just the “loaves” in the hand of the Lord. Those who have eaten the bread
are grateful to “the One who distributes the bread” ---- the Lord, not to the “loaves”
---- us. As for the service and provision in the assembly, all glory and
gratitude should be given to the Lord, not ourselves.
Mark. 6:42 “So they all ate and
were filled.”
YLT: “and they did
all eat, and were filled,”
Spiritual Meaning: “they all ate”, everyone
can enjoy Him. “Were filled”, He can satisfy men.
Enlightenment in the Word: though the five barley
loaves and two small fish are limited, if one is reluctant to devote them to
the Lord, they will be even insufficient for his own need. However, once they
are devoted to the Lord, they will produce abundant provisions after the Lord’s
blessing.
Mark. 6:43 “And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish.”
YLT: “and they took
up of broken pieces twelve hand-baskets full, and of the fishes,”
Literal Meaning: “took up … full of
fragments and of the fish”, we should not ruin or waste food, for it is gifted
by God (see John. 6:12).
“Basket”,
it was a kind of vessel that the Jews usually took along on their person, which
could be hitched on their arms to carry food or other sundries.
Spiritual Meaning: “the fragments”, they
typify that the provision of the Lord is more than sufficient. “Twelve baskets”,
the number of “twelve” is connected with perfectness and fullness ---- His
provision is fully complete.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
To gather up the fragments that remain teaches us we
should value the grace of the Lord. We should preserve the superfluous part for
possible future use instead of wasting it.
2)
When
we have learned to give the unsearchable fullness to others, we will find what
we have received again (“filled twelve baskets”) is much more than what we have
devoted (“five barley loaves and two small fish”).
Mark. 6:44 “Now those who had eaten the loaves were
about five thousand men.”
YLT: “and those
eating of the loaves were about five thousand men.”
The Background: according to customs of
the Jews, women and children were not allowed to eat with men in public. Therefore
woman and children had eaten in another place and their number was not in
detail.
Spiritual Meaning: “those who had eaten were
about five thousand”, “five” in the Bible symbolizes “responsibility”. Therefore
this verse symbolizes that the Lord is responsible for supplying all the needs
of men.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
No
matter how great our need is, the Lord can deal with all of them
2)
In
other places of the Bible it is recorded that one hundred people were filled by
twenty loaves (2Kings. 4:42-44) and four thousand people by seven loaves and
several fish (Matt. 15: 32-39). Here, there was the least amount of loaves and the
largest number of men who had been fed, for the loaves were broken into many
pieces. It did not lie in the number of the loaves, but the extent how the
loaves had been broken that counted ---- the more they had been broken, the
more people would be satisfied.
Mark. 6:45 “Immediately He made
His disciples get into the boat
and go before Him to the other side, to
YLT: “And immediately
he constrained his disciples to go into the boat, and to go before to the other
side, unto
Literal Meaning: “Immediately He made His
disciples get into the boat”, “made”: compel, constrain (see 2Cor5:14), so it
could also be translated in this way ---- “the Lord compelled the disciples to
the boat”.
Spiritual Meaning: “Jesus made His disciples
get into the boat”, it symbolizes that the Lord wants believers to live in the
assembly.
“Go to the other side”, it indicates
that believers are strangers and sojourners on the earth and they are on the
way to a better country, that is, a heavenly one (Heb. 11:13-16).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
The
sign of “five barley loaves and two small fish” unveiled that the Lord had been
dead for us on the cross, thus enabling us to enjoy His life. “Going over the
sea” remarked that the Lord had become the enjoyment of our life, thus giving
us strength to walk in the heavenly way ---- just as the people of
2)
There
is a way in which we shall walk after we have been saved. It is of most crucial
significance for every Christian to seek the ordained way by the Lord and then
walk in it faithfully.
Mark. 6:46 “And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray.”
YLT: “and having
taken leave of them, he went away to the mountain to pray.”
Spiritual Meaning: “He departed to the
mountain to pray”, it symbolizes that He is the great high priest who has
passed through the heavens (Heb. 4: 14) and intercedes for us before God (Heb.
7:25).
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
The
Lord remains us on the earth to run the way appointed by Him, and we are not
lonely, for He always remembers us in the heaven and intercedes for us.
2)
Sometimes
the Lord’s presence is obvious (v.13-21) and sometimes His presence is hidden
(v.22-26).
3)
No
matter how busy we are, we cannot stop praying. Doing the Lord’s work cannot
replace praying. Only those who draw near to God are able to do God’s work
well.
4)
We
need not only to pursue and pray with saints (2Tim. 2:22) but also to pray
quietly “by ourselves”.
Mark. 6:47 “Now when evening came, the
boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land.”
YLT: “And evening
having come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone upon the land;”
Spiritual Meaning: “when evening came”, it
refers to the period from the ascension of Christ to His second coming. The world
has been in a long dark night.
“The boat was in the middle
of the sea”, “boat” typifies the church. “Sea” symbolizes the world. The church
on the earth is just like the boat in the sea.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
It
is the time that the night is far spent and the day is near (Rom. 13:12). We
feel the darkness all around us in the world, but the Lord the morning star is
going to appear.
2)
The
boat remains still in the sea and has not got into shore, and our journey has
not arrived at the destination yet. The problem of eternal life and death has
been resolved, but the end in the future ---- victory or failure, “being faithful
till the end” or “giving up halfway” ---- depends on how we run today.
Mark. 6:48 “Then He saw them straining at rowing, for the
wind was against them. Now about the fourth watch of the night He came to them,
walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. ”
YLT: “and he saw them
harassed in the rowing, for the wind was against them, and about the fourth
watch of the night he doth come to them walking on the sea, and wished to pass
by them.”
The Background: according to Roman time of
measure, there were four hours in the night: (1) from six o’clock to nine o’clock
in the evening; (2) from nine o’clock in the evening to the midnight; (3) from the
midnight to three o’clock early in the morning; (4) from three o’clock to six o’clock
early in the morning.
Literal Meaning: “about the fourth watch of
the night”, it refers to the period from three o’clock early in the morning to
six o’clock.
“Walking on the sea”, it reveals that the
Lord is the Master of all things, who has the power transcending everything
(see Ps.89:9; Is.51:10, 15; Jem. 31:35).
Spiritual Meaning: “sea” symbolizes the world
at present. The “wind” represents all the temptations and troubles around us
raised by the power of darkness.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
On
the earth the assembly will unavoidably encounter attacks and obstructions from
the enemy.
2)
It
will be abnormal if we believers always run smoothly in the world, and
contrarily it blocks us from experiencing the peace in the Lord (see John.
16:33).
3)
If a believer stands for the sake of the Lord, he will
inevitably suffer from the adverse wind. To row in the adverse wind is much
better than to drift in the smooth wind. To drift in the smooth wind does not
require any labor, but it will never lead a man to the end. It requires little
labor to love the world, but it will definitely make a man draw back and fall
down.
4)
The
darker the environment is (“it was already dark”), the sooner will we meet our
Lord (or the Lord will come to meet us).
5)
Meyer
said: “the secret of a man to receive great success from God is to keep till
the end “about the fourth watch of the night”.
6)
The
risen Christ who has ascended into heavens has overcome sins, death, the Satan
and all tribulations (“walking on the sea”).
7)
The
assembly should enter into the eternal age from this age and our Lord is coming
to meet us. The Lord who prays for and takes care of the assembly is the one
who walks on the waves of the sea. He is above every principality and authority
and all things are under His feet (Eph. 1: 21-22).
8)
The
Lord came to the disciples according to the way that He had commanded them to
walk in ---- “He came to them”. If believers had not walked in the ordained way
of the Lord, they wouldl miss being caught by the Lord.
9)
When
we are in troubles, it mostly seems that the Lord has not visited us (“He would
have passed them by”). But actually He is watching us attentively, and He is
looking at every step that we have passed and taking care of every trouble that
we have met.
10)
Although the Lord Jesus had departed
again to the mountain by Himself alone (see v.15), he did not forget the
disciples who were laboring to row on the sea and walked in the sea to help
them. We shall not only “enter the veil” to enjoy the sweet fellowship with God
by ourselves, but also “go without the camp (see Heb. 13:13) to help those who
are in need of help.
Mark. 6:49 “And when they saw Him walking on the sea,
they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out;”
YLT: “And they having
seen him walking on the sea, thought to be an apparition, and cried out,”
Enlightenment in the Word: since we have not full
known the Lord, when we see wonderful works of the Lord, we fear and even think
it is of the devil (“It is a ghost”). Therefore we should not judge
unprecedented things abruptly by traditional thoughts or old concepts, but wait
until the Lord clear it up with His words by Himself (v.50) and thus everything
is clear.
Mark. 6:50 “for they all saw Him and were troubled. But
immediately He talked with them and said to them, "Be of good cheer! It is
I; do not be afraid." ”
YLT: “for they all
saw him, and were troubled, and immediately he spake with them, and saith to
them, `Take courage, I am , be not afraid.'”
Literal Meaning: “be of good cheer! It is
I.” In the original “it is I” is “I am”. The name of God is “I am” (Exod.
3:14). The moment the Lord said that “I am”, men went away backward and fell to
the ground (John. 18:4-5), for He is God.
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
As
long as believers have the presence of the Lord (God), they are of good cheer
and need not fear.
2)
Provided
that we have the words of the Lord, we are able to be of good cheer in every adversity.
We should ask the Lord for giving us a word (Matt. 8:8), and that will be
enough to satisfy our needs.
3)
Only
can those who have intimate fellowship with the Lord and are familiar with Him
recognize this voice of “I am”, thus obtaining comfort and encouragement. That’s
why we shall draw near to the Lord as much as possible.
Mark. 6:51 “Then He went up into the boat to them, and
the wind ceased. And they were greatly amazed in themselves beyond measure, and
marveled. ”
YLT: “And he went up
unto them to the boat, and the wind lulled, and greatly out of measure were
they amazed in themselves, and were wondering,”
Enlightenment in the Word:
1)
As
long as the Lord is in the boat (the assembly), all the winds will pass away.
2)
The
Lord considers us who are pilgrims on the way to the heavens and always guides
us out of difficulties by himself.
Mark. 6:52 “For they had not understood about the
loaves, because their heart was hardened.”
YLT: “for they
understood not concerning the loaves, for their heart hath been hard.”
Literal Meaning: “for they had not
understood about the loaves”, if they could know His person from the sign of
five loaves and two small fish, they would not be marveled at the fact that He
walked on the sea and removed the wind.
“Their heart was hardened”, it indicated
that their mind was closed, so they were hardened and did not believe.
Enlightenment in the Word: the disciples “marveled
(v.51)”, for “their heart was hardened”. All those who spiritual mind has not
been opened may often be marveled at the Lord’s guidance and even cry out ---- “they
suppose it is a ghost” (see v.49).
Mark. 6:53 “When they had crossed over, they came to the
YLT: “And having
passed over, they came upon the
Meaning of Words: “Gennesaret”: garden of the prince;
Literal Meaning: the Sea of Galilee (Matt.
4:18) was also called the
Spiritual Meaning: “the
Mark. 6:54 “And when they came out of the boat,
immediately the people recognized Him,”
YLT: “and they having
come forth out of the boat, immediately having recognised him,”
Spiritual Meaning: when the Lord comes back,
the earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah, as the waters cover the
sea (Is. 11:9). Every one shall know Him as “Jehovah the salvation” (the
meaning of “Jesus” in the original).
Mark. 6:55 “ran through that whole surrounding region,
and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He
was.”
YLT: “having run
about through all that region round about, they began upon the couches to carry
about those ill, where they were hearing that he is,”
Mark. 6:56 “Wherever He entered, into villages, cities,
or the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that
they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were
made well. ”
YLT: “and wherever he
was going, to villages, or cities, or fields, in the market-places they were
laying the infirm, and were calling upon him, that they may touch if it were
but the fringe of his garment, and as many as were touching him were saved.”
Spiritual Meaning: when the Lord comes back,
all those who come to Him and touch Him by faith (“they only touch the hem of
His garment”) will experience His healing power (see Matt. 8:16-17).
III. Outlines of the Spiritual
Lessons
Christ in This Chapter of the Book of
Mark
A.
Christ
who was rejected by men (v.1-6);
B.
Christ
who sent disciple to fulfill the ministry (v.7-13);
C.
Christ’s
forerunner was killed (v.14-29);
D.
Christ
who met men’s need (v.30-44);
E.
Christ
who has passed through the heavens and intercedes for us (v.45-46);
F.
Christ
who saved the believers who were met with difficulties (v.47-52);
G.
The
glory of Christ (v.53-56);
Three Wrong Knowledge of Men toward
the Lord
A.
Men
in the Lord’s country knew Him according to their past experience, and finally
rejected Him (v.1-6).
B.
Herod
knew Him according to men’s rumors, and finally misunderstood Him as John the
Baptist (v.14-16).
C.
The
disciples knew Him according to what they had seen through their physical eyes,
and misunderstood Him as a ghost (V.47-49).
The Workers of the Lord
A.
Who
are chosen and sent by the Lord ---- Jesus called …to Himself, and began to
send them out (v.7a);
B.
Who
are equipped by the Lord ---- gave them power (v.7b);
C.
The
Lord will provide them all their need in life (v.8-10).
D.
Who
have none earthly association with the world (v.11),
E.
The
chief mission ---- preach the Lord’s word and make men repent (v.12);
F.
The
effective work (v.13);
The Uneasiness of Herod
A.
He
sought the Lord’s word for he had no rest (for he had sinned).
B.
He
still had no peace after seeking the Lord’s word (he did not repent after being
condemned).
C.
He
had no peace after rejecting the Lord’s word (he killed John the Baptist).
D.
He
felt uneasier after rejecting the Lord’s word (his conscience was accused).
The Comparison Between the Two Kinds
of Feast
A.
Herod
held the feast (v.21) ---- Jesus distributed the bread (v.41);
B.
Place:
the former was in the palace, and the latter was in the wilderness (v.35)
C.
Object:
the former invited the nobles (v.21), and the latter invited poor men.
D.
Purpose:
the former was for “his own” birthday (v.21), and the latter was for others (v.
).
E.
Condition:
the former was unnecessary, and the latter had exactly met men’s need.
F.
Result:
the former brought death (v.27), and the latter brought life.
G.
Conclusion:
the former ended in a tragedy (v.29), and the latter had a great deal of
fullness reserve (v. 43).
Three Spiritual Types
A.
The
Lord fed five thousands with five barley loaves and two small fish (v.35-44)
---- which typified that the Lord had crucified for us and broke His body and
shed his precious blood (see John 6:48-58).
B.
The
disciples were in the boat and the Lord departed to the mountain to pray
(v.45-46) ---- which typifies that the Lord is the great high priest who has
passed through the heavens and intercedes for us before God (see Heb. 4:14-16;
7:25).
C.
When
the boar had crossed over, the Lord healed many people (v.53-56) ---- which
typifies that a lot of men will be healed in the second coming of the Lord.
Five Loaves and Two Fish (v.41-43)
A.
Be
devoted to the Lord ---- “Jesus took”;
B.
Through
the Lord’s blessing ---- “looked up to heaven”;
C.
Be
broken by the Lord’s cross ---- “broke the loaves”;
D.
Be
the channel of the Lord ---- “gave them to His disciples to set before them”;
E.
The
sufficient provision ---- “they all ate and were filled”;
F.
One
shall not waste the Lord’s grace ---- “took up the fragments and of the fish”;
G.
The
full and abundant grace ---- “twelve baskets”;
The Relationship of Us with the Lord
A.
His
disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side (v.45) ----
believers in the church should run the heavenly way according to the
commandment of the Lord from the present age to the eternal age.
B.
He
departed to the mountain to pray by Himself (v.46) ---- now the Lord is the
great high priest in the heavens and intercedes for us before God (see Heb
7:25).
C.
The
boat was in the sea, and the disciples were straining at rowing, for the wind
was against them (v.47-48) ---- the church had suffered many troubles and
persecutions in the world. On one hand, Satan made waves to block the growth of
the church, and on the other hand, it was dominated by the Lord so that we
might know Him and experience Him more.
D.
Now
about the fourth watch of the night He came to them (v.48b) ---- the Lord is the
Master over all, and He will come to receive us again.
E.
The
disciples misunderstood Him as a ghost and were comforted by the Lord’s
revelation (v.49-50) ---- it is the time for us to know more about the Lord.
F.
The
wind was stopped the moment when the disciples met the Lord (v.51) ---- all the
troubles will pass away in the second coming of the Lord.
The Microcosm of the Kingdom of a
Thousand Years
A.
All
of those who are of the Lord will come to the
B.
The
earth shall be full of the knowledge of Jehovah ---- “the people recognized Jesus”
(v.54).
C.
To
enjoy the Lord’s healing power ---- “all the patients were made well” (v.55,
56).
──
Caleb Huang《Christian Digest Bible
Commentary Series》
Translated by Mary Zhou