In today’s study our titles are; Verses 1-6 Unbelief in Nazareth. Verses 7-13 Jesus sends the twelve to preach and to heal. Verses 14-29 John the Baptist is beheaded. Verses 30-44 Jesus feeds five thousand. Verses 45-52 Jesus walks on the sea. Verses 53-56 Jesus heals many at Gennesaret. Mark 6 and verse 1 reads.
Mark 6:1] And he went out from thence, and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
Jesus goes back to the place where he grew up. This is a perfect example for us in these end times. Because our loved ones may not understand how we came to know the Word of God.
Mark 6:2] And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?
They accepted his knowledge and wisdom and that he even did great miracles. But they grew up with him, and could not understand seeing he did these great works. This will give us a good lesson today.
Mark 6:3] Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
If they truly knew his family, then they would have known Mary’s uncle Joseph of Arimathea was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, the legal system of the temple.
Mark 6:4] But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.
Let’s look really close at this verse. Jesus says. A prophet is with honor, except in; his own country, his own family, his own house. A prophet is; inspired by God to teach his Words to certain people that the LORD has SENT him to. Let’s go to Deuteronomy 18 and pick it up with verse 18 and it reads.
Deu.18:18] I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
This is the prophecy of the Messiah that will come. He is speaking of Jesus.
Deu.18:19] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
It comes with the warning of judgement. Back to Mark 6 and verse 5 reads.
Mark 6:5] And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
[6] And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.
Even Jesus marveled at their unbelief, don’t be surprised today if your own family cannot understand how that it is God only who can open eyes or close them. This was written for God’s Elect today to be comforted. Lack of faith resulted in a Judgement, notice how Jesus moves on. Let’s go to Isaiah 59 and verse 14 reads.
Isa.59:14] And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.
[15] Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.
[16] And he saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore his arm brought salvation unto him; and his righteousness, it sustained him.
[17] For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.
Bringing up the gospel armor for us in these end times to know that judgement will be recompence for the unbelievers.
Isa.59:18] According to their deeds, accordingly he will repay, fury to his adversaries, recompence to his enemies; to the islands he will repay recompence.
Deeds are our works, some good and some will be bad. Let’s go now to Hebrews 3 and verse 17 reads.
Heb.3:17] But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?
Speaking of those that came out of Egypt.
Heb.3:18] And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
[19] So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
And the five foolish virgins, when they knocked, heard “I knew you not”. Back to Mark 6 and verse 7 reads.
Mark 6:7] And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits;
Divided them in sets of two witnesses. Don’t overlook he gave them power at that time over evil spirits. Jesus sent again seventy others we find in Luke 10 and verse 17 reads.
Luke 10:17] And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.
Do not overlook in the name of Jesus Christ.
Luke 10:18] And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Notice how Jesus brings up Satan falling, we find he is kicked out of heaven with his angels at the sixth trump. Rev.12:9. This statement is for us in these end times. We also will have powers over all evil spirits.
Luke 10:19] Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
[20] Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Back to Mark 6 and verse 8 reads.
Mark 6:8] And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse:
[9] But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.
Take only your staff and the clothes on your back. No begging bags or food. A workman is worthy of his hire does not apply to the teachers of God’s Word. Let them that receive the truth take care of them that God has sent. Apostles.
Mark 6:10] And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place.
Don’t go house to house. In these days they would throw a party when they received one into their house, don’t cause a distraction just get to work.
Mark 6:11] And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Shake off the dust, I have done this once only. They didn’t receive the truth that I taught them in that church, so I and my wife stood up and shook the dust off in front of them and never went back. If you are not received, it is because they cannot receive the truth of God’s Word.
Mark 6:12] And they went out, and preached that men should repent.
[13] And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.
We are called Christians. Christ means; The Anointed One. We, who know the truth, should anoint the sick, and God will also forgive their sins on repentance. We find in James 5 his instructions on this, and verse 14 reads.
James 5:14] Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
[15] And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if anyone have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
[16] Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
Back to Mark 6 and verse 14 reads.
Mark 6:14] And king Herod heard of him; (for his name was spread abroad:) and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.
Herod knows he is guilty of the murder of John the Baptist. If he had truly listened to John the Baptist, then he would have known that John the Baptist preached of one that would come that he was not worthy of loosening his shoes.
Mark 6:15] Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.
Others said it is Elijah, or one of the prophets. This humors me, would they believe after Christ was risen?
Mark 6:16] But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.
[17] For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her.
The truth is that his wife, Herodias, had her daughter request his head in a charger.
Mark 6:18] For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.
The law John the Baptist told king Herod is in Leviticus 18 and verse 16 reads.
Lev.18:16] Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.
And in Leviticus 20 and verse 21 reads.
Lev.20:21] And if a man shall take his brother’s wife, it is an unclean thing: he hath uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.
Back to Mark 6 and verse 19 reads.
Mark 6:19] Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
[20] For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.
Herodias could not kill him because Herod loved him.
Mark 6:21] And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee;
[22] And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee.
[23] And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
Convenient day for Herodias, not so much for Herod. You see, when a king makes a decree, he cannot go back on it. Especially with all the witnesses. This dance was a sexual dance.
Mark 6:24] And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist.
[25] And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.
[26] And the king was exceeding sorry; yet for his oath’s sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her.
[27] And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
[28] And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
Proving that the mother and her daughter were Kenites. They have killed all the prophets from righteous Abel to Zacharias whom they slew between the porch and the altar, and now have killed the prophet of prophets, John the Baptist.
Mark 6:29] And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
John’s disciples came and took the body of John and laid him in a tomb. These disciples of John would follow Jesus from this point on as we learn in Luke 9:10.
Mark 6:30] And the apostles gathered themselves together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had taught.
[31] And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
Now, the apostles come back to Jesus and tell him all that they did. Because of Jesus’s fame they could not get any rest.
Mark 6:32] And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.
[33] And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him.
[34] And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.
Compassion is a trademark of God’s Elect, Jesus being our example. Let’s go to Isaiah 40 and verse 10 reads.
Isa.40:10] Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him.
[11] He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.
Back to Mark 6 and verse 35 reads.
Mark 6:35] And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:
[36] Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
The feeding of the five thousand will not just be bread, but the Word of God, listen very closely.
Mark 6:37] He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?
[38] He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.
Five in biblical numeric is Grace. The loaves of bread represent the body of Christ. Two represents the Son in the Triune Godhead. The fish is an acronym for; Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior.
Mark 6:39] And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.
[40] And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.
Always with order and discipline teach the Word of God. We will see that it isn’t Jesus that feeds the multitude, but his disciples. Today we are his disciples, and we need to feed his sheep.
Mark 6:41] And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all.
Always bless your food before you eat.
Mark 6:42] And they did all eat, and were filled.
And they were filled. Let’s go to Matthew 5 and verse 6 reads.
Mat.5:6] Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Those that seek after truth shall be filled with the Word of God. Back to Mark 6 and verse 43 reads.
Mark 6:43] And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.
These baskets represent the twelve tribes of Israel, but these fragments represent the false doctrine of the Pharisees that have been teaching in their synagogues. Matthew 16 and verse 8 reads.
Mat.16:8] Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
[9] Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
[10] Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
[11] How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
[12] Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
In Jer.17:5-7 we learn, cursed is he that puts his trust in man, and blessed is he that puts his trust in God. Traditions of men make void the Word of God. Check your teachers, are they teaching God’s Word, or out of their own hearts. Back to Mark 6 and verse 44 reads.
Mark 6:44] And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.
My guess is that there was 15,000 to 20,000 in all including their children and wives.
Mark 6:45] And straightway he constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before unto Bethsaida, while he sent away the people.
[46] And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.
Jesus only seemed to find time at night to be alone and pray.
Mark 6:47] And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.
[48] And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
The toiling of them in the boat is an example for us today. Let’s go to Revelation 17 and verse 15 reads.
Rev.17:15] And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.
We see here that the waters in prophecies are the peoples. Now we can understand Psalms 65 and verse 7 reads.
Psa.65:7] Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.
And in James 1 and verse 6 reads.
James 1:6] But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
Let’s not overlook that Jesus was about to pass them by. Back to Mark 6 and verse 49 reads.
Mark 6:49] But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:
[50] For they all saw him, and were troubled. And immediately he talked with them, and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I; be not afraid.
Fear not the Comforter is with you. In Matthew 14:28 Peter asked to walk on the water to him, and he learned a valuable lesson. Find time and study Mat.14:28-31 it is a good study.
Mark 6:51] And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.
[52] For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.
Don’t overlook their hearts were hardened over the loaves of bread. This is why we went to Matthew 16 earlier.
Mark 6:53] And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
[54] And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
[55] And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
Much faith was seen in this land.
Mark 6:56] And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment: and as many as touched him were made whole.
We saw this with the woman whose blood issues were healed. So, what of this hem of his garment? Let’s go to Numbers 15 and verse 37 reads.
Num.15:37] And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
[38] Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue:
[39] And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:
[40] That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God.
[41] I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.
Brought out of Egypt, the Passover. Verse 53 said they Passed Over to the other side. A reminder to do his commandments, and he will remember to be our God. Let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible