Mark 6

1. The commissioning of the Twelve (vv. 6b-13). This was a significant event in the program for expanding the kingdom (cf. Mt 10). Jesus’ directives were clear: the disciples would have spiritual authority over demons and disease, but would be dependent upon the hospitality of the villages on their circuit.
2. Mark ‘interrupted’ his description of the work of the twelve—which had been very successful (vv. 12-13)—to provide a regal view of Jesus and His cohort. King Herod thought his worst nightmare had come true; “John, the one I beheaded, has been raised!” (v. 16), he said. Herod had been in awe of the forerunner John the Baptist, even though he told the king, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife!” (v. 18).  While King Herod was willing to put up with John’s confrontation, Herodias was not; at first chance she backed the king into a corner until he was forced to decapitate the Baptist. So when the king heard all that Jesus and his disciples were accomplishing in the northern region, Herod was not a little afraid! This was not just a chronicle of contemporary events in Judea; Mark may have provided this historical review for the sake of the disciples: the greater their success in Jesus’ program, the greater the opposition of those offended by a message of repentance
3. In the final episode of this ‘sandwich,’ Mark turned his attention again to the twelve—what had come of them? He detailed two scenes which complete the sandwich and point up the fact that the greatest threat to discipleship is not beheading, but unbelief. As was recorded in vv. 12-13, things had gone well for the twelve, so much so that Jesus sought to give them some respite; “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest a while” (v. 31), He said. Yet their retreat was postponed; “many saw them leaving and recognized them. People ran there by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them” (v. 33). When Jesus saw these so needy, He “had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (v. 34). After Jesus had taught the crowds for some time, the disciples became concerned for them—where could they all get dinner? Jesus turned the concern of the twelve into an injunction: “You give them something to eat” (v. 37). Jesus took their five loaves and two fish into a banquet for 5,000! After such a great event, would not the twelve fully understand Jesus’ greatness as “the Son of Man”? Mark records that, “Immediately He (Jesus) made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He dismissed the crowd” (v. 45). After going away to pray, Jesus returned from the mountain to see the disciples being tossed on the stormy sea—they were right where he wanted them. When He finally entered the boat of frightened followers, the sea calmed, but the disciples’ angst was yet at full tide: “They were completely astounded, because they had not understood about the loaves. Instead their hearts were hardened” (vv. 51-52). In light of the fact that God protects and provides for His own, the disciples’ unfaithfulness was a greater threat to discipleship than even the sword of King Herod.

• < Prev
• Next >