Commentary in Simple English on the Gospel that Mark wrote

Verses 1-6 Enemies of Jesus

(See Matthew 13: 54-58.)

(Verse 1) Jesus goes back from Capernaum to Nazareth where He grew up. (Verse 2) See Luke 4: 16-30 for the details of what Jesus did in Jewish worship. Perhaps the sisters of Jesus (verse 3) had married men who lived in Nazareth. However, the brothers had moved with Mary, the Lord's mother, to Capernaum. Mark says nothing about Joseph. (See chapter 3: 32.)

Jews had more respect for men who worked with their hands than the Greeks or the Romans did. (See 2 Thessalonians 3: 7-12; Ephesians 4: 28. There is no shame in hard work!) [6.1] Only this verse tells us that Jesus followed Joseph's trade.

(Verse 4) These people knew Jesus too well. He had grown up at Nazareth. They could not understand His wise teaching or His miracles. (Verses 5 and 6) Jesus could do works of power, but people without faith would not understand them. We still need to come to worship with faith in God in our hearts

Verses 7-13 Jesus sends out the Twelve

(See Matthew 10: 1-14; Luke 9: 1-5)

This was probably a short journey through Galilee as part of the training of the Twelve. Later they still went in pairs. (See Acts 8: 14; 13: 12,13; 15: 39,40.) The walking stick (verse 8) and sandals (verse 9) remind us of Exodus 12: 11. They were to go in faith. They were to expect a welcome in someone's home. So they took no money or food. They did not take a second coat to wrap themselves in at night to keep warm. If they were received in someone's home, they must stay there until they left the village. They would honour the person who first welcomed them if they did not move to a better home. This is still wise advice (verse 10). [6.2] Jesus gave them authority. That was both the right and also the power over unclean spirits. They preached that people should repent (verse 12). This message is still needed (Acts 17: 30). The preaching of faith is not spoken about here but they found that their ministry had a third part. This was when they healed the sick.

(Verses 14-44) Two Feasts

(Verses 14-29) Herod's Feast

(See Matthew 14: 1-12 and Luke 9: 7-9.)

(Verses 30-44) Jesus' Feast

(See Matthew 14: 13-21;Luke 9: 10-17 and John 5: 5-13.)

Mark brings these two stories together for us so that we can compare them. Another writer tells us that John the Baptist was in prison at Machaerus. This was Herod’s castle on the east side of the Dead Sea. [6.3] This, then, is probably the scene of Herod's feast. Jesus' feast is on the east side of Galilee. Herod's feast is in the desert. Jesus' feast is on the green grass. Herod was in all the pomp of his court: he gave a feast; he is no shepherd to his people and what happens is shameful. Jesus is with ordinary people; He gives plain, satisfying food in plenty; He is the Good Shepherd. Herod wished that he was king: Jesus is the only true King.

This Herod (verse 14) is Herod Antipas, who was a son of King Herod the Great. He only ruled a quarter of a kingdom. This was Galilee together with Perea, which was to the east of the river Jordan. The Romans did not make him a king at any time.

John the Baptist had been a great preacher, but he did not do works of power. So in verses 14-16, Mark tells us what some people thought about the works of power which were done by Jesus and His followers. People will still look for strange ways to explain away God's work, rather than bow to His truth.

In verses 17-29, we have the account of John's death. John had spoken out plainly against the wickedness of Herod. Herod had taken Herodias as his wife. She was also his niece and sister-in-law. Herod had also made himself enemies when he divorced a previous wife. So John, the man who loved the lonely desert, was shut up in prison (verse 17). This proud Herod feared the lonely preacher, and did what he could to keep him safe from his wife. People like Herod will go a long way in religion but miss salvation when they give way to one great sin. How easy it is for our 'friends' to drag us down!

Verse 23 is a good example of the danger of rash swearing. Herodias and Salome would lose everything if John had his way, so his head was worth more to them than half Herod's 'kingdom'.

So Herod killed John. Some Christians glorify God by their life. Other Christians glorify God by their death (Hebrews 11: 35). Let us make up our minds that we will live in the faith and that we will die in the faith (Hebrews 11: 13; Philippians 1: 20,21). How many of God's best servants have no better reward than John had in this world. We in turn may have no reward for faithful service in this life, but Jesus promises to give us a crown of life (Revelation 2: 10).

In verse 30, the twelve men that Jesus had sent out now return to Him and report all that they have done. We too should report back to Jesus what we have done, in our prayers. It seems that people who had been helped by the twelve are now coming back to them. Jesus knows when we are weary in His work and we need to be quiet (verse 31).

So Jesus with His followers crossed by boat to the eastern side of the lake again. The boat would have to travel about 7km; people on foot had to walk about 16km. The crowds may have been partly made up of people on their way from Galilee to Jerusalem for the Passover feast. (See John 6: 4.) At that time of the year in mid-April, after the spring rains, there would be fresh green grass (verse 39). A few weeks later it would be dried up by the heat of the sun and brown (Matthew 6: 30).

Jesus is not proud when a big crowd comes to Him (verse 34). The people are like sheep, which are weak animals. They cannot find the right way, or food, or keep themselves safe. Yet the sheep is very useful for wool and meat. Many weak plants are very fruitful if the farmer gives them support. The vine is one example. Many weak Christians can be very fruitful for God's glory if other Christians give them support (Acts 20: 35).

The followers of Jesus suggest a poor way to meet the needs of the people (verse 36) but they have so little. They only have five bread rolls and two small fish (verse 38). Today, we still face a world in need of the truth and so much else. We have so little with which to meet the need. Only in the hands of Jesus can the little that we have be broken. He will make it enough to meet the need. [6.5]

What followed was orderly (verse 39). The people looked like rows of vegetables, which grow in a garden. It was usual among the Jews to look down for prayer, but Jesus looked up to heaven as He gave thanks. He took the five rolls and two little fish in His hands and broke them. What we are and what we have may need to be broken in His hands before He can use it. He gave the broken food to His followers to pass on to the people.

Not only did everyone have enough to eat; there was plenty left over (verses 42,43). Every Jew had a small basket in which he would carry some food and other 'odds and ends'. When the twelve had served everyone else they gathered plenty for themselves too (verse 43). There is plenty for all in the Gospel. If we give to others, we shall not go without ourselves.

When Mark speaks about five thousand men (verse 44) he leaves us to add on the number of women and children.

Verses 45-46 Jesus walks on the Lake

(See Matthew 14: 22-36; John 6: 15-21.)

Jesus quickly sent His followers back over the Lake in the boat and went away on his own to pray. (See John 6: 14 and 15 for the reason for this.) At about three o'clock in the morning, His followers in the boat were rowing and not getting on very well, because of the wind. Jesus went out to them, in the darkness of the night. He walked on the rough water. (See Job 9: 8 and 11.) They were frightened when they saw Him, and no wonder. (Verse 49).

Notice verse 50 which tells us that it was not just one of them who saw Him: that might have been a mistake. They all saw Him. They remembered the words which Jesus spoke. 'Fear not: I AM He'. Jesus speaks in the same way in John 8: 58 and in other places in John's Gospel. We feel that Jesus says that He is the great 'I AM' (Exodus 3: 14). So often God called His people to take courage as Jesus does here. (See for example Psalm 118: 6; Isaiah 41: 10,13,14; 43: 1; 44: 2.) We may be faithful and obey what Jesus tells us to do. Yet we may find ourselves in a storm as the Twelve did here.

Jesus climbed into the boat with them. He did not even speak to the wind. It died down, and the Lake was soon calm so that they could row to the other side. It is good to know that Jesus is with us in the storms of life.