Mark 6

Isn't it sad that the very people closest to you often are the ones who are offended by you? Jesus went out into His own to offer salvation, to heal, build up and restore the Kingdom of His Father and to teach others how to live the life that they were called to live. In the measure that the people believed Him they were able to receive the miracles that He offered. Jesus offers the gift of life to all who choose to believe. Don't let the allure of the pleasures of this life harden your heart. Look around you and see the miracles in your life and remember 'In the measure that you believe you can receive'.

6 Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. 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! 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.

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." 5 Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

7 And He called the twelve to Himself, and began to send them out two by two, and gave them power over unclean spirits. 8 He commanded them to take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bag, no bread, no copper in their money belts— 9 but to wear sandals, and not to put on two tunics.

10 Also He said to them, "In whatever place you enter a house, stay there till you depart from that place. 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. 2Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!"

12 So they went out and preached that people should repent. 13 And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.

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."

15 Others said, "It is Elijah."

And others said, "It is the Prophet, tor like one of the prophets."

16 But when Herod heard, he said, "This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!" 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. 18 Because John had said to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother's wife."

19 Therefore Herodias held it against him and wanted to kill him, but she could not; 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.

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 Galilee. 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." 23 He also swore to her, "Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half my kingdom."

24 So she went out and said to her mother, "What shall I ask?"

And she said, "The head of John the Baptist!"

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."

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. 27 Immediately the king sent an executioner and commanded his head to be brought. And he went and beheaded him in prison, 28 brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the girl; and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples heard of it, they came and took away his corpse and laid it in a tomb.

30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught. 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.

32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

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. 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. 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. 36 Send them away, that they may go into the surrounding country and villages and buy themselves bread; for they have nothing to eat."

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?"

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."

39 Then He commanded them to make them all sit down in groups on the green grass. 40 So they sat down in ranks, in hundreds and in fifties. 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. 42 So they all ate and were filled. 43 And they took up twelve baskets full of fragments and of the fish. 44 Now those who had eaten the loaves were about five thousand men.

45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. 46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. 47 Now when evening came, the boat was in the middle of the sea; and He was alone on the land. 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. 49 And when they saw Him walking on the sea, they supposed it was a ghost, and cried out; 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." 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. 52 For they had not understood about the loaves, because their heart was hardened.

53 When they had crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and anchored there. 54 And when they came out of the boat, immediately the people recognized Him, 55 ran through that whole surrounding region, and began to carry about on beds those who were sick to wherever they heard He was. 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.

The NKJV Study Bible says this: Jesus now went to minister in His own country, the area where He grew up, around Nazareth. The people readily acknowledged both Jesus' wisdom and His mighty works, but with insensitive hearts and spiritual callousness they rejected Jesus' message. The fact that Joseph is not mentioned here may indicate that he had died. Mark mentions Jesus' four brothers by name as well as His sisters. One brother, James, did not trust Christ prior to His crucifixion, but seems to have come to faith after Jesus' resurrection . He later became the leader of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13; Gal. 1:19) and wrote the Epistle of James. Judas later authored the Book of Jude (Jude 1). A prophet is not without honor except in his own country is a maxim still repeated and still true today. Perhaps others were jealous of Jesus' popularity and huge following. Their envy even took the form of violence against Christ. That people should repent was part of the apostles' primary message. Repentance was necessary to cultivate the new life Christ offered. So alarming was Jesus' sudden fame that Herod feared that John had risen from the dead. The disciples Jesus had sent out undoubtedly added to Herod's worry. It is clear that many did not recognize the divine mission that Jesus was fulfilling. John's message to Herod was that his divorce was not lawful as grounds for remarriage. Herodias' daughter, named Salome, was still unmarried at this point and danced seductively to please Herod Antipas. Because she pleased him, Herod Antipas swore to Salome a solemn oath to give her up to half of his kingdom. This gesture was no doubt exaggerated, yet Salome seized the opportunity for her mother, Herodias, who hated John the Baptist. The Gospels record several times that when Jesus saw a need He was moved with compassion . That compassion led to action, despite an obvious lack of food in this instance. The disciples sought to avoid responsibility for the hungry multitude, saying send them away. No doubt they thought they were showing compassion. But Jesus' reply, You give them something to eat, must have startled them. The Latin word denarii is the plural of denarius, a commonly used silver coin. It was the sum typically paid to a laborer for a day's work. Thomas calculated it would take the wages of two hundred days' labor to provide for that multitude. When we put the will of God first, He will care for our needs and provide our daily bread. Jesus spent several nights in prayer during His ministry. Prayer was a vital part of Christ's communion with the Father and always preceded and accompanied especially difficult situations. This particular night followed a busy day when solitude was sought but not found. . He intended to reveal Himself to His disciples in a miraculous manner. He could easily have calmed the waves from shore, but He wanted His disciples to understand His deity and mastery over all nature. Mark summarizes Jesus' healing ministry, noting how widespread it was. The hem of a garment was significant, for it was often woven with tassels that reminded the wearer of God's commandments.