Lectionary Calendar

Saturday, December 21st, 2024
the Third Week of Advent

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Bible Commentaries
Mark 6

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Verses 7-13

Jesus sends out the twelve disciples

Matthew 10:1-16	Mark 6:7-13	Luke 9:1-6
Matthew 10:1 And when he had called unto [him] his twelve disciples, he gave them power [against] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.	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;	Luke 9:1 Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases. Luke 9:2 And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
	Compare the 4 lists of disciples

Matthew 10:2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these;

The first,	Simon	, who is called Peter,
and	Andrew	his brother;
	James	[the son] of Zebedee,
and	John	his brother;
Matthew 10:3	Philip	,
and	Bartholomew	;
	Thomas	,
and	Matthew	the publican;
	James	[the son] of Alphaeus,
and	Lebbaeus	, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
Matthew 10:4	Simon	the Canaanite,
and	Judas Iscariot	, who also betrayed him.

Matthew 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into [any] city of the Samaritans enter ye not: Matthew 10:6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Matthew 10:7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Matthew 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Matthew 10:9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,	Mark 6:8 And commanded them that they should take nothing for [their] journey, save a staff only;	Luke 9:3 And he said unto them, Take nothing for [your] journey, neither staves,
Matthew 10:10 Nor scrip for [your] journey, neither two coats,	no scrip, no bread, no money in [their] purse:	nor scrip, neither bread, neither money;
neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.	Mark 6:9 But [be] shod with sandals; and not put on two coats.	neither have two coats apiece.
Matthew 10:11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.	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.	Luke 9:4 And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.

Matthew 10:12 And when ye come into an house, salute it. Matthew 10:13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

Matthew 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.	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.	Luke 9:5 And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
Matthew 10:15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.	Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
End Matthew’s Account

Mark 6:12 And they went out, and preached that men should repent.	Luke 9:6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel,
Mark 6:13 And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil
many that were sick, and healed [them].	and healing every where.

Lists of disciples compared

Matthew 10:2-4	Mark 3:13-19	Luke 6:12-16	Acts 1:13-14
Simon (Peter)	Simon (Peter)	Simon (Peter)	Peter
James, Son of Zebedee	James, Son of Zebedee	James	James
John, the brother of James	John, the brother of James	John	John
Andrew	Andrew	Andrew	Andrew
Philip	Philip	Philip	Philip
Bartholemew	Bartholemew	Bartholemew	Bartholemew
Matthew	Matthew	Matthew	Matthew
Thomas	Thomas	Thomas	Thomas
James, son of Alphaeus	James, son of Alphaeus	James, son of Alphaeus	James, son of Alphaeus
Thaddaeus	Thaddaeus	- - - - -	- - - - -
Simon the Zealot	Simon the Zealot	Simon the Zealot	Simon the Zealot
Judas Iscariot	Judas Iscariot	Judas Iscariot
- - - - -	- - - - -	Judas the son of James	Judas the son of James

The difference in content occurs with Thaddaeus and Judas the son of James. The most logical explanation is that both names describe the same person. Judas the son of James would have been sharing the name of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of Christ. Most probably, he preferred to be called Thaddeus.

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Verses 14-29

Herod kills John the Baptist

Matthew 14:1-12	Mark 6:14-29	Luke 9:7-9
Matthew 14:1 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,	Mark 6:14 And king Herod heard [of him]; (for his name was spread abroad:)	Luke 9:7 Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed,
Matthew 14:2 And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.	and he said, That John the Baptist was risen from the dead, and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.	because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;
	Mark 6:15 Others said, That it is Elias. And others said, That it is a prophet, or as one of the prophets.	Luke 9:8 And of some, that Elias had appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.
	Mark 6:16 But when Herod heard [thereof], he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.	Luke 9:9 And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him.
		End Luke’s Account

Matthew 14:3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put [him] in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife.	Mark 6:17 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.
Matthew 14:4 For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.	Mark 6:18 For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife.
	Mark 6:19 Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:
Matthew 14:5 And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.	Mark 6:20 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.
Matthew 14:6 But when Herod’s birthday was kept,	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;
the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.	Mark 6:22 And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and pleased Herod and them that sat with him,
Matthew 14:7 Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.	the king said unto the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give [it] thee.
	Mark 6:23 And he sware unto her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give [it] thee, unto the half of my kingdom.
	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.
Matthew 14:8 And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist’s head in a charger.	Mark 6:25 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.
Matthew 14:9 And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath’s sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded [it] to be given [her].	Mark 6:26 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.
Matthew 14:10 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.	Mark 6:27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison,
Matthew 14:11 And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought [it] to her mother.	Mark 6:28 And brought his head in a charger, and gave it to the damsel: and the damsel gave it to her mother.
Matthew 14:12 And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.	Mark 6:29 And when his disciples heard [of it], they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

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Verses 30-44

Jesus feeds five thousand

Matthew 14:13-21

Mark 6:30-44

Luke 9:10-17

John 6:1-15

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.

Luke 9:10 And the apostles, when they were returned, told him all that they had done.

Mark 6:31 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.

Matthew 14:13 When Jesus heard [of it], he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart:	Mark 6:32 And they departed into a desert place by ship privately.	And he took them, and went aside privately into a desert place belonging to the city called Bethsaida.	John 6:1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is [the sea] of Tiberias.
and when the people had heard [thereof], they followed him on foot out of the cities.	Mark 6:33 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.	Luke 9:11 And the people, when they knew [it], followed him:	John 6:2 And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.

John 6:3 And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he sat with his disciples. John 6:4 And the passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh.

Matthew 14:14 And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.	Mark 6:34 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.	and he received them, and spake unto them of the kingdom of God, and healed them that had need of healing.
Matthew 14:15 And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past;	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:	Luke 9:12 And when the day began to wear away, then came the twelve, and said unto him,
send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.	Mark 6:36 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.	Send the multitude away, that they may go into the towns and country round about, and lodge, and get victuals: for we are here in a desert place.	John 6:5 When Jesus then lifted up [his] eyes, and saw a great company come unto him,
Matthew 14:16 But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat.	Mark 6:37 He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat.	Luke 9:13 But he said unto them, Give ye them to eat.	he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?
			John 6:6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do.
Matthew 14:17 And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes.	And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat?	And they said, We have no more but five loaves and two fishes; except we should go and buy meat for all this people.	John 6:7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.
Matthew 14:18 He said, Bring them hither to me.	Mark 6:38 He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see.
And when they knew, they say,			John 6:8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him,
Five, and two fishes.			John 6:9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?
Matthew 14:19 And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass,	Mark 6:39 And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass.	Luke 9:14 For they were about five thousand men. And he said to his disciples, Make them sit down by fifties in a company.	John 6:10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place.
	Mark 6:40 And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties.	Luke 9:15 And they did so, and made them all sit down.	So the men sat down, in number about five thousand.
and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to [his] disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.	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.	Luke 9:16 Then he took the five loaves and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed them, and brake, and gave to the disciples to set before the multitude.	John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.
Matthew 14:20 And they did all eat, and were filled:	Mark 6:42 And they did all eat, and were filled.	Luke 9:17 And they did eat, and were all filled:	John 6:12 When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.
and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.	Mark 6:43 And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes.	and there was taken up of fragments that remained to them twelve baskets.	John 6:13 Therefore they gathered [them] together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.
Matthew 14:21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.	Mark 6:44 And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men.

John 6:14 Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did, said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. John 6:15 When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone.

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Verses 45-52

Jesus walks on water

Matthew 14:22-33	Mark 6:45-52	John 6:16-21
Matthew 14:22 And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.	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.	John 6:16 And when even was [now] come, his disciples went down unto the sea, John 6:17 And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.
Matthew 14:23 And when he had sent the multitudes away,	Mark 6:46 And when he had sent them away,
he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.	he departed into a mountain to pray.	And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.
Matthew 14:24 But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.	Mark 6:47 And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.	John 6:18 And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.
	Mark 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them:	John 6:19 So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs,
Matthew 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.	and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
Matthew 14:26 And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.	Mark 6:49 But when they saw him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out:	they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.
Matthew 14:27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.	Mark 6:50 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.	John 6:20 But he saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.

Matthew 14:28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. Matthew 14:29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. Matthew 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. Matthew 14:31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth [his] hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

Matthew 14:32 And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased.	Mark 6:51 And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased:
Matthew 14:33 Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.	and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.	John 6:21 Then they willingly received him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at the land whither they went.
	Mark 6:52 For they considered not [the miracle] of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.

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Verses 53-56

Jesus heals all who touch him

Matthew 14:34-36	Mark 6:53-56
Matthew 14:34 And when they were gone over, they came into the land of Gennesaret.	Mark 6:53 And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.
Matthew 14:35 And when the men of that place had knowledge of him,	Mark 6:54 And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,
they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were diseased;	Mark 6:55 And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.
	Mark 6:56 And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets,
Matthew 14:36 And besought him that they might only touch the hem of his garment: and as many as touched were made perfectly whole.	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.

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Bibliographical Information
"Commentary on Mark 6". "The Gospels Compared". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/tgc/mark-6.html. 2014.

Matthew 13:53-58	Mark 6:1-6
Matthew 13:53 And it came to pass, [that] when Jesus had finished these parables,
he departed thence.	Mark 6:1 And he went out from thence,
Matthew 13:54 And when he was come into his own country,	and came into his own country; and his disciples follow him.
he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this [man] this wisdom, and [these] mighty works?	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?
Matthew 13:55 Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?	Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon?
Matthew 13:56 And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this [man] all these things?	and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
Matthew 13:57 And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.	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.
Matthew 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there	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].
because of their unbelief.	Mark 6:6 And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

Bible Commentaries
Mark 6

The Gospels ComparedGospels Compared

Verses 1-6

Verses 7-13

Verses 14-29

Verses 30-44

Verses 45-52

Verses 53-56

Bible CommentariesMark 6

The Gospels ComparedGospels Compared

Verses 1-6

Verses 7-13

Verses 14-29

Verses 30-44

Verses 45-52

Verses 53-56

Bible Commentaries
Mark 6