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The Gospel of Mark

Chapter 6: The Service of Christ when rejected

Published since 02. Sep. 2025
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Mark 6
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And he went out thence and came to his own country, and his disciples follow him. And when sabbath was come he began to teach in the synagogue, and many hearing were amazed, saying, Whence [has] this [man] these things? and what [is] the wisdom that is given to him, and such works of power are done by his hands? Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joses, and Judas, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not despised save in his own country, and among [his] kinsmen, and in his own house. And he could not do any work of power there, save that laying his hands on a few infirm persons he healed [them].
And he wondered because of their unbelief. And he went round the villages in a circuit, teaching. And he calls the twelve to [him]; and he began to send them out two [and] two, and gave to them power over the unclean spirits; and he commanded them that they should take nothing for the way, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their belt; but be shod with sandals, and put not on two body-coats. And he said to them, Wheresoever ye shall enter into a house, there remain till ye shall go thence. And whatsoever place shall not receive you nor hear you, departing thence, shake off the dust which is under your feet for a testimony to them. And they went forth and preached that they should repent; and they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many infirm, and healed them. And Herod the king heard [of him] (for his name had become public), and said, John the baptist is risen from among [the] dead, and on this account works of power are wrought by him. And others said, It is Elias; and others said, It is a prophet, as one of the prophets. But Herod when he heard [it] said, John whom *I* beheaded, he it is; *he* is risen [from among the dead]. For the same Herod had sent and seized John, and had bound him in prison on account of Herodias, the wife of Philip his brother, because he had married her. For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have the wife of thy brother. But Herodias kept it [in her mind] against him, and wished to kill him, and could not: for Herod feared John knowing that he was a just and holy man, and kept him safe; and having heard him, did many things, and heard him gladly. And a holiday being come, when Herod, on his birthday, made a supper to his grandees, and to the chiliarchs, and the chief [men] of Galilee; and the daughter of the same Herodias having come in, and danced, pleased Herod and those that were with [him] at table; and the king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatsoever thou wilt and I will give it thee. And he swore to her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask me I will give thee, to half of my kingdom. And she went out, and said to her mother, What should I ask? And she said, The head of John the baptist. And immediately going in with haste to the king, she asked saying, I desire that thou give me directly upon a dish the head of John the baptist. And the king, [while] made very sorry, on account of the oaths and those lying at table with [him] would not break his word with her. And immediately the king, having sent one of the guard, ordered his head to be brought. And he went out and beheaded him in the prison, and brought his head upon a dish, and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother. And his disciples having heard [it], came and took up his body, and laid it in a tomb. And the apostles are gathered together to Jesus. And they related to him all things, [both] what they had done and what they had taught. And he said to them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a little. For those coming and those going were many, and they had not leisure even to eat. And they went away apart into a desert place by ship. And many saw them going, and recognised them, and ran together there on foot, out of all the cities, and got [there] before them. And on leaving [the ship] [Jesus] saw a great crowd, and he was moved with compassion for them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things. And when it was already late in the day, his disciples coming to him say, The place is desert, and it is already late in the day; send them away that they may go into the country and villages around, and buy themselves bread, for they have not anything they can eat. And he answering said to them, Give *ye* them to eat. And they say to him, Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them to eat? And he says to them, How many loaves have ye? Go [and] see. And when they knew they say, Five, and two fishes. And he ordered them to make them all sit down by companies on the green grass. And they sat down in ranks by hundreds and by fifties. And having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to heaven, he blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave [them] to his disciples that they might set [them] before them. And the two fishes he divided among all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up of fragments the fillings of twelve hand-baskets, and of the fishes. And those that ate of the loaves were five thousand men. And immediately he compelled his disciples to go on board ship, and to go on before to the other side to Bethsaida, while *he* sends the crowd away. And, having dismissed them, he departed into the mountain to pray. And when evening was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and *he* alone upon the land. And seeing them labouring in rowing, for the wind was contrary to them, about the fourth watch of the night he comes to them walking on the sea, and would have passed them by. But they, seeing him walking on the sea, thought that it was an apparition, and cried out. For all saw him and were troubled. And immediately he spoke with them, and says to them, Be of good courage: it is *I*; be not afraid. And he went up to them into the ship, and the wind fell. And they were exceedingly beyond measure astonished in themselves and wondered; for they understood not through the loaves: for their heart was hardened. And having passed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret and made the shore. And on their coming out of the ship, immediately recognising him, they ran through that whole country around, and began to carry about those that were ill on couches, where they heard that he was. And wherever he entered into villages, or cities, or the country, they laid the sick in the market-places, and besought him that they might touch if it were only the hem of his garment; and as many as touched him were healed.

In Mark chapter 6, we see the service of Christ when He is rejected. The significant themes in this chapter relate to events that occur in various settings: the countryside, the king's court, a desert place, a mountain, and a stormy sea. In the first two incidents, we observe the low moral condition of the world that rejects Christ. In the final three, we discover the fullness of resources that Christ offers to those who follow Him, apart from the ways of the world.

In verses 1-6, we find the Lord in humble service among the people of "His own country," "His own kin," and "His own house." He enters their midst with divine wisdom and power, sharing the truth with the humble and healing the sick. However, He did not indulge the vanity of human nature, which often prefers pomp and display and rejects individuals because of their humble origins. The Lord's ministry of grace reveals the people's low moral condition. They were astonished by His teaching and might admit His "mighty works," yet they were offended by Him. Sadly, the flesh remains unchanged. Today, even as Christians, we may sometimes hinder God's work through pride and vanity, dismissing the ministry of a servant of God because of humble origins. Likewise, as servants, we might seek recognition based on wealth or social status.

While the Lord's actions were perfect, the failure lay with the people. These simple countryfolk belittled His wisdom and the power of His works by asking, "Isn't this the carpenter, the son of Mary? Don't His brothers and sisters live among us?" They failed to recognize the glory of His Person and the grace of His heart: although He was rich, He became poor for our sake so that we might be made rich through His poverty. The Creator became the Carpenter, and the Son of God became the Son of Mary.

The Lord reminds those who reject Him due to His humility that "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own kin, and in his own house." This doesn't imply He was rejected in His own country because of personal weakness or failure. Instead, their familiarity with Him in everyday life led them to discount His divine mission from God.

As a result, He could perform no mighty works there because of their unbelief. It is essential to recognize how our unbelief can hinder the work of God. Just as faith, as seen in the case of the sick woman, can draw forth blessings, unbelief can equally restrict their outflow. Nevertheless, His grace surpassed their pride and unbelief, and He healed some sick people, although the blessings were limited to "a few." He marveled at their unbelief. Do we not sometimes give Him reason to marvel at ours? Despite this, He continued His ministry, teaching in the surrounding villages, tirelessly dedicated to His service despite their pride and unbelief.

In verses 7-13, we see that the rejection of Jesus' message in His own country may prevent Him from performing great works there, but it cannot diminish the grace in His heart. Therefore, the Lord sends out the twelve disciples as fresh witnesses to His presence, grace, and power, bringing blessings to others. A powerful testimony to His divine nature is evident in the fact that He "gave them power over unclean spirits." While anyone can perform miracles if bestowed with power, only God can grant that power.

The manner in which the disciples went forth served as a testimony to the Lord's presence. They were instructed to take nothing for their journey, relying on the Lord's care and protection, which would guide the hearts of men and their circumstances so that they would lack nothing.

Their mission was not meant to turn into mere social visits; they were in the service of the Lord. As such, they were to stay in the same house in any given location. Their message centered on repentance, proclaiming the presence of the King and the good news of the Kingdom. This proclamation resulted in rejection; the leaders dismissed Jesus because of the magnitude of His claims, while the people refused Him due to His humble status. The leaders accused Him of performing miracles through the power of the devil, while others dismissed Him simply as a carpenter. The nation was thus called to repent of this wickedness, and this mission served as a final testimony, as judgment would follow those who rejected it.

In verses 14-29, we learn that the outcome of this mission, which was accompanied by signs of power, resulted in Jesus' name being widely known. It is a prayerful wish that all servants of Christ would minister in such a way that they leave behind a fragrance of Christ and the awareness of the preciousness of His name. Unfortunately, too often, a preacher may become the focus due to excessive promotion and methods appealing to the natural man, which leads to their name being publicized rather than the name of Jesus.

However, regardless of how widely Jesus' fame is spread, if there is no genuine work of God in a person's soul, it merely leads to speculation. During that time, some believed that Jesus was John the Baptist, who had risen from the dead, while others thought He was a prophet. Yet, the speculations of the human mind can never truly capture the essence of Christ's nature. The fame of Christ has reached the court circles. We have already seen the utter lack of spiritual discernment in the lower classes, and now we are to learn about the low moral condition of the higher circles. With King Herod, the reports of Christ do more than lead to speculation; they awaken an uneasy conscience. This leads us to the story of his sin: he had entered into an unlawful marriage with his brother's wife and had been rebuked for this sin by John the Baptist. This rebuke stirred the enmity of Herodias, the guilty adulteress, who would have killed John but found no way to do so. Herod feared John, knowing he was a just and holy man. Despite being unprincipled, Herod appreciated goodness in others, listened to John, and even acted upon his counsel. However, Herodias waited for her opportunity, which came during a time of festivity. After being pleased by a dance, the king made a rash promise and, rather than break it, had John killed. It has been aptly said, "The devil's promises are better broken than kept."

The rejection and murder of the Forerunner serve as a serious indication that, in due time, Herod will also partake in the rejection and crucifixion of Christ.

(Vv. 30-44) The apostles, having fulfilled their mission, gathered around Jesus. After being sent forth by the Lord, they now return to Him. It is beneficial for every servant, after accomplishing even the smallest task, to return to the Lord and share all they have done and taught. Too often, we may be inclined to share this with others, although it can sometimes be appropriate to encourage God's people by sharing about His work. There is, however, a significant difference: when we gather together as the assembly of God's people, as Paul and Barnabas did at Antioch, we should recount "all that God had done and how He had opened the door" (Acts 14:27). In contrast, when we return to Jesus after our service, it is to tell Him what we have accomplished and taught.

How beneficial it is for our souls to review our actions and words in the presence of One who will never flatter us, before whom we cannot boast, and from whom nothing can be hidden. Here, we may learn of our weaknesses and defects. Unfortunately, we may be full of ourselves and our service, but in the Lord's presence, we can speak freely about all that occupies our thoughts and burdens our minds. This allows our spirits to be calmed, enabling us to think soberly about ourselves or forget our service and focus solely on Him.

We have no record of any comments from Him regarding their service; instead, we learn of the Lord's sympathy and care for His servants. They spoke about their service, but He was concerned for them and the rest they needed. Therefore, He said, "Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a while." While eternal rest awaits, here we have the opportunity for "a while" of rest.

There are three reasons for the disciples being led into a desert place. First, the Lord withdrew because of the murder of His witness, which signified His rejection and impending crucifixion. This indicated that a change in dispensation was about to occur, prompting the Lord to take a place outside and apart from the guilty nation. This dispensational reason is prominent in Matthew 19:13.

Secondly, there is a connection between the Lord's withdrawal and the service of His disciples. Their ministry had created such a stir, with "many coming and going," that the servants needed to be drawn apart from the restless spirit of the world to be with Him and rest for a while.

The third reason for this incident is presented in the gospel of Luke, which tells us that the disciples were drawn apart to receive instruction from the Lord (Luke 9:10, 18-27).

In our day, we, too, need to be withdrawn from the world to recognize that we are not of it, even if we are sent into it for the Lord's service. Our blessings are heavenly, not earthly. Likewise, we need to be alone with the Lord to escape the spirit of the world and its restless activity, especially after having made a small testimony for Christ that might have stirred things in the world. Additionally, we should seek the privacy of the Lord's presence to learn His mind.

At the Lord's command, they quietly departed to a deserted place. However, "the people saw them departing," and in their eagerness to reach Christ, "outwent them and came together to Him." It seemed they would be robbed of their rest after all. Yet, in His tender care for His own and His compassion for the people, the Lord came out from His place of retirement to meet them. While there might be rest for His disciples, there was no rest for Him. His compassion would not allow Him to rest, so we read, "He began to teach them many things."

As the day wore on, the disciples returned from their rest and said to the Lord, "Send them away." It appeared that the disciples viewed the people as intruders on their rest and wished to be rid of them. However, the Lord would not send them away hungry, for it is written, "I will satisfy her poor with bread." No failure on the part of Israel can diminish the kindness and compassion of the heart of Jehovah. He will "teach them many things" for the blessing of their souls and provide loaves and fishes to meet the needs of their bodies. He is the same today; despite all our weaknesses and failures, He cares for our souls and provides for our needs. Moreover, in carrying out this work of love, He uses others. He can tell the disciples, "Give ye them to eat." Yet, as is often the case with us, their faith could not tap into His power. They could only think of how much they would need, forgetting the vast resources they had in Christ. Having highlighted the utter inadequacy of their resources, the Lord took their little — the five loaves and two fishes — and connected them with heaven's abundance, resulting in five thousand men "did all eat and were filled."

The story continues to illustrate that the Lord was about to leave His disciples in a world that had rejected Him. Having just fed the multitude, His compassion was stirred for them as sheep without a shepherd. Sadly, not only were they without someone to guide them into green pastures and care for their souls, but when the Good Shepherd was among them, they had no eyes to see His glory and no hearts to receive Him. After sending the people away, "He departed into a mountain to pray." Symbolically, the nation is dismissed while He takes a new place on high to intercede for His followers who are left behind to witness for Him in a world that has rejected Him.

The disciples discovered they were not only bereft of the bodily presence of the Lord, but they also had to confront life's storms and toil against the waves. Everything in this world is contrary to the Lord's people. If the world stands against us and the devil opposes us, the Lord on high is interceding for us. Although the Lord may be absent, He is not indifferent to the storms and difficulties His people face. "He saw them toiling," and He came to them. He came in a manner that displayed His superiority to all their circumstances, for He approached "walking on the water." This display of power, far beyond human capability, filled the disciples with fear; "they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure and wondered." However, the One whose power surpasses all storms stirred up by men or the devil is the One who is for us. He had been praying for them on the mountain. He saw them toiling, and now He came to them.

Nevertheless, He tested their faith, as believers are often tested today, for we read that He "would have passed them by." His power, His intercession, and His loving care are all available to them, but do they have the faith to access His fullness? In their trouble, they cried out, and "immediately He talked with them," saying, "It is I; be not afraid." He may come to them radiating His power over the storms, but He reassured them that it was Himself — Jesus, their Saviour, Shepherd, and Friend. The One whom men had previously rejected as merely a carpenter is now revealed as the Creator who can walk upon the sea and whom the winds and waves obey.

Sadly, like us too often, the disciples had not "considered" the greatness of His power and grace displayed on a previous occasion. Preoccupied with their difficulties, their hearts were hardened, and they were unable to draw upon their resources in Christ.

The chapter concludes with a preview of the blessings of a future day when Christ will come again and, through a godly remnant of the Jews, will bring blessings to the earth. Then indeed, the toil of the righteous will be over, opposition will cease, the storms will quiet, and Christ will be received where once He was rejected.

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