March 2nd, 2024

Our progression within the Lenten season continues, and this next Sunday is typically called the Third Sunday in Lent. Last week’s gospel reading jumped seven chapters to the eighth chapter of the Gospel according to Mark, and this week’s reading jumps all the way to the second chapter of the Gospel according to John [John 2:13-22(23-25)]. That is a significant jump you do not see too often.

Within the writings of this website, we do not have those significant jumps. We are currently progressing in the order in which the Gospel according to Mark is normally read, and this will continue to the end of the church year. We are currently within what is normally called the sixth chapter. There are a few historical presents within this text (when a past tense verb is expected, but a present tense is given), and those will be given in bold print.

What follows now is a bit of the context. Earlier in this chapter, the disciples were sent out; that is why they are called ‘apostles’ at the start of the text below. And Herod responded to this sending, particularly to the miracles that went along with that, and since people were saying that Jesus is John the Baptizer, raised from the dead (see 8:27f). Herod also started thinking that Jesus was John the Baptist raised from the dead (6:16).

Now in the text that is below, it is hopefully clear that Jesus has some important things to deal with besides the thoughts of a supposed ‘king’. You may perceive that Jesus is a little difficult with his disciples; this will certainly continue. And it will certainly escalate. And those disciples were certainly a little difficult. And Jesus certainly comes across as a great leader.

Here is this writer’s attempt at what could be called a somewhat-literal interpretation of Mark 6:30-56 (and you may wish also to look at other translations or a study bible to aid your understanding of the text):

And they are assembled, the apostles, toward the Jesus, and they reported to him all which they did and which they taught. And he says to them, “Come, you, yourselves, off on your own, into a wilderness place, and rest a little.” For they were, the ones coming and the ones going, many, and not even to eat, they were having a goodtime. And they came away in the boat, into a wilderness place, off on their own. And they saw them going, and they recognized, many, and on foot, from all the cities, they ran together there, and they came before them. And having come out, he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion upon them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd, and he began to teach them much.

And already, an hour, great, having happened; having come to him, the disciples of him, they were saying, “Wilderness is the place, and already, an hour, great; release them, in order that, having come away into the circle, fields and villages, they may buy for themselves what they may eat.”

Now the one having answered, he said to them, “Give them, you, to eat.”

And they say to him, “Having come away, may we buy of denarii, two hundred, of loaves, and will we give to them to eat?”

Now the one, he says to them, “How many loaves do you have? Go; see.”

And having known, they say, “Five, and two fish.” And he instructed them to recline, all, symposia, symposia, upon the green grass. And they fell back, rows, rows, by a hundred and by fifty.

And having taken the five loaves and the two fish, having looked up into the heaven, he blessed, and he broke the loaves, and he gave to the disciples of him, that they might set before them, and the two fish, he divided to all. And they ate, all, and they were satisfied, and they took fragments, twelve, of baskets, fullnesses, and from the fish. And they were, the ones having eaten the loaves, five thousand men.

And immediately he forced the disciples of him to embark into the boat and to go before, into the other side, toward Bethsaida, while he, himself, dismisses the crowd. And having departed them, he came away, into the mountain, to pray.

And evening having happened, it was, the boat, in middle of the sea, and he, alone, upon the land. And seeing them being distressed in the to-row, for it was, the wind, against them; about fourth watch of the night, he comes toward them, walking upon the sea; and he wanted to come along side them. Now the ones, seeing him upon the sea, walking, they thought that a phantasm it is, and they cried out, for all, him, they saw, and they were troubled. Now the one immediately, he talked with them, and he says to them, “Be of good cheer, I, myself, am; do not fear.” And he went up toward them into the boat, and it ceased, the wind. And greatly, out of much, in themselves, they stood out; for they did not understand concerning the loaves, but on the contrary, it was, of them, the heart, having been hardened.
​
And having crossed over, upon the land, they came into Gennesaret and they anchored. And having come out, they, out of the boat, immediately having recognized him, they ran around, whole the region, that one, and they began, upon the pallets, the ones evil having, to carry around, where they were hearing that he is. And wherever he would enter into villages or into cities or into fields, in the agoras, they would put the weak ones, and they would exhort him that, if even the fringe of the garment of him they might touch, and as many as would touch him, they would be saved.