Mark 6:14-44
The Death of John the Baptist
14 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. 15 And others said, It is Elias; and others said, It is a prophet, as one of the prophets. 16 But Herod when he heard [it] said, John whom I beheaded, he it is; he is risen [from among the dead]. 17 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. 18 For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have the wife of thy brother. 19 But Herodias kept it [in her mind] against him, and wished to kill him, and could not: 20 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. 21 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; 22 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. 23 And he swore to her, Whatsoever thou shalt ask me I will give thee, to half of my kingdom. 24 And she went out, and said to her mother, What should I ask? And she said, The head of John the baptist. 25 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. 26 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. 27 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, 28 and brought his head upon a dish, and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother. 29 And his disciples having heard [it], came and took up his body, and laid it in a tomb.
The Feeding of the Five Thousand
30 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. 31 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. 32 And they went away apart into a desert place by ship. 33 And many saw them going, and recognised them, and ran together there on foot, out of all the cities, and got [there] before them. 34 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. 35 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; 36 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. 37 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? 38 And he says to them, How many loaves have ye? Go [and] see. And when they knew they say, Five, and two fishes. 39 And he ordered them to make them all sit down by companies on the green grass. 40 And they sat down in ranks by hundreds and by fifties. 41 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. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up of fragments the fillings of twelve hand-baskets, and of the fishes. 44 And those that ate of the loaves were five thousand men.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 6:14-44
Commentary on Mark 6:14-29
(Read Mark 6:14-29)
Herod feared John while he lived, and feared him still more when he was dead. Herod did many of those things which John in his preaching taught him; but it is not enough to do many things, we must have respect to all the commandments. Herod respected John, till he touched him in his Herodias. Thus many love good preaching, if it keep far away from their beloved sin. But it is better that sinners persecute ministers now for faithfulness, than curse them eternally for unfaithfulness. The ways of God are unsearchable; but we may be sure he never can be at a loss to repay his servants for what they endure or lose for his sake. Death could not come so as to surprise this holy man; and the triumph of the wicked was short.
Commentary on Mark 6:30-44
(Read Mark 6:30-44)
Let not ministers do any thing or teach any thing, but what they are willing should be told to their Lord. Christ notices the frights of some, and the toils of others of his disciples, and provides rest for those that are tired, and refuge for those that are terrified. The people sought the spiritual food of Christ's word, and then he took care that they should not want bodily food. If Christ and his disciples put up with mean things, surely we may. And this miracle shows that Christ came into the world, not only to restore, but to preserve and nourish spiritual life; in him there is enough for all that come. None are sent empty away from Christ but those who come to him full of themselves. Though Christ had bread enough at command, he teaches us not to waste any of God's bounties, remembering how many are in want. We may, some time, need the fragments that we now throw away.