30 The apostles gathered together with Jesus ; and they reported to Him all that they had done and taught . 31 And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves e to a secluded place and rest a while ." (For there were many people coming and going , and they did not even have time to eat .) 32 They went away in the boat to a secluded place by themselves . 33 The people saw them going , and many recognized them and ran there together on foot from all the cities , and got there ahead of them. 34 When Jesus went ashore , He saw a large crowd , and He felt compassion for them because they were like sheep without e a shepherd ; and He began to teach them many things . 35 When it was already quite late e , His disciples came to Him and said , "This place is desolate and it is already quite late e ; 36 send them away so that they may go into the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat ." 37 But He answered them, "You give them something to eat !" And they said to Him, "Shall we go and spend two hundred denarii on bread and give them something to eat ?" 38 And He said to them, "How many loaves do you have ? Go look !" And when they found out, they said , "Five , and two fish ." 39 And He commanded them all to sit down by groups on the green grass . 40 They sat down in groups of hundreds and of fifties . 41 And He took the five loaves and the two fish , and looking up toward heaven , He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all . 42 They all ate and were satisfied , 43 and they picked up twelve full baskets of the broken pieces , and also of the fish . 44 There were five thousand men who ate the loaves .
45 Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida , while He Himself was sending the crowd away . 46 After bidding them farewell , He left for the mountain to pray . 47 When it was evening , the boat was in the middle of the sea , and He was alone on the land . 48 Seeing them straining at the oars , for the wind was against them, at about the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea ; and He intended to pass by them. 49 But when they saw Him walking on the sea , they supposed that it was a ghost , and cried out; 50 for they all saw Him and were terrified . But immediately He spoke with them and said to them, " Take courage ; it is I, do not be afraid ." 51 Then He got into the boat with them, and the wind stopped ; and they were utterly e e astonished , 52 for they had not gained any insight from the incident of the loaves , but their heart was hardened .
53 When they had crossed over they came to land at Gennesaret , and moored to the shore. 54 When they got out of the boat , immediately the people recognized Him, 55 and ran about that whole country and began to carry here and there on their pallets those who were sick , to the place they heard He was. 56 Wherever He entered villages , or cities , or countryside , they were laying the sick in the market places , and imploring Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak ; and as many as touched it were being cured .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Mark 6:30-56
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.
Commentary on Mark 6:45-56
(Read Mark 6:45-56)
The church is often like a ship at sea, tossed with tempests, and not comforted: we may have Christ for us, yet wind and tide against us; but it is a comfort to Christ's disciples in a storm, that their Master is in the heavenly mount, interceding for them. And no difficulties can hinder Christ's appearance for his people, when the set time is come. He silenced their fears, by making himself known to them. Our fears are soon satisfied, if our mistakes are set right, especially our mistakes as to Christ. Let the disciples have their Master with them, and all is well. It is for want of rightly understanding Christ's former works, that we view his present works as if there never were the like before. If Christ's ministers now could cure people's bodily diseases, what multitudes would flock after them! It is sad to think how much more most care about their bodies than about their souls.