Mark 6:36
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Mark 6:36
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.
Chapter Context
Mark 6 is a action-oriented gospel chapter in the New Testament that explores themes of truth, obedience, redemption. Written during the mid first century CE (c. 65-70 CE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Composed during or just after Nero's persecution when eyewitnesses were disappearing.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-56: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it contributes to the biblical metanarrative of redemption. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Mark and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Mark 6:36
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.
Analysis
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. The disciples propose human solution to the crisis: dismiss the crowds. 'Send them away' (ἀπόλυσον αὐτούς, apolyson autous) suggests dispersing the multitude. Their plan: 'that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages' (ἵνα ἀπελθόντες εἰς τοὺς κύκλῳ ἀγροὺς καὶ κώμας, hina apelthontes eis tous kyklō agrous kai kōmas)—people would find their own food in surrounding farmsteads and villages. 'Buy themselves bread' (ἀγοράσωσιν ἑαυτοῖς ἄρτους, agorasōsin heautois artous) assumes they had money for purchases. The rationale: 'they have nothing to eat' (οὐκ ἔχουσιν τί φάγωσιν, ouk echousin ti phagōsin)—recognizing real need but proposing self-provision as solution. The disciples' suggestion was logical but faithless. They failed to consider that Jesus, who had just taught thousands and performed countless miracles, could provide. This illustrates how even Christ's closest followers can default to natural thinking despite supernatural power's presence. Reformed theology teaches that faith must constantly battle natural reason's tendency to exclude divine possibility.
Historical Context
The suggestion to 'buy themselves bread' assumed several things: the crowds had money, nearby villages had sufficient food supplies for thousands, and dispersing was more appropriate than Jesus providing. Ancient village economies couldn't suddenly accommodate thousands of buyers—most families produced their own bread daily, with minimal surplus. The disciples' plan, while superficially reasonable, would have created chaos: thousands descending on small villages, competing for limited food, traveling in darkness. Their failure to consider asking Jesus for provision reveals how quickly even devoted disciples forget divine power when facing practical crises. Matthew's account specifies the crowd numbered 5000 men, besides women and children (Matthew 14:21)—possibly 15,000-20,000 people total. No village economy could feed such numbers. Early church fathers noted the disciples' pattern: repeatedly witnessing miracles yet doubting when new challenges arose. This mirrors Christian experience: past testimonies of God's faithfulness often forgotten when present crisis arrives. The cure is remembering God's character and past provision when facing new impossibilities.
Reflection
- How does the disciples' plan to 'send them away' to buy their own food reflect our tendency to default to self-provision rather than depending on God's miraculous supply?
- What does this episode teach about how quickly we forget God's past faithfulness when facing new challenges?
Cross-References
- Parallel theme: Matthew 15:23