Mark?s Good News

An EasyEnglish Bible Version and Commentary (2800 word vocabulary) on Mark?s Gospel

www.easyenglish.info

Hilda Bright

This commentary has been through Advanced Checking.

Words in boxes are from the Bible.

A word list at the end explains words with a *star by them.

About Mark

*New Testament references

A          The *disciples met in Jerusalem at the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark (Acts 12:12).

B          Mark was a relative of Barnabas (Colossians 4:10). He went to help Paul and Barnabas on their first journey to *preach the good news (Acts 13:5). He turned back at Perga and he went home (Acts 13:13). Paul, therefore, refused to take him on the next journey. Mark then went with Barnabas to Cyprus (Acts 15:37-39).

C         Mark was a ?worker? with Paul. Paul was in prison in Rome (Philemon 24; Colossians 4:10). He had been a help to Paul. Paul wanted Timothy to bring Mark to him. He would help Paul again (2 Timothy 4:11).

D         Peter called him ?Mark, my son? (1 Peter 5:13). This was probably because he had helped Mark to believe in Christ.

Early Christian writers

There are some details that are in this *Gospel only. These details show that they probably come from an eye-witness. An eye-witness was there when the events happened. Two early writers said that Peter gave Mark the information for his *Gospel.

Tradition

Mark went to Alexandria, the important centre for trade and learning. There he started a Christian church.

When Mark wrote his *Gospel

Most writers agree that Mark was the first person to write a *Gospel. Both Matthew and Luke seem to use it. Mark perhaps completed it in the year 65, soon after Peter?s death.

What Mark wrote in his *Gospel

1          Mark wanted to show that Jesus was the ?Son of God?. So he emphasises how the crowds and the *disciples were very often astonished at Jesus? actions. Jesus made the storm on the lake become calm (4:41). Then the *disciples asked, ?Who is this?? They had a feeling of fear. And they greatly respected Jesus. Evil *spirits recognised who Jesus was. Mark also records that (3:11; 5:7).

2          At the same time, Mark shows that Jesus was really human. He was ?the *carpenter? (6:3). He became tired and he became asleep (4:38). He had human feelings. He felt sad (6:34), and he was angry at wrong ideas and actions (3:5; 11:15-17).

3          There are details that are only in Mark?s *Gospel. They give us the idea that someone had been an eye-witness. (See ?Early Christian writers? above.) In the account of the storm on the lake, ?there were other boats with him?. Jesus was ?in the back of the boat with his head on a cushion? (4:35, 38). The groups of people were sitting on the ?green? grass (6:39). On the road to Jerusalem, Jesus was walking ?ahead of them? (10:32). Jesus ?took the children into his arms? (10:16). The blind man ?threw off his coat? (10:50).

4          Mark records some of the actual *Aramaic words that Jesus used. He gave James and John the name ?Boanerges? (3:17). He raised Jairus?s daughter with the words ?Talitha cumi? (5:41). He said ?Ephphatha? to the deaf man (7:34). He called his Father ?*Abba? (14:36). The cry from the *cross was in *Aramaic (15:34).

5          Mark shows how the crowds, the *disciples and Jesus? own family did not understand Jesus. The *religious leaders opposed him. Most people had the wrong idea about what the *Messiah should be like.

6          Christians were suffering for their *faith when Mark wrote. He showed them that Jesus suffered. He suffered in the plan of God and he made the *Scriptures come true.

7          Mark uses the word ?immediately? very many times. He wants to emphasise the power of Jesus, whose command always brought a quick result (1:20, 42; 2:12; 5:42). It is also as if he is anxious to reach the end of the story. He cannot wait to tell everyone about the death and *resurrection of Jesus. Mark knew that these two events were ?good news? for everyone. When Jesus suffered, it made it possible for God to *save people. ?The Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. Instead, he came to serve other people. He came to give his life as the price to make many people free? (10:45).

Chapter 1

The heading      1:1

Verse 1 The first verse is also the title of the *Gospel. The human Jesus was the Christ, the *Messiah that the *Jews were expecting. The *Greek word ?Christ? and the *Hebrew word ?*Messiah? mean the ?*Anointed Man?. To *anoint someone showed that God had chosen them for a special responsibility. Samuel *anointed Saul to be king (1 Samuel 10:1). Jesus was the king who came to bring people into his *kingdom. He came to make people free from the power of *sin. Moses made Aaron and his sons special as priests by *anointing them with oil (Leviticus 8:12). Jesus was also a priest who was giving a *sacrifice to God. The *sacrifice that he gave was himself. Jesus is both king and priest. That is the good news.

Mark writes about Jesus as the true ?Son of God?. As the Son of God, he showed God?s love and power in all that he did. Mark records more of Jesus? actions than of his words.

The work of John the *Baptist   1:2-8

*Old Testament *prophecy spoke about someone who would prepare the way for the *Messiah. John the *Baptist urged people to show that they were ready for the *Messiah. When they wanted to change their behaviour, John *baptised them in the River Jordan.

Verses 2-3 John the *Baptist?s work was like that of someone who announced the arrival of an important official. There had been no *prophet for 400 years, since the time of Malachi. Malachi wrote about the *messenger (verse 2 is from Malachi 3:1). Mark combines this verse with one from Isaiah (40:3). Isaiah describes a ?voice? that is shouting in the desert. John the *Baptist describes himself as that ?voice? (John 1:23).

Verses 4-5 The *Jews *baptised *Gentiles who wanted to accept the *Jewish *faith. John changed this custom. Water cleans the body. John *baptised *Jews to be ?clean? in their behaviour towards God and other people. Then they would be ready for the *Messiah. The Messiah would help them to know that God had really forgiven them.

Verse 6 John lived a simple life in the desert. He wore rough clothes like those of the *prophet Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). He was therefore very different from the proud *religious leaders with their long clothes (Mark 12:38). His food was simple. Locusts were insects that the law allowed people to eat (Leviticus 11:22-23). John could obtain honey from wild insects.

Verse 7 John was humble. The *Messiah would be much more important than he was. John knew that. He said that he was not even good enough to be the *Messiah?s slave.

Verse 8 John?s *baptism with water showed that people were willing to turn away from their *sin. Jesus? gift of the *Holy Spirit would give people the power to live a new life.

The *baptism and *temptation of Jesus      1:9-13

Jesus came to the River Jordan, where John *baptised him. Immediately afterwards, he went into the desert, where *Satan *tempted him.

Verse 9 Jesus did not need *baptism, because he had no *sin to confess. But he made himself united with the people that he came to rescue from their *sins. His *baptism also was to show the beginning of his work.

Verse 10 The *Holy Spirit gave him the power for his future work. The *Holy Spirit came in the shape of a gentle bird. This may mean that he came in a gentle way. He came as a bird would fly down. This would also remind Mark?s readers of the same kind of gentle bird in Genesis 8:5-12. That bird came back to Noah in his special boat. It was the sign of a new beginning (Genesis 8:6-12).

Verse 11 The message from heaven used words from the *Old Testament. Isaac was the son whom Abraham loved (Genesis 22:2). God was ?very pleased? with the Servant whom he had chosen. Jesus therefore knew that God approved of him. He also knew that his work would be that of a servant. He would know that the last of Isaiah?s ?Servant? songs spoke about a ?suffering? servant (Isaiah 53).

Verse 12 ?made him go?. Jesus had a very powerful feeling that God was urging him to go into the desert. For Mark?s readers, the desert was a place where evil *spirits lived. Jesus went there to begin the battle with *Satan.

Verse 13 ?Forty (40) days? may be an exact number or it may mean a fairly long time. ?*Satan? is God?s enemy. He tried to make Jesus use his power in ways that would not please God. Mark does not record the nature of the *temptations. Matthew and Luke tell us how *Satan *tempted Jesus. He tempted him to gain *disciples by providing for their *physical needs. They would follow him if he astonished them with *miracles. They wanted a *Messiah who would lead an army against the *Romans to gain their political freedom. Jesus chose the hard way to persuade people to love and obey God. He would love them. Love meant that he would suffer. But he would satisfy ?*spiritual hunger? and he would give people freedom from *sin. Jesus can encourage Christians because he has had all sorts of *temptations himself. ?The Devil tried to make him do all kinds of wrong things. So, Jesus understands all the wrong things that we might do. But he never did anything wrong himself? (Hebrews 4:15).

Mark adds that Jesus was ?with the wild animals?. This detail may show that the desert was a very frightening place. But it may also be Mark?s way to show the age when men and animals would live together in peace (Isaiah 11:6-9). Jesus could live in safety with the animals. This would be because the animals were already recognising him as their king.

?God?s *messengers took care of him.? God does not leave men alone in a time of *temptation. His *messengers helped Jesus.

The message of Jesus      1:14-15

After Herod put John in prison, Jesus went into Galilee. He *preached that God?s *kingdom had arrived. Men must change their ways and believe him and his message.

Verses 14-15 Mark explains in chapter 6:17-18 why Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, put John in prison.

?The right time?. God chose the time to send Jesus when everything was ready. There were good *Roman roads. *Greek was a very well-known language. The message could therefore spread easily. *Jewish belief in only one God also prepared for the good news.

The *kingdom of God is not a place. It is God?s rule over the world. All those people who let God rule over their lives belong to his *kingdom. God had always been king. But, by Jesus, he was giving people a new opportunity to obey him. The message was ?good news?. It helped people to have peace because God had forgiven them. It helped them to hope that they could win the struggle against *sin.

?*Repent? means to turn away from wrong things and to turn to God. It means that we decide to live in a new way. We start to obey God.

?Believe? means ?trust in?. Those who believe Jesus have confidence in him. They know that he spoke the truth. And they know that he will *keep his promises.

Jesus calls his first *disciples   1:16-20

Verse 16 Galilee is a lake about 12 miles long. To catch fish was an important business. Many men earned their income by supplying fish to people in their own country. They also exported fish, even as far as Rome. Salt stopped it from going off.

Verses 17-20 These four men, who became Jesus? first *disciples, had met him before. They were probably John the *Baptist?s *disciples in Judea (John 1:35-42). They had listened to Jesus and they had talked with him. He called them while they were carrying out their ordinary work.

Verse 17 They had worked to bring in fish. So they must work to bring people to Jesus. They needed patience and skill to catch fish in their nets. Jesus would teach them the patience and skill to bring people into his *kingdom.

Verse 20 Zebedee still had his paid servants. They would look after him and his business when his two sons left to follow Jesus.

Jesus in the *Jewish meeting place at Capernaum    1:21-28

Jesus astonished people by the authority with which he taught. And he astonished people by his power to cure a man with an evil *spirit.

Verse 21 Capernaum was an ideal place for Jesus to work in. Both *Jews and *Gentiles would hear his message because Capernaum was an important town on a trade route. The *Sabbath was the *Jewish day of rest from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday. It was a special day for *worship. There was a meeting place wherever there were ten *Jewish families. In this meeting place, *Jews met to pray, and to study the *Old Testament. They would attend other public meetings there. On the *Sabbath, people would go to the meeting place in order to hear a teacher. The teacher would read and explain the *Scriptures. There was no permanent teacher. So the leader would invite visiting teachers to give the talk. Jesus was therefore able to teach in meeting places wherever he went.

Verse 22 *Scribes were men who studied the *Old Testament, especially the first five books. These five books were the ?Torah?, which means the ?Law?. These experts never gave their own decision about the meaning of a passage. They always gave the opinions of well-known teachers. Because they gave more than one opinion, people did not receive satisfactory answers to their questions. Jesus knew the *Scriptures. And he knew what they meant. He spoke with his own authority. He often used the words, ?I say to you? (Matthew 5:18-44).

Verses 23-24 A man whom an evil *spirit possessed. Some people say that this was a way to describe mental illness. They say that evil *spirits did not exist. But people in those days believed that they existed. And they believed that they could control a person. Many people believe that evil *spirits did exist in the time of Jesus. They believe that they still exist today. The evil *spirits inside the man recognised that Jesus had come to destroy every evil thing. They were afraid and they asked Jesus not to do anything against them.

Verses 25-26 Jesus stopped the man from shouting. He gave a strict command and he cured the man. People who tried to send evil *spirits out of people used all kinds of ceremonies and special words. But Jesus threw out the evil *spirit by his order alone.

Mark tells us about many other times when Jesus sent evil *spirits out of people. He wanted to show the authority and power of Jesus. He wanted to show that Jesus is the *Messiah, the Son of God.

Jesus cures the mother of Peter?s wife      1:29-31

Verse 29 Mark does not use the name ?Peter? until he gives the list of the 12 *apostles (Mark 3:16). Jesus gave Simon the name ?Peter? when they met in Judea. John tells us that (John 1:42).

Verse 30 Peter was married. After the *resurrection, he and his wife travelled together in God?s service (1 Corinthians 9:5).

They told Jesus about her illness. Perhaps they were explaining why a meal was not ready. They may have hoped that Jesus would help her. Christians can always tell Jesus about the needs of other people.

Verse 31 Usually people feel very weak after they have been ill like that. Jesus cured this lady completely. She was able to get up at once and she prepared a meal for them.

Jesus cures many people1:32-34

Verse 32 People could not carry their sick relatives on the *Sabbath. The *scribes said that to carry something was ?work?. The *Sabbath ended when the sun set on Saturday. Then they brought their sick friends and relatives to Jesus.

Verse 33 Mark probably did not mean that all the inhabitants of Capernaum were outside Peter?s door. He meant that there was a large crowd.

Verse 34 Jesus would not allow the evil *spirits to speak. They knew that he was the *Messiah. Jesus wanted people to discover for themselves who he was. They would follow him for the wrong reason if they thought of him as a political leader. Jesus was a *Messiah who would suffer to free them from *sin. He wanted to show people that.

Jesus? prayer   1:35-39

Verse 35 Jesus had helped crowds of people. He needed to pray to God in order to receive new strength and peace of mind. He also needed God to guide him. He must decide whether he should continue to work in Capernaum. He needed to know if it was right to move to other places.

Verses 36-37 Simon and his friends realised that Jesus had gone. The people who were searching for Jesus probably hoped for more healing *miracles.

Verse 38 Jesus knew that his first task was to *preach. He must take time to invite people into his *kingdom. He had come into the world to teach as many people as possible.

Jesus cures a man with a very bad skin disease        1:40-45

The man had a skin disease that prevented him from living a normal life. Jesus cured him. So he was able to go back to live among other people.

Verse 40 The word ?leprosy? is in many Bibles and it can mean various skin diseases. One was the serious disease that is called ?leprosy? today. Anyone with this disease had to stay away from other people. He suffered in two ways. He had to suffer from his disease. He also suffered from his lonely situation outside society. This man approached Jesus. He believed that Jesus had the power to cure him. But he did not know that Jesus loved people. He was not sure whether Jesus would want to cure him.

Verse 41 Jesus touched the man who had the skin disease. When he did that, Jesus showed his love. *Jews would not normally want to touch anyone who had such a skin disease. They believed that such an action would make them unholy.

Verse 44 Jesus was obeying the law when he sent the man to the priest. The priest would examine him. And the priest would decide that he was healthy again. After the man had carried out the proper ceremonies, he would be able to mix with other people again (Leviticus 14:1-32).

Verse 45 The man who had the skin disease did not obey Jesus. So, he made it difficult for Jesus to continue his work in towns. There were so many people who wanted to see Jesus. They came because of curiosity or because they needed his help.

Chapter 2

Mark has written about Jesus? popularity in Galilee. Now he records five incidents. These incidents all show that the *religious leaders opposed Jesus:

1          2:1-12              They said that he spoke evil words against God.

2          2:13-17            He ate with people who collected taxes.

3          2:18-22            He did not make his *disciples obey the *religious rules about times when people should not eat.

4          2:23-28            He allowed his *disciples to ?work? on the *Sabbath.

5          3:1-6                He cured a man?s hand on the *Sabbath.

Jesus cures a man who could not walk     2:1-12

Verse 1 The words ?at home? show that it was probably Peter?s own house.

Verse 4 The roof was flat. People made it out of sticks. And they covered it with earth that the sun had baked hard. There were stone steps outside to reach the roof.

Verse 5 Jesus knew the *faith of the four men. They had shown *faith when they carried the man to Jesus. They did not give up when they could not get through the door.

Some people do become ill when they have done wrong things. Their guilty conscience affects their body. But a person may suffer because of no fault of his own. However, many people believe that all disease is a punishment from God for *sin. Jesus did not believe this (John 9:2-3; Luke 13:1-5). The man who could not walk may have agreed with the wrong idea. For whatever reason, he felt guilty. He needed to know that God had forgiven him. Only then, would he be able to recover.

Verses 6-7 The *scribes may have come to examine what Jesus was teaching. They were accusing Jesus of insulting God. They were right to think that only God can forgive *sins. But they were wrong about Jesus. He had God?s authority.

Verses 8-9 It would be easy to say, ?You are free from your *sins.? But it would be more difficult to prove. If the man could walk again, that would prove the truth of Jesus? words.

Verses 10-11 Jesus used the title ?Son of Man? for himself many times. It can mean ?a man?. It would emphasise that Jesus was really human. It was also the title of a powerful person. That person would come in order to establish a *kingdom. And that *kingdom would never end (Daniel 7:13-14). The name might almost mean ?*Messiah?. Jesus used the title to describe himself, but he did not say ?*Messiah?. He showed his authority in the words ?I tell you?, and by brief commands, ?Stand up. Take your mat. Go home.?

Verse 12 More than once, Mark describes how Jesus? words and actions astonished people (1:22, 27).

Jesus calls Levi         2:13-17

Verse 14 Levi was probably another name for Matthew. The first *Gospel records that Jesus called Matthew (Matthew 9:9). And Matthew collected taxes. The name Levi is not in the list of the 12 *apostles (Mark 3:16-19).

His work was to collect taxes from people in Capernaum and from merchants who were travelling through the city. People hated those who collected taxes. There were two reasons:

1          They were working for the *Romans who were their enemies.

2          They had to keep some money for themselves after they had collected the required amount. It was easy for them to cheat people and to demand too much money. They became rich.

Verse 15 Levi invited his friends to a meal. He wanted them to meet Jesus. ?*Sinners? describes two kinds of people:

1          Those with bad moral behaviour.

2          Those who did not obey all the extra rules that the *scribes had made up. The *scribes tried to make a rule for every situation.

Verse 16 The *Pharisees were strict *Jews. Their name means ?the separate men?. They tried to keep their *faith ?separate? from the bad effect of other religions. Many of them lived very good lives. But they said that the rules of the *scribes were as important as the *Old Testament laws. They even refused to obey a command of God in order to obey one of these traditions (Mark 7:9-13). They became proud that they obeyed God?s laws. And they obeyed all the rules that the *scribes had made up. They would avoid completely those people that they called ?*sinners?. They believed that Jesus was encouraging wrong behaviour. He would also make himself ?*unclean? when he ate with ?*sinners?.

The *Pharisees made two mistakes:

1          Jesus had come to look for ?*sinners? in order to bring them into his *kingdom.

2          Jesus could meet with all kinds of people, even wicked ones. He would not let them change his own behaviour.

Verse 17 The *Pharisees were like healthy people who do not need a doctor. They thought that they had good *spiritual health. So they would not come to Jesus for help. Jesus had come to look for *sinners. Those *sinners were like sick people, who need a doctor?s help. Jesus had come to give them the ?remedy? of God?s love. Then they might change their ways. They could start to obey God and so live a ?healthy? life.

The question about not eating  2:18-22

Verse 18 To stop eating food is a way to control the desires of the body. It is also a way to be sorry when a person has done wrong things. Jesus stopped eating when he was in the desert. That was because he was praying. The Day of *Atonement was the only time in the year when *Jews must not eat. Some *Jews stopped eating for two days each week as well. The *Pharisees did it. They wanted other people to see how good they were. So they went about with untidy clothes. They made their faces look as miserable as possible. Jesus taught that their way to stop eating was wrong (Matthew 6:16-18).

Verse 19 There are references in the *Old Testament to God as a bridegroom. The nation of the *Jews was like his bride (Isaiah 62:5; Hosea 2:16). Here, Jesus was the bridegroom. His *disciples were like the friends of the bridegroom at a wedding. A *Jewish wedding party went on for a week. It was a time of great happiness. Nobody would stop eating. While Jesus was with them, the *disciples did not need to stop eating.

Verse 20 Jesus knew that people would kill him one day. Then the *disciples would stop eating.

Verse 21 A piece of new material that you used to mend old clothing would be too strong. It would tear the old clothing and it would make a bigger hole. What Jesus was teaching was new and different from the religion of people like the *Pharisees.

Verse 22 People kept wine in a ?bottle? that someone had made from the skin of a goat. Old skins became dry and hard. New wine, as it became mature, would press against the skin. A new skin could stretch, but an old skin would burst. Both the wine and the skin would be of no more use.

The message of Jesus was as powerful as new wine. The question of the *Pharisees about not eating showed that their attitude was as hard as an old leather bottle. They were refusing to accept the joy that Jesus could give them. Jesus? love and the power of the *Holy Spirit would give men the freedom to serve God with joy. The *Pharisees could not accept new ideas. They believed only in all their rules and therefore they could not serve God in the right way.

The *disciples in the grain field2:23-28

Verse 23 It was legal for people to pick the top parts of the corn plants. The *disciples were not stealing (Deuteronomy 23:25).

Verse 24 The *Pharisees said that the *disciples were ?working? on the rest day. They were picking the grain, so they were bringing in a harvest. The *disciples would have separated the grain from the dry outer part. The *Pharisees said that they were doing farming work.

Verses 25-26 Jesus reminded them about what David did. When he was escaping from king Saul, David and his men went into the holy place at Nob. He and his men ate the bread that God intended only for the priests. This bread was called ?the bread of the *Lord?s presence?. That meant that it showed that God was there. Twelve (12) loaves for the 12 *tribes of Israel?s people were a sign of God?s provision of their food. Every rest day, the priests put new loaves on the special table. It was ?holy? bread. So the priests were the only people whom the law allowed to eat the old loaves (Leviticus 24:5-9). But because David and his men were hungry, their need was more important than the law.

Verse 27 God gave the rest day to make life better for everyone. It existed in order to give people rest for their body. It was also a special opportunity to *worship God. God did not create man to become the slaves of all kinds of rules.

Verse 28 ?Son of Man? can mean just ?man?. Jesus said that the *Pharisees were changing God?s law. They were not allowing people to have the help that God intended. But ?Son of Man? might mean Jesus himself. He was the *Messiah who came from the family line of king David. If David could take no notice of a law for a good reason, Jesus could take no notice of men?s traditions.

Chapter 3

Jesus cures a man?s hand on God?s rest day    3:1-6

Verse 2 The *Pharisees were jealous of Jesus? popularity. He had shown that their attitudes were wrong. They were very careful about what they should not do on the rest day. They were less careful about what they should do. They allowed someone to cure on the rest day if the patient might die. Anyone else who was ill must wait until the end of the rest day.

Verse 4 Jesus was going to use the rest day to do a good deed. They were already trying to find a reason to kill him.

Verse 5 Mark made it clear that Jesus was angry. Many people are angry for selfish reasons. They are angry when other people have not been kind to them. Jesus was angry because the *Pharisees were going to use the man as a way to oppose Jesus. They were showing no love towards a man who needed their sympathy. Jesus cured the man with a brief order.

Verse 6 The *Herodians were friends of Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee. Usually the *Pharisees hated the *Herodians because Herod?s *disciples were friends with the *Romans. But both the *Pharisees and the *Herodians were afraid of Jesus. The *Pharisees thought that they might lose their *religious authority. The *Herodians thought that trouble with the *Romans would spoil their political ambitions. So the *Pharisees and the *Herodians joined together in order to oppose Jesus.

Jesus teaches by the lake          3:7-12

Verse 7 Jesus left the *Jewish meeting places because the *scribes were trying stop his work. He wanted to teach more people. So he chose the side of the lake as a place where he could teach.

Verse 8 The crowds came to him from beyond the region called Galilee. They travelled long distances from Jerusalem in the south, and from the region called Idumea even further south. People came from the *Gentile cities east of the Jordan. They even came from the foreign ports of Tyre and Sidon in the north.

Verses 9-10 The crowd was so large that it was difficult for Jesus to teach them. Also, people who wanted Jesus to cure them were trying to get near enough to touch him. Jesus was therefore in danger because the crowd were pressing against him. So he used a small boat a little way from the shore. Then everyone could see and hear him.

Verse 11 The men with evil *spirits knew that Jesus had a very close *relationship with God. They were afraid and they fell down in front of him.

Verse 12 It was too soon for people to know that Jesus was the *Messiah. They needed to know that Jesus brought freedom from *sin. They were hoping for a country free from *Roman rule. Jesus did not want people to think that a political *Messiah had arrived. There would have been trouble if people thought that. They would want him to lead them against the *Romans. So Jesus insisted that the men with evil *spirits should keep their knowledge secret.

Jesus chooses 12 *apostles      3:13-19

Verse 13 Jesus knew that he must find a way for his work to continue. He went up into the hills in order to get away from the crowds. He needed to decide which of his *disciples he should teach in a special way. Luke says that he prayed all night (Luke 6:12).

Verses 14-15 There were 12 *tribes of the *Jews. Jesus chose 12 men to become the beginning of the new people of God, the church. They would be with Jesus. They would learn more about him and they would follow his example. They would learn his message so that they could tell other people. Then he would send them out with his authority. Jesus would give them the power to cure people that evil *spirits controlled.

None of those whom he chose was a rich person or an important person. Jesus chose ordinary people. But those people would become extraordinary because they had been with him.

Verse 16 Jesus gave Simon, who used to catch fish, the name ?Peter?. The name Peter means ?Rock?. He would become a person whom God could use. God would use him as people use a rock to build on (Matthew 16:18).

Verse 17 The two sons of Zebedee were very ready to give their opinions in a loud, angry way. So Jesus called them ?Sons of Thunder?. (Thunder is the loud noise that you may hear in a storm.)

Verse 18 Andrew was Simon?s brother. Bartholomew is a surname. He was probably the same person as Nathanael, whom Philip knew (John 1:45). Bible students think that Thaddeus is the same person as Judas, son of James (Luke 6:16). Matthew had collected taxes for the *Romans. Mark calls Simon an ?Eager Man?. The Eager Men were a group who wanted to force out the *Romans. Matthew and Simon became friends because they both served Jesus.

Verse 19 Kerioth was a village in Judea. ?Iscariot? may mean ?man from Kerioth?. If so, Judas was the only man of the 12 *disciples who did not come from Galilee.

Jesus and *Beelzebub       3:20-30

The *religious leaders say that Jesus is getting his power from *Satan.

Verses 20-21 Jesus? friends thought that a sensible person would not behave like Jesus. He had left the security of his home. He was getting into trouble with the *religious authorities. He was working so hard that he was even missing meals. They thought that he had gone mad. They must go to take him home.

Verse 22 *Beelzebub was the name of a false god in the *Old Testament (2 Kings 1:3). The *Jews used it as a name for *Satan. The *scribes did not deny that Jesus could free people from evil *spirits. But they said that he got this power from *Satan, the chief evil *spirit.

Verses 23-26 It would not be sensible for *Satan to fight against himself. Jesus showed that by what he said. If one part of a *kingdom fights against another part, the *kingdom will not last. If there are quarrels in a family, that family will suffer. If *Satan was fighting his own evil *spirits, he was destroying himself.

Verse 27 Nobody can steal from a strong man?s house unless a stronger man first ties him up. *Satan was the ?strong man?. Jesus is more powerful than *Satan. Because he had defeated the evil *spirits, Jesus had begun to rob *Satan of his power.

Verses 28-30 Someone may decide to take no notice of his conscience. He knows that certain things are wrong. But he still does them. If he continues to do this, he will no longer be able to distinguish right things from wrong things. Isaiah spoke about people like that. He said that ?they call evil things good, and they call good things evil? (Isaiah 5:20). The *scribes had seen all the good things that Jesus had done. But they said that *Satan was giving him the power. So they were insulting the *Holy Spirit, who gave Jesus the power to do his work. God is willing to forgive almost anything. But he will not forgive someone who insults the *Holy Spirit.

The family of Jesus  3:31-35

Jesus shows his human family the nature of God?s family.

Verse 31 Jesus had four brothers and at least two sisters (Mark 6:3). The brothers were probably the sons of Joseph and Mary that were born after Jesus, her ?first son? (Luke 2:7). Some Christians believe that Mary did not have any more children after Jesus. Some of them believe that the word ?brothers? may mean cousins or close relatives. And some of them believe that the word ?brothers? may mean the sons and daughters of Joseph by a former wife. If so, this wife died before Joseph married Mary.

Verses 33-35 Jesus was not saying that he did not care about his human family. The *Pharisees did not take responsibility for their parents. But Jesus told them that they were wrong about that (Mark 7:9-13). Even when he was hanging on the *cross, he was looking after his mother. He made sure that she had a home (John 19:26-27). But he has a much larger family. His brothers and sisters are all those who obey God. They are not relatives by birth. But they are part of God?s family. So their *relationship with each other can be stronger than a *physical *relationship.

Chapter 4

Jesus teaches by means of *parables4:1-34

1          The *parable of the four soils 4:1-9

2          Jesus explains the *parable 4:10-20

3          A collection of things that Jesus said 4:21-25

4          The *parable of the growing seed 4:26-29

5          The *parable of the tiny seed 4:30-32

6          Jesus? use of *parables 4:33-34

The *parable of the four soils 4:1-9

Verses 3-4 Farmers used to scatter the seed by hand. Afterwards they would plough it in. People who used a path through a field would make the ground hard. Birds would quickly eat seeds that fell on top of the path.

Verses 5-6 Seeds could not make strong roots where there was only a thin amount of soil over the rock. They would grow, but the plants would be thin and weak. The hot sun would therefore destroy the weak young plants.

Verse 7 Weeds would use up the goodness in the soil. They would stop the light of the sun from reaching the plants. They would take up all the space. So the plants would not be able to grow enough to yield a crop.

Verse 8 Enough seed would fall on good ground to yield a harvest.

Verse 9 Jesus meant, ?You have ears to hear with. Listen carefully to what I am saying.?

Jesus explains the *parable       4:10-20

Verses 10-11 Jesus contrasted his *disciples with other people. The truths of the *kingdom are ?secrets? because people cannot discover them for themselves. But some people are willing to believe. And God shows that Jesus is king to those people. The ordinary person would hear the story but he or she would not understand its meaning.

Verse 12 Jesus used words from Isaiah (6:9). People were ?blind? because of their prejudices. They were ?deaf? to the truth because they were not willing to change their ways. Those who sincerely want to obey God will think about the meaning of the *parables. They will understand the truths in them. Those who have no real desire to obey God will not understand. The *parable will hide the truth from them.

Verse 14 The ?farmer? means first of all Jesus himself. Then the farmer can mean anyone who tells people about the *gospel.

Verse 15 The ?seed? of God?s message cannot enter the minds of people who are like the hard path. They have no interest at all in the *gospel. They do not realise how important it is.

Verses 16-17 Some people may accept what Jesus taught with joy. But, like a plant without deep roots, their *faith is not very strong. They do not let their *faith make a real difference to the way that they live. Problems and *temptations come. People insult or even attack them. Then their *faith dies like the plant in the hot sun.

Verses 18-19 Like tall weeds, there are many things that push out the life of *faith. They may be responsibilities, ambitions, the desire for money. Or they may be any of a wide variety of things that people enjoy doing. Some of these things are not wrong in themselves. But they can provide excuses to neglect the *spiritual life of prayer and *worship. They occupy so much time and attention that there is no space left for God.

Verse 20 Some people accept and believe the message. They are serious about their *faith and they produce the ?fruit? of a good life.

The *parable might cause people to think about their own ?soil?. Their attitude would show whether their *faith was genuine. The *parable would also encourage the *disciples. There would be a ?harvest? of those who believed Jesus and his *disciples. This was true even if some of their efforts seemed to have no good result. God?s word would not ?return to him without succeeding? (Isaiah 55:11).

A collection of things that Jesus said         4:21-25

Mark groups together some of the things that Jesus said. In Matthew and Luke, they are separate from each other.

The lamp       4:21-22

Verse 21 A lamp would be of no use if people hid it under something. It should light up a room so that people can see. Jesus? *disciples must not hide their *faith. They must allow other people to see the ?light? of God?s good news.

Verse 22 Men may try to cover up their actions, words and thoughts. But they will not be successful. Adam and Eve tried to hide from God, but they failed (Genesis 3:8-9). In the end, God will bring everything into the ?light? of his judgement.

The result when people listen    4:23-25

Verses 23-24 People must listen so that they can understand. Then they should obey what Jesus taught. Then, they will be able to understand more of the truth.

Verse 25 For example, a man may play football or he may run fast. He becomes more skilful if he practises. But he loses his skill if he does not practise. Some people do not try to understand Jesus? *parables. In the end, they will lose the power to take any notice of them.

The *parable of the growing seed      4:26-29

This *parable is in Mark?s *Gospel only.

Verses 26-28 A farmer can prepare the ground, but he cannot make the seed grow. He does not even understand how it grows. While he is carrying on his normal life, the seed is growing. *Disciples are like the farmer. They can work to give the ?seed? of God?s message to other people. But it is God who works out his purpose. His purpose is to bring more people into his *kingdom. People think that the *kingdom grows slowly. But *disciples know that God will bring a harvest.

Verse 29 There is also a final harvest. It is God?s day of judgement. Christians should wait for that time with patience and hope. They are like the farmer who is waiting for the harvest.

The *parable about the tiny seed       4:30-32

Verses 31-32 The mustard seed is very tiny. The *Jews spoke about it as the smallest seed. But it can grow into a very tall bush, more like a tree. The *kingdom of God began with few *disciples. But it has grown and it has become world-wide. A tree was picture language for a powerful nation. Many people will find safety in God?s *Kingdom.

Jesus? use of *parables     4:33-34

Verse 33 Jesus used *parables so that people would think about the meaning of his words. He told stories that were suitable for the hearers.

Verse 34 The *disciples wanted to understand. Jesus could therefore help them to understand what he taught completely.

Four *miracles Chapter 4:35 - Chapter 5:34

Mark recorded four incidents that show the authority and power of Jesus:

1          The storm on the lake 4:35-41.

2          The mad man from Gerasa 5:1-20.

3          The daughter of Jairus 5:21-24; 35-43. This incident is in two parts.

4          The account of the woman who was bleeding (5:25-34). This account is between the two parts of the account of Jairus?s daughter.

The storm on the lake        4:35-41

Verse 35 You hardly believe me at all! There is no reason for you to be so afraid Jesus had been so busy all day that he needed rest away from the crowds. The ?other side? means the east side of the lake.

Verse 36 Jesus had taught from a boat. The words ?exactly as he was? probably mean that Jesus did not leave that boat. The detail about the ?other boats? is in Mark?s *Gospel only.

Verse 37 The lake is below sea level and there are mountains on both sides of it. The wind can rush down the valley without warning. And it can make the lake very dangerous. Some of the *disciples used to catch fish and so they knew about these sudden storms. They knew how easily the boat might sink. Then they would drown.

Verse 38 Jesus was so tired that he was asleep. He was not even aware of the storm until the frightened *disciples woke him.

Verse 39 Jesus gave orders that immediately brought calmness to the lake. The writer of the Psalms says that God makes the stormy sea calm (Psalm 89:9; 107:28-29). Jesus had shown his authority over nature in the same way as God who created everything. Jesus said that his *disciples ?still? did not seem to believe at all. He was sad. They had heard so much that he had said. And they had seen so many things that he had done. But they were still not able to trust him.

Jesus can bring calmness in the events in life that are like ?storms?. Christians often use this event in Matthew 4 to show that he can do that. Sudden *temptations, illness, family problems and political troubles are a great danger to a person?s peace of mind. To have *faith in the care and power of Jesus is better than to worry and to be afraid.

Chapter 5

The man from Gerasa who had evil *spirits        5:1-20

Verse 1 Jesus went to the east side of the lake. Some copies of Mark?s book have ?Gergesenes? as a name for these people from Gerasa. And some copies have ?Gadarenes?.

Verse 2 The graves were caves among the rocks. People thought that evil *spirits lived among graves.

Verses 2-3 The details about the chains show how strong the mad man was. Mark perhaps wants to show that the power of Jesus to cure the man was much stronger. Perhaps that is why he includes these details.

Verse 5 The man could never stop to rest and he was a great danger to himself.

Verses 6-8 The man called Jesus ?the Son of the most high God?. He perhaps meant, ?You are the *Messiah.? The ?*unclean? *spirits were afraid that Jesus was going to punish them. They recognised his power.

Verse 9 In those days (and even in some countries today), to know a person?s name is to have some power over him. People also thought that nobody could send an evil *spirit out of a person unless they knew the evil *spirit?s name. Perhaps Jesus asked the man?s name to show that he wanted to help him. A ?*legion? was a section of the *Roman army, of about 6000 soldiers. The man believed that many evil *spirits had gone into him. It is possible that *Roman soldiers had frightened the man in the past. This may have caused his very disturbed mental state.

Verses 10-13 Some people do not believe that evil *spirits exist. They think that the man?s screams probably frightened the pigs. The men should have guarded the pigs. But the men were watching Jesus instead. So they could not stop the pigs from rushing down the hill into the lake.

Luke (8:31) says that the evil *spirits did not want Jesus to send them into the place for punishment. This is the place where God will put evil *spirits on the day of judgement. The evil *spirits were afraid that Jesus would punish them now. *Jews would not keep pigs. The law said that they must not eat pigs (Leviticus 11:7). The owners of the pigs would therefore have been *Gentiles. Some people blame Jesus because he allowed the death of 2000 pigs. They say that the owners had lost their way to earn money. But the healthy mind of a person is more important than money. The death of the pigs convinced the man that he was now free from control by evil *spirits.

Verse 15 The man was sitting as a *disciple would sit. He was waiting for Jesus to teach him.

Verse 17 The man was no longer a dangerous public nuisance. The people should have been happy for the man?s return to health. But, instead, they were frightened. They did not want Jesus to disturb their lives any more. His power might affect them too much.

Verses 18-20 Jesus did not usually tell a person to speak about his healing. But Jesus was in ?Decapolis?. ?Decapolis? is a *Greek word that means ?Ten Towns?. They were cities east and south of the River Jordan, where Greek people had lived for about three hundred years. So Jesus was in *Gentile territory to which he would not return. Therefore there was no danger that crowds of *Jews would want to make Jesus king. Jesus sent the man to tell other people the good news. He would be a witness among *Gentiles to the saving power of Jesus. To explain the *miracle to other people would also make the man?s own *faith stronger.

The daughter of Jairus, Part 1   5:21-24

Verse 22 Jairus was an important official. He was responsible to arrange all that happened in the meeting place. He would know about the *miracles that Jesus had performed in Capernaum. He would also know that many officials opposed Jesus. He therefore needed courage to approach Jesus in public. He had to forget his own importance. He was humble enough to go down at Jesus? feet. He loved his daughter. And that caused him to have the *faith to ask Jesus for help. Luke records that she was his only child. She was 12 years old (Luke 8:42).

The woman who was bleeding  5:25-34

Verses 25-26 Because her illness made her bleed, the woman was ?*unclean? (Leviticus 15:25-27). This meant that she could not take part in *worship in the *Jewish meeting place. People would avoid her, so she would be lonely. She had tried to get help from doctors. But they had not been able to cure her. All her money had gone and her illness was worse.

Verses 27-28 It would have been difficult for her to ask Jesus for help in public. She did not want to touch Jesus himself. Her illness made her *unclean. And anyone whom she touched would also become *unclean. So she touched the edge of his clothing.

Verse 30 Jesus knew that someone had touched him in a special way. When he cured people, Jesus felt some power go from him to them.

Verses 31-32 Jesus insisted on finding out who had touched him. The person might feel guilty about a secret touch that would make Jesus ?*unclean?. The illness might not have ended completely.

Verse 33 Perhaps the woman was afraid that Jesus would be angry with her. She believed that Jesus was able to cure people. But she did not know his love. To speak about what had happened to her would be difficult in front of so many people.

Verse 34 Jesus called her ?daughter?. This was a kind word. It meant that she was no longer *unclean. She belonged with all the other people who believed in Jesus, and in God as their Father.

He said that her *faith had made her well. It was not some kind of magic in the edge of his clothing. Jesus told her to ?go in peace?. Then, the woman knew that her illness had gone completely. Other people could accept her again. She had told Jesus everything. So she could also go and not feel guilty.

The daughter of Jairus, Part 2   5:35-43

Verses 35-36 The news from Jairus?s home might have made him stop hoping. But Jesus told him to believe that all would be well.

Verse 37 This was the first time that Jesus gave Peter, James and John a special place in his work.

Verse 38 It was usual for people to cry in a very noisy way after someone had died. There were people whom the family paid to weep over the body. The family would not have respected the dead person if they did not pay people to weep.

Verse 39 Some people think that the girl was only unconscious. But Jesus spoke about death as ?sleep?. He did so, when Lazarus had died (John 11:11-13). *New Testament letters also describe the death of Christians as sleep (1 Corinthians 15:16, 18; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). Christians later called the place where they had their graves a ?cemetery?. This name comes from a *Greek word that means ?place to sleep?.

Verse 40 They laughed at Jesus. This also helps to show that the girl was dead. Jesus sent away all those people who would disturb and frighten the girl.

Verse 41 Jesus called the girl as her mother might have done to wake her in the morning. The words, ?Talitha cumi? are *Aramaic. Peter, who was there, remembered the actual words of Jesus. Mark recorded them and then he explained them in *Greek. Peter used similar words and actions in Acts 9:40. Then, a dead woman came back to life by the power of Jesus, which was working by Peter.

Verse 43 Jesus? command was practical. Something to eat would give the girl strength after her illness. The parents needed something to do in order to bring life back to normal for themselves and their daughter. He ordered them not to tell anyone. They must now give all their attention to their daughter. This would also protect her from too much attention from crowds that might have gathered near the house.

Jesus had therefore shown his authority over nature (4:35-41), over evil *spirits (5:1-20), over illness (5:25-34) and over death (5:21-24, 35-43). In all four incidents, he removed fear and, with only a brief order, he gave peace immediately.

Chapter 6

The people in Nazareth refuse to accept Jesus6:1-6

Verse 1 Jesus went from Capernaum to his home town, Nazareth. He was not just on a private visit to his family. His *disciples were with him. So he went in order to teach.

Verses 2-3 The people in Nazareth recognised that he was wise. And they recognised that he could perform *miracles. But they could not believe that he came with God?s message. He was only the *carpenter. The word that we have translated ?*carpenter? is the *Greek word ?tekton?. It means more than someone who worked with wood. A ?tekton? was a skilled man. A ?tekton? could build or repair anything. God, when he came to earth, became a real human person. He worked with his hands, as most people did. But Jesus had worked among them. So the people thought that he could not be anyone special.

The people in Nazareth also knew Jesus? family. They called Jesus ?Mary?s son?. They do not refer to Joseph, so he had probably already died. There is a note about Jesus? brothers and sisters after Mark 3:31. James began to believe in Jesus after the *resurrection. He became a leader of the Christians in Jerusalem.

The people may have been jealous of Jesus. They also thought that God could not work in a special way by means of someone like him. That was because they knew him.

Verse 4 People did not respect *prophets who lived among them. Jesus reminded them about that. Even now, it may be difficult to accept as important someone who is familiar.

Verse 5 Jesus could not do any *miracles there. This does not mean that he had no power. But not even Jesus could help people who were not willing to trust and obey him.

Verse 6 The people refused to believe that Jesus came from God. Jesus was astonished about that. Jesus was inviting them to enter his *kingdom. Their prejudice prevented them from accepting his invitation.

Jesus sends out the 12 *disciples     6:7-13

Verse 7 ?Began to? means that Jesus sent out the 12 *disciples on more than one occasion. Because they went in pairs, the *disciples could encourage each other (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). They could help each other, especially when people would not listen to them.

Verse 8 They had to trust God for all that they needed. The traveller?s bag might be a bag in which to take food for a few days. It might mean a bag to collect money in. The *disciples were going to give people good news. They should not ask for people?s money. They should not take any money with them. People made a pocket by pulling up their clothing over their belt. And they kept their money in that.

Verse 10 It was a duty for people to invite strangers into their homes. So the *disciples would receive a place to stay. But they must not waste time by moving from house to house. They must give all their attention to the people in the place where they were guests. They must not move to a place where there might be better food or more comfort.

Verse 11 They must not waste their time on people who would not give them a welcome. *Jews who returned from a *Gentile town or country would shake the dust from their feet. This was a custom to show that they separated themselves from *Gentile ideas. The *disciples must do this. They were separating themselves from anyone who refused to believe God?s message. The *disciples were responsible to give people the opportunity to believe the good news. It was not their fault if anyone refused to believe their message.

Verse 12 The *disciples urged people to turn away from wrong behaviour and to come into God?s *kingdom.

Verse 13 They also helped people to become well in mind and body. They gave people freedom from fear when they sent evil *spirits out of them. People used oil to cure an injury. The *disciples put oil on sick people in order to cure them. James tells the leaders of a Christian church to pray for a sick person. He tells them to put oil on the person (James 5:13-14).

Herod and John the *Baptist      6:14-29

Verse 14 Herod was Herod Antipas, a son of Herod the Great. He ruled Galilee and Perea. Although Mark calls him ?king?, the *Romans would not let Herod use that word about himself.

Verse 15 People believed that Elijah would come to announce the arrival of the *Messiah (Malachi 4:5). Some people believed that Jesus was a *prophet. He spoke with authority. He was therefore like the *Old Testament *prophets.

Verse 16 Public opinion had confused Herod. He also had a guilty conscience. He had ordered the death of John. He worried that Jesus might be John, alive again. Later he had an opportunity to see Jesus. Pilate had to decide whether Jesus was guilty. He sent Jesus to Herod so that he could help him to decide (Luke 23:6-12).

Verses 17-19 Herod had first married the daughter of king Aretas, who ruled a country in Arabia (2 Corinthians 11:32). But he left her and he married Herodias. She was the wife of his half brother Philip. They were both sons of Herod the Great but they had different mothers. Salome was the daughter of Herodias. John had said that Herod was wrong to marry Herodias. She could not forgive John for that. She wanted Herod to kill John. She persuaded Herod to put John in prison at the castle of Machaerus near the Dead Sea.

Verse 20 Herod was afraid of John, but he respected him. He recognised that John was a good man. He hated John?s message, but he could not stop listening to John. He tried to protect him from the anger of Herodias.

Verses 21-22 Herodias encouraged Salome to dance alone in front of Herod and his guests. It is possible that he had drunk too much wine. He promised Salome anything that she asked for. He did not think about what she might ask.

Verse 23 He could not give Salome ?half his *kingdom?, because he only ruled with the authority of the *Romans. But he made his promise sound very serious.

Verses 24-25 Herodias now had her opportunity to murder John. The girl asked for John?s head ?immediately?. She wanted it at once. She did not want Herod to have time to change his mind.

Verse 26 Usually it is right to *keep a promise. But Herod?s promise had been a foolish one. So it would have been right not to do it. But he was afraid that his guests would laugh at him. So he was too proud to refuse. And so he made his soldiers kill John.

Jesus feeds five thousand men          6:30-44

Verse 30 Mark calls the 12 men ?*apostles? for the first time here.

Verses 30-31 The *disciples were tired. And they wanted to tell Jesus all that had happened to them on their journey. But the crowds of people prevented them. They did not even have time for a meal. Jesus suggested that they should cross the lake by boat. They would then have some quiet and rest.

Verse 33 To cross the lake by boat might take a long time. It might take more time than to run round to the other side. So the people arrived before Jesus and the *disciples.

Verse 34 Sheep without anyone to look after them soon wander away from the right path. These people did not have a leader to stop them wandering away from God. They needed someone to teach them the right way to live. A man who looks after sheep is called a ?shepherd?. The *religious leaders were like those leaders that Ezekiel described. They were like bad shepherds who did not take care of their sheep (Ezekiel 34:4-6). But Jesus is the good shepherd who cares about his sheep (John 10:11). So Jesus had great pity for the crowd. They had stopped his plan for a rest. But he was willing to teach them.

Verse 37 The *disciples were astonished that Jesus should ask them to provide food for the hungry crowd. Someone calculated that they would need more than two hundred days wages for that. Mark does not tell us who calculated that. John records that it was Philip (John 6:7).

Verse 38 It was Andrew who found the food. John also tells us that. A boy had five loaves and two fish (John 6:9). Jesus broke the fish (Luke 9:16). So we think that they may have been dried fish.

Verse 39 Jesus gave them a command. That command would make it easy for the *disciples to give out the food. The people had to sit in groups on the ?green? grass. The only time that the grass was green would be in the spring, in April. John said that this event happened near the time of the *Jewish *Passover. The *Passover *feast was in the spring (John 6:4-14).

Verse 40 The *Greek word that we have translated as ?groups? described rows of vegetables in a garden. Peter probably told Mark his memory of what the people looked like on the ?green? grass.

Verse 41 Jesus gave thanks to God for the food. *Jews always thanked God before a meal for providing the food.

Verses 42-43 The very small amount of food became enough for the crowd of over five thousand people to have plenty to eat. There were even 12 baskets of pieces left over. There was enough for each of the 12 *disciples to fill one basket each.

This event is in all four *Gospels. The writers believed that it was important.

Some people try to deny that Jesus created more food by a *miracle. They say that one boy offered his small supply. And then, all the people began to share their food. But everyone had plenty to eat and there were 12 baskets left over. Every year, God supplies the harvest. What happened here was the harvest *miracle in a short time. God?s provision of food is plentiful. But often some people are hungry because some other people are greedy.

The *Jews believed that the *Messiah would feed them with ?bread from heaven?. In Moses? time, God had fed the *Jewish people in the desert. Then, they were on their way to the country that he had promised to them (Exodus 16:14-18). Jesus had fed the crowd in a desert place. So, they believed that he was the *Messiah. He was bringing the ?promised country? of a *kingdom where they would share in the *Messiah?s splendid dinner. So they tried to make Jesus king (John 6:14-15).

At the Last Supper, Jesus ?broke the bread? as he had broken the loaves on this occasion (verse 41). The Christian Church has always remembered what Jesus did at the Last Supper. Different churches call it different names, for example: the *Lord?s Supper, the Eucharist, Holy Communion, the Breaking of Bread. It is called ?the breaking of bread? in Acts (2:42; 20:7) and in Paul?s letter (1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:24). At such times, Christians remember that Christ himself is the ?Bread?. He gives *spiritual life. He helps that *spiritual life to become stronger, as bread helps us to grow in a *physical way.

Jesus walks on the water6:45-52

Verse 45 Jesus saw that the crowd were preparing to make him king. He did not want his *disciples to share in a popular effort to lead the nation against the *Romans. So he sent them away.

Jesus needed to pray. He had many problems. The *religious leaders opposed him. Herod Antipas was a cruel man who was afraid of Jesus. Now there were the people who wanted to make him a national leader. Again Jesus had to refuse the *temptation to choose power rather than love. He did not want the crowds to stop him giving people freedom from *sin.

Verse 48 The *Jewish night had four periods. They began at six o?clock in the evening. They were three hours each. Jesus came in the fourth period, about three o?clock in the early morning. It was near the time of *Passover, when the whole of the moon would be shining. So there was probably some light from the moon on the lake. Jesus could therefore see that the *disciples were struggling against a strong wind to reach the other side.

Verse 50 The *Greek words that we have translated ?It is I? mean ?I am?. It is possible that Mark used the name of God here (Exodus 3:14). He was reminding his readers that Jesus has the same power as God. God ?walks on the waves of the sea? (Job 9:8).

Verses 51-52 The *disciples were no longer afraid when Jesus came into the boat. But they were confused. They had not understood from the *miracle of the loaves who Jesus was. They were not able to recognise that his power over nature was the power of God.

This incident encourages Christians who are in any kind of trouble. They may believe, like the *disciples in the boat, that they are struggling alone. But Jesus came to the *disciples in their difficulty. Christians should remember that Jesus is with them. Then Jesus will give peace to them too.

The crowds want Jesus to help them         6:53-56

Verse 53 Gennesaret was a small plain on the west side of the lake. It was south of Capernaum. So the wind had probably made the *disciples land away from their usual landing place.

Verse 56 Jesus cured a sick woman (5:25-34). He knew that power had gone from him. She had touched the edge of his clothing. Here many other people did the same.

Chapter 7

The Law and tradition        7:1-23