Mark 6
Summary. The overall theme of Chapter 6 is that the Lord Jesus has authority over life and nature. In this chapter, the Lord Jesus interacts with many people and with His disciples. We can summarize the events presented in Chapter 6 by grouping them into four categories. 1) Showing what the Lord has done: the Lord Jesus goes to Nazareth, and He encounters rejection from the people of His own town; the Lord Jesus sends the twelve apostles in groups of two to minister in the villages ahead of His traveling schedule; the Lord Jesus teaches the multitudes and heals them and feeds them showing mercy and showing that He has authority over life on earth; the Lord Jesus walks on water to teach the disciples about His authority over nature. 2) Showing situations the disciples have encountered: to be humble to all, don’t lift themselves above anyone; they witness the feeding of the multitudes; they go by boat ahead of the Lord Jesus and are caught in a sea storm. 3) Showing the relationship between the disciples and the Lord: the disciples learn to listen and obey (they go to minister as being sent out; they return and report to the Lord about their ministry; they go to the solitary place to rest; they feed the multitudes; they go on the boat to the other side); the disciples learn that the Lord Jesus has power and authority (the Lord Jesus multiplies five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed immense multitudes; the Lord Jesus calms the storm). 4) John touched many hearts at that time because of the way he lived and the message that he proclaimed: John has prepared the human heart to accept the Lord Jesus; he always talked about the One who is to come.
[2]
And the Sabbath having come, He began to teach in the synagogue; and many hearing were astonished, saying, From where has this Man these things? And, What is the wisdom having been given to Him ? How are such miracles done by His hands?
[3]
Is not this the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, and Joseph, and Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us? And they took offense at Him .
Comments Mark 6:3
This verse shows that the Lord Jesus was a carpenter because Joseph was a carpenter (See Matthew 13:55), and that was why He got the same trade as His earthly caretaker. The Lord Jesus worked as a carpenter with Joseph before He started His ministry on earth, and people in His hometown knew Him as a carpenter. The Lord Jesus worked with His hands, and this is an example for all humans. If the Lord has worked with His hands, why do some humans try to find a way not to work? However, see the example: the Son of God was a carpenter by trade during His earthly life. (See Comments Matthew 13:54-56).
[4]
And Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown, and among his relatives, and in his house.
[5]
And He was not able to do any mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick and healed them.
Comments Mark 6:1-6
See also Comments Matthew 13:54-58.
Matthew 13:54-58 and Mark 6:1-6 present the same events happening at the same time, but Luke 4:16-30 presents different time events. As it is clearly written, in His own town, the Lord Jesus has been rejected many times. They did not look to Him but to His earthly family. By human eyes, the Lord Jesus walked in a parallel with His early family; human eyes did not see the mighty works the Lord Jesus did without their own criticism. They could not accept a common man doing mighty works as they saw the Lord Jesus was doing. The question rose up in human hearts: “Was this the same person that they knew?” This way, the people around tried to put out (spread) that He was not the same man they knew because if He was the same man, what about His family? The concern about His family and thinking of Him, who grew up together with them, was those people’s thoughts. Regardless of how many mighty works the Lord Jesus would do, doubt was in their hearts and souls; the question would always arise between Him and His earthy family, and they would not be able to separate in human eyes. What His earthly family would be doing, He must take responsibility. Still, they didn’t look at Him as on His own to be different and special.
Even now, it is the same. People read the Bible and think the same way: why is His earthly family in that way, but He is separated out and is different, and how, from a low-level family, can He rise up to be a Teacher? Now and then, there is no difference in how people think, and that is why, even these days, many people come up with the idea that the Bible is a man-made book. But the Lord will not hide the truth about the way things were in regard to His earthly family. However, if the Bible were a man-made book, it would praise the Lord on different levels of humans. The Lord Jesus does not have to be born into a poor family; we can say that a narrow mind makes wisdom limited [the idea is that if humans would choose a savior, they will make him be born into a wealthy family and be successful in earthly things]. But, because for the Father Himself, the level of humans, rich or poor, has no meaning, and the way the Lord is to be born is to save all humans from below to up, that is why the Lord came into a low-level family. The earthly treasures are not things that lift the Lord Jesus up in any way. If the Lord Jesus had been born in a king family, the humans will not have the cross for saving them, and that is why it is in this way. The Lord Jesus came for the entire human race.
Matthew 13:54-58 and Mark 6:1-6 present the same events happening at the same time, but Luke 4:16-30 presents different time events. As it is clearly written, in His own town, the Lord Jesus has been rejected many times. They did not look to Him but to His earthly family. By human eyes, the Lord Jesus walked in a parallel with His early family; human eyes did not see the mighty works the Lord Jesus did without their own criticism. They could not accept a common man doing mighty works as they saw the Lord Jesus was doing. The question rose up in human hearts: “Was this the same person that they knew?” This way, the people around tried to put out (spread) that He was not the same man they knew because if He was the same man, what about His family? The concern about His family and thinking of Him, who grew up together with them, was those people’s thoughts. Regardless of how many mighty works the Lord Jesus would do, doubt was in their hearts and souls; the question would always arise between Him and His earthy family, and they would not be able to separate in human eyes. What His earthly family would be doing, He must take responsibility. Still, they didn’t look at Him as on His own to be different and special.
Even now, it is the same. People read the Bible and think the same way: why is His earthly family in that way, but He is separated out and is different, and how, from a low-level family, can He rise up to be a Teacher? Now and then, there is no difference in how people think, and that is why, even these days, many people come up with the idea that the Bible is a man-made book. But the Lord will not hide the truth about the way things were in regard to His earthly family. However, if the Bible were a man-made book, it would praise the Lord on different levels of humans. The Lord Jesus does not have to be born into a poor family; we can say that a narrow mind makes wisdom limited [the idea is that if humans would choose a savior, they will make him be born into a wealthy family and be successful in earthly things]. But, because for the Father Himself, the level of humans, rich or poor, has no meaning, and the way the Lord is to be born is to save all humans from below to up, that is why the Lord came into a low-level family. The earthly treasures are not things that lift the Lord Jesus up in any way. If the Lord Jesus had been born in a king family, the humans will not have the cross for saving them, and that is why it is in this way. The Lord Jesus came for the entire human race.
[7]
And He calls the twelve, and He began to send them out two by two; and He gave them authority over the unclean spirits;
[8]
and He instructed them that they should take nothing for the journey, except a staff only; no bread, no bag, no money in the belt;
[9]
but wearing sandals, and do not put on two tunics.
[10]
And He said to them, Wherever if you enter into a house, there remain until you depart from there.
[11]
And whatever place will not receive you nor hear you, departing from there, shake off the dust that is under your feet for a testimony against them. Truly I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom or Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that town.
[12]
And they went out, and preached that people should repent.
[13]
And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many sick and healed them.
Comments Mark 6:7-13
See also Comments Matthew 10: 5-14, and Comments Luke 9:1-6.
Reading these portions of Scripture, we can say that the event described here in Mark 6:7-13 is different from the events described in Matthew 10:5-14 and Luke 9:1-6.
Q: Did the Lord send His disciples out to minister more than once? A: As time went by, the Lord sent the disciples according to the traveling time of the Lord. The Lord would send the disciples out sometimes in many directions at the same time to prepare the people that the Lord was coming. The Lord would send the disciples out to prepare the way and announce the coming of the Lord. Because the time of the Lord Jesus on earth was short, the Lord used the disciples to go ahead and make the time more efficient; that was the way the Lord did.
Q: Did the Lord give them similar instructions every time they went out? A: Always, the Lord would give the same instructions to the disciples regarding how to go out and what they should announce to people. The Lord wanted them to prepare the people. The instructions would always be the same: to tell all people that the Lord Jesus was coming, be ready, and come to meet the Lord; come with sincere hearts, and they did not need to bring anything. All the disciples would go and prepare the people to announce the good news and make people be alert and ready to meet the Lord. Even today, just come as you are with honest hearts; the Lord has come for humans, come to the Lord.
Event Analysis
Mark 6:7. Notice the term used: “two by two”; the disciples were not ready to be alone, to go out in the world alone; they were not ready yet; going with another disciple could help one another. As the Lord creates the situation, another voice that comes together would help both to go until the end of the work. Even nowadays, the Lord will not send one to go alone and get lost in the world; always, the Lord will have someone else to help; as they go out, they will meet someone that the Lord brings to meet, and both will do work together, not as a personal relationship, but as personal workers of the Lord. At that time, life was difficult, and traveling in pairs was better than alone; it strengthened each other. Even these days, the Lord will not advise anyone to go out and do things alone; He will always send out to meet someone to support the work.
Q: Did the disciples lose the authority given to them by the Lord after they finished their work? A: This authority would only stay for a while; they retained it during the work period only. When the work had finished, the authority that had been given them would return to the Lord. And the disciples knew that it was not their own power, but by the mercy of the Lord, they could do the work. In this way, security was in their hearts, that they were not alone, and the Lord was always with them; as they went and did work, their faith would also grow, and they would learn to trust in the Lord. Every time when the Lord sent the disciples out, He gave them the authority they needed.
Mark 6:8-9. You can clearly see that the sending out of the disciples happened not only one time; that is not only one time that the Lord sent the disciples ahead of Him. But, also, the Lord wants people to see the disciples are humble the way they should be. If the disciples go and make themselves look luxurious, then what would people expect to receive, outside blessings or internal blessings? (See also Matthew 10:9-10 Comments). (See also Matthew 10:9-10 Comments).
Q: Why is it advised in Mark to wear sandals, and in Matthew, it says not to acquire sandals? A: Because in one case, they walked straight away (on dirt and rocky roads), and in another, they walked a longer distance (through hills and forests). If you just walk the straight way, you have a limited number of people you meet, but the ones that He sent around would go around villages as well. On some paths that they took, they were advised to take sandals: walk on the road or walk in the bush because, in the bush, there are thorns you need to wear something. In contrast, on the path, there are rocks and dirt, and they can walk without shoes or sandals.
Mark 6:10-11. Here, it clearly shows that people would invite the disciples. When they received the invitation, the disciples would stay there until the work was done and would not walk from house to house. Therefore, if the person has invited you in, the Lord has already opened their hearts to receive the word you will tell. If the house does not accept the word, depart and do not return; pay attention to the fact that they did not receive the word as well; in many cases, the worries of life make the voice of the Lord not fruitful. Don’t take responsibility because you already told them the good news: your duty has ended, but they did not receive it.
Mark 6:11-13. These verses tell that in some places, the fruit has grown, and in other places, the fruit has withered; both places have received the fruit, but the difference is there: the Lord has given you eyes to see where the fruit has produced, according to the verse.
Reading these portions of Scripture, we can say that the event described here in Mark 6:7-13 is different from the events described in Matthew 10:5-14 and Luke 9:1-6.
Q: Did the Lord send His disciples out to minister more than once? A: As time went by, the Lord sent the disciples according to the traveling time of the Lord. The Lord would send the disciples out sometimes in many directions at the same time to prepare the people that the Lord was coming. The Lord would send the disciples out to prepare the way and announce the coming of the Lord. Because the time of the Lord Jesus on earth was short, the Lord used the disciples to go ahead and make the time more efficient; that was the way the Lord did.
Q: Did the Lord give them similar instructions every time they went out? A: Always, the Lord would give the same instructions to the disciples regarding how to go out and what they should announce to people. The Lord wanted them to prepare the people. The instructions would always be the same: to tell all people that the Lord Jesus was coming, be ready, and come to meet the Lord; come with sincere hearts, and they did not need to bring anything. All the disciples would go and prepare the people to announce the good news and make people be alert and ready to meet the Lord. Even today, just come as you are with honest hearts; the Lord has come for humans, come to the Lord.
Event Analysis
Mark 6:7. Notice the term used: “two by two”; the disciples were not ready to be alone, to go out in the world alone; they were not ready yet; going with another disciple could help one another. As the Lord creates the situation, another voice that comes together would help both to go until the end of the work. Even nowadays, the Lord will not send one to go alone and get lost in the world; always, the Lord will have someone else to help; as they go out, they will meet someone that the Lord brings to meet, and both will do work together, not as a personal relationship, but as personal workers of the Lord. At that time, life was difficult, and traveling in pairs was better than alone; it strengthened each other. Even these days, the Lord will not advise anyone to go out and do things alone; He will always send out to meet someone to support the work.
Q: Did the disciples lose the authority given to them by the Lord after they finished their work? A: This authority would only stay for a while; they retained it during the work period only. When the work had finished, the authority that had been given them would return to the Lord. And the disciples knew that it was not their own power, but by the mercy of the Lord, they could do the work. In this way, security was in their hearts, that they were not alone, and the Lord was always with them; as they went and did work, their faith would also grow, and they would learn to trust in the Lord. Every time when the Lord sent the disciples out, He gave them the authority they needed.
Mark 6:8-9. You can clearly see that the sending out of the disciples happened not only one time; that is not only one time that the Lord sent the disciples ahead of Him. But, also, the Lord wants people to see the disciples are humble the way they should be. If the disciples go and make themselves look luxurious, then what would people expect to receive, outside blessings or internal blessings? (See also Matthew 10:9-10 Comments). (See also Matthew 10:9-10 Comments).
Q: Why is it advised in Mark to wear sandals, and in Matthew, it says not to acquire sandals? A: Because in one case, they walked straight away (on dirt and rocky roads), and in another, they walked a longer distance (through hills and forests). If you just walk the straight way, you have a limited number of people you meet, but the ones that He sent around would go around villages as well. On some paths that they took, they were advised to take sandals: walk on the road or walk in the bush because, in the bush, there are thorns you need to wear something. In contrast, on the path, there are rocks and dirt, and they can walk without shoes or sandals.
Mark 6:10-11. Here, it clearly shows that people would invite the disciples. When they received the invitation, the disciples would stay there until the work was done and would not walk from house to house. Therefore, if the person has invited you in, the Lord has already opened their hearts to receive the word you will tell. If the house does not accept the word, depart and do not return; pay attention to the fact that they did not receive the word as well; in many cases, the worries of life make the voice of the Lord not fruitful. Don’t take responsibility because you already told them the good news: your duty has ended, but they did not receive it.
Mark 6:11-13. These verses tell that in some places, the fruit has grown, and in other places, the fruit has withered; both places have received the fruit, but the difference is there: the Lord has given you eyes to see where the fruit has produced, according to the verse.
[14]
And King Herod heard, for His name had become known; and he said, John the Baptizer is risen from the dead, and because of this, the miraculous powers work in Him .
[15]
However, others said, It is Elijah. And others said, A prophet, even as one of the prophets.
[16]
But Herod, having heard, said, John, whom I beheaded, he is risen!
[17]
For Herod himself, having sent, seized John and bound him in prison, on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, because he had married her.
[18]
For John said to Herod, It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.
[19]
And Herodias had a grudge against him, and desired to kill him, and could not;
[20]
for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and kept him safe. And having heard him, he was greatly perplexed and heard him gladly.
[21]
And having come a convenient day, when Herod on his birthday made a supper to his chief men, and the chief captains, and the leading men of Galilee;
[22]
and having come in the daughter of Herodias herself and having danced, she pleased Herod and those reclining with him; and the king said to the damsel, Ask of me whatever you wish, and I will give you.
[23]
And he swore to her, That if you might ask me, I will give you up to half of my kingdom.
[24]
And having gone out, she said to her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptizer.
[25]
And she came in straightaway with haste to the king, and asked, saying, I desire that you at once give me on a platter the head of John the Baptist.
[26]
And the king was exceedingly sorry; on account of the oaths and those reclining with him, he would not refuse her.
[27]
And straightaway the king having sent an executioner, he commanded to bring his head; and having gone, he beheaded him in the prison,
[28]
and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the damsel; and the damsel gave it to her mother.
[29]
And his disciples, having heard, came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.
Comments Mark 6:14-29
See also Comments Matthew 14:1-12 and Comments Luke 9:7-9.
Matthew and Mark support each other in these portions of Scripture. See the comments posted for Matthew 14:1-12. John the Baptist touched many hearts in that time because of the way he lived and the message that he proclaimed; no one else has come to proclaim the same message as John did. John prepared human hearts to accept the Lord Jesus; he always talked about the One who is to come; that was the message of John. The people and the disciples have seen who John was for the Lord because when the Lord Jesus heard about the death of John, He went to a desolate place (See Comments Matthew 14:13).
Matthew and Mark support each other in these portions of Scripture. See the comments posted for Matthew 14:1-12. John the Baptist touched many hearts in that time because of the way he lived and the message that he proclaimed; no one else has come to proclaim the same message as John did. John prepared human hearts to accept the Lord Jesus; he always talked about the One who is to come; that was the message of John. The people and the disciples have seen who John was for the Lord because when the Lord Jesus heard about the death of John, He went to a desolate place (See Comments Matthew 14:13).
[30]
And the apostles are gathered together to Jesus ; and they reported to Him all things, how much they had done, and how much they had instructed.
[31]
And He said to them, Come you yourselves independently to a solitary place, and rest a while. For those coming and those going were many, and they had no leisure not even to eat.
[32]
And they went away by the boat into a solitary place by themselves.
[33]
And the people saw them going, and many recognized and they ran together there on foot from all the cities and went before them.
[34]
And having come forth, He saw a great multitude and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were like sheep not having a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
[35]
And already the hour being late, His disciples having come to Him were saying, The place is desert, and the hour is already late;
[36]
send them away, that having gone into the region and villages around, they might buy for themselves something to eat.
[37]
But answering, He said to them, Give you them to eat. And they say to Him , Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii of bread, and give them to eat?
[38]
And He says to them, How many loaves do you have? Go see. And coming to know, they say, Five, and two fishes.
[39]
And He commanded them that all should sit down, groups by groups on the green grass.
[40]
And they sat down groups by groups, by hundreds, and by fifties.
[41]
And having taken the five loaves and the two fishes, looking up to the heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves; and He kept giving to His disciples that they might set before them; and the two fishes He divided among all.
[42]
And they all ate, and were filled.
[43]
And they took up broken pieces, twelve baskets full, and of the fishes.
[44]
And those eating of the loaves were five thousand men.
Comments Mark 6:30-44
See also Comments Matthew 14:13-21, Comments Luke 9:10-17, and Comments John 6:1-13.
Q: Is the feeding of 5,000 presented in these passages of Scripture one feeding event? A: There are two feeding events described in these passages, one distinct feeding described in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21 and Luke 9:10-17, and the other distinct feeding described in John 6:1-13. We can tell the difference by the places: two different places are described in these passages of Scripture, and they are not the same.
Q: The problem with the two feedings is that each time, there were about 5,000 men, plus we had the same situation with five loaves, two fishes, and the twelve baskets left over; so how do we explain this similarity of numbers? A: The Gospel that uses the term men and people (See John 6:10 ESV) is the point of separation; specifically, when it says people, it includes men and woman, but when it tells men, it is just men counting and then will include woman and children later; use that as a point to notice the difference between the two feedings. The number 5,000 is also just an approximate number.
Q: Do all translations use men in these passages? A: Because we didn’t know how to search, but it does not mean it is not there. It has been fighting for many, many things; even when it clearly says 5,000 and 4,000, it is still being debated, and now we come with one more extra feeding event. The way humans look over information does not mean it is not there; you must open your eyes and heart at the same time.
Matthew 14:21 versus John 6:10 are the separating verses as per the amount of people. From Matthew 14:21, we can conclude that at the first feeding area (See Map Jesus’ Travel), there were about “five thousand men besides women and children.” Furthermore, from John 6:10, we can conclude that at the second feeding area (See Map Jesus’ Travel), there were about five thousand people. It is believed that when John 6:10 says, “Make the people sit down” and then “the men sat down,” both refer to the same amount of people. In John 6:10, people and men are one in God’s eyes.
In our understanding, Mark 6:30-31 (Mark 6:30-31, Luke 9:10, John 6:1-2). Timewise, the feeding described in Matthew, Mark, and Luke takes place after the apostles returned from their sending out (See Mark 6:7-13). Pay attention on the words “are gathered together” or “returned”: are they returning alone, or are people following as well? In this part, it will be able to link why we have two feedings. The people that were before (following the disciples, See Mark 6:31) and the people that followed the Lord Jesus (See John 6:2) and came later, it makes it become two groups of people; the first feeding group moves further, the second group is coming to go to the second feeding event. That is why we have two distinct feedings, but the Bible has put them together. However, we can separate the situation into two feedings by these verses. Remember also that we had another group before the disciples returned as well, making two distinct groups of people: the group that was there before the disciples returned to whom the Lord Jesus ministered and did miracles, and the group that followed the disciples. As a group of people moved in, it would push another group to move further, so the group that came after did not know what happened to the other group; they started the new group; that is why the Bible says the Lord never stopped working, people came in and went out at all times.
Also, pay attention in John 6:1 to the words “after these,” which tells that something else happened before; the events in John 6:1-15 happened after the events described in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21, and Luke 9:10-17; therefore, we can understand that there were two distinct groups of people that were fed. Imagine the scene of the events; these two feedings can’t be far apart. As the second group comes, it pushes the first group further, and it comes to almost the same place as the first group being there, but still a little gap of space and time between these two feedings. That is why it has become the Gospel of each individual: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; Matthew has done his portion, Mark and Luke also did their portion, and John has come to do his part to make the Bible complete. Some put their heart into one Gospel, others put their heart in another Gospel, but both of these have to learn and combine all Gospels because the Bible is one only; it may have many Gospels, but still one Bible, and all can be connected together with One Spirit; it has branches to many writers.
Comments Mark 6:32. (Mark 6:32, Matthew 14:13, Luke 9:10-11). Combining the events from Mark, Matthew, and Luke, we understand that the Lord Jesus met all the disciples after they came together to Him to report “all things, how much they had done, and how much they had instructed” (See Mark 6:30) after He sent them out two by two to minister in the surrounding villages (See Mark 6:7-13). Then the Lord Jesus and the disciples went separate ways: 1) the disciples went by boat independently “to a solitary place, and rest a while” (See Mark 6:31-32); the Lord told them to separate themselves from the people that followed them and go by themselves; 2) The Lord Jesus goes apart by Himself to a town called Bethsaida where He welcomed the people and taught and healed them (See Luke 9:10-11); “And having taken them, He withdrew by Himself into a city called Bethsaida,” meaning that He took them away from people as shown in Mark and He withdrew apart. Afterward, the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death (See Matthew 14:1-12); and, when the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death, He withdrew from Bethsaida “by a boat to a desolate place by Himself” (no people) (See Matthew 14:13). Some people followed the Lord Jesus on foot, and others followed the disciples. A big group of people went to this desolate place where the feeding of the first group of “about five thousand men, besides women and children” took place.
Comparison Analysis (See Map Jesus’ Travel for this chapter)
Part 1: (Mark 6:30-35, Matthew 14:13-15, Luke 9:10-12). In this part, we have the events prior to the first feeding of five thousand. To better understand these portions of Scripture, we show a time map with the order of verses from the three Gospels.
1). Mark 6:30 and Luke 9:10a occur at the same time; here, the Lord Jesus and all the apostles are together somewhere nearby Bethsaida. The events in Mark and Luke start from the point when all the apostles return to the Lord Jesus from their sending out.
2). Mark 6:31 shows that many people were coming and going, and the Lord Jesus instructs the disciples to go “independently to a solitary place, and rest a while.”
3). Mark 6:32 and Luke 9:10a (“And having taken them”) happen at the same time; here, it shows that the disciples go by themselves to the desolate place by boat. When Luke Luke 9:10a says, “And having taken them,” it really means that the Lord Jesus took them (the disciples) away from the crowd since many were following them.
4). Luke 9:10b (“He withdrew by Himself into a city called Bethsaida”), which really means that the Lord Jesus separated from the disciples and went to Bethsaida.
5). Mark 6:33 shows that there was a group of people who followed the disciples on foot to the desolate place.
6). Luke 9:11 shows that a group of people followed the Lord Jesus to Bethsaida, where the Lord Jesus taught the people and healed their sick.
7). Matthew 14:13a shows that the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death. Matthew then starts to report on the events from this point in time.
8). Matthew 14:13b shows that after the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death, He left Bethsaida and went by boat to the solitary place where the disciples had gone before. A group of people followed the Lord Jesus on foot.
9). Mark 6:34 and Matthew 14:14 occur at the same time, and they show that the Lord Jesus went ashore and saw a large group of people waiting: the group that followed the disciples and the group that followed the Lord Jesus.
10). Luke 9:11 really compresses the events and refers to both places: Bethsaida and the shore place. It shows that people followed the Lord Jesus, and He taught the people and healed them. Notice that Bethsaida was close to the desolate place; the Lord Jesus did healing and teaching at both points, which are close to each other, space-wise and time-wise. Luke reports just about the teaching and healing up to this point.
11). Mark 6:35, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12. These verses show all three Gospels synchronized in time and space; they are all in the same spot, in the desolate place, in the evening before the Passover begins.
Part 2. (Mark 6:35-37, Matthew 14:15-16, Luke 9:12-13). The day had ended, and the people who stayed there needed provisions; now, it was the time when the Lord was concerned for the people who stayed around, not for the people who had already left. It was not easy to find people to help in the desolate area where they were.
Continuing with the verses’ time map, we can follow the events from all three Gospels.
1). Mark 6:35-36, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12. All these verses show that the day ended, and the disciples came to the Lord to ask Him to send the people away. Now we notice how the disciples thought; with the human mind thinking: the time is late, let the people go, and they can do something for themselves. But they did not think about the amount of people there and where they could go to find food and a place to lodge in this desolate place. The disciples were common men, and they thought that they, as humans, had limitations for this amount of people to provide for them; when they saw they could not do it themselves, they shipped them away, but the Lord thought of the people first. The Lord thought how they should be fed; the old and the young were in the Lord’s concern; that was why the Lord told the disciples you feed them, to bring the disciples’ minds back to themselves and think of their duty as well; as a disciple, you have a duty toward people.
2). Mark 6:37a, Matthew 14:16, Luke 9:13a. All these portions of Scripture show that the Lord Jesus told His disciples that the people “have no need to go away” and the disciples should “give them to eat.”
3). Mark 6:37b. This portion of the verse shows that the disciples were confused and believed that they needed to buy food for all these people. Before they knew how much food they had, they were concerned about how they would get food. The two hundred denarii was a significant amount of money for the disciples. When the Lord traveled with them, they did not carry money, and to buy food for that many people should not have been for them to think because they knew they didn’t have money. Here, the disciples saw in a limited space. They only thought about what was in front of them; that amount of money none of them carried; it was a big amount for common men; the concern had come to the disciples. When the disciples saw this, they said about denarii to show that they did not have money to buy food and to remind the Lord that no disciple had money.
Part 3. (Mark 6:38, Matthew 14:17-18, Luke 9:13b). In this part, the Lord teaches the disciples not to worry and use what they have to feed the people and bring all the problems to the Lord before worrying about something.
The verses’ time map for this part continues below:
1). Mark 6:38a. This portion of the verse shows that the Lord asked the disciples to go and see how many loaves of bread they had. The Lord also wanted them to think first about what they had in their hands and know what they had before worrying about what they didn’t have; this is a teaching for the disciples.
2). Mark 6:38b, Matthew 14:17, Luke 9:13b. These portions of Scripture show that the disciples had only five loaves of bread and two fishes unless they would go to buy some more.
3). Matthew 14:18. This verse shows that the Lord instructed the disciples to bring the food to Him. Now, the Lord wanted them to learn to whom they should look first when the troubles come and seek help from the Lord always; it doesn’t matter what problem is, small or big, only One that they should look for and believe that the Lord can help them to solve the problem. Now, the Lord was teaching the disciples to bring all problems to the Lord, as all humans should do the same: bring all troubles to the Lord, don’t carry them on your own; the Lord can carry them for all.
Part 4. (Mark 6:39-44, Matthew 14:19-21, Luke 9:14-17). Now it comes to the time the Lord shows His authority over all life and nature and, also, the Lord has shown the power on earth whom people can come and put trust in; the One that can give all to people, only One on earth that has that authority, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, the Lord has been giving faith in the human heart towards the Lord’s mercy; from little small food, if people trust, the Lord can make them full again, not just full spiritually, but also the stomach can be full as well. (See also Comments Matthew 14:19-21).
The verses’ time map for this part continues below:
1). Mark 6:39-40, Matthew 14:19aa (here 14:19aa means the first half part of the first half of verse 19; the first half of verse 19 would be noted as 19a and the second half as 19b), Luke 9:14-15. These verses show that the Lord “commanded them all” (not just the men, but all the people) to sit down “on the green grass,” and the people sat in groups of hundreds and fifties. Q: Why is green grass mentioned in this place? A: Because where they were here, it had green grass all over the area; in some other places, it may not be the same, but in this portion of Scripture where the Lord was, there was green grass everywhere.
2). Mark 6:41, Matthew 14:19ab-19b (here 14:19ab-19b means the second half part of the first half of verse 19 and the second part of verse 19), Luke 9:16. These verses show that the Lord took the five loaves and the two fishes and looked up to heaven and said a blessing, then He broke the loaves and the fishes in pieces and gave them to the disciples, and “the disciples to the multitudes.” The Lord broke the loaves and the fishes in small pieces, and these pieces became new loaves and fishes in the Lord’s hand (See Comments Matthew 14:19b). But also remember now it was in human eyes, they have seen the food from little pieces turning to be loaves, confirming and strengthening the faith of multitudes that were sitting there. Everybody has seen a small amount of food the Lord had and multiplied it in front of their eyes. Now, the word would spread more that the Lord would give food as well to follow Him, and people would be talking and thinking at the same time about who was He that could do that; the word that God had come down has been confirmed among humans.
3). Mark 6:42-43, Matthew 14:20, Luke 9:17. These verses tell that the people ate until they were filled (See Comments Matthew 14:20), and there were twelve baskets full of broken pieces of bread and fish that were collected. Now also, we have seen the mercy of the Lord; He fed them until they were full, and no one was left to be hungry. The Lord has clearly shown the power of the multiplication of food. People will never be lacking as long as they listen and obey; the food for the body the Lord can provide, but think about the food for the inner soul that only the Lord can give in the whole universe; no one else can satisfy the soul.
4). Mark 6:44, Matthew 14:21, Luke 9:14a. These verses show that there were about five thousand men besides women and children who were fed by the Lord.
5). John 6:1-15. IIn John’s message itself, it clearly states that the Lord Jesus went from the Sea of Galilee side, where the first feeding took place (as shown above), to the Tiberias side, where the second feeding would take place. The events described in John 6:1-15 15 took place after Mark 6:44; this shows a gap of more than a day between Mark 6:44 and Mark 6:45. In many places in the Bible, between verses, there is a gap of time, but people choose to ignore this. The Gospels are written in a spiritual (i.e., Holy Spirit-dictated) order, not necessarily a chronological order.
In this comparison analysis, we can see that the Gospel of Mark shows more details, but even what they don’t have in some Gospels, all Gospels connect, and even missing some information, none are against each other; in the end, there will still be the same meaning.
Q: Is the feeding of 5,000 presented in these passages of Scripture one feeding event? A: There are two feeding events described in these passages, one distinct feeding described in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21 and Luke 9:10-17, and the other distinct feeding described in John 6:1-13. We can tell the difference by the places: two different places are described in these passages of Scripture, and they are not the same.
Q: The problem with the two feedings is that each time, there were about 5,000 men, plus we had the same situation with five loaves, two fishes, and the twelve baskets left over; so how do we explain this similarity of numbers? A: The Gospel that uses the term men and people (See John 6:10 ESV) is the point of separation; specifically, when it says people, it includes men and woman, but when it tells men, it is just men counting and then will include woman and children later; use that as a point to notice the difference between the two feedings. The number 5,000 is also just an approximate number.
Q: Do all translations use men in these passages? A: Because we didn’t know how to search, but it does not mean it is not there. It has been fighting for many, many things; even when it clearly says 5,000 and 4,000, it is still being debated, and now we come with one more extra feeding event. The way humans look over information does not mean it is not there; you must open your eyes and heart at the same time.
Matthew 14:21 versus John 6:10 are the separating verses as per the amount of people. From Matthew 14:21, we can conclude that at the first feeding area (See Map Jesus’ Travel), there were about “five thousand men besides women and children.” Furthermore, from John 6:10, we can conclude that at the second feeding area (See Map Jesus’ Travel), there were about five thousand people. It is believed that when John 6:10 says, “Make the people sit down” and then “the men sat down,” both refer to the same amount of people. In John 6:10, people and men are one in God’s eyes.
In our understanding, Mark 6:30-31 (Mark 6:30-31, Luke 9:10, John 6:1-2). Timewise, the feeding described in Matthew, Mark, and Luke takes place after the apostles returned from their sending out (See Mark 6:7-13). Pay attention on the words “are gathered together” or “returned”: are they returning alone, or are people following as well? In this part, it will be able to link why we have two feedings. The people that were before (following the disciples, See Mark 6:31) and the people that followed the Lord Jesus (See John 6:2) and came later, it makes it become two groups of people; the first feeding group moves further, the second group is coming to go to the second feeding event. That is why we have two distinct feedings, but the Bible has put them together. However, we can separate the situation into two feedings by these verses. Remember also that we had another group before the disciples returned as well, making two distinct groups of people: the group that was there before the disciples returned to whom the Lord Jesus ministered and did miracles, and the group that followed the disciples. As a group of people moved in, it would push another group to move further, so the group that came after did not know what happened to the other group; they started the new group; that is why the Bible says the Lord never stopped working, people came in and went out at all times.
Also, pay attention in John 6:1 to the words “after these,” which tells that something else happened before; the events in John 6:1-15 happened after the events described in Mark 6:30-44, Matthew 14:13-21, and Luke 9:10-17; therefore, we can understand that there were two distinct groups of people that were fed. Imagine the scene of the events; these two feedings can’t be far apart. As the second group comes, it pushes the first group further, and it comes to almost the same place as the first group being there, but still a little gap of space and time between these two feedings. That is why it has become the Gospel of each individual: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; Matthew has done his portion, Mark and Luke also did their portion, and John has come to do his part to make the Bible complete. Some put their heart into one Gospel, others put their heart in another Gospel, but both of these have to learn and combine all Gospels because the Bible is one only; it may have many Gospels, but still one Bible, and all can be connected together with One Spirit; it has branches to many writers.
Comments Mark 6:32. (Mark 6:32, Matthew 14:13, Luke 9:10-11). Combining the events from Mark, Matthew, and Luke, we understand that the Lord Jesus met all the disciples after they came together to Him to report “all things, how much they had done, and how much they had instructed” (See Mark 6:30) after He sent them out two by two to minister in the surrounding villages (See Mark 6:7-13). Then the Lord Jesus and the disciples went separate ways: 1) the disciples went by boat independently “to a solitary place, and rest a while” (See Mark 6:31-32); the Lord told them to separate themselves from the people that followed them and go by themselves; 2) The Lord Jesus goes apart by Himself to a town called Bethsaida where He welcomed the people and taught and healed them (See Luke 9:10-11); “And having taken them, He withdrew by Himself into a city called Bethsaida,” meaning that He took them away from people as shown in Mark and He withdrew apart. Afterward, the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death (See Matthew 14:1-12); and, when the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death, He withdrew from Bethsaida “by a boat to a desolate place by Himself” (no people) (See Matthew 14:13). Some people followed the Lord Jesus on foot, and others followed the disciples. A big group of people went to this desolate place where the feeding of the first group of “about five thousand men, besides women and children” took place.
Comparison Analysis (See Map Jesus’ Travel for this chapter)
Part 1: (Mark 6:30-35, Matthew 14:13-15, Luke 9:10-12). In this part, we have the events prior to the first feeding of five thousand. To better understand these portions of Scripture, we show a time map with the order of verses from the three Gospels.
1). Mark 6:30 and Luke 9:10a occur at the same time; here, the Lord Jesus and all the apostles are together somewhere nearby Bethsaida. The events in Mark and Luke start from the point when all the apostles return to the Lord Jesus from their sending out.
2). Mark 6:31 shows that many people were coming and going, and the Lord Jesus instructs the disciples to go “independently to a solitary place, and rest a while.”
3). Mark 6:32 and Luke 9:10a (“And having taken them”) happen at the same time; here, it shows that the disciples go by themselves to the desolate place by boat. When Luke Luke 9:10a says, “And having taken them,” it really means that the Lord Jesus took them (the disciples) away from the crowd since many were following them.
4). Luke 9:10b (“He withdrew by Himself into a city called Bethsaida”), which really means that the Lord Jesus separated from the disciples and went to Bethsaida.
5). Mark 6:33 shows that there was a group of people who followed the disciples on foot to the desolate place.
6). Luke 9:11 shows that a group of people followed the Lord Jesus to Bethsaida, where the Lord Jesus taught the people and healed their sick.
7). Matthew 14:13a shows that the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death. Matthew then starts to report on the events from this point in time.
8). Matthew 14:13b shows that after the Lord Jesus heard about John’s death, He left Bethsaida and went by boat to the solitary place where the disciples had gone before. A group of people followed the Lord Jesus on foot.
9). Mark 6:34 and Matthew 14:14 occur at the same time, and they show that the Lord Jesus went ashore and saw a large group of people waiting: the group that followed the disciples and the group that followed the Lord Jesus.
10). Luke 9:11 really compresses the events and refers to both places: Bethsaida and the shore place. It shows that people followed the Lord Jesus, and He taught the people and healed them. Notice that Bethsaida was close to the desolate place; the Lord Jesus did healing and teaching at both points, which are close to each other, space-wise and time-wise. Luke reports just about the teaching and healing up to this point.
11). Mark 6:35, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12. These verses show all three Gospels synchronized in time and space; they are all in the same spot, in the desolate place, in the evening before the Passover begins.
Part 2. (Mark 6:35-37, Matthew 14:15-16, Luke 9:12-13). The day had ended, and the people who stayed there needed provisions; now, it was the time when the Lord was concerned for the people who stayed around, not for the people who had already left. It was not easy to find people to help in the desolate area where they were.
Continuing with the verses’ time map, we can follow the events from all three Gospels.
1). Mark 6:35-36, Matthew 14:15, Luke 9:12. All these verses show that the day ended, and the disciples came to the Lord to ask Him to send the people away. Now we notice how the disciples thought; with the human mind thinking: the time is late, let the people go, and they can do something for themselves. But they did not think about the amount of people there and where they could go to find food and a place to lodge in this desolate place. The disciples were common men, and they thought that they, as humans, had limitations for this amount of people to provide for them; when they saw they could not do it themselves, they shipped them away, but the Lord thought of the people first. The Lord thought how they should be fed; the old and the young were in the Lord’s concern; that was why the Lord told the disciples you feed them, to bring the disciples’ minds back to themselves and think of their duty as well; as a disciple, you have a duty toward people.
2). Mark 6:37a, Matthew 14:16, Luke 9:13a. All these portions of Scripture show that the Lord Jesus told His disciples that the people “have no need to go away” and the disciples should “give them to eat.”
3). Mark 6:37b. This portion of the verse shows that the disciples were confused and believed that they needed to buy food for all these people. Before they knew how much food they had, they were concerned about how they would get food. The two hundred denarii was a significant amount of money for the disciples. When the Lord traveled with them, they did not carry money, and to buy food for that many people should not have been for them to think because they knew they didn’t have money. Here, the disciples saw in a limited space. They only thought about what was in front of them; that amount of money none of them carried; it was a big amount for common men; the concern had come to the disciples. When the disciples saw this, they said about denarii to show that they did not have money to buy food and to remind the Lord that no disciple had money.
Part 3. (Mark 6:38, Matthew 14:17-18, Luke 9:13b). In this part, the Lord teaches the disciples not to worry and use what they have to feed the people and bring all the problems to the Lord before worrying about something.
The verses’ time map for this part continues below:
1). Mark 6:38a. This portion of the verse shows that the Lord asked the disciples to go and see how many loaves of bread they had. The Lord also wanted them to think first about what they had in their hands and know what they had before worrying about what they didn’t have; this is a teaching for the disciples.
2). Mark 6:38b, Matthew 14:17, Luke 9:13b. These portions of Scripture show that the disciples had only five loaves of bread and two fishes unless they would go to buy some more.
3). Matthew 14:18. This verse shows that the Lord instructed the disciples to bring the food to Him. Now, the Lord wanted them to learn to whom they should look first when the troubles come and seek help from the Lord always; it doesn’t matter what problem is, small or big, only One that they should look for and believe that the Lord can help them to solve the problem. Now, the Lord was teaching the disciples to bring all problems to the Lord, as all humans should do the same: bring all troubles to the Lord, don’t carry them on your own; the Lord can carry them for all.
Part 4. (Mark 6:39-44, Matthew 14:19-21, Luke 9:14-17). Now it comes to the time the Lord shows His authority over all life and nature and, also, the Lord has shown the power on earth whom people can come and put trust in; the One that can give all to people, only One on earth that has that authority, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Also, the Lord has been giving faith in the human heart towards the Lord’s mercy; from little small food, if people trust, the Lord can make them full again, not just full spiritually, but also the stomach can be full as well. (See also Comments Matthew 14:19-21).
The verses’ time map for this part continues below:
1). Mark 6:39-40, Matthew 14:19aa (here 14:19aa means the first half part of the first half of verse 19; the first half of verse 19 would be noted as 19a and the second half as 19b), Luke 9:14-15. These verses show that the Lord “commanded them all” (not just the men, but all the people) to sit down “on the green grass,” and the people sat in groups of hundreds and fifties. Q: Why is green grass mentioned in this place? A: Because where they were here, it had green grass all over the area; in some other places, it may not be the same, but in this portion of Scripture where the Lord was, there was green grass everywhere.
2). Mark 6:41, Matthew 14:19ab-19b (here 14:19ab-19b means the second half part of the first half of verse 19 and the second part of verse 19), Luke 9:16. These verses show that the Lord took the five loaves and the two fishes and looked up to heaven and said a blessing, then He broke the loaves and the fishes in pieces and gave them to the disciples, and “the disciples to the multitudes.” The Lord broke the loaves and the fishes in small pieces, and these pieces became new loaves and fishes in the Lord’s hand (See Comments Matthew 14:19b). But also remember now it was in human eyes, they have seen the food from little pieces turning to be loaves, confirming and strengthening the faith of multitudes that were sitting there. Everybody has seen a small amount of food the Lord had and multiplied it in front of their eyes. Now, the word would spread more that the Lord would give food as well to follow Him, and people would be talking and thinking at the same time about who was He that could do that; the word that God had come down has been confirmed among humans.
3). Mark 6:42-43, Matthew 14:20, Luke 9:17. These verses tell that the people ate until they were filled (See Comments Matthew 14:20), and there were twelve baskets full of broken pieces of bread and fish that were collected. Now also, we have seen the mercy of the Lord; He fed them until they were full, and no one was left to be hungry. The Lord has clearly shown the power of the multiplication of food. People will never be lacking as long as they listen and obey; the food for the body the Lord can provide, but think about the food for the inner soul that only the Lord can give in the whole universe; no one else can satisfy the soul.
4). Mark 6:44, Matthew 14:21, Luke 9:14a. These verses show that there were about five thousand men besides women and children who were fed by the Lord.
5). John 6:1-15. IIn John’s message itself, it clearly states that the Lord Jesus went from the Sea of Galilee side, where the first feeding took place (as shown above), to the Tiberias side, where the second feeding would take place. The events described in John 6:1-15 15 took place after Mark 6:44; this shows a gap of more than a day between Mark 6:44 and Mark 6:45. In many places in the Bible, between verses, there is a gap of time, but people choose to ignore this. The Gospels are written in a spiritual (i.e., Holy Spirit-dictated) order, not necessarily a chronological order.
In this comparison analysis, we can see that the Gospel of Mark shows more details, but even what they don’t have in some Gospels, all Gospels connect, and even missing some information, none are against each other; in the end, there will still be the same meaning.
[45]
And straightaway He compelled His disciples to enter into the boat, and to go before to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He should dismiss the multitude.
[46]
And having taken leave of them, He departed into the mountain to pray.
[47]
And evening having come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land.
[48]
And He saw them distressed in the rowing, for the wind was contrary to them. About the fourth watch of the night He comes to them, walking on the sea, and He would have passed by them.
[49]
And having seen Him walking on the sea, they thought that it is a ghost, and cried out;
[50]
for they all saw Him , and were troubled. And straightaway He spoke with them, and says to them, Take courage: it is I ; fear not.
[51]
And He went up to them into the boat, and the wind ceased, and they were greatly in abundance amazed in themselves;
[52]
for they did not understand concerning the loaves, but their heart had been hardened.
Comments Mark 6:45-52
See Comments Matthew 14:22-32, and Comments John 6:15-21.
Q: Are the events describing the Lord Jesus’ walking on the water telling the same story in all three Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and John)? A: All three Gospels describe one and the same event, with some little differences, but each difference is for a purpose; however, none of the Gospels are against each other. For comments on this passage of Scripture, see Comments Matthew 14:22-32.
In Mark 6:48, we have an addition saying, “and He would have passed by them.” Here in this place, the Lord wants to strengthen their faith. What the eyes have seen, the heart must accept it, and the mind also has to acknowledge it. All must come to the conclusion that they are walking with the Lord; maybe a different situation, but still the same Lord, the Lord of the land and the Lord of the water, still only One Lord over all: over life and nature, One Lord over all. Notice the three ways humans are created; now, the details of three ways, pay attention to it: eyes see, the heart accepts, the mind acknowledges; they see the Lord walking on the water, they accept it in their hearts that He is God and then they praise Him as the Lord. For the disciples themselves, the fear covered everything; how would another human be? They wouldn’t be better than them.
Verse 52 is an addition in Mark. The disciples were seeing miracles but still didn’t understand what it meant when the Lord made miracles for them. All miracles for the disciples were mainly to strengthen their faith so they could walk through troubles. All disciples’ faith was challenged later, and watching the Lord make miracles would help them when the time came to face the challenge of themselves. These miracles are for them and all humans as well; come and read the Word and see what the Lord has done.
Q: Are the events describing the Lord Jesus’ walking on the water telling the same story in all three Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and John)? A: All three Gospels describe one and the same event, with some little differences, but each difference is for a purpose; however, none of the Gospels are against each other. For comments on this passage of Scripture, see Comments Matthew 14:22-32.
In Mark 6:48, we have an addition saying, “and He would have passed by them.” Here in this place, the Lord wants to strengthen their faith. What the eyes have seen, the heart must accept it, and the mind also has to acknowledge it. All must come to the conclusion that they are walking with the Lord; maybe a different situation, but still the same Lord, the Lord of the land and the Lord of the water, still only One Lord over all: over life and nature, One Lord over all. Notice the three ways humans are created; now, the details of three ways, pay attention to it: eyes see, the heart accepts, the mind acknowledges; they see the Lord walking on the water, they accept it in their hearts that He is God and then they praise Him as the Lord. For the disciples themselves, the fear covered everything; how would another human be? They wouldn’t be better than them.
Verse 52 is an addition in Mark. The disciples were seeing miracles but still didn’t understand what it meant when the Lord made miracles for them. All miracles for the disciples were mainly to strengthen their faith so they could walk through troubles. All disciples’ faith was challenged later, and watching the Lord make miracles would help them when the time came to face the challenge of themselves. These miracles are for them and all humans as well; come and read the Word and see what the Lord has done.
[53]
And having passed over to the land, they came to Gennesaret and drew to shore.
[54]
And they having come out of the boat, straightaway having recognized Him ,
[55]
they ran round about all that region, and they began to carry about on the mats those being sick, to wherever they heard that He is.
[56]
And wherever He entered, into villages, or into cities, or into the country, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged Him that they might touch only the border of His outer garment; and as many as touched Him were made whole.
Comments Mark 6:53-56
For this portion of Scripture see Comments Matthew 14:34-36.
Life and Faith Applications. 1) Use what the Lord has given to you, be pleased in everything, give thanks to the Lord, and don’t look for what other people have. If you look at what other people have, greed might come. As the disciples have gone out into the world with little, in the same way, use what the Lord is giving you and be pleased; what the Lord has given to others is not important to you. 2) Don’t fall into the same error and judgment when you read the Bible as the people in Nazareth did and rejected the Lord; separate between the Lord and His earthly family. 3) The Lord walked on the water, and the disciples have seen this, but the rest of humans should believe what is written in the Bible; for us, it comes to using blind faith and believing the miracles that are written in the Bible.