40 - Bible Commentary | Karuna Sadan

Then He went out from there and came to His own country, and His disciples followed Him. (Mark 6:1)

Both Matthew and Mark state that Jesus left the region near the sea of Galilee and came “into his own country” (Matthew 13:54; Mark 6:1).

Undoubtedly this has reference to the home town of Nazareth, the city in which Jesus grew up in the home of Joseph and his mother, Mary.

Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.(Mark 6:5-6)

The unbelief of the people of his hometown limited Him from doing miracles.

Yes, again and again they tempted God,

And limited the Holy One of Israel. (Psalm 78:41)

But when Herod heard, he said, “This is John, whom I beheaded; he has been raised from the dead!” (Mark 6:16)

Herod said it and many must have believed it. However, Jesus rose from the dead (and that’s a fact) and yet people find it difficult to believe.

As Jezebel opposed Elijah, Herodias opposed John the Baptist. A third example is found here in Revelation 2:20

The Prayer Life of Jesus

And after He had taken leave of them, He went off into the hills to pray.

Now when evening had come, the boat was out in the middle of the lake, and He was by Himself on the land. And having seen that they were troubled and tormented in [their] rowing, for the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night [between 3:00-6:00 a.m.] He came to them, walking [directly] on the sea. And He acted as if He meant to pass by them, (Mark 6:45-47)

From evening (say 7pm) to around 3am - that is 8 hours. Lord Jesus must have nearly spent 8 plus hours in prayer before he walked on the water.

We read in Scripture that Christ prayed at the fourth watch, which began at three o’clock in the morning. He saw the disciples toiling against the contrary winds in the middle of the Sea of Galilee. It was still dark, so how could anybody see three miles from the top of a mountain to the middle of a seven-mile wide lake?

The word ‘see’ in this passage is a Greek word meaning “to perceive with the spirit.” Christ did not literally see them with His natural eyes; He perceived through His spiritual eyes that they were in danger.

and begged Him that they might just touch the hem of His garment. And as many as touched Him were made well. (Mark 6:56)

What the woman with the issue of blood did travelled far and wide. Many started doing what she did and started receiving the same results. This shows us the power of a testimony.

If touching the hem of His garment would heal people, then what about His children touching Him today - that would be life from the dead itself.

Chapter 6