Bible Commentaries
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament
Mark 6
Mark 6:1.45 ἀκολουθοῦσιν, follow) Although they were not all admitted to see the raising of Jairus’ daughter.
Mark 6:2. γενομένου, having come) When the arrival of Jesus had taken place not very long before.— πόθεν— δοθεῖσα, whence—given) But indeed He is Wisdom itself.— καὶ δυνάμεις) Understand τι, what [are also these mighty works]? how [has He been enabled to do them]?
Mark 6:3. ὁ τέκτων) Son of the carpenter, or even Himself a carpenter; for they add, the Son of Mary, in antithesis to the Son of the carpenter. [He Himself therefore toiled at that kind of labour, which was corresponding to His spiritual work; Zechariah 6:12.—V. g.]
Mark 6:4. πατρίδι, country) in which there are many ties of relationship.— συγγενέσι, relatives) having many houses [each one having his own house or family].
Mark 6:5. οὐκ ἠδύνατο, He could not) That is, mighty works could not be done, because the men were incapacitated [for the benefit through unbelief].— ὀλίγοις, a few) implying the quantity.— ἀῤῥώστοις, infirm) implying the quality.
Mark 6:7. ἤρξατο, began) After that they had made some progress.— δύο δύο, by two and two) six pairs; Matthew 10:2-3.— καὶ, and) The rest of His instructions are evident from Mark 6:12-13.
Mark 6:8. ἵνα, that) That they might be unencumbered, unrestrained, and free [comp. note on Matthew 10:10].
Mark 6:8-9. παρήγγειλεν) Mark uses this verb with a threefold construction in this passage; παρήγγειλεν— ἵνα μηδὲν αἴρωσιν— ἀλλʼ ὑποδεδεμένους (viz. εἶναι·)— καὶ μὴ ἐνδύσησθε. So also the construction is varied in ch. Mark 12:38, θελόντων περιπατεῖν καὶ ἀσπασμούς; where the infinitive and the accusative are joined.
Mark 6:13.46 ἐξέβαλλον, they began casting out) The demons, without doubt, bore their expulsion by the disciples with more vexation than that by the Lord Himself.— ἤλειφον ἐλαίῳ, anointed with oil) This anointing differed widely from that anointing which is called extreme unction. They did not carry oil about with themselves, as Mark 6:8 proves; but found and used it at the houses of the sick. The miracle was on that account the more unequivocal.
Mark 6:14. φανερὸν, manifested [spread abroad]) Jesus had not come to be known by many before that John’s death became known, otherwise they would not have supposed Him to be John. This observation is to be marked in opposition to those who extend the length of the times after the baptism of John too much.— γὰρ, for) Except for the public rumour, Herod would not have known of Him. A palace is generally late in hearing of spiritual news.— ἔλεγεν, he said) The plural is given in Luke 9:7, and the circumstances of the case even in Mark require that number; for there are enumerated the opinions of men concerning Him, one of which in particular above the rest is indicated in fine in Mark 6:16, as having seemed probable to Herod. Therefore the parenthesis, if it be desirable to mark one before φανερὸν, ought to close, not at αὐτοῦ, but at προφητῶν, Mark 6:15, so that the ἤκουσεν of Mark 6:14 should be evidently resumed in the ἀκούσας of Mark 6:16. Nor should Mark thus be said to ascribe to Herod twice, although to others not even once, the opinion which Herod received from others, especially inasmuch as Herod was more in doubt than the others. Therefore either ἔλεγον,47 they were saying, ought to be read; or else ἔλεγεν, he said, does not refer to Herod; but the participle [one] saying is to be supplied in an indefinite sense to that verb, as φησὶν, said one, is often used, viz. ὁ εἰπὼν, one saying [the sayer] being understood. See on Chrysost. de Sacerd., p. 477; Glass. Can. 23, de Verbo; and Hiller, Syntagm., p. 325.
The Germ. Vers. does not follow the observation of the Gnomon in this place, but the margin of both editions, preferring the reading ἔλεγεν.—E. B.
Mark 6:15. ἄλλοι, others) The variety of human opinions on Divine subjects is astonishing. It is of some benefit to the disciples to know it, ch. Mark 8:28; but it rather agitates than benefits Herod. However great be that variety, yet often the truth lies outside of it.
Mark 6:20. ἐφοβεῖτο, feared) Holiness makes a man an object of reverential awe. John did not fear Herod.— εἰδὼς, knowing) This affords an argument for the truth of religion: the fear of the bad, and their reverence towards piety. [He did not, however, recognise him as a prophet. The estimate formed by men of the world does not reach to the main turning point of the truth. Judas himself, when now overwhelmed by the mists of despair, did not call Jesus the Christ, but the innocent blood.—V. g.]— συνετήρει, was guarding him [but Eng. Vers. observed him]) against Herodias.— πολλὰ— ἤκουε, many things—heard) And yet Herod was not a pious man.
Mark 6:21. γενεσίοις) γενέσια, This is the genus: γενέθλια, the species. The latter denotes properly a birth-day feast [or celebration]; the former, any anniversary feast-day whatever; for instance, the anniversary of entering on a kingdom.— μεγιστᾶσιν, the great men) of the palace and of the court.— χιλιάρχοις, chief captains) of his soldiery.— τοῖς πρώτοις, the nobles) in provincial posts.
Mark 6:27. σπεκουλάτωρα, an executioner) This word is derived from “specula,” a look-out, a watch-tower. The Speculators executed capital punishments: Sen. l. 1, de ira, c. 16.
Mark 6:29. πτώμα) So נבלה of the prophet [Urijah], Jeremiah 26:23, Lat. cadaver. The body of the Saviour is not so termed.— ἐν μνημείῳ, in a tomb) perhaps that of his father, in which it was natural for him to be laid, as his own. Jesus Christ, the Prince of Life, was laid in the sepulchre of another.
Mark 6:30. συνάγονται, gather themselves) together.— οἱ ἀπόστολοι, the apostles) an appropriate appellation in this place.— πάντα, all things) The distribution of the all things follows, viz. both what—and what ( ὃσα— καὶ ὅσα). A most noble narration.
Mark 6:31. ὑμεῖς αὐτοὶ, ye yourselves) also. Often the Saviour betook Himself alone to solitude: now He says, Do ye also seek solitude [a desert place].— ὀλίγον, a little while) Solitude and intercourse with others should be blended together by the godly.— ἦσαν, they were) They did not always come and go together.
Mark 6:33. προῆλθον, outwent [got before]) by various ways.— συνῆλθον, came together) in one place.
Mark 6:34. ἤρξατο, He began) afresh, as if He had not taught them previously. There is need of real compassion, to enable one to teach; and compassion is the virtue of a good teacher.
Mark 6:36. κύκλῳ, in a circle round about) For there was not a sufficiency of food for them in merely one or two of the adjoining districts and villages.
Mark 6:37. ἀγοράσωμεν, are we to buy) The disciples intimate, by this question, that there is on their part no want of the will, both to give their exertion in going away, and their money, as much as they had, in buying what was needed; but what is wanting is the ability to satisfy such a multitude. Therefore, in their question, they fix on the sum two hundred denarii,48 not so much according to the supply which was in their purse at the time, as according to the number of the multitude. See what can be elicited from the data furnished to us: 5000 men is to 200 denarii, as one man is to 1/25th of a denarius, i.e. about half of a German kreuzer (halfpenny). We have, besides the argument of changing the old money [mintage] into new, that expression of John 6:7, “that every one of them may take a little” especially at that time of year, about the Passover, John 6:4, when the price of provisions is usually higher; we have also the rational computation of the disciples, whereby in contrast on the opposite side is illustrated the omnipotence of our Lord. The sum of 200 zuzœi, or denarii, was among the Hebrews very frequent in the case of a dowry or fine: but this does not oppose the analogy of the 200 denarii and 5000 men.
Mark 6:41. πᾶσι, all) All partook even of the accompaniment, the fish: even of it also remnants were left, Mark 6:43; [which, as a fish consists of very different parts, is therefore less intelligible to mere reason, than the multiplication of the bread.—V. g.]
Mark 6:45. πρὸς βηθσαϊδὰν, to Bethsaida) This was the terminus, not of their whole voyage, but in part, until Jesus was about to come to them.
Mark 6:48. εἶδεν, He saw) And yet He did not come to them, before that it was the full [proper] time.— ἤθελε, was wishing [would have]) Comp. Luke 24:28.
Mark 6:52. γὰρ, for) They ought to have inferred from the miracle of the loaves as to [His power also over] the sea. The more exercised that faith is, the more it becomes accustomed to the spectacle of [to seeing and discerning] the marvellous works of God. [Comp. Matthew 14:33.]— ἦν γὰρ, for was) Not only is that particular time denoted, but the habitual state of their heart during their then pupillage [early training].
Mark 6:56. [ ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς, in the streets [or the fora]) where they would have the greater certainty of meeting Him, and where the greatest number might obtain relief at once.—V. g.]— κἂν) This particle is compounded here, not of καὶ and ἐὰν, as it is usually, but of καὶ and ἂν, as in 2 Corinthians 11:16. Comp. note on Chrys. de Sacerd., p. 459.— ἅψωνται, they might touch) after the example of the woman with the issue of blood: ch. Mark 5:27.— αὐτοῦ) τοῦ κρασπέδου.
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