Mark 6:35 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And when it grew late, his disciples came to him and said, "This is a desolate place, and the hour is now late.

NIV: By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. "This is a remote place," they said, "and it’s already very late.

NASB: And when it was already late, His disciples came up to Him and said, 'This place is secluded and it is already late;

CSB: When it grew late, his disciples approached him and said, "This place is deserted, and it is already late.

NLT: Late in the afternoon his disciples came to him and said, 'This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late.

KJV: And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed:

NKJV: When the day was now far spent, His disciples came to Him and said, “This is a deserted place, and already the hour is late.

Jesus and the Twelve are with a group of several thousand people, most likely in a plain outside of Bethsaida on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. "Desolate" is from the Greek root word erēmos and mostly means "uninhabited." Though it's sometimes translated as "desert," the word used to describe this area does not imply that it's harsh or lifeless. Rather, this particular area is covered in green grass (Mark 6:39), and not far from villages (Mark 6:36). It more resembles the green pastures of Psalm 23 than a bleak wasteland.

There are several advantages to Jesus meeting the throng in a large, lonely field. There is room for the people to mingle, unlike in Capernaum where they threaten to push Him into the Sea (Mark 4:1). And there are no Pharisees or Herodians to turn the conversation from useful spiritual truths to passive-aggressive debates (Mark 12:13). However, there are also disadvantages. Some of the people are from as far away as Capernaum, and a trek of six miles in the dark can be dangerous. And even though there are villages nearby, it's unlikely they will be able to feed five thousand men plus women and children (Matthew 14:21).

The Twelve want the people's needs met, but they're still thinking in earthly terms. Despite the successes they've seen in their first missions trip, they still don't understand the connection between God's power and earthly needs.

Mark 6:33–44 provides another depiction of Jesus' miraculous feeding of thousands of people. The Twelve have worked so hard on their first missions trip they haven't had time to eat (Mark 6:31), and an attempt to rest is foiled by a demanding crowd. Instead of avoiding the interlopers, Jesus heals (Matthew 14:14) and teaches them. Instead of dismissing them, He feeds them. The Twelve again witness Jesus' great power and authority but don't catch the lesson: Jesus is God and can provide whatever anyone needs. This story is also found in Matthew 14:13–21 and Luke 9:11–17, and it is one of the few miracles mentioned in John (John 6:2–14). This makes it the only miracle referenced in all four Gospels.

Jesus returns to His hometown of Nazareth, but the people there are faithless and skeptical. As a result, Jesus performs no more than a few minor miracles. He then assigns His twelve apostles to travel in pairs, preaching repentance and healing various conditions. Mark then takes a brief detour to explain the death of John the Baptist, beheaded after Herod Antipas is tricked by his wife. The focus then returns to Jesus, explaining His miraculous feeding of thousands of people, walking on water, and healing people in Gennesaret.

Even as the Twelve are given opportunity to wield some of Jesus' power and authority, they still struggle to understand. They misinterpret who He is, what He has come to do, and how much He will ask of them. They fear Jesus' display of deity, but seem to dismiss the murderous rejection of His hometown and the death of John the Baptist. It's easy to have faith in a prophet who seems poised to rescue Israel from foreign rule. It is still beyond them to understand that He is actually God.

The Gospel of Mark emphasizes both Jesus' servanthood and His role as the promised Messiah: the Son of God. This is done through a concise, action-packed style. Mark provides relatively few details, instead focusing on actions and simple statements. This relates to the Gospel's authorship, which is believed to be based on the memories of the apostle Peter. These include many of Jesus' miracles, in contrast to other Gospels which include many more of Jesus' teachings and parables. Mark also makes frequent mention of Jesus' ministry being misunderstood by others.