Mark 6:36
in Mark 6Dismiss the crowd so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
send them away, that they may go into the country and villages round about, and buy themselves somewhat to eat.
KJV
Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat.
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This verse in Mark 6
Commentary
9 notes on this verse(ubi sup.) Again, in a mystical sense, the Saviour refreshes the hungry crowds at the day's decline, because, either now that the end of the world approaches, or now that the Sun of justice has set in death for us, we are saved from wasting away in spiritual hunger. He calls the Apostles to Him at the breaking of bread, intimating that daily by them our hungry souls are fed, that is, by their letters and examples. By the five loaves are figured the Five Books of Moses, by the two fishes the Psalms and Prophets.
This site's exposition
This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late
on Mark 6:35-36
The disciples state the problem accurately: This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Their plan to dismiss the crowd is sensible, and the next verse shows that Jesus intends something else.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
The Lord, placing before them, first, what is most profitable, that is, the food of the word of God, afterwards also gave the multitude food for their bodies; in beginning to relate which, the Evangelist says, And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place.
But observe the disciples, how they are distinguished by their love for mankind! Taking pity on the people, they approach Christ and begin to entreat Him on their behalf.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This the disciples suggested to Christ; but we do not find that the multitude themselves did. They did not say, Send us away (though they could not but be hungry), for they esteemed the words of Christ's mouth more than their necessary food, and forgot themselves when they were hearing him; but the disciples thought it would be a kindness to them to dismiss them.
Send them away,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
(And this He said to prove him: for He Himself knew what He would do)." The subject may have been introduced by some remark of the disciples; but the precise order and form of what was said by each can hardly be gathered with precision, nor is it of any importance.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
Of all our Lord Jesus Christ's miracles, none is so frequently described in the Gospels, as that which we have now read. Each of the four Evangelists was inspired to record it. It is evident that it demands a more than ordinary attention from every reader of God's word. Let us observe, for one thing, in this passage, what an example this miracle affords of our Lord Jesus Christ's almighty POWER . We are told that He fed five thousand men, with five loaves and two fish. We are distinctly told that this multitude had nothing to eat. We are no less distinctly told that the whole provision for their sustenance consisted of only five loaves and two fish. And yet we read that our Lord took these loaves and fish, blessed, broke, and gave them to His disciples to set before the people. And the conclusion of the narrative tells us, that "they ate, and were filled," and that "twelve baskets full of fragments" were taken up. Here was creative power, beyond all question. Something real, solid, substantial, must manifestly have been called into being, which did not before exist. There is no room left for the theory, that the people were under the influence of an optical delusion, or a heated imagination. Five thousand hungry people would never have been satisfied, if they had not received into their mouths material bread. Twelve baskets full of fragments would never have been taken up, if the five loaves had not been miraculously multiplied. In short, it is plain that the hand of Him who made the world out of nothing was present on this occasion. None but He who at the first created all things, and sent down manna in the desert, could thus have "spread a table in the wilderness." It becomes all true Christians to store up facts like these in their minds, and to remember them in time of need. We live in the midst of an evil world, and see few with us, and many against us.
A commentator
J.C. Ryle1816–1900
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition) (1857)
proposed
Of all our Lord Jesus Christ's miracles, none is so frequently described in the Gospels, as that which we have now read. Each of the four Evangelists was inspired to record it. It is evident that it demands a more than ordinary attention from every reader of God's word. Let us observe, for one thing, in this passage, what an example this miracle affords of our Lord Jesus Christ's almighty POWER . We are told that He fed five thousand men, with five loaves and two fish. We are distinctly told that this multitude had nothing to eat.
The words behind it
14 Greek wordsEvery Greek word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Greek | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ἀπόλυσον | apoluson | do dismiss | G630 → | 63 times |
| αὐτοὺς | autous | them | G846 → | 5565 times |
| ἵνα | ina | that | G2443 → | 668 times |
| ἀπελθόντες | apelthontes | having gone | G565 → | 115 times |
| εἰς | eis | to | G1519 → | 1755 times |
| τοὺς | tous | the | G3588 → | 19766 times |
| κύκλῳ | kuklo | surrounding | G2945 → | 8 times |
| ἀγροὺς | agrous | region | G68 → | 35 times |
| καὶ | kai | and | G2532 → | 9120 times |
| κώμας | komas | villages | G2968 → | 27 times |
| ἀγοράσωσιν | agorasosin | they may buy | G59 → | 30 times |
| ἑαυτοῖς | he'autois | for themselves | G1438 → | 322 times |
| τί | ti | something | G5101 → | 563 times |
| φάγωσιν | phagosin | may eat | G5315 → | 93 times |
ἀπόλυσονdo dismiss
apolusonG630 →63 times
αὐτοὺςthem
autousG846 →5565 times
ἵναthat
inaG2443 →668 times
ἀπελθόντεςhaving gone
apelthontesG565 →115 times
εἰςto
eisG1519 →1755 times
τοὺςthe
tousG3588 →19766 times
κύκλῳsurrounding
kukloG2945 →8 times
ἀγροὺςregion
agrousG68 →35 times
καὶand
kaiG2532 →9120 times
κώμαςvillages
komasG2968 →27 times
ἀγοράσωσινthey may buy
agorasosinG59 →30 times
ἑαυτοῖςfor themselves
he'autoisG1438 →322 times
τίsomething
tiG5101 →563 times
φάγωσινmay eat
phagosinG5315 →93 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Mark 3:21When His family heard about this, they went out to take custody of Him, saying, “He is out of His mind.”
it leads to
- Acts 26:24
At this stage of Paul’s defense, Festus exclaimed in a loud voice, “You are insane, Paul! Your great learning is driving you to madness!”
- John 10:20
Many of them said, “He is demon-possessed and insane. Why would you listen to Him?”
- Mark 3:31
Then Jesus’ mother and brothers came and stood outside. They sent someone in to summon Him,
- John 7:3–10
So Jesus’ brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go to Judea, so that Your disciples there may see the works You are doing.
- 2 Corinthians 5:13
If we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you.
- Acts 26:24
Through
Matthew 16:22Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. “Far be it from You, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to You!”
it leads to
- Mark 8:32
He spoke this message quite frankly, and Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.
- Mark 8:32
Through
Matthew 15:23But Jesus did not answer a word. So His disciples came and urged Him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.”
it leads to
- Matthew 14:15
When evening came, the disciples came to Him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the hour is already late. Dismiss the crowds so they can go to the villages and buy themselves…
- Matthew 14:15
Through
Mark 5:31His disciples answered, “You can see the crowd pressing in on You, and yet You ask, ‘Who touched Me?’”
it leads to
- Luke 8:45
“Who touched Me?” Jesus asked. But they all denied it. “Master,” said Peter, “the people are crowding and pressing against You.”
- Luke 8:45
Where this verse is studied
About Mark
This page draws on Bede, Catena Aurea by Aquinas; J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark (lightly modernized text, Grace Gems edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the New Testament (1746-1748); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theophylact of Ohrid, Catena Aurea by Aquinas and Theophylact of Ohrid, Commentary on Mark.