Mark 6:36 Meaning and Explanation
“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.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The disciples urge Jesus to dismiss the crowd so the people can buy bread in the surrounding villages.
What Does Mark 6:36 Mean?
The disciples propose the only solution they can see: dismiss the people to scatter through farms and villages and buy themselves bread. The plan is sensible, compassionate even, and it quietly assumes that the need is too big for the resources at hand.
Send them away is the instinct of every overwhelmed servant. Jesus is about to answer with the opposite instinct: let them stay, and feed them here. The kingdom does not solve need by dispersing the needy. The hungry are not an interruption of the work of Christ; they are the occasion of it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mark 6:36
What does Mark 6:36 mean?
The disciples urge Jesus to dismiss the crowd so the people can buy bread in the surrounding villages.