Mark 6:35

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:

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(35) Far spent . . . far passed.—The Greek word is the same in both clauses.

Benson Commentary

Mark 6:35-44. When the day was far spent, &c. — See notes on Matthew 14:15-21, where the circumstances of the miracle here recorded are explained at large. And they sat down in ranks — Or rather, in squares, as Campbell renders πρασιαι, observing, “The word denotes a small plat, such as a flower-bed in a garden. It has this meaning in Eccl 24:31. I do not find it in the LXX., or in any other part of the New Testament. These beds were in the form of oblong squares. The word is therefore very improperly rendered either ranks or rows.” Thus, also, Dr. Macknight, “They sat down in oblong squares. The word συμποσιον, used here by Mark, signifies a company of guests at a table, but κλισια, the word in Luke, denotes properly as many of them as reclined on one bed, according to the eastern manner of eating. By Christ’s order therefore, the people were to sit down to this meal in companies, consisting some of fifty persons, some of a hundred, according as the ground would admit. The members of each company, I suppose, were to be placed in two rows, the one row with their faces toward those of the other, as if a long table had been between them. The first company being thus set down, the second was to be placed beside the first in a like form, and the third by the second, till all were set down, the direction of the ranks being up the hill. And as the two ranks of every division were formed into one company, by being placed with their faces toward each other; so they were distinguished from the neighbouring companies, by lying with their backs turned to their backs. And the whole body thus ranged, would resemble a garden plot, divided into seed-beds, which is the proper signification of πρασιαι, the name given by Mark to the several companies after they were formed.”

It has been observed, in the note on Matthew 14:19, &c., that the meat must have extended its dimensions, not in our Lord’s hands only, but in the hands of the multitude likewise, a circumstance which suggests further reasons for the people’s being set down in the manner above explained. “For as they were fed on a mountain, we may reasonably suppose that the ground was somewhat steep, and that they lay with their heads pointing up the hill, in such a manner, that reclining on their elbows, they were almost in a sitting posture, and had their eyes fixed on Jesus, who stood below them, in a place that was more plain, at a little distance from the ends of the ranks. Without doubt, therefore, they all heard his thanksgiving and prayer for the miracle, saw him give the disciples the meat, and were astonished above measure when they perceived that instead of diminishing it increased under his creating hands. Moreover, being set down in companies, and every company being divided into two ranks, which lay fronting each other, the ranks of all the companies were parallel, and pointed toward Jesus, and so were situated in such a manner that the disciples could readily bring the bread and fish to them that sat at the extremities of the ranks. To conclude, by this disposition there must have been such a space between the two ranks of each company, that every individual in it could easily survey the whole of his own company, as well those above him as those below him; and therefore, when the meat was brought, and handed from one to another, they would all follow it with their eyes, and see it swelling, not only in their own hands, but in the hands of their companions likewise, to the amazement and joy of every person present.”

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:30-44 Let not ministers do any thing or teach any thing, but what they are willing should be told to their Lord. Christ notices the frights of some, and the toils of others of his disciples, and provides rest for those that are tired, and refuge for those that are terrified. The people sought the spiritual food of Christ's word, and then he took care that they should not want bodily food. If Christ and his disciples put up with mean things, surely we may. And this miracle shows that Christ came into the world, not only to restore, but to preserve and nourish spiritual life; in him there is enough for all that come. None are sent empty away from Christ but those who come to him full of themselves. Though Christ had bread enough at command, he teaches us not to waste any of God's bounties, remembering how many are in want. We may, some time, need the fragments that we now throw away.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The time is far passed - The day is almost gone. It is drawing near night.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

35. And when the day was now far spent—"began to wear away" or "decline," says Luke (Lu 9:12). Matthew (Mt 14:15) says, "when it was evening"; and yet he mentions a later evening of the same day (Mr 6:23). This earlier evening began at three P.M.; the latter began at sunset.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 35-44. We meet with the relation of this miracle Matthew 14:15-21, and shall again meet with it John 6:1-14. John relates it with some more particular circumstances, telling us it was Philip that moved our Saviour to dismiss them so seasonably, that they might provide themselves food, and making Christ to propound the questions to Philip, where they should buy bread enough for them. He also tells us that it was Andrew who told our Saviour that there was a lad there had five barley loaves and two fishes. But all three of the evangelists agree in the main, both as to the quantity of victuals, five loaves and two fishes; and the quantity of the people fed with them, five thousand; and the number of the baskets full of fragments taken up, which was twelve. John also addeth the effect of this miracle upon the multitude, John 6:14; they said, This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world. For further explication of this piece of history,

See Poole on "Matthew 14:15", and following verses to Matthew 14:21. See Poole on "John 6:5", and following verses to John 6:13.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when the day was now far spent,.... Or "much time was gone", in teaching the people, and healing the sick:

his disciples came unto him; nearer to him, as he was preaching, or healing the sick;

and said, this is a desert place, and now the time is far passed; See Gill on Matthew 14:15.

Geneva Study Bible

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:

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 6:35. ὥρας πολλῆς, it being late in the day.—πολύς was extensively used by the Greeks in all sorts of connections, time included; examples in Kypke and Hermann’s Viger, p. 137 f. The phrase recurs in last clause of this verse (ὥρα πολλή).

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

35. a desert place] The locality was probably part of the rich but uninhabited plain at the mouth of the Jordan.

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 6:35. Πολλῆς, jar spent) Matthew 20:1, etc.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 35. - And when the day was now far spent. The English, like the Greek, is here very idiomatic (καὶ ἤδη ὥρας πολλῆς γενομένης). The English is retained in the Revised Version as it came through the Authorized Version from Tyndale. The present participle γενομένης appears in the Sinaitic Manuscript and in the Cambridge Codex. His disciples came unto him, and said. The best reading is (καὶ ἔλεγον), and were saying. St. Matthew (Matthew 14:16) says, "They need not depart; give ye them to eat." Thus our Lord prepared the way for his miracle, he detained the multitude till the day was far spent, so that the disciples might be induced to pray him to dismiss them. This would open the way for him to direct the disciples to feed them. And thus the miracle would appear all the more evident in proportion as they found themselves in a strait, and utterly destitute of the needful supplies of food for such a multitude in the desert. St. John's account here is much more full. He tells us (John 6:5) that Jesus, addressing Philip, said, "Whence are we to buy bread, that these may eat?" And he adds, "This he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do." Our Lord, it would seem, asked Philip rather than the others, because Philip was simple-minded, sincere, and teachable, rather than clever, and so was accustomed to ask things which appeared plain to others. We have an instance of this simplicity of mind in the question which he asks (John 14:8), "Lord show us the Father, and it sufficeth us." Mark 6:35