Mark 6:53

And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(53-56) And when they had passed over.—See Notes on Matthew 14:34-36.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:45-56 The church is often like a ship at sea, tossed with tempests, and not comforted: we may have Christ for us, yet wind and tide against us; but it is a comfort to Christ's disciples in a storm, that their Master is in the heavenly mount, interceding for them. And no difficulties can hinder Christ's appearance for his people, when the set time is come. He silenced their fears, by making himself known to them. Our fears are soon satisfied, if our mistakes are set right, especially our mistakes as to Christ. Let the disciples have their Master with them, and all is well. It is for want of rightly understanding Christ's former works, that we view his present works as if there never were the like before. If Christ's ministers now could cure people's bodily diseases, what multitudes would flock after them! It is sad to think how much more most care about their bodies than about their souls.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They considered not the miracle of the loaves - They did not remember or call to mind the "power" which Jesus had shown in feeding the five thousand by a miracle, and that, having done that, he had power also to save them from the storm.

Their heart was hardened - Their "mind" was dull to perceive it. This does not mean that they were "opposed" to Jesus, or that they had what we denominate "hardness of heart," but simply that they were slow to perceive his power. They did not quickly learn, as they ought to have done, that he had all power, and could therefore allay the storm. The word "heart" is frequently used in this sense. See Ephesians 1:18, in Greek; Romans 1:21; Romans 2:15; 2 Corinthians 4:6.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

53. And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret—from which the lake sometimes takes its name, stretching along its western shore. Capernaum was their landing-place (Joh 6:24, 25).

and drew to the shore—a nautical phrase, nowhere else used in the New Testament.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 53-56. See Poole on "Matthew 14:34", and following verses to Matthew 14:36. The charity of this people to their sick neighbours is very commendable, and instructive of us as to our duty to do good to others, as to their bodily wants and necessities, so far as we are able; but how much greater is that charity, which is showed to people’s souls, inviting them to Christ that they may be spiritually healed! It was not their touching the hem of his garment, nor of his body, which healed these sick persons, those who had a hand in crucifying of him did both; it was the virtue that went out from Christ, upon the testification of their faith, by coming to him, and touching, and desiring to touch, the hem of his garment: neither is it men’s coming to the congregation, and hearing the word of God, that will heal their souls, unless there goeth forth a Divine power from the Spirit of grace upon men’s hungering and thirsting after Christ in his ordinances, and by faith laying hold upon the promise exhibited in the preaching of the gospel.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when they had passed over,.... The lake of Gennesaret, or sea of "Galilee",

they came into the land of Gennesaret; See Gill on Matthew 14:34; to Capernaum, as appears from John 6:17 for Capernaum was in the land of Gennesaret; to which agrees what Josephus says, that the land of Gennesaret was watered with a very excellent spring, which the inhabitants of that place called Capernaum (h):

and drew to the shore: this is omitted in the Syriac and Persic versions: and the Arabic reads, "and they cast anchors".

(h) De Bello Jud. l. 3. c. 35.

Geneva Study Bible

And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 6:53-56. The landing (Matthew 14:34-36).

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

53–56. Miracles of Healing in the Land of Gennesaret

53. the land of Gennesaret is only mentioned here and in Matthew 14:34. It is the same as the modern el-Ghuweir, a fertile crescent-shaped plain, on the north-western shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, about 3 miles in length and 1 in width. From its sheltered situation, and especially from its depression of more than 500 feet below the level of the ocean, its climate is of an almost tropical character. Josephus speaks of it as if it were an earthly paradise, in which every kind of useful plant grew and flourished. Jos. B. J. III. 10. 8.

drew to the shore] or, as Tyndale and Cranmer translate it, “drew up into the haven.”

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 6:53. Προσωρμίσθησαν, they drew to the shore) promptly.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 53. - They came into the land of Gennesaret; literally (ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν η΅λθον εἰς Γεννησαρέτ), they came to the land unto Gennesaret. This was the plain on the western side of the sea sometimes called "the lake of Gennesaret." The name Gennesaret (says Cornelius a Lapide) means "a fertile garden." There was a city originally called "Chinnereth" or "Cinneroth," mentioned in Joshua 19:25, which probably gave one of its names to this lake. Mark 6:53

Vincent's Word Studies

Drew to the shore (προσωρμίσθησαν)

Peculiar to Mark. Rev., moored to the shore, though the meaning may be near the shore. Ἀνέβη, he went up (Mark 6:51), seems to indicate a vessel of considerable size, standing quite high out of the water. They may have anchored off shore.