The Meaning of Mark 6:47 Explained

Mark 6:47

KJV: And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

YLT: And evening having come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone upon the land;

Darby: And when evening was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and he alone upon the land.

ASV: And when even was come, the boat was in the midst of the sea, and he alone on the land.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  when even  was come,  the ship  was  in  the midst  of the sea,  and  he  alone  on  the land. 

What does Mark 6:47 Mean?

Context Summary

Mark 6:30-56 - The Sympathy And Compassion Of Jesus
When the Apostles returned they had much to tell. Some were flushed with success, others radiant with victory over demons, others, perhaps, overstrained and weary, and all needing the quiet, holy influence of repose and silence in the Lord's company. And in those quiet hours or days, as the fever passed out of them, He taught them memorable lessons of how He would feed the world by His Church, and how His people would be safe amid the storms that swept the sea, for always he would watch them from the height, and come to them at the moment when His help was most needed. Christ sits as host at the great table of the Church, and the meager resources of His servants yield the starting point for His multiplication of bread. He bids us go and consider how little we have, that we may properly estimate the greatness of His help. Notice how the upward look precedes the breaking and giving. There is enough for each, not of bread alone, but of fish; and the disciples are refreshed by another kind of ministry. So the Lord recreates us by turning exhausted energies into new channels. What threatens to overpower us brings Christ to our side. But His footsteps must be arrested, if we would have His company. Where Jesus is, storms cease and the sick are made whole. [source]

Chapter Summary: Mark 6

1  Jesus is a prophet without honor in his own country
7  He gives the twelve power over unclean spirits
14  Various opinions of Jesus
16  John the Baptist is imprisoned, beheaded, and buried
30  The apostles return from preaching
34  The miracle of five loaves and two fishes
45  Jesus walks on the sea;
53  and heals all who touch him

Greek Commentary for Mark 6:47

When even was come [οπσιας γενομενης]
The second or late evening, six p.m. at this season, or sunset on. [source]
He alone on the land [και αυτος μονος ηπι της γης]
Another Markan touch. Jesus had come down out of the mountain where he had prayed to the Father. He is by the sea again in the late twilight. Apparently Jesus remained quite a while, some hours, on the beach. “It was now dark and Jesus had not yet come to them” (John 6:17). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 6:47

Mark 6:35 When the day was now far spent [ηδη ωρας πολλης γενομενης]
Genitive absolute. ωρα — Hōra used here for day-time (so Matthew 14:15) as in Polybius and late Greek. Much day-time already gone. Luke 9:12 has it began to incline (κλινειν — klinein) or wear away. It was after 3 p.m., the first evening. Note second evening or sunset in Mark 6:47; Matthew 14:23; John 6:16. The turn of the afternoon had come and sunset was approaching. The idiom is repeated at the close of the verse. See note on Matthew 14:15. [source]
John 6:19 When therefore they had rowed [εληλακοτες ουν]
Perfect active participle of ελαυνω — elaunō old verb to march (Xenophon), to drive (James 3:4), to row (Mark 6:48). Furlongs Stadia, accusative of extent of space, a little over halfway across, “in the midst of the sea” (Mark 6:47). It was about forty stadia (six miles) across. They behold Graphic dramatic present active indicative of τεωρεω — theōreō vividly preserving the emotions of the disciples. Walking Present active participle in the accusative case agreeing with Ιησουν — Iēsoun Drawing nigh unto the boat Present middle participle of γινομαι — ginomai describing the process. “Coming near the boat.” They behold Jesus slipping closer and closer to them on the water. They were afraid Ingressive aorist passive indicative of ποβεομαι — phobeomai “they became afraid.” Sudden change to the regular historical sequence. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 6:47 mean?

And evening having come was the boat in the midst of the sea He alone upon the land
Καὶ ὀψίας γενομένης ἦν τὸ πλοῖον ἐν μέσῳ τῆς θαλάσσης αὐτὸς μόνος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς

ὀψίας  evening 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ὀψία 
Sense: late.
γενομένης  having  come 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Middle, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: γίνομαι  
Sense: to become, i.
πλοῖον  boat 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Neuter Singular
Root: πλοῖον  
Sense: a ship.
μέσῳ  the  midst 
Parse: Adjective, Dative Neuter Singular
Root: μέσος  
Sense: middle.
τῆς  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
θαλάσσης  sea 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: θάλασσα  
Sense: the sea.
μόνος  alone 
Parse: Adjective, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: μόνος  
Sense: alone (without a companion), forsaken, destitute of help, alone, only, merely.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
γῆς  land 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: γῆ  
Sense: arable land.

What are the major concepts related to Mark 6:47?

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