The Meaning of Mark 6:51 Explained

Mark 6:51

KJV: And he went up unto them into the ship; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.

YLT: And he went up unto them to the boat, and the wind lulled, and greatly out of measure were they amazed in themselves, and were wondering,

Darby: And he went up to them into the ship, and the wind fell. And they were exceedingly beyond measure astonished in themselves and wondered;

ASV: And he went up unto them into the boat; and the wind ceased: and they were sore amazed in themselves;

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  he went up  unto  them  into  the ship;  and  the wind  ceased:  and  they were sore  amazed  in  themselves  beyond  measure,  and  wondered. 

What does Mark 6:51 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Mark omitted the record of Peter walking on the water ( Matthew 14:28-31). This seems unusual if Peter influenced Mark"s writing. Perhaps Peter "was reluctant to picture himself in such a unique and spectacular incident." [1]
Another miracle happened (cf. Mark 4:35-41). The wind died down as soon as Jesus stepped into the boat. This astonished (Gr. existanto, cf. Mark 2:12; Mark 5:42) the disciples further.

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 6:51

They were sore amazed in themselves [λιαν εν εαυτοις εχισταντο]
Only in Mark. Imperfect tense picturing vividly the excited disciples. Mark does not give the incident of Peter‘s walking on the water and beginning to sink. Perhaps Peter was not fond of telling that story. [source]
Ceased []
See on Mark 4:39. [source]
Sore amazed [λίαν ἐκ περισσοῦ ἐξίσταντο]
Lit., exceedingly beyond measure. A strong expression peculiar to Mark. Ἐξίσταντο , were amazed. Compare the cognate noun ἔκστασις , and see on Mark 5:42. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 6:51

Mark 6:53 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. [source]
John 6:21 They were willing therefore [ητελον ουν]
Inchoative imperfect, “they began to be willing.” This does not contradict Mark 6:51 as Bernard thinks. Both Jesus and Peter climbed into the boat. Whither they were going Progressive imperfect active, “to which land they had been going” (intransitive use of υπαγω — hupagō to lead under, to go under or away as in John 6:67; John 7:33; John 12:11; John 18:8. [source]

What do the individual words in Mark 6:51 mean?

And He went up to them into the boat ceased the wind exceedingly in abundance in themselves they were amazed
καὶ ἀνέβη πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ πλοῖον ἐκόπασεν ἄνεμος λίαν ἐκ περισσοῦ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἐξίσταντο

ἀνέβη  He  went  up 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἀναβαίνω  
Sense: ascend.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
πλοῖον  boat 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: πλοῖον  
Sense: a ship.
ἐκόπασεν  ceased 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: κοπάζω  
Sense: to grow weary or tired.
ἄνεμος  wind 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἄνεμος  
Sense: wind, a violent agitation and stream of air.
λίαν  exceedingly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: λίαν  
Sense: greatly, exceedingly, exceedingly beyond measure.
περισσοῦ  abundance 
Parse: Adjective, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: περισσός  
Sense: exceeding some number or measure or rank or need.
ἑαυτοῖς  themselves 
Parse: Reflexive Pronoun, Dative Masculine 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἑαυτοῦ  
Sense: himself, herself, itself, themselves.
ἐξίσταντο  they  were  amazed 
Parse: Verb, Imperfect Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Plural
Root: ἐξιστάνω 
Sense: to throw out of position, displace.