Here is the reason the disciples reacted as they did in this series of miracles. Mark alone recorded it, probably as a result of Peter"s preaching. The disciples had not learned from the feeding of the5 ,000 that Jesus was God. Their collective mind was not open to this possibility. [source][source][source]
Healings near Gennesaret6:53-56 (cf. Matthew 14:34-36)[source]
Jesus returned to the northwest area of the Sea of Galilee coast from the predominantly Gentile area where He had been recently. [source][source][source]
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
1Jesus is a prophet without honor in his own country 7He gives the twelve power over unclean spirits 14Various opinions of Jesus 16John the Baptist is imprisoned, beheaded, and buried 30The apostles return from preaching 34The miracle of five loaves and two fishes 45Jesus walks on the sea; 53and heals all who touch him
Greek Commentary for Mark 6:52
For they understood not [ου γαρ συνηκαν] Explanation of their excessive amazement, viz., their failure to grasp the full significance of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, a nature miracle. Here was another, Jesus walking on the water. Their reasoning process See note on Mark 3:5 about πωρωσις pōrōsis Today some men have such intellectual hardness or denseness that they cannot believe that God can or would work miracles, least of all nature miracles. [source]
The miracle of the loaves [ἐπὶ τοῖς ἄρτοις] Rev., concerning the loaves. Lit., upon; in the matter of. They did not reason from the multiplying of the loaves to the stilling of the sea. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 6:52
John 12:40He hath blinded [τετυπλωκεν] Perfect active indicative of τυπλοω tuphloō old causative verb to make blind (from τυπλος tuphlos blind), in N.T. only here, 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 2:11. He hardened First aorist active indicative of πωροω pōroō a late causative verb (from πωρος pōros hard skin), seen already in Mark 6:52, etc. This quotation is from Isaiah 6:10 and differs from the lxx. Lest they should see Negative purpose clause with ινα μη hina mē instead of μηποτε mēpote (never used by John) of the lxx. Matthew (Matthew 13:15) has μηποτε mēpote and quotes Jesus as using the passage as do Mark (Mark 4:12) and Luke (Luke 8:10). Paul quotes it again (Acts 28:26) to the Jews in Rome. In each instance the words of Isaiah are interpreted as forecasting the doom of the Jews for rejecting the Messiah. Matthew (Matthew 13:15) has συνωσιν sunōsin where John has νοησωσιν noēsōsin (perceive), and both change from the subjunctive to the future (και ιασομαι kai iasomai), “And I should heal them.” John has here στραπωσιν straphōsin (second aorist passive subjunctive of στρεπω strephō) while Matthew reads επιστρεπσωσιν epistrepsōsin (first aorist active of επιστρεπω epistrephō). [source]
2 Corinthians 3:14But their minds were hardened [αλλα επωρωτη τα νοηματα αυτων] Their thoughts (νοηματα noēmata) literally. Πωροω Pōroō (first aorist passive indicative here) is late verb from πωρος pōros hard skin, to cover with thick skin (callus), to petrify. See note on Mark 6:52 and Mark 8:17. [source]
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: πωρόω
Sense: to cover with a thick skin, to harden by covering with a callus.
Greek Commentary for Mark 6:52
Explanation of their excessive amazement, viz., their failure to grasp the full significance of the miracle of the loaves and fishes, a nature miracle. Here was another, Jesus walking on the water. Their reasoning process See note on Mark 3:5 about πωρωσις pōrōsis Today some men have such intellectual hardness or denseness that they cannot believe that God can or would work miracles, least of all nature miracles. [source]
Rev., concerning the loaves. Lit., upon; in the matter of. They did not reason from the multiplying of the loaves to the stilling of the sea. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Mark 6:52
Perfect active indicative of τυπλοω tuphloō old causative verb to make blind (from τυπλος tuphlos blind), in N.T. only here, 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 2:11. He hardened First aorist active indicative of πωροω pōroō a late causative verb (from πωρος pōros hard skin), seen already in Mark 6:52, etc. This quotation is from Isaiah 6:10 and differs from the lxx. Lest they should see Negative purpose clause with ινα μη hina mē instead of μηποτε mēpote (never used by John) of the lxx. Matthew (Matthew 13:15) has μηποτε mēpote and quotes Jesus as using the passage as do Mark (Mark 4:12) and Luke (Luke 8:10). Paul quotes it again (Acts 28:26) to the Jews in Rome. In each instance the words of Isaiah are interpreted as forecasting the doom of the Jews for rejecting the Messiah. Matthew (Matthew 13:15) has συνωσιν sunōsin where John has νοησωσιν noēsōsin (perceive), and both change from the subjunctive to the future (και ιασομαι kai iasomai), “And I should heal them.” John has here στραπωσιν straphōsin (second aorist passive subjunctive of στρεπω strephō) while Matthew reads επιστρεπσωσιν epistrepsōsin (first aorist active of επιστρεπω epistrephō). [source]
Their thoughts (νοηματα noēmata) literally. Πωροω Pōroō (first aorist passive indicative here) is late verb from πωρος pōros hard skin, to cover with thick skin (callus), to petrify. See note on Mark 6:52 and Mark 8:17. [source]