Mark 6:53-56
“Notice what you notice.” Mark on Jesus landing at Gennesaret… Whenever we have passages in double or triple tradition, I try not to read ahead in the readings schedule, except to read notes from my Study Bible from all the writers. Following that pattern yesterday, I had not read Mark’s account when I reported on Matthew’s account of the landing at Gennesaret. True to form, Mark’s account goes into much more detail than Matthew’s. And that increased detail confirms and enhances some items that I shared yesterday. For example, Matthew writes …they sent around to all that region and brought to Him all who were sick (Matthew 14:35b). Mark writes …the people … ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. (vv. 54-55) Those last six words, to wherever they heard he was, add substantial specificity and a more personal touch in Mark’s account! In addition, Mark has the people “running” compared to Matthew’s “sent around”.
Or consider the second half of Matthew 14:35b quoted above, they … brought to Him all who were sick as compared to Mark’s they laid the sick in the marketplaces (v. 56b). Again, Mark just seems more complete, more personal to picture “patients” lying on the ground or sitting in chairs in the center of town. Finally, Matthew writes they came to land at Gennesaret (Matthew 14:34b) while Mark has they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore (v. 53b). “Mooring to the shore” seems much more vivid than “came to land”.
It’s not a lot of depth that I write today, but I keep finding that I am loving Mark’s Gospel in a way that I never had before. And that’s special!
Slava Bohu!