Mark 6 38

Mark 6:38 kjv

He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes.

Mark 6:38 nkjv

But He said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they found out they said, "Five, and two fish."

Mark 6:38 niv

"How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see." When they found out, they said, "Five?and two fish."

Mark 6:38 esv

And he said to them, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see." And when they had found out, they said, "Five, and two fish."

Mark 6:38 nlt

"How much bread do you have?" he asked. "Go and find out." They came back and reported, "We have five loaves of bread and two fish."

Mark 6 verses

Mark 6 38 Meaning

Jesus queries His disciples about their limited food resources as a preparatory step for miraculously feeding the large crowd. The verse highlights the disparity between the overwhelming need and the human disciples' meager provisions, setting the stage for God's divine provision to be demonstrated. It underscores the initial state of human inadequacy that Christ's power would transcend.

Mark 6 38 Context

This verse is embedded in the account of Jesus feeding the five thousand, one of the most widely attested miracles in the Gospels. Immediately preceding this, Jesus and His disciples sought a solitary place for rest after the disciples returned from their mission and John the Baptist was tragically killed. However, vast crowds followed them. Instead of turning the people away, Jesus, moved by compassion because "they were like sheep without a shepherd" (Mk 6:34), began to teach them extensively. As evening approached, the disciples, recognizing the remoteness of the place and the lateness of the hour, urged Jesus to dismiss the crowds so they could go to nearby villages to buy food for themselves. Jesus's response in Mark 6:37, "You give them something to eat," directly leads to His subsequent inquiry in Mark 6:38, which exposes the disciples' inadequacy and sets the stage for His divine intervention. Historically, large gatherings for spiritual teaching were common, but providing sustenance for thousands in a remote location would have been a significant logistical and financial challenge for the original audience, highlighting the disciples' natural human dilemma.

Mark 6 38 Word analysis

• He said: Refers to Jesus, signifying His initiative and command. He is the one driving the assessment and action.
• to them: The disciples, particularly the twelve, who have just returned from their evangelistic and healing mission. This interaction serves as a vital lesson for them in faith and God's power.
• 'How many loaves: (πόσους ἄρτους – posous artous). "Loaves" refers to common bread, the staple food of the time. The question isn't "What can we do?" but "What do you have?" This frames the challenge in terms of existing human resources, emphasizing their severe limitation.
• do you have?: (ἔχετε – echete). This probes the disciples' direct possession and knowledge of available sustenance, pushing them to confront the practical reality of their meagre provisions. It highlights human insufficiency without divine intervention.
• Go and see.': (ὑπάγετε ἴδετε – hypagete idete). An imperative command. This instructs the disciples to actively investigate and confirm the precise amount of available food. It's a pragmatic step, ensuring that the human limits are thoroughly acknowledged before the miracle, preventing any future misunderstanding that resources magically appeared from nowhere.
• And when they had found out: (καὶ γνόντες – kai gnontes). Lit. "and having known/ascertained." This implies a deliberate search, a report back, and a collective discovery by the disciples, solidifying the meagre quantity in their minds.
• they said, 'Five: This precise, small number emphasizes the utter inadequacy of human means to meet the demand of thousands. It represents scarcity from a human perspective.
• and two fish.': (καὶ δύο ἰχθύας – kai duo ichthyas). Small, cured fish were common accompaniment to bread. This meager addition further underscores the humility and simplicity of the "resources" available, highlighting that God chooses to work through and multiply what is perceived as utterly insufficient.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "How many loaves do you have? Go and see.": This phrase captures Jesus's pedagogical approach. He doesn't just reveal the answer; He involves His disciples in the assessment process, leading them to acknowledge their own limitations before He acts. It is a direct challenge to their faith and practical understanding.
• "Five, and two fish.": This terse response encapsulates the maximum human provision available in that immediate context. It is a striking contrast between the immense need (thousands) and the extremely small, humble offering. This juxtaposition amplifies the magnitude of the miracle that is about to occur and underscores that the provision is fundamentally from God, not from any human capacity or planning.

Mark 6 38 Bonus section

• The detail of "going and seeing" shows a grounded, practical engagement by Jesus, contrasting with abstract or merely spiritual solutions. He wanted a concrete report.
• This verse, read alongside the later failure of the disciples to understand the significance of the bread (Mk 8:14-21), highlights the often-slow process of spiritual learning and the need for repeated lessons for faith to deepen.
• The "five" and "two" are not merely quantities; they establish the "starting point" for God's miracle. What might seem too small for human use becomes more than enough in Christ's hands. This underscores a theme of God multiplying our meager offerings when faithfully given.

Mark 6 38 Commentary

Mark 6:38 presents a pivotal moment, shifting from the disciples' natural human reasoning to the divine power of Jesus. Jesus's question, "How many loaves do you have? Go and see," serves multiple purposes. First, it involves the disciples directly in the practical assessment, forcing them to confront the overwhelming challenge and their own severe limitations. This prevents them from later attributing the forthcoming miracle to unseen stores or unknown sources, establishing their full knowledge of the scarcity. Second, it educates them on the nature of divine provision: God often works with and through what we already possess, however meager, rather than creating out of nothing in a vacuum. The specific numbers – five loaves and two fish – symbolize ultimate human inadequacy in the face of immense need, setting the stage for God's overwhelming abundance. The humility of the resources (common bread and fish) further emphasizes that it is the Lord who multiplies, not the intrinsic value of the offering. This episode is a profound lesson in trust, stewardship of the little we have, and God's ability to transcend all human limitations with boundless grace.