Mark 6:46

And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(46-52) And when he had sent them away.—See Notes on Matthew 14:22-33.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

6:45-56 The church is often like a ship at sea, tossed with tempests, and not comforted: we may have Christ for us, yet wind and tide against us; but it is a comfort to Christ's disciples in a storm, that their Master is in the heavenly mount, interceding for them. And no difficulties can hinder Christ's appearance for his people, when the set time is come. He silenced their fears, by making himself known to them. Our fears are soon satisfied, if our mistakes are set right, especially our mistakes as to Christ. Let the disciples have their Master with them, and all is well. It is for want of rightly understanding Christ's former works, that we view his present works as if there never were the like before. If Christ's ministers now could cure people's bodily diseases, what multitudes would flock after them! It is sad to think how much more most care about their bodies than about their souls.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See this passage explained in the notes at Matthew 14:22-36.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

46. And when he had sent them away, he departed into a mountain to pray—thus at length getting that privacy and rest which He had vainly sought during the earlier part of the day; opportunity also to pour out His soul in connection with the extraordinary excitement in His favor that evening—which appears to have marked the zenith of His reputation, for it began to decline the very next day; and a place whence He might watch the disciples on the lake, pray for them in their extremity, and observe the right time for coming to them, in a new manifestation of His glory, on the sea.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 46. See Poole on "Mark 6:45"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And when he had sent them away,.... Either his disciples, or rather the multitude:

he departed into a mountain to pray: after his disciples were gone, and he had dismissed the people, he went from the desert where he had been, up into a mountain; being a retired place, to spend some time in private prayer to God; See Gill on Matthew 14:23.

Geneva Study Bible

And when he had sent {x} them away, he departed into a mountain to pray.

(x) His disciples.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 6:46. ἀποταξάμενος, having dismissed them, i.e., the multitude; late Greek condemned by Phryn., p. 23 (ἔκφυλον πάνυ).

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 46, 47. - St. Mark is careful, like St. Matthew, to tell us that when the even was come he was alone on the land. Both the evangelists desire to call attention to the fact that, when night came on, the disciples were alone in their boat and Jesus alone on the land. It was nightfall; and St. John informs us that "the sea was rising by reason of a great wind that blew." Then it was that the Lord left his place of prayer on the mountain, and walked upon the sea, that he might succor his disciples now distressed by the storm. It would appear that our Lord had been obliged to use a little pressure to induce his disciples to leave him: "He constrained them (ἠνάγκασε τοὺς μαθητὰς αὑτοῦ) Verse 46 - And when he had sent them away (ἀποταξάμενος) - more literally, had taken leave of them, that is, the multitude - he departed into a mountain (εἰς τὸ ὄρος); literally, into the mountain; that is, the high table-land at the foot of which the multitude had been fed. Towards the north-east of the Sea of Galilee the land rises rapidly from the shore. To pray (προσεύξασθαι). This is a very full word, implying the outpouring of the heart to God. Our Lord did this that he might teach us in our prayers to shun the crowd, and to pray in silence and in secret, with collected mind. There is here, too, a special example for the clergy, namely, this: that when they have preached they should go apart and pray that God would make effectual that which they have delivered; that he would himself give the increase where they have planted and watered, and renew their spiritual strength, that they may return again to their labour refreshed by communion with him. Mark 6:46

Vincent's Word Studies

When he had sent them away (ἀποτάξαμενος)

Rev., more correctly, after he had taken leave. Unclassical, and used in this sense only in later Greek. So in Luke 9:61; Acts 18:18; 2 Corinthians 2:13.