Taking advantage of the opportunity, Mark places here an introductory speech on the death of the Baptist. Some say that Herod took Herodias while Philip was still alive, and for this he was denounced as a lawless man who married the wife of his living brother. On the contrary, others claim that Philip is already dead, but left behind a daughter. And when Philip had a daughter, Herod should not have married his brother's wife even after his brother's death; for the Law commanded a brother to take his brother's wife in the event that the latter should die childless. But in the present case there was a daughter; therefore, Herod's marriage was unlawful. See how strong is the passion of carnal love! Herod, who had so much respect and fear for John, neglected it only to satisfy his passion.

A convenient day came when Herod, on the occasion of his birthday, was making a feast for his nobles, the commanders of thousands, and the elders of Galilee, – the daughter of Herodias came in, danced, and pleased Herod and those who sat at table with him; The king said to the maiden, "Ask me what you will, and I will give it to you; And he swore to her, Whatever thou askest of me, I will give thee, even to the half of my kingdom. She went out and asked her mother, "What should I ask?" She answered, "The heads of John the Baptist." And she immediately went with haste to the king and begged, saying, "I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a platter at once." The king was grieved, but for the sake of the oath and those who sat at table with him, he did not want to refuse her. And straightway, having sent a squire, the king commanded that his head be brought. And he went and cut off his head in prison, and brought his head on a platter, and gave it to the damsel, and the damsel gave it to her mother. And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body, and laid it in the tomb.

The feast goes merrily: Satan dances in the maiden, and an oath is taken, lawless and godless, and most of all mad. "That you may give me," says the wicked woman, "now, now." The reckless and lustful Herod was afraid to break his oath and therefore killed the righteous man, whereas in this case he should have betrayed his oath and not committed such a terrible crime (it is not always good to fulfill an oath). A squire was a military man who was appointed by society to execute and kill criminals. It is also possible to understand the passage in question in a figurative, spiritual sense. Thus, Herod is a crudely carnal Jewish people: he took a wife – a false and absurd glory, whose daughter is still dancing and moving among the Jews – this is the knowledge of the Scriptures that deceives them. They think they know the Scriptures, when they don't, for they beheaded John, that is, the prophetic word, because they didn't receive the Head of prophecy, I mean Christ. Therefore, if they have a prophetic word, they have it without a Head, that is, without Christ.

And the apostles gathered together to Jesus, and told him all things, and what they had done, and what they had taught. He said to them, "Go ye alone into a desert place, and rest a little, for there were many who came and went, so that they had no time to eat." And they went to a deserted place in a boat alone. The people saw them departing, and many recognized them; And the footmen fled thither from all the cities, and warned them, and gathered themselves together to him.

After their preaching, the apostles gather to Jesus. This should be a lesson for us, that we, too, having been chosen for any service, should not depart from obedience to the one who chose us and exalt ourselves before him, but should recognize him as the head, turn to him and report to him about everything that we have done and taught (we must not only teach, but also do). Christ gives His disciples a rest; this is a lesson for the primates, so that they may be able to give rest to those who labor in word and teaching, and not always keep them in tension and labor. Further, the Lord, not loving glory, withdraws into an empty place. However, even here He did not hide from those who sought Him. On the contrary, the people watched so attentively that the Lord would not hide from them, that they preceded, that is, preceded the apostles themselves and went to the place where Jesus intended to rest. In the same way, precede Jesus: do not wait for Him to call you, but rather hasten ahead yourself to warn Him.

When Jesus went out, he saw a multitude of people, and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; And he began to teach them much. And when much time had passed, His disciples came to Him, saying, "The place here is desolate, and the time is already long, let them go, that they may go to the surrounding villages and villages, and buy themselves bread, for they have nothing to eat." He answered and said to them, "Give them something to eat." And they said to him, "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?" But he asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" Go and have a look. When they found out, they said, "Five loaves and two fishes." Then he commanded them to seat everyone in compartments on the green grass. And they sat down in rows, a hundred and fifty.

The Pharisees, being ravenous wolves, did not save the people, but devoured them. Therefore, the people, having passed through them, gather to Christ, the true Shepherd. And Christ gives him food, at first more useful and valuable – in the word, and then in the body. But look at the disciples, how distinguished they are by their love for humanity! Feeling sorry for the people, they come to Christ and begin to beseech Him for him. The Lord, tempting them and testing whether they have come to know His power, that He is able to feed the people, says: "Give them something to eat." To this, the disciples, in the form of a reproach, present to Him, on the one hand, the greatness of their poverty, and on the other, the multitude of the people, as if He did not know this. In this difficulty, they say: "Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?" That is, as if at different tables.

He took five loaves and two fishes, and looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to his disciples, that they might distribute to them; And he divided the two fishes among all. And they all ate, and were satisfied. And they gathered up pieces of bread and the remains of the fish, twelve full baskets. And there were about five thousand men who ate bread.

The Lord looks to heaven, firstly, in order to teach us to ask for food from God, and not from the devil, as people do who live on unrighteous gains, and secondly, in order to show the people that Christ is not an opponent of God, on the contrary, He Himself calls God. He gives the loaves to the disciples, so that they would not forget about the miracle after they received the loaves with their own hands. And the twelve baskets of surpluses remain for the same purpose, so that each of the apostles, carrying a box on his shoulders, would always keep the miracle in his memory. And not only to feed such a multitude of people, but also to leave surpluses, is a sign of the abundant power in Christ. Although Moses gave manna, it was only for the needs of everyone, for worms were bred in what was left. And Elijah, feeding a well-known wife, brought just as much as was enough for food. On the contrary, Jesus, as Lord, produces that which turns out to be an excess. This is a historical meaning. In a figurative sense, the five loaves mean the books of Moses, of which there are five: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Two fish signify the words of the fishermen – the Apostle and the Gospel. It is with them that our five senses, signified by the five thousand people, are nourished. However, we cannot eat everything, but much will remain in abundance, which only the apostles can bear. Thus, the most difficult aspects of understanding the Law and the Gospel we, who are still subservient to the five senses, cannot bear, but only the Apostles can.

And immediately he compelled his disciples to enter the boat and go forward to the other side to Bethsaida, until he would let the people go. And having dismissed them, he went to the mountain to pray. In the evening, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and He was alone on the land. And he saw them in distress at sea, for the wind was contrary to them; And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea, and would have passed by them. When they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost, and they cried out. For everyone saw Him and were afraid. And straightway he spoke to them, and said to them, Be of good cheer; it is I, do not be afraid. And he went into their boat, and the wind stopped. And they were exceedingly amazed and amazed, for they did not understand the miracle of the loaves, because their hearts were hardened.

"He forced the disciples." The disciples are separated from Him only by compulsion, and they themselves did not want to part, partly because of their love for Him, partly because they were perplexed as to how He could come to them without a boat. And He, having dismissed the people, ascends (to the mountain) to pray in private, since prayer requires solitude and a calm state. The Lord allows the disciples to be overwhelmed by the sea, so that they may learn patience. For the same reason He does not immediately appear to them, but allows them to be in danger from the storm all night long, in order to accustom them to be patient and to wait for deliverance not at the very beginning of the dangers. But note another circumstance, that is, that before He ceases the danger, He plunges them into greater fear; for when they saw him, they cried out in fright, thinking that he was a ghost. Then the Lord immediately encourages them with His voice, saying: "Do not be afraid"; then, entering the boat, he gives them complete comfort, because the wind has suddenly stopped. To walk on the sea is a great miracle and is characteristic of the one true God; and because there was confusion among the disciples and a contrary wind, the miracle is even more exalted. As for the apostles, they, not knowing (Christ) from the miracle of the loaves, knew Him from the real miracle on the sea. Therefore, it can be thought that Christ allowed them to be in danger so that they, not having known Him from the miracle of the loaves, would now know Him from the miracle over the sea, and from there they would derive benefit for themselves.

And having crossed over, they came to the land of Gennesaret, and landed on the shore. When they got out of the boat, immediately the inhabitants, recognizing Him, ran around the whole country and began to bring the sick on beds to where He was heard, as they heard. And wherever He went, whether in villages, in cities, or in villages, they laid the sick in open places and asked Him to touch at least the hem of His garment; and those who touched Him were healed.

The Lord arrived in this place, it seems, after a considerable time (absence); That is why the Evangelist says: "When they recognized Him, they began to bring in the sick." They did not yet call Him to their homes, but they themselves brought the sick, begging them to touch at least the hem of His garment. For the miracle of the bleeding woman came to the attention of all, and made them all the more faithful.

Chapter Seven