And again He began to teach by the lakeshore. And a very great crowd gathered around Him, so that He got into a boat and sat on the lake, while the whole crowd was on the land by the lakeshore.
This verse presents the scene where Christ once again stands before the people as the Divine Teacher. The crowd was large; because of this He got into a boat and sat on the lake, while the people remained on the shore. This was not only a practical solution so that everyone could see and hear Him, but it also shows that His word sounded in a way that would be accessible to the whole crowd. Mark often shows Christ in the most natural settings of people’s lives—at home, on the road, on the lakeshore—so that it may be understood that the kingdom of God enters into people’s real life. Here the Lord’s patience is also seen: however great the flow of people was, He was again ready to teach, because the deepest need of man continued to be the word of God.