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Mark 8

Commentary · verses 1-9

Verses 1-9: the supernatural feeding of the 4000.

1In those days, when there was again a great multitude, and they had nothing to eat, he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, 2I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days, and have nothing to eat:

1In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,

2I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:

Commentary · verse 2

Jesus had compassion on the people.

3and if I send them away fasting to their home, they will faint on the way; and some of them are come from far.

4And his disciples answered him, Whence shall one be able to fill these men with bread here in a desert place?

5And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

6And he commandeth the multitude to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he brake, and gave to his disciples, to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.

7And they had a few small fishes: and having blessed them, he commanded to set these also before them.

8And they ate, and were filled: and they took up, of broken pieces that remained over, seven baskets.

9And they were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

3And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.

4And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?

5And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.

6And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.

7And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.

8So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.

9And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.

Commentary · verse 9

Again, Jesus fed the multitudes through order and giving.

10And straightway he entered into the boat with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

11And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, trying him.

10And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.

11And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.

Commentary · verses 10-11

The Pharisees sought a sign from Jesus, tempting/testing Him. This would have been a sign as a cause, whereas Jesus did all of His miracles as an effect, in response to a need that was presented to Him.

12And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

12And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.

Commentary · verse 12

Jesus gave no sign. Jesus knew their intention. Hebrews 11:1 stated faith is "belief without seeing." Without a need, their faith wouldn't be necessary. Faith would be required first for a sign to manifest in response to the need.

13And he left them, and again entering into the boat departed to the other side.

14And they forgot to take bread; and they had not in the boat with them more than one loaf.

15And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.

13And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other side.

14Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.

15And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.

Commentary · verses 13-15

Jesus warned the Disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod: the man-made religion and the government.

16And they reasoned one with another, saying, We have no bread.

17And Jesus perceiving it saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? do ye not yet perceive, neither understand? have ye your heart hardened?

18Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

19When I brake the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

20And when the seven among the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces took ye up? And they say unto him, Seven.

21And he said unto them, Do ye not yet understand?

16And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.

17And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?

18Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

19When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

20And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

21And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?

Commentary · verses 16-21

The Disciples continued to focus on the physical when they reasoned about the bread even though they had two experiences where Jesus was able to feed thousands.

22And they come unto Bethsaida. And they bring to him a blind man, and beseech him to touch him.

23And he took hold of the blind man by the hand, and brought him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes, and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, Seest thou aught?

22And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.

23And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

Commentary · verses 22-23

This healing was very unique in many ways. There are two ways to look at this story. We will present both through questions and let you decide what happened. Jesus took this man by the hand and walked him out of the village. Jesus put spit in a blind man's eyes to heal him. Of all the people that Jesus healed, this man had the most contact with Jesus: physical touch for minutes as they walked out of the village and Jesus' bodily fluids in his eyes. Jesus asked if he saw "ought". This was the only healing where Jesus questioned the results.

24And he looked up, and said, I see men; for I behold them as trees, walking.

24And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

Commentary · verse 24

The man said he saw men "as trees, walking." Did Jesus not heal him enough? or did Jesus heal him too much? Was he not seeing the physical well enough or too well? Did this man see into the supernatural? Our brains are made up of dendrites which was the Greek word for "trees". Did this man see people's thoughts and not realize it?...he did have Jesus' bodily fluids in his eyes and we've seen that Jesus could see people's thought process: Mark 2:8.

25Then again he laid his hands upon his eyes; and he looked stedfastly, and was restored, and saw all things clearly.

25After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

Commentary · verse 25

Jesus made it so the man saw clearly. The Greek word for "clearly" meant "from a distance." The man was restored: brought back to the original condition being able to see men from a distance. Was this restored up to being able to see the physical clearly or restored back to only being able to see the physical clearly? Notice, the ability to get healed would have been dependent on the man's faith because Jesus would not fail in a healing because if He did it would be His fault. Did the man have an extremely high amount of faith because of the personal contact with Jesus? Did the man's faith lessen when the healing did not restore him the first time or did the man's faith increase when he was able to see something, even a blurry image?

26And he sent him away to his home, saying, Do not even enter into the village.

26And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

Commentary · verse 26

Jesus did not want this man to go home by going into the village. Jesus did not want this man immediately interacting with other people. Was this because Jesus did not want a multitude to pursue Him or was it because Jesus did not want this man explaining to others that he saw supernaturally? or continue to practice looking at people and seeing their thought processes?

27And Jesus went forth, and his disciples, into the villages of Cæsarea Philippi: and on the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Who do men say that I am?

28And they told him, saying, John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but others, One of the prophets.

29And he asked them, But who say ye that I am? Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.

27And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Cesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?

28And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.

29And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.

Commentary · verses 27-29

Jesus asked who people said He was. Then, Jesus was able to specifically ask the Disciples who they thought He was. Peter made his confession that Jesus was the Christ. This was the confession that the church is built on.

30And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

31And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

30And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.

31And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Commentary · verses 30-31

Jesus told them not to tell anyone and then began teaching about His suffering, death, and resurrection.

32And he spake the saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

32And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.

Commentary · verse 32

Peter rebuked Jesus. Peter told Jesus He was wrong, to His face, after declaring Jesus was the Son of God.

33But he turning about, and seeing his disciples, rebuked Peter, and saith, Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou mindest not the things of God, but the things of men.

33But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.

Commentary · verse 33

Jesus called Peter Satan. Could there be any name worse to call Peter, especially when the source of this name calling was the embodiment of Right and Just?

34And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it.

36For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?

37For what should a man give in exchange for his life?

34And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same shall save it.

36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Commentary · verses 34-37

We gain through loss. People always become better by going through worse. God will prune us back so we grow more: John 15. Jesus consistently spoke of the spiritual realm by using physical examples.

Doctrines on this passage

38For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also shall be ashamed of him, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Doctrines on this passage

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