Mark 8:17

17 And Jesus, hearing it, said to them, Why are you reasoning among yourselves because you have no bread? do you still not see, and is it still not clear to you? are your hearts so hard?

Mark 8:17 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 8:17

And when Jesus knew it
As he did immediately, by his omniscience; for as he knew the thoughts and reasonings of the Scribes and Pharisees, ( Matthew 9:4 ) , so he did those of his own disciples:

he saith unto them, why reason ye because ye have no bread?
or imagine that I have given you this caution on that account; or are distressed because this is your case, as if you should be reduced to great difficulties, by reason of your forgetfulness and negligence:

perceive ye not yet, neither understand?
the meaning of the parabolical expressions, which he had used them to; or his power in providing food for them, and supporting a great number of persons with very little food, of which they had some very late instances:

have ye your heart yet hardened?
as after the first miracle; see ( Mark 6:52 ) , for it might have been expected, that by a second miracle of the loaves, their understandings would have been more enlightened, and their faith increased, and that they would have relinquished their gross notions, their anxieties, doubts, and unbelief.

Mark 8:17 In-Context

15 And he said to them, Take care to be on the watch against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.

16 And they said to one another, We have no bread.

17 And Jesus, hearing it, said to them, Why are you reasoning among yourselves because you have no bread? do you still not see, and is it still not clear to you? are your hearts so hard?

18 Having eyes, do you not see? and having ears, have you no hearing? and have you no memory?

19 When I made a division of the five cakes of bread among the five thousand, what number of baskets full of broken bits did you take up? They said to him, Twelve.