Mark 8:18

18 ‘Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?’ ^[a] And do you not remember?

Mark 8:18 Meaning and Commentary

Mark 8:18

Having eyes, see ye not?
&c.] Meaning perhaps both the eyes of their bodies, and of their understandings: they had bodily eyes, and with them saw the miracles he wrought, and yet took little notice of them; and the eyes of their understandings were enlightened by Christ, and yet saw things but very darkly:

and having ears, hear ye not?
They had their natural hearing, and yet made but little use of it; and did not so diligently attend to the sound of Christ's words: and though they had spiritual ears given them to hear, yet were very dull of, understanding, and taking in things:

and do ye not remember?
the interpretation of parables formerly given, and the miracles of the loaves lately wrought.

Mark 8:18 In-Context

16 So they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread.

17 Aware of their conversation, Jesus asked them, “Why are you debating about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Do you have such hard hearts?

18 ‘Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?’ And do you not remember?

19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Twelve,” they answered.

20 “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?” “Seven,” they said.

Footnotes

• [a]. See Deuteronomy 29:4, Isaiah 42:20, Jeremiah 5:21, and Ezekiel 12:2.