Mark 8

1 About that time there was once again a large crowd with nothing to eat. Jesus called his disciples and said to them,

2 "I feel sorry for the people. They have been with me three days now and have nothing to eat.

3 If I send them home before they've eaten, they will become exhausted on the road. Some of them have come a long distance."

4 His disciples asked him, "Where could anyone get enough bread to feed these people in this place where no one lives?"

5 Jesus asked them, "How many loaves of bread do you have?" They answered, "Seven."

6 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. He took the seven loaves and gave thanks to God. Then he broke the bread and gave it to his disciples to serve to the people.

7 They also had a few small fish. He blessed them and said that the fish should also be served to the people.

8 The people ate as much as they wanted. The disciples picked up the leftover pieces and filled seven large baskets.

9 About four thousand people were there. Then he sent the people on their way.

10 After that, Jesus and his disciples got into a boat and went into the region of Dalmanutha.

11 The Pharisees went to Jesus and began to argue with him. They tested him by demanding that he perform a miraculous sign from heaven.

12 With a deep sigh he asked, "Why do these people demand a sign? I can guarantee this truth: If these people are given a sign, it will be far different than what they want!"

13 Then he left them there. He got into a boat again and crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.

14 The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along and had only one loaf with them in the boat.

15 Jesus warned them, "Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!"

16 They had been discussing with one another that they didn't have any bread.

17 Jesus knew what they were saying and asked them, "Why are you discussing the fact that you don't have any bread? Don't you understand yet? Don't you catch on? Are your minds closed?

18 Are you blind and deaf? Don't you remember?

19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?" They told him, "Twelve."

20 "When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many large baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?" They answered him, "Seven."

21 He asked them, "Don't you catch on yet?"

22 As they came to Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus. They begged Jesus to touch him.

23 Jesus took the blind man's hand and led him out of the village. He spit into the man's eyes and placed his hands on him. Jesus asked him, "Can you see anything?"

24 The man looked up and said, "I see people. They look like trees walking around."

25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man's eyes a second time, and the man saw clearly. His sight was normal again. He could see everything clearly even at a distance.

26 Jesus told him when he sent him home, "Don't go into the village."

27 Then Jesus and his disciples went to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say I am?"

28 They answered him, "Some say you are John the Baptizer, others Elijah, still others one of the prophets."

29 He asked them, "But who do you say I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah!"

30 He ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

31 Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man would have to suffer a lot. He taught them that he would be rejected by the leaders, the chief priests, and the scribes. He would be killed, but after three days he would come back to life.

32 He told them very clearly what he meant. Peter took him aside and objected to this.

33 Jesus turned, looked at his disciples, and objected to what Peter said. Jesus said, "Get out of my way, Satan! You aren't thinking the way God thinks but the way humans think."

34 Then Jesus called the crowd to himself along with his disciples. He said to them, "Those who want to follow me must say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses, and follow me.

35 Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me and for the Good News will save them.

36 What good does it do for people to win the whole world yet lose their lives?

37 Or what should a person give in exchange for life?

38 If people are ashamed of me and what I say in this unfaithful and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of those people when he comes with the holy angels in his Father's glory."

Mark 8 Commentary

Chapter 8

Four thousand fed by a miracle. (1-10) Christ cautions against the Pharisees and Herodians. (11-21) A blind man healed. (22-26) Peter's testimony to Christ. (27-33) Christ must be followed. (34-38)

Verses 1-10 Our Lord Jesus encouraged the meanest to come to him for life and grace. Christ knows and considers our frames. The bounty of Christ is always ready; to show that, he repeated this miracle. His favours are renewed, as our wants and necessities are. And those need not fear want, who have Christ to live upon by faith, and do so with thanksgiving.

Verses 11-21 Obstinate unbelief will have something to say, though ever so unreasonable. Christ refused to answer their demand. If they will not be convinced, they shall not. Alas! what cause we have to lament for those around us, who destroy themselves and others by their perverse and obstinate unbelief, and enmity to the gospel! When we forget the works of God, and distrust him, we should chide ourselves severely, as Christ here reproves his disciples. How is it that we so often mistake his meaning, disregard his warnings, and distrust his providence?

Verses 22-26 Here is a blind man brought to Christ by his friends. Therein appeared the faith of those that brought him. If those who are spiritually blind, do not pray for themselves, yet their friends and relations should pray for them, that Christ would be pleased to touch them. The cure was wrought gradually, which was not usual in our Lord's miracles. Christ showed in what method those commonly are healed by his grace, who by nature are spiritually blind. At first, their knowledge is confused; but, like the light of the morning, it shines more and more to the perfect day, and then they see all things clearly. Slighting Christ's favours is forfeiting them; and he will make those who do so know the worth of privileges by the want of them.

Verses 27-33 These things are written, that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. These miracles of our Lord assure us that he was not conquered, but a Conqueror. Now the disciples are convinced that Jesus is the Christ; they may bear to hear of his sufferings, of which Christ here begins to give them notice. He sees that amiss in what we say and do, of which we ourselves are not aware, and knows what manner of spirit we are of, when we ourselves do not. The wisdom of man is folly, when it pretends to limit the Divine counsels. Peter did not rightly understand the nature of Christ's kingdom.

Verses 34-38 Frequent notice is taken of the great flocking there was to Christ for help in various cases. All are concerned to know this, if they expect him to heal their souls. They must not indulge the ease of the body. As the happiness of heaven with Christ, is enough to make up for the loss of life itself for him, so the gain of all the world in sin, will not make up for the ruin of the soul by sin. And there is a day coming, when the cause of Christ will appear as glorious, as some now think it mean and contemptible. May we think of that season, and view every earthly object as we shall do at that great day.