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Mark 8

Mark8

New King James Version

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1 In those days, the multitude being very great and having nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and said to them,

2 “I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat.

3 And if I send them away hungry to their own houses, they will faint on the way; for some of them have come from afar.”

4 Then His disciples answered Him, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?”

5 He asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” And they said, “Seven.”

6 So He commanded the multitude to sit down on the ground. And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude.

7 They also had a few small fish; and having blessed them, He said to set them also before them.

8 So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments.

9 Now those who had eaten were about four thousand. And He sent them away,

10 immediately got into the boat with His disciples, and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.

12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”

13 And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.

14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.

15 Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

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

17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?

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 baskets full of fragments did you take up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.”

20 “Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?” And they said, “Seven.”

21 So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?”

22 Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him.

23 So 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 on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

24 And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”

25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

26 Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.”

27 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”

28 So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

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

32 He spoke this word openly. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

33 But when He had turned around and looked at His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

34 When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.

36 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?

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

38 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

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Mark 8

Public-domain commentary and original-language notes for Mark 8. The full AI study guide (summary, themes, context) has its own page.

Chapter Summary

In this chapter: 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).

vv1-10

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.

vv11-21

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?

vv22-26

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.

Cross References

Mark 8

The parallel account of the feeding of the four thousand in Matthew's Gospel.

Supported by Matthew Poole, John Calvin, JFB

v11Matthew 16:1-4thematic

The parallel account of the Pharisees demanding a sign from heaven.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v27Matthew 16:13-20thematic

The parallel account of Peter's confession of Christ and the subsequent rebuke.

Supported by Matthew Henry, JFB

v14Matthew 16:5thematic

The parallel account of the disciples forgetting to take bread in the boat.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v33Matthew 16:23thematic

Parallel account of Jesus rebuking Peter with 'Get thee behind me, Satan'.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v34Luke 9:23thematic

Parallel instruction on self-denial, taking up the cross, and following Jesus.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v2Mark 6:34thematic

Highlights Christ's deep compassion, previously shown in feeding the five thousand.

Supported by JFB

v4Psalms 78:19thematic

Echoes the disciples' unbelieving question, 'Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?'

Supported by Matthew Poole

v8Mark 8:19thematic

Jesus later contrasts the twelve baskets of the five thousand with the seven here.

Supported by Matthew Poole, JFB

v15Luke 12:1thematic

Jesus explicitly defines the leaven of the Pharisees as hypocrisy.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v18Isaiah 6:9allusion

Alludes to the prophetic judgment of having eyes but not seeing, and ears but not hearing.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v36Matthew 16:26thematic

Parallel question regarding the worthlessness of gaining the world at the cost of one's soul.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v38Luke 9:26thematic

Parallel warning about being ashamed of Christ and His words before His coming glory.

Supported by Matthew Henry

v42 Kings 4:42-44typology

Old Testament type where Elisha miraculously multiplies twenty loaves to feed one hundred men.

Supported by Matthew Poole

v25Proverbs 4:18thematic

Thematic parallel to the gradual healing of the blind man, shining brighter and brighter.

Supported by Matthew Henry