Mark 8: Difference between revisions

'''Mark 8''' is the eighth chapter of the [[Gospel of Mark]] in the [[New Testament]] of the [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Bible]]. It contains two [[miracles of Jesus]], [[Confession of Peter|Peter's confession]] that he believes [[Jesus]] is the [[Messiah]], and Jesus' first prediction of his own [[death]] and [[resurrection of Jesus|resurrection]]. It is the middle chapter of the gospel but its significance is variously understood: for example the [[Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary]] calls it a "section of miscellaneous matter" ,<ref>[http://biblehub.com/commentaries/jfb/mark/8.htm Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary] on Mark 8, accessed 11 June 2017</ref> whereas many commentators treat it as a [[turning point]] where Mark's description of Jesus as teacher and [[miracle]] worker gives way to his focus on the role of Jesus' death and the difficult nature of his teachings.<ref>Wilmhurst, Steve, [https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/ransom-for-many/Chapter-12-The-turning-point-Mark-8-22-9-1 ''A Ransom for Many: the Gospel of Mark Simply Explained''] (Welwyn Commentary Series), 2011, chapter 12; Oke, D., [http://www.wordlibrary.co.uk/article.php?id=82 The Gospel of Mark], The Living Word Library, accessed 11 June 2017</ref>

Like [[Mark 6|Mark]] [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%206:30-44;&version=31; 6:30-44], Markverses 81-9 here describesrecount Jesus feeding a large crowd with hardly any food at all. He is teaching a large and loyal crowd, "about four thousand men",<ref>{{bibleverse|Mark|8:34-38|NKJV}}</ref> in a remote place; they have been with him for three days,<ref>{{bibleverse|Mark|8:2|NKJV}} and everyone is hungry; they only have seven loaves of bread and an [[Vagueness|imprecise]] number of small fish. Jesus takes the bread, gives thanks to [[God]], and breaks the bread, and the [[Disciple (Christianity)|disciples]] then distribute it. The text in [[Ancient Greek|Greek]] uses the word ευχαριστησαςεὐχαριστήσας, ''eucharistesas'', to describe his actions. He also blesses the fish and commands that these be set before the crowd. To theologian [[John Gill (theologian)|John Gill]], "it looks, by this account, as if the fishes were blessed, and brake, and distributed separately, alter {{sic}} the blessing, breaking, and distribution of the bread; and so the [[Syriac language|Syriac]] version renders it, 'upon whom also he blessed'; and the Persic thus, 'and he also blessed the fishes'".<ref>Gill, J., [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/gill/mark/8.htm Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible] on Mark 8,(BibleHub), accessed 11 June 2017</ref><ref>Gill, J., [https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/geb/mark-8.html Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible] on Mark 8 (Studylight), accessed 12 March 2023</ref><!--Both texts have the word "alter", which should presumably read "after"--> After everyone has eaten they fill seven baskets of leftover food. [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]] also records this in chapter [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2015:29-39;&version=31; 15:29-39] but neither [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]] nor [[Gospel of John|John]] have this, yet both record the preceding feeding of the 5000. Luke progresses straight from the feeding of the 5000 to Peter's confession.<ref>{{bibleverse||Luke|9:12-21|NKJV}}</ref> [[Skepticism|Skeptical]] scholars have concluded that this is just a doubling of the story in Mark 6 with only a few details changed, such as the number of loaves and baskets.,{{cn|date=November 2017}} However,although these skeptics must deal within the subsequent passage in, {{bibleverse||Mark|8:19-2021|NKJV}} where Jesus refers to both events asduring ana exercisedialogue to teachwith his disciples about their lack of understanding.

They leave in a boat and go to [[Dalmanutha]], which is listed in Matthew as ''Magadan'' and some early manuscripts of Mark as [[Magdala]], home of [[Mary Magdalene]]. There Jesus encounters the [[Pharisees]], who ask him to perform a miracle for them. "He sighed deeply andin saidhis [[pneuma|spirit]]" (verse 12, cf. [[Mark 2#Jesus heals a paralyzed man|Mark 2:8]]), words not included in Matthew's account.<ref>[[Henry Alford (theologian)|Alford, H.]], [https://biblehub.com/commentaries/alford/mark/8.htm Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary - Alford] on Mark 8, accessed 12 March 2023</ref> Nicoll picks up "a sense of irreconcilable enmity, invincible unbelief, and coming doom" in the phrase.<ref name=Nicoll /> Jesus then asks, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it.'" [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=<ref>{{bibleverse||Mark%208|8:12NIV}}:12;&version=31; 12].NIV</ref> Matthew and Luke say that only the ''Sign of [[Jonah]]'' will be given ({{bibleverse||Matthew|12:38-39}}, {{bibleverse-nb||Matthew|16:1-4}}, {{bibleverse||Luke|11:29-30}}). See also [[Signs Gospel]]. They leave in a boat. On the other side of the lake, presumably the [[Sea of Galilee]], they find they have only brought one loaf of bread. Jesus tells his disciples to be careful and to "watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of [[Herod Antipas|Herod]]." ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark%208:15;&version=31; 15]), criticizing the Pharisees after his last encounter with them. His disciples think he is scolding them for not having enough bread, but Jesus instead scolds them for not understanding him:

:''Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" "Twelve," they replied. "And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" They answered, "Seven." He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"'' ([http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search={{bibleverse||Mark%208|8:17-21;&version=31; 17-21]|NIV}}).

Jesus tells them that he must be persecuted by the priests and teachers and killed, and after three days [[Resurrection of Jesus|rise again]]. Peter takes Jesus to one side and begins to rebuke him; Jesus turns back to look at his disciples and rebukes Peter in return (both verses 32 and 33 use the {{lang-grlangx|el|ἐπιτιμάω}}, ''epitimaó'', "to rebuke"

:''[[Get behind me, Satan|Get thee behind me, Satan]]: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.''<ref>{{bibleref2|Mark|8:33|KJV}}: King James Version</ref>

{{bibleverse||Mark|9:1|NKJV}} should be read with this section: Anglican biblical scholar [[Edward Plumptre]] states that the division ofbetween chapter 8 and [[Mark 9|chapter 9]] "is obviously wrong".<ref>Plumptre, E., [http://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/mark/9.htm Ellicott's Commentary for Modern Readers] on Mark 9, accessed 13 June 2017</ref>