Mark
Copyright © 2008 Darroll Evans
CHAPTER 8
Mark 8:1-9
1 In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat,
Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,
2 I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three
days, and have nothing to eat:
3 And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the
way: for divers of them came from far.
4 And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with
bread here in the wilderness?
5 And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.
6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven
loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before
them; and they did set them before the people.
7 And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them
also before them.
8 So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that
was left seven baskets.
9 And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.
At that time, the multitude
following Christ was very hungry.
Jesus told his disciples, “I
have pity on the multitude (Gr. Splangchnizomai epi ton ochlon-Splangcnizomai epi ton oclon)!”
That simple statement is why
He came to earth and lived among us for the purpose of taking our sins and
being crucified as the Lamb of God!
He continued, “They have been
with me three days, and have nothing to eat.”
Think about that. It was not until the three days had passed
that the Bread of Life became, in the resurrection, available to all men.
Jesus further said, “If I
send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way.”
Without the true Bread of
Life all men will “faint in the way.”
The people were hungry
because they had traveled many miles to be near Jesus.
His disciples asked, “Where
can we find enough bread here in the wilderness to feed all these people?”
As you recall, they had just
faced such a situation in chapter 6.
Again, Jesus asked, “How many
loaves do you have?
They said, “Seven!”
Seven is a complete
number. God made all of creation is
seven days!
Christ Jesus commanded the
people to sit down. The most difficult
part of Christianity is learning to rest. However, it is essential that we learn that
lesson.
Then, He took the seven
loaves, gave thanks, and broke them. He
gave the food to His disciples. They were also a few small fish. Christ blessed
them blessed, and told the disciples to pass the food among the hungry. And so,
they all ate and were filled. Afterward
they took up seven baskets filled with food. There were about four thousand
that ate. Then, He sent them away.
Christ is always ready, willing,
and able to feed those who hunger for the Bread of Life.
Mark 8:10-12
10 And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the
parts of Dalmanutha.
11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him
a sign from heaven, tempting him.
12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek
after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this
generation.
Christ and His disciples
continued their journey along the Galilean coast to the city of
The Pharisees in that area
began to question Him. They wanted a
sign that He was the Messiah. It was an
effort to tempt Him!
At that He sighed as if to
say, “Enough of this kid stuff!” Then he
asked them, ‘Why do you want a sign? Truthfully I tell you that no sign shall
be given to this generation!”
The only “sign” was standing
there talking to them!
They had already seen the
healings and the feedings of the multitudes.
But that was not enough!
What was given to them was
extremely redundant, but they were not “given” a revelation of Christ and
without that revelation there can be no understanding!
Mark 8:13-21
13 And he left them, and entering into the ship again departed to the other
side.
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship
with them more than one loaf.
15 And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.
17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have
no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet
hardened?
18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not
remember?
19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of
fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.
20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments
took ye up? And they said, Seven.
21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?
He left the Pharisees still
wondering about Him, He boarded a boat and sailed away on the
In the effort to leave, the
disciples had forgotten to take bread.
In those days, there were no corner grocery stores or fast food
restaurants. Everybody carried the food
they would need for a journey.
Jesus told them. “Pay
attention to and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of
Herod.”
The Pharisees had zeal for
the words, but not for the Word.
Those of Herod’s company were
completely wrapped up in the carnal.
What they saw was all they expected.
And so, they thought, “It is
because we have no bread.”
They thought wrong!
Jesus asked, “Why do you think
I am referring to physical bread? Are you do hard of heart that you don’t
understand?
“Do you have eyes without
sight, or ears without the ability to hear?
Don’t you recall what I did?
“When I broke the five loaves
among five thousand, how many baskets of food did you gather?”
They said, “Twelve.”
Then He asked, “And, when I
fed the four thousand, how many baskets of food did you gather?”
They answered, “Seven.”
Then Jesus asked, “So, why
don’t you understand?”
Today, we face the same
situation. Many times we look without
seeing, and perceive sound without hearing.
You will notice that Jesus
did not give them a simple answer to His question.
Unlike many of the world’s
religions, Christ wants all of His followers to think! Blind faith is not a Christian principle!
Mark 8:22-30
22 And he cometh to
23 And 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 upon him, he asked him if he saw
ought.
24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.
25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and
made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every
man clearly.
26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor
tell it to any in the town.
27 And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi:
and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I
am?
28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of
the prophets.
29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and
saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.
30 And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.
Eventually, they came to
Jesus took the blind man by
the hand, and led him out of the town. Then, He spit on his eyes, and put his
hands upon him, and asked him what he saw.
The man said, “I see men who
look like trees, walking.”
That was not a good response.
So, Jesus put his hands again
on his eyes again, and made him look up.
At that, the man’s sight was restored, and saw everything clearly.
If we spiritually look up, we
will see clearly!
And Christ sent him away to
his home, He told him, “Don’t tell this to anyone.”
But again, how can a man keep
his newly gained sight a secret?
Jesus and His disciples left
and went to Caesarea Philippi.
Along the way, Jesus asked
the disciples, “Who do men say that I am?”
They gave the standard
answers, “Some say you are John the Baptist, others say, Elijah, and still
others say that You are one of the prophets.”
Then He asked pointedly,
“But, who do you say I am?”
At that, Peter answered, “You
are the Messiah, the Christ!”
Jesus ordered them not to
make it public!
Mark 8:31-38
31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and
be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be
killed, and after three days rise again.
32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke
him.
33 But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter,
saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of
God, but the things that be of men.
34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said
unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross, and follow me.
35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his
life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul?
37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this
adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed,
when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Then, Jesus began to teach
them that the Son of man must suffer many things, be rejected of the elders,
chief priests, and scribes, and be killed!
But, after three days He would rise from death. It is now obvious that they did not believe
Him!
Peter, poor old Peter, began
to rebuke the Creator of the Universe.
Jesus turned, looked on his
disciples, and rebuked Peter, saying, “Get behind me, Satan!”
Many ignore the biblical fact
that in saying that, Jesus was rebuking Peter for his refusal to accept God’s
plan for the ages! God’s plan requires
the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus to reconcile (as a matter of
conciliation) the world to Himself.
Due to Peter’s rejection of
God’s Plan, he became an adversary, a satan.
Jesus continued, “Because,
you are inclined toward the things of men and not the things of God!”
Jesus then called all His
followers together and told them, “Whosever will follow me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
“Whoever attempts to save his
life shall lose it! However, whosoever shall lose his life (for my sake and the
gospel's) shall save it.
“What shall it profit a man,
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
“Or, what shall a man give in
exchange for his soul?
“Therefore, whoever shall be
ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him
also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He comes in the glory of His Father
with the holy angels.”
Christ Jesus is always the
reference point!